World Class Beauty Queens Magazine would like to welcome amazing Queen Cynthia Bowers-Martin United States of America's Mrs. Ohio 2020.
Full name: Cynthia Bowers-Martin Title/Year: United States of America's Mrs. Ohio 2020Pageant System: United States of America’s Miss Zodiac sign: Sagittarius, the Archer Hobbies: Inspirational speaking, walking in the park, writing books, pageant coaching, mentoring, fashion shows, cooking, singing, traveling, fitness, volunteering, spending time with family and friends Platform: Help increase self-esteem in children who suffer silently due to anger, depression, and fear by providing inspirational workshops utilizing educational tools and techniques Years competed: 15 years with breaks in between Countries visited: Jamaica, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Ireland (twice). Once Covid-19 is contained, my dream is to go to Hawaii next Likes: Foods (Mac & Cheese, Sugar Cookies, Shrimp, Lobster, Chicken); Things (Clothes, Shoes, Purses, Jewelry); Seasons (Fall, Winter); Animals (Dogs, Fish); Sports (Basketball, Tennis); Writing, Singing, Reading and Public Speaking Dislikes: Foods (Liver, Green Peas); People (Bullies) Status: Married World Class Beauty Queens: Please tell us about yourself. I've been married to my wonderful husband for 8 years. I'm a mother, published author, inspirational speaker, and certified life coach. I'm a strong advocate for students who struggle in silence with low self-esteem due to anger, depression, and fear. Part-time, I travel to local schools, girl empowerment conferences, and various events speaking to children about how to overcome low self-esteem by providing tools and techniques which they can immediately use to “Unleash the Queen & King” in them. I am also the primary caretaker of my mom, who became disabled due to a stroke and multiple other illnesses. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a minor in Business Administration along with an associate degree in Website Development and have been working in the field of Information Technology for more than 15 years. Full-time, I'm an IT Business Analyst and I assist our International customers who reside in Europe. Something new and exciting for me is, I just wrote my first children's book called, "I Don't Like Me, I Love Me". It's a story about self-esteem and self-love. It will be published online within the next couple of months if not sooner. We also just finished the first marketing commercial for my book, and I got a chance to direct it! It was so much fun! I want to thank the children who helped to make the commercial a success: Krista White, Cae'Vyon Howell, Skylar Murphy, Kaiden Smith, Jericho Mangual, Legacy Lee, Angel Murphy, Kalaeya Ellis, Navaeh Davis, Jaiden Harris, Tess Hite World Class Beauty Queens: What does women Empowerment mean to you? Women empowerment means to uplift young girls or ladies who may be feeling low due to a certain situation or circumstance. Which is one of the reasons I participate in beauty pageants. This has been and will always be one of my life missions. I want to succeed not only in pageants, but in life, because I know there is a little girl that is somewhere thinking that her dreams will not come true because of her home-life, difficulty at school, or a challenge in her life that’s difficult. I want to empower her and let her know that she can achieve anything and everything with hard work, high self-esteem, and determination, and I want to share with her the tools needed to do so. World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your pageant history. I have been involved with numerous local, state, and national pageants as a titleholder, judge, mentor, and coach. My passion for the pageant industry inspired me to create a pageant website (www.from-beauty-pageants-2-local-modeling.com) that is recognized globally, and allows me to connect with girls and women from all over the world, coaching and empowering them to “Unleash the Queen” within. World Class Beauty Queens: What inspired you to do your first pageant? I was adopted when I was a baby, and growing up, we didn’t have much money. Although we had food to eat and a house to live in, we still received government assistance. It wasn’t easy as I didn't really know my biological parents, but my adopted parents always made sure I had the best of everything. As a child, I had many dreams, but two, in particular, were to be a Teacher or an Astronaut. However, when I saw Vanessa Williams on television one day win the Miss America Pageant, and she had a skin complexion close to mine and hair similar to mine, I knew at that moment I wanted to be a beauty queen. Unfortunately, my mom and dad weren’t on board because we didn’t have the money, so I buried that dream. My dad always told me to go to school and get an education and after that, I could do and become whatever I wanted to, and I did just that. I graduated from Buchtel High school in Akron, Ohio, went off to college in Kentucky. After receiving two college degrees, I entered my first beauty pageant. I worked hard, overcame low self-esteem due to anger, depression, and fear, and then persevered. Looking back, compared to where I am now, my dreams and aspirations came true. World Class Beauty Queens: Why did you choose to compete for your current title? I chose to compete in the United States of America’s Miss pageant because the organization shares the same mission as I do, to Empower, Inspire, and Uplift all people, with an emphasis on women. Competing in this pageant helped me to take my “Unleash The Queen & King” S.T.E.A.M Initiative to the next level. World Class Beauty Queens: To those unfamiliar with your pageant system please tell us what is it about? United States of America Pageants are designed to encourage women to strive to ACHIEVE their hopes, dreams, goals, and aspirations while making them feel CONFIDENT and BEAUTIFUL inside and out! We believe the true definition of beauty is "The unique set of combinations that make you, You!" Our motto is to EMPOWER Women, INSPIRE others, & UPLIFT everyone! We focus on women empowerment, promoting positive self-image, and advocating a platform of community service, which allows our contestants to rise by lifting others. But more importantly, we are an elite sisterhood that gives support and encouragement to inspire each delegate to be the best version of herself! World Class Beauty Queens: What are you being judged on during the competition? There are 2 Competition Levels. During the Preliminary Competition, Scoring was on Personal Interview, Swimwear, and Evening Gown. During the Final Competition, Scoring was on Swimwear, Evening Gown, and Onstage Question. World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your experience during the competition. My experience during the State Competition was amazing! I met amazing women from different parts of Ohio who are talented and beautiful. At the National Competition, I got the chance to meet women from all over the U.S. and create some great friendships. Everyone on the pageant staff was helpful and nice, and all the contestants were rooting for one another. When we weren't competing, the pageant staff organized entertainment and fun for all of us, from restaurants to magic shows. Overall, my experience was unforgettable in a good way! World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your platform or what cause do you volunteer for. My platform is to help those children with low self-esteem, who suffer silently due to anger, depression, and fear. I believe every little girl is a queen and every little boy is a king. It’s my mission to help them “Unleash The Queen & King” that's within them, by helping them to become aware of who they are, and what they have on the inside. I travel to local schools, conferences, and events Encouraging, Inspiring, and Uplifting our youth to increase their self-esteem through S.T.E.A.M. (Science. Technology. Engineering. Arts. Math). I focus on the A – Arts. I encourage kids to tap into their creative side through drawing, acting, poetry, singing, modeling, pageantry, dance, and/or painting. This allows students to not focus on what they think they are lacking, but to focus on a hidden talent that they are great at, but they may not be aware of it. World Class Beauty Queens: What appearances have you done with your title? Having the United States of America's Mrs. Ohio 2020 title has landed me on two television programs, podcasts interviews, and several public speaking engagements in schools and events throughout Ohio, just to name a few. World Class Beauty Queens: What are some of your achievements? Winning the state pageant and representing Ohio, was one of my short-term achievements, and then placing in the Top 10 at the national level was an amazing achievement! However, one of my proudest achievements as USOA Mrs. Ohio 2020 was having the opportunity to Inspire, Encourage, and Uplift almost 2,000 kids in 3 and 1/2 months. That’s an achievement I’ll never forget. One of my personal achievements is overcoming fear and anxiety with regards to public speaking--all thanks to beauty pageants. I used to be very nervous, very scared, and I strongly disliked speaking in front of people for almost half of my life. However, after I entered my first pageant and won, and then placed or won many others afterward, my confidence grew stronger and helped me to have higher self-esteem and truly believe in myself. World Class Beauty Queens: What is your onstage strategy to win the judges over? My on-stage strategy was rather simple, and something I've learned to apply to my life in general, and that is to be myself, allow my bubbly personality to shine, and continue to keep a smile on my face. World Class Beauty Queens: What makes you stand out from all those other beautiful girls? I stand out naturally from all the other beautiful girls because as I've been told, I have a light about me that radiates and lights up a room. I believe that light is from God, who allows me to shine bright like a diamond. World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about the moment your name was called out as the winner. When my name was called as the winner of USOA Mrs. Ohio 2020, I was in awe! I was super excited, and I felt really warm like I was going to pass out! (smile) It was a moment I dreamt about for a long time, and was extremely happy it came true! World Class Beauty Queens: What does it mean to you to be a Beauty Queen? Being a Beauty Queen is about much more than a crown and a sash. It's not even about having a title really. It's about who you are as a person. What kind of beauty do you possess on the inside, not just physical beauty, but do you love yourself and others? In my opinion, any girl or woman who loves themselves, loves others, respects themselves and others, is hardworking and about her business, whether it's a job, working for someone else, her own business, volunteering, attending school and has confidence, that's a Beauty Queen in my eyes. World Class Beauty Queens: How did competing in pageants help your life? I suffered silently from anger, depression, and fear for many years of my life, and competing in pageants has helped me to focus on loving myself more, meeting new people, creating life-long friendships, and striving for a greater purpose, which for me, is helping kids in my community who need a reason to not just dream about their dreams coming true, but actually making their dreams come true. World Class Beauty Queens: How did pageants help your self-esteem and body image? Growing up I had low self-esteem, but I hid it very well. I was also very self-conscious about my body image. I didn’t even like to look in the mirror. Pageants have definitely increased my self-esteem and push me to want to be a better woman. I know when I compete, I want to bring my best self to the competition. Therefore, staying fit and feeling comfortable in my own skin helps me to do my best. World Class Beauty Queens: You are an inspiration to all the girls out there. How does it feel? I'm extremely humbled to be an inspiration to others, because it's such a blessing, especially to young girls. One of my life missions is to empower, inspire and uplift girls as well as boys, to be better versions of themselves. The feeling is amazing, and it truly touches me. I try my hardest not to take it for granted. World Class Beauty Queens: How did you prepare for your competition? To prepare for both the state and national competition, I worked out daily to tone up areas that I wanted to look better for me personally, added more fruits and vegetables to my diet for more energy and clearer skin, reviewed past pageant videos of myself to ensure I didn't repeat small mistakes on stage, attended other pageants in my local area to build my confidence by supporting others and to prepare myself mentally. I also worked with a pageant coach to help prepare me for the interview. I saved money for last-minute items I needed outside of my gown, shoes, interview dress, swimsuit, etc. I also worked with one of my favorite fashion stylist Ray Parker (Styled By R.P.) to help prepare each outfit for my competitions. Last, but certainly not least, I recited words of affirmations and Bible scriptures daily to prepare myself emotionally and spiritually. In my opinion, pageant preparation is a combination of the physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual well-being of the entire process. World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for learning a better pageant walk? For a pageant newbie or beginner, my tips for learning a better pageant walk is to wear heels every day for at least 15-30 minutes at least 3 to 4 months in advance, leading up to the pageant. A couple of months of practicing every day will get your feet and legs comfortable in heels. Then spend a couple of months perfecting your walk, incorporating your arms, hands, and head, etc. When I first started pageants, placing masking tape on the floor in a straight line at least 2 feet long really helped me--just walk the line, placing one foot in front of the other. It also helps with balance. World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for choosing the right pageant dress? For a pageant newbie or beginner, my tips for choosing the right pageant dress would be to go to a gown store or a place that sells gowns and pick 4 to 5 and try them on. Make sure to take a pair of heels, and it will also help tremendously if you have your hair and makeup done. Seeing the full picture of the entire look in the mirror helps greatly because when you put each gown on, you'll be able to tell right away if you can imagine yourself walking in it on stage or not. It's all about loving what you see when you look in the mirror and feel like "this is the one" or "this is not the one". Each gown you put on will speak to you or give you a good vibe or not a good vibe! World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for winning interview? My tips for winning interviews are to be yourself, plus a little extra if you're naturally quiet or not normally very talkative. Answer the questions directly and don't lie or make things up that are not true just because it might sound good. Just be genuine and always look the judge(s) in the eyes while speaking with them. If you don't understand a question, ask them politely to repeat it, versus misunderstanding it, and then rambling. Also, when it's over, don't forget to say, "Thank You!" World Class Beauty Queens: What is one mistake that you've done during competing you wish you could redo and fix it? I tripped on stage and almost fell during the evening gown portion at the national pageant because the beading on my dress got caught in my heel. I kept a smile on my face, but the rest of the evening it was on my mind and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I wish I didn't trip, but at least I didn't actually fall (smile). World Class Beauty Queens: What other mistakes are made by girls during the contest? I'm sure mistakes are made all the time during competitions, and sometimes it's difficult to keep up or keep track of your own, so there's really no time to count other people’s mistakes. I do my best to focus on myself and what I can do better throughout the competition, so I don't fall or say the wrong thing. I don't make it my business to watch what others are doing during the pageant. World Class Beauty Queens: Any modeling or acting experience? I graduated from modeling school years ago. We studied modeling and acting, and it was so much fun, and I learned a lot. Since then I've been in numerous fashion shows and have done a lot of promotional modeling work. I absolutely love being on the runway and in front of the camera! My dream is to walk in a "New York Fashion Week" show or "Paris Fashion Week" Show or any "Fashion Week" (smile). I'd also love to be in an Old Navy, Colgate, or Target Commercial - that would be totally awesome!! World Class Beauty Queens: What are your plans for 2020 as a Queen? Since winning the Ohio state title and placing in the Top 10 at the national pageant in Las Vegas, NV back in February of 2020, I have continued to travel and speak in schools and at events around Ohio. I also still judge other local, state, and national pageants, and volunteer at events as needed. However, due to Covid-19 many events were canceled, and the state of Ohio was shut down for about 3 to 4 months. This was unfortunate because many of my events went from postponed to being canceled. However, things are starting to look a bit better, so I'll continue to represent Ohio with my face mask on as needed. (smile)
World Class Beauty Queens: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? Like many people, I want to leave money, houses, property, and land as part of my legacy when I leave this earth, but unlike most, I want to leave something more significant, such as books, and journals I've written containing knowledge and information for the next generation to use. I pray that these materials will elevate them to the next level in life and to help them be successful in their future endeavors. National Director: Tanice Smith Pageant website: www.unitedstatesofamericapageants.com Photographer: Jason Gardner Hair Image Makeup: Toray M. Green Styled By R.P.: Rae Parker
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine would like to say thank you for this wonderful interview.
Cynthia Bowers-Martin United States of America's Mrs. Ohio 2020, World Class Beauty Queens Magazine, Photographer: Jason Gardner, Hair Image Makeup: Toray M. Green , Styled By R.P.: Rae Parker
Interview by Derek Tokarzewski Owner/Editor in Chief Mr United Nations 2018 Platform: Women Empowerment Ambassador to International Foundation for Orphans iffocares.org
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