Do you know why people come to New York when they aim to make a somebody of themselves? It's because New York is the capitol of everything possible. I want to pursue my goals and make things happen in my life, and that is why I've come here. I might have been born on the west coast in Los Angeles, spent my early childhood years in the midwest in Denver, and had my early adulthood in southern state of Florida, but it is the pursuit of my goals - ever upward - that makes me a New Yorker.
I compete in the Miss America system not because I get to wear a pretty tiara, but because it is empowering, and the crown is my microphone which allows me to reach audiences that I as an individual would not be able to reach. It's my stepping stone to a successful career, my opportunity to finance my education, and the chance to make a social statement and be heard. I am grateful for this upcoming year as Miss Metropolitan 2011 - a year of service on behalf of the Miss New York / Miss America Organization, a year to live experiences that shape and strengthen who I am, and a year full of people I hope to inspire and give hope to with my platform "Promoting Hope, Preventing Suicide."
03/13/11 Being crowned Miss Metropolitan 2011
by Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010
