Miss Represented: Victoria DiSorbo Miss World America 2023 [Episode 43]

Summary

Podcast Title: Miss Represented
Episode: Miss Represented: Victoria DiSorbo Miss World America 2023 [Episode 43]
Release Date: August 16, 2024
Host: Lisa Opie
Guest: Victoria DiSorbo, Miss World America 2023

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Introduction

In Episode 43 of the Miss Represented Podcast, host Lisa Opie welcomes her first-ever Miss World America contestant, Victoria DiSorbo. Victoria shares her inspiring journey from pageantry to business ownership, offering listeners a deep dive into the multifaceted world of beauty pageants and the empowering life lessons they've imparted.

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Victoria's Journey to Miss World America

Victoria's path to becoming Miss World America was both serendipitous and determined. A former Miss Florida Teen and last year's first runner-up for Miss Florida, Victoria was encouraged by her mother to pursue Miss World America. This transition marked her entry into a unique pageant system governed by Ekta Sani, Shree, and Sanjay, whom she affectionately describes as "actual angels on earth."

Victoria [02:51]: "Probably for the rest of your life."
Lisa [02:55]: "Yes."
Victoria [02:56]: "They’re stuck with me."

With weekly check-ins focusing on interview and mental preparation, as well as developing her Beauty with a Purpose project, Victoria embraced the comprehensive support system provided by her directors. This holistic approach not only honed her pageant skills but also deepened her personal growth.

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Competition Structure and Personal Insights

The Miss World America competition is renowned for its diversity, encompassing 13 different categories. These include optional rounds such as fitness and talent, both submitted prior to the national competition in Seattle, Washington. Unlike many traditional pageants, Miss World America does not include a swimsuit competition, a change Victoria found empowering.

Victoria [03:38]: "We have like the top 20."

Instead, the focus shifts to health and personal well-being. Victoria highlights the beep test, a rigorous fitness challenge that evaluates endurance, drawing parallels to military training.

Victoria [04:48]: "It was 112 countries in the middle of India, and we're doing a beep test."

This emphasis on genuine fitness over aesthetics aligns with Victoria's philosophy of empowering oneself through health and strength.

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Preparing for the International Stage: Miss World in India

Victoria's journey extended beyond the national level as she represented the United States at the Miss World pageant in India. The month-long experience spanned three cities and involved 13 categories of competition, including a stint at the G20 summit, where Victoria engaged in debates on healthcare—a testament to the pageant's focus on intellect and advocacy.

Traveling to India was both exhilarating and challenging. The 36-hour journey, inclusive of a layover at JFK, was just the beginning of her transformative experience.

Victoria [09:22]: "Wow."

In India, Victoria immersed herself in cultural experiences, from participating in a live tiger safari to interacting with street children in New Delhi. These interactions underscored the pageant's commitment to humanitarian efforts.

Victoria [14:26]: "I got very emotional. But I had two babies. They were like three in both of my arms..."

These moments of vulnerability contrasted the glamour of the stage, highlighting the pageant's deeper purpose.

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Balancing Pageantry and Business Ownership

Beyond her pageant accolades, Victoria is a successful business owner. She founded a construction design firm, one of the few led by women in the industry. Navigating a male-dominated field, Victoria emphasizes the importance of embracing her alpha energy while also leaning into her feminine intuition.

Victoria [26:19]: "What I've seen has done very well."

Her approach—letting her work speak for itself—serves as a powerful blueprint for women aspiring to lead in similar arenas.

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Beauty with a Purpose: Advocacy for Cystic Fibrosis and Angels for Humanity

Victoria's advocacy work is deeply personal. Her primary Beauty with a Purpose project centers on cystic fibrosis (CF), inspired by her childhood best friend who battled the disease. This mission led her to author children's books, raise substantial funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and actively participate in finding a cure.

Victoria [29:14]: "Being a caretaker and seeing someone that I loved struggle to do something that we take for granted... it had me have a lot of humility in my life."

Additionally, Victoria is actively involved with Angels for Humanity, an organization dedicated to providing healthcare to children in the Caribbean, particularly in Haiti. Her contributions include building schools and distributing medical supplies, showcasing her commitment to global humanitarian efforts.

Victoria [31:16]: "Judith Joseph, our founder and CEO, created this organization 18 years ago."

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Key Insights and Advice for Aspiring Contestants

Victoria offers invaluable advice to those pursuing pageantry:

1. Be Authentic: "When I went to Miss World America, I was me... the most pure, fun, lighthearted version of me."
2. Embrace the Process: "Slow down, enjoy the process."
3. Listen to Your Intuition: "Lean into your inner voice and have fun with it."

Her emphasis on personal authenticity over conforming to external expectations resonates as a guiding principle for success.

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Fun Interactions: This or That Segment

Towards the end of the episode, Lisa and Victoria engage in a playful "This or That" segment, revealing personal preferences and light-hearted anecdotes:

• Pura Vida over Joe and the Juice: Victoria favors the former for its accessibility and quality.
• Steak over Sushi: A testament to her culinary preferences.
• Flying over Road Trips: Preferring the efficiency and restfulness of flying.
• Sash over Crown: Believing that true royalty lies within one's heart.
• Makeup over Hair: Highlighting her priority on makeup skills.

These interactions add a personal touch, allowing listeners to connect with Victoria beyond her professional and advocacy endeavors.

Victoria [40:28]: "The real crown is in their heart."

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Conclusion and Future Endeavors

As the episode wraps up, Victoria reflects on her transformative experience and outlines her future plans. She aims to focus on her business, continue her advocacy work, and support the next generation of Miss World America contestants.

Victoria [33:58]: "I'm really working on my career and finishing off my year strong as Miss World America..."

Her openness to future opportunities and commitment to personal growth serve as an inspiration to listeners.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Victoria on Unique Pageants:

  "It is a very unique pageant... it was awesome." [00:54]

• On Fitness Empowerment:

  "I wanted to feel good... which I think is really empowering." [03:57]

• Embracing Femininity in Business:

  "We don't need to seek validation from others... especially in such a male dominated field." [26:51]

• Advocacy and Personal Growth:

  "I was able to hit a point of enlightenment... content with who I was." [22:38]

• Authenticity Advice:

  "If you do something that you wanna do, win or lose, you'll be more fulfilled." [35:16]

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Final Thoughts

Episode 43 of the Miss Represented Podcast offers a comprehensive and heartfelt exploration of Victoria DiSorbo's experiences as Miss World America 2023. From the rigors of international pageantry to the challenges of leading a business in a male-dominated industry, Victoria's story is one of resilience, authenticity, and unwavering commitment to making a positive impact. Her insights not only demystify the world of pageants but also provide a blueprint for personal and professional success.

For listeners seeking inspiration and practical advice on empowering themselves in various facets of life, this episode is a must-listen.

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Follow Victoria DiSorbo:

• Instagram: @victoriadiSorbo
• Miss World America: @MissWorldAmerica

Subscribe to Miss Represented Podcast:
Join Lisa Opie and her empowering guests by hitting the subscribe button to stay updated on future episodes that inspire and equip you to slay in every aspect of your life.

Transcript

[A]

Dive into summer with Vizkaya swimwear. Stylish, comfortable, unforgettable. Make a splash with Vizkaya swimwear. Discover your beauty with Lady Code cosmetics. Bold colors, flawless finishes. Unleash your confidence with Lady Code. Hello and welcome back to Miss Represented. I'm your host, Lisa Opie and I am so excited for today's guest because it is our very first Miss World America that we've had on misrepresented. Hi, Victoria.

[B]

Hi. How are you doing? Thank you for having me.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I'm just really excited because I feel like I know all about Ms. USA and all about Ms. Earth USA and Ms. World America is one of the pageants where it's a mystery to me, but I follow it and it's just a lot. Right. Like there's so many different aspects of competition. It's a very unique pageant.

[B]

It is a very unique pageant. And having gone to Miss World and competed for an entire month in three different cities in India, so going to a different continent was such an incredible experience. But I think we competed in 13 different categories of competition. So it was a lot, but so worth it.

[A]

We'll just dive right into that then. So let's first talk about being the first queen under Ektasani. I love her and sh so much. They're incredible people. So what they are, they really are.

[B]

Actual angels on the earth.

[A]

I love. So what was it like competing under their directorship for the first time at their national pageant?

[B]

It was awesome. So I actually had jumped pageant systems. I don't know if you know that.

[A]

I was a former Miss Florida teen. Yeah.

[B]

And then I was first runner up at Miss Florida just last year. And three months later, my mom had sent me a link to Miss World America and she said, listen, let's do it like we're being called to it. Wear the same stuff. Don't buy anything. We'll wear the same gown, same interview dress, same everything. And I went and I competed for Miss World America. And with the prep going to Miss World America, Sri and Ekta and Sanjay have done a great job where we would have like check ins every week as contestants competing like state title holders. Where we would learn if it was interview prep, mental prep, we would have prompts to learn about ourselves, develop our beauty with a purpose projects. And then going that weekend to Seattle, Washington and competing was such a great experience because they're such great people. But the girls in our organization too have such great hearts. We have like a Yale graduate. We had girls from all across the United States that Had such unique backgrounds, but that were so successful with, again, a beauty with a purpose. And they had a purpose, so it was fun. And then the end of the weekend, cherry on top, because I got crowned and got to be their queen and their daughter and their sister for the rest of the year.

[A]

Oh, and probably for the rest of your life.

[B]

Probably. They. They're stuck with me.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So what were the aspects of competition for just the national level.

[B]

National level, we competed in an optional fitness round, an optional talent round, which was submitted before we went to Seattle, Washington. And then while we were in Seattle, we competed in interview and evening gown. And then there were finalists that had fast tracks in talent in beauty with a purpose.

[A]

What are the fast tracks? What does that mean?

[B]

So a fast track is. Let's say we had over 60 contestants compete for Miss World America. So 60 girls submitted their beauty with a purpose projects, and then there was a final 10 that was chosen. That final 10 would automatically get a spot. And for example, I think we had a top 20.

[A]

Okay. Wow. So there's no swimsuit.

[B]

No swimsuit.

[A]

Wow. What was that like? Did you like that or did you hate that?

[B]

It was nice.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Honestly, it really gave me some time to work out for health, like, workout, because I wanted to feel good. So instead of going to the gym and saying, oh, my waist needs to be this small.

[A]

Right. Because I can feel toxic, I was.

[B]

Like, oh, I want to do 37 burpees without having to stop, or I want to be able to run. Like, I'm training for a half marathon right now. And being in this space, I have the ability to work out for me and to work out for my health and to work out to feel stronger, which I think is really empowering. But the Miss World organization and the Miss World America organization, it's really cool because we have, like, a fitness competition, but it's. We did, like, a workout.

[A]

It's like real fitness.

[B]

It's a real.

[A]

How fit are you? How many burpees can you do?

[B]

Miss World, they had us do. Have you ever done a beep test? No, I was. It's running back and forth, but the beeps. You have to get from one side of the court to the other side of the court before it beeps.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

But what it does is it tests your endurance. And apparently Navy seals have to go through this test to, I guess, pass seal training.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it's 112 countries in the middle of India, and we're doing a beep test. I'm thinking, like, oh, how hard can it be? I work out every day. By the 10th round, I was winded and Peru was in my continent. Peru, I think, won our continent. She was the America's winner for the beep test. But it was incredible seeing, like, we're not just beautiful. We don't just have amazing purposes, but, you know, we're athletic and yeah, like.

[A]

Pageantry is a sport, like they say. It's not just a beauty contest.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. So how. What was your prep like, going into internationals? Did SRI kind of walk you through everything and help you and, like, you know, tell you what to expect along the way?

[B]

Of course. So she had just competed for Miss World. And what I really appreciated about Shree and her guidance is she always said, like, just have fun, you know, don't take it too seriously.

[A]

She.

[B]

I'd be like, sri, I need to figure out exactly what outfits I need. She's like, just pack what you think. Like, just pack, like 10 dresses.

[A]

You'll be fine.

[B]

And I'm over here, like, sweating, trying to color code all my suitcases. And she's like, you'll be fine. It's okay. Like, you've got this. So she was very supportive and kept the stress off of me, which is nice. I think when you have a team and directors that really just let you fly, it allows you to have a really great experience.

[A]

Yeah, it makes a huge difference for sure. And, like, sometimes you bring in, like, great opportunities and great ideas as well, so it helps the organization right back. Yeah, yeah. So how many suitcases did you take to India?

[B]

So I left with six.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But my mom met me with an extra one because I ran out of clothes.

[A]

Oh, you did? So you didn't pack enough?

[B]

I didn't. I was like, three days short.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. So you were there for a month, right?

[B]

Almost a month. Yeah.

[A]

Almost a month. That is crazy. So I want to. I want you to walk me through, like, as much of this process as you can because, like, our listeners probably have no idea what it's like to actually be at Miss World. America. Of course.

[B]

Well, I also want to tell you a little funny story about going to Miss World. So I was getting ready to go leave for Miss World. I was packing my suitcases. I pulled an all nighter because I'm thinking my flight is on a Friday. I'm, like, rushing around. You know, every girl that competes in a pageant the last week is like, just a lot. A lot.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Just getting your hair done, you're getting your nails done. Mind you you have to do all of like this stuff on your own when you're in India because you can't go to the salons and things like that. No. So I had like my own little lights for my nails. You have to plan everything out. I actually miscalculated my flight in my Google Calendar and I was ready a day early.

[A]

At least it wasn't a day late. Could you imagine?

[B]

So, oh my gosh, my mom. I'm like, mom, I don't leave tomorrow. She was like, what are you talking about? Like, I just had to go to Sephora in Doral to get you, like your foundation. And I'm like, no, I put it wrong on my Google calendar. I leave on Saturday. And she's like, thank God I went to the beach the day before. It was amazing.

[A]

No, that's good. You had like a little mental health day because everything was already done. Right. Like you were ready to go.

[B]

Ready to go.

[A]

Oh, that's so nice. Did you end up, like, remembering things that you were forgetting that day too?

[B]

Yes, I ended up adding like six pounds.

[A]

Maybe that wasn't so good.

[B]

But aside from that, it's really cool being able to go to Miss World America and compete because it is a national competition, so you have a friend in every state and you're getting the same experience. You're going onto a big stage, you're able to talk about your platform, you're able to show your beauty with a purpose project and then transitioning. If you win going to Miss World, you have a huge platform where the United States has our own page on the Miss World website. I was one of the women chosen, one of 20 women chosen to actually sit at the G20 table where our president sat. And I was able to debate healthcare. Oh my gosh. And you just get great experiences, very tangible experiences like that. So, you know, being a girl who loves the Miss USA organization, I also, like, really, I'm grateful for my transition over to Miss World America and for the Sany family and for my really pure and lighthearted and fun experience because it molded me a lot this year. Year.

[A]

Wow. Yeah, I love that. Cuz you are a USA girl and I feel like there's vast differences with the two organizations. So once you got to India, how long was the flight?

[B]

So my total travel, I think was 36 hours.

[A]

Oh my God.

[B]

I had a layover in JFK and then from JFK to New Delhi, which was our first city that's not so bad that we landed in was 16 hours.

[A]

Oh my gosh.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I slept the entire time.

[A]

You need your beauty sleep.

[B]

I did, because we got off the plane pretty late at night. I was with. On the same plane with, like, six other countries. I was Puerto Rico, Guyana. All of us had gotten off the plane together. We slept for four hours. My roommate was Canada. She was already sleeping when I got home.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

And then we woke up and hit the ground running.

[A]

I love how you said home because it was for a month.

[B]

Well. And the hospitality in India is incredible.

[A]

These.

[B]

The people who were working there were so kind to us. They would meet us, like, in the hallway and help us with our bags or help us with our dresses and really make us feel comfortable, which is nice, because, I mean, I've never traveled for a month out of the continent without anyone else that I knew prior to it. I was lucky because I had SRI in India, so if I was a little stressed, I could.

[A]

Oh, you were so lucky. You had, like, a sister there with you.

[B]

Although we did try to stay very. I don't know, like.

[A]

Yeah. Or the other girls kind of like, why is her director here with her, you know, doing social media? No, because they probably all knew Sheree, and, like, you can't be mad.

[B]

No, Everyone loves Shree, but also do. The other girls are just so great. Like, I was with the Americas, so I was with a lot of Hispanic women. I was one of, I think, two Americans, me. And then Canada also spoke English.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And everyone else was from, like, all. All the Americas.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And the Caribbean, so it was fun. I definitely got a lot of intense Spanish language training while I was in India. And we were the fun bus. We would always dance and all that.

[A]

I think I saw that on the social media because SRI kept us updated. So I was, like, watching. And she. Yeah, I saw the fun bus. It's so cute. So you said how many different cities in India?

[B]

So the actual competition was two cities.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

In New Delhi and that, which is like our DC and then Mumbai, which is like rla.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But I was one of seven countries chosen to go on another trip to see a live tiger safari.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And we went to Nagpur, which is a region. And then we were able to go to this, like, huge tiger festival to save the endangered species. I got to speak in front of 20,000 Indian citizens and share a little story of mine. And I got to travel with Julia and Carolina, and I was there with England, South Africa, Spain, myself. Oh, goodness.

[A]

Do you know how they made the selections?

[B]

I have no idea. No, no. I got a call at 11:00 at night. I was with my roommate. They said, hey, pack a bag. You're leaving for two nights. Didn't. It's a safari. I was like, what? Come again? And I was terrified to tell my roommate.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Because I didn't want her to feel.

[A]

Like she was being left out of something.

[B]

Yeah. So I. So sitting there and I'm like, jamie. And my roommate was a godsend. Like, her and I had a very great relationship. She's an amazing person. And I told her, and she was freaking out for me. And we start, like, trying to pack my clothes. And then we woke up like, four hours later and I got on a flight, and then we literally hit the ground running.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. So in that whole month, like, how many hours of sleep do you think you got?

[B]

Like, nine or ten in total? Total. I would say in the beginning, we averaged maybe two and a half to three.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

And then they started to give us a little bit more sleep toward the end because we were in Mumbai and kind of focusing on the show because remember, it's a huge production.

[A]

Huge. Yeah. The entire world is watching. So what was the day to day? Like? Like, how many rehearsals were there? What kind of activities were you doing? And when did the competition start?

[B]

So right when we got to New Delhi, we had the opening ceremonies where we got to wear our national costumes, which was so fun.

[A]

What was your national costume? Who made it?

[B]

Nidal. He was, like, one of my friends and designers, and he made me this, like, kind of Barbie looking like United States of America country girl. So fun, like, throw down. It was really fun. And then, so that was our first, like, piece of competition with the festival to, like, Kickstarter start the competition. And then we had event after event after.

[A]

What kind of events?

[B]

Like, like, with different sponsors or at different places? Yeah, it was just like, we would just go to a restaurant or we would go to a museum, or we would go to the arch, and we'd be able to take pictures and experience the culture. My favorite, though, and this was in New Delhi, was we were. My continent was split into two, and my group was chosen to go to, like, a street child school.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

So it's a free school to the blue collar workers in New Delhi, India. And we got to sit with the children and we got to play with them and sing with them and watch them put on, like, a little play for us. And they made these kites and they put, like, their dreams on the kites, and we got to Fly them.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Did any girls say they want to be Miss World?

[B]

No, they didn't, actually, because all of their family members were, like, police officers or construction workers. So I feel like every single kid wanted to be a police officer.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Which I think is.

[A]

I respect that. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. So to be able to sit there with those children. I remember there's a video of me. I got very emotional. But I had two babies. They were like three in both of my arms, I'm sitting crisscross applesauce on the floor, and they fell asleep on my chest. I'm just sitting there. And it's moments like that. It's like the glitz and the glam, you know, like the eyelashes, the hair extensions. Those are a part of pageantry.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it's moments like that that define pageantry, at least for me. And, you know, that you're able to make that child feel safe, make them feel calm, and that's the impact that I like to make.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that was an experience that I will never forget and that I will cherish. Oh, my God. Experience at Miss World.

[A]

That is so beautiful. So, like, were you in one place, like, a week at a time, or did you, like, jump around between the two cities for getting ready for competition?

[B]

So we were in New Delhi first, and we did a lot of our promotional stuff. We met with. We did the G20 table, the G20 summit, the head to Head challenge. We had two sections of that. You had, like, the pre qualifying round, and then you had the G20 live broadcasted head to head challenge at the G20 table. And then we did a few more things. We got to meet some of the army wives, and we went to one of their, like, organizations and hear their stories and support their. Their platforms. And then we went to Mumbai. It was more like Showtime.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So we were doing a lot of rehearsals. We had a great team of production. That was.

[A]

How many weeks was that in? Like, a week or two weeks?

[B]

Week and a half.

[A]

Okay. It's, like, totally split down the middle. Pretty much.

[B]

Pretty much, yeah. And then I think we had five days on stage.

[A]

Wow. So 13 areas of competition. Can you break that down for me? What percent was what? How did they choose the top?

[B]

There's no percentages.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So you kind of fly blind the entire time you're at Miss World.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I did win the designer, like, from my continent. I was, like, the top model Designer award. So the United States of America won.

[A]

I'm not surprised.

[B]

I was in a beautiful gold gown that actually had, like, a tribute headpiece to the Indian culture.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And I really wanted to wear that for my director because she's from India, so I thought it would just be really special. But you have, like, Top Model challenge. The top model designer. We had pre qualifying for sport. Sport. Pre qualifying for Head to head. Head to Head. Talent. Beauty with a purpose. So interview, evening gown. There's a lot of different areas, so it's definitely a marathon.

[A]

Wow. Okay, so interview. Is it like a panel or like a round robin?

[B]

So it was a panel where there was three of us that went in at once.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I was the last group.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Like, were the judges still, like, awake, or were they like, I'm just kidding.

[B]

I walked in the interview room and made a joke. I was like, do you guys need coffee?

[A]

Wake up.

[B]

And I remember Carolina was like. I was like, are you guys tired? Do you need coffee? She goes, no, we can do this again. I said, do you want me to go get the girls?

[A]

I can't call them.

[B]

And they started laughing. It was a fun panel. The interview panel was honestly the organization.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

The people that we were around. Julia, Carolina, like, Donna, our choreographers, and then some of the, like, philanthropic partners from the panel.

[A]

So with, like, two other contestants with you, did you feel like you had to compete for, like, talking time?

[B]

My experience was different because my two contestants, I had Uruguay and Venezuela. I was very close to both of them, but they didn't speak English or very broken English. So my experience and interview was honestly kind of exciting because they tried to speak English, and they were doing so well that I'm sitting there enamored, like, just so happy for them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because Venezuela is, like, expressing her emotions. And I know Adi, and she doesn't speak, like, fluent English, but she tried so hard. And then the translator would come in for more, like, intense questions. But it was really cool to see them, like, go out of their shell and push themselves, which I feel like you wouldn't see at a normal competition in Interview. You just kind of go in and then you. You leave, you know?

[A]

Yeah. Like, rely on the translator or, like, I watch, like, Ms. Grant on YouTube and sometimes it gets really competitive because they do the group interviews, too, with, like, six different girls. And it's like, you know, they're fighting, and you can kind of tell in a nice way.

[B]

Yeah, of course.

[A]

So that's nice that you didn't have to, like, compete for, you know, your time to talk. So going into finals, like, were you, like, how are you feeling? Were you still tired or did you have energy? Did it re. Energize you?

[B]

I will never forget my two people that I sat at my table with for hair and makeup were El Salvador and Chile. And I fell asleep, like, almost sitting up. Like, I had my head at, like, the back of the chair. I was, like, kind of down on the chair. They're like, we have no idea how you fall asleep like that. Like, everyone was exhausted, but the Miss World organization treated us so well. They always had, like, food and snacks and drinks for us. They made sure that we were not on our feet 24 7. Like, they were very cognizant of making sure that we were resting. But after you've spent a month.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

In another country, just going and going and going. 3:00am like you said, it's inevitable to.

[A]

Be a little tired.

[B]

But I would do it all over again.

[A]

Oh, my God. Okay, let's do it. I'm just kidding.

[B]

Give me a few months to, like, still.

[A]

Are you still recovering? Yes. You're kidding.

[B]

I. I was, like, down for the count.

[A]

For most, it's been, like, six months. Right. When did you compete?

[B]

No, it's been two and a half. Oh, okay. Right. March, three months.

[A]

Okay. No, that's. That's not so bad. Yeah. You can still be recovering. That's okay. Pageant hangover is real.

[B]

People don't understand when you come back from a pageant, especially an international one. I couldn't even make it through a yoga class.

[A]

I can't imagine. Oh, my God. But so you told me when you walked in, you were doing makeup at three in the morning, like, for real? Every day?

[B]

Almost every day.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Me and Canada again. I had a blessed roommate. We would wake each other up. If I was feeling a little lazy. She'd be like, vic, come on. Or if she was getting up, like, didn't want to get up, like, jamie, let's go. Like, we've got a day to win. But we would have fun. We would blast music in our room, and we made it like a. Like a fun morning.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

We would be usually the first ones at breakfast because we liked to do our meditations and do a little workout in the morning and kind of just get our mind ready for the day.

[A]

I love that. And that's so good that Canada matched your vibe. Because if she wasn't, like, a morning person or she didn't want to meditate or work out, then you'd have to, like, you know, sneak around and be quiet.

[B]

And I am a big morning person. Why here in The United States. Get up at 5 just to, oh my gosh. Do like, my meditations, do my workouts, get myself ready for the day to run a business.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I'm like, up dancing. And she's like, Victoria. And I feel like she liked it toward the end, of course.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. I hope you guys still stay in touch.

[B]

Yeah, she's the best. I. We stay in touch a lot. We have a group chat with all of the contestants.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And we're always messaging each other on, like, Instagram and on WhatsApp, which is fun.

[A]

I love it. So last question about Miss World before we go into, like, Victoria, what was the finals like? Walk me through everything. How did you do?

[B]

Yeah. So finals was incredible. It was a really, really long process. So to finally get to finals was.

[A]

Like, the light is finished.

[B]

At that point I was like, I don't care.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

No, I did care. But I just was really grateful and excited, like, walking into finals knowing that I represented my country and I was able to make it through an entire month of like, a very rigorous pageant and be proud of myself for the woman that I was in those moments. But also looking back at the woman I had become. When I checked into Miss World, I was not the same woman that checked out.

[A]

I just got goosebumps. It.

[B]

I mean, same sometimes, like, thinking about it, because you go into a pageant, let's say like a three day pageant, and you barely get your bearings before it's over. And I was able to hit a point of enlightenment toward the end of the Miss World pageant where when I walked into a room, I wasn't comparing myself to other women. I wasn't raising my head higher in hopes that another woman's head would go lower. I was truly, like, content with who I was, and I was content with my energy and what I had brought forth and finding the light in the other women in the room. And I think that's a really cool, like, space to be in, especially at a pageant.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And I didn't think I would learn that at Miss World. And I did.

[A]

So, so beautiful.

[B]

And then being able to wear United States across my chest and be on a broadcast in front of 3 million people was, oh my gosh, fun. Not nerve wracking at all.

[A]

I mean, you've already done it on Miss Teen usa. It's, you know, it's part of your life.

[B]

It's true. It's true.

[A]

Okay, so now that I've mentioned it, what was Miss Teen USA like? Let's just talk about that for like two seconds.

[B]

Miss Teen USA was fun. I mean, I was Florida, so I to this day talk all the time to about 14 of the states that I competed with. Love that I go on girls trips with a group of like six or seven of us, like every year. Been to so many of their weddings. They're all having babies now.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

And competing was really fun. I competed back when IMG owned.

[A]

What year were you Misty in Florida?

[B]

17.

[A]

Okay, who did you crown? Was it Lou?

[B]

Lou is my predecessor.

[A]

Love that. I'm so excited to see her compete in Florida.

[B]

Like this weekend I have a trip. I have to go to la and I cut my trip short because I want to see Lou and a few of the other Florida girls that I've known for so many years.

[A]

But Florida needs like five crowns and sashes. We just need five representatives. It's a big state.

[B]

It's a big state.

[A]

I want to crown so many of them.

[B]

And also too, to see Carolyn give up her crown. I mean, I've known Carolyn since I was 16.

[A]

Yeah, I love her too.

[B]

And she was so deserving. So to be able to go and support her and see her mom and they're just such like a great group of humans. It's going to be fun.

[A]

Yeah, it's so exciting. Okay, so now you're like a business owner. It's so crazy. Like, I don't expect, you know, Miss World America to be owning a construction business.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So tell me all about that.

[B]

I own a construction design firm and so 1% of general contractors in the United States are women. And I am a part of the 1%.

[A]

So it's like you and one other girl, kind of.

[B]

But I got into the industry because I really wanted, like a strong longevity industry that could withstand anything. Right. Construction and design withstands pandemics, withstands time, recessions, recessions. So I wanted something that was practical and then to be able to fuel my passion, which is being able to connect to the community, being able to public speak. I write books. I've written children's books. So hopefully to be able to write.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it was a practical decision, but I love it.

[A]

I love that. So as a woman owning a business in a very, very male dominated industry, what is that like? Do you feel like you have to work harder to prove yourself?

[B]

I think I find or I believe I find myself tapping into like my alpha energy a lot. And it's taken me some time to be able to pull back and just really try to sit in my Feminine and not try to prove myself. My work proves itself. And I think as women, we kind of need to lean into that a little bit more, where it's like, we don't need to seek validation from others, but we just need to seek validation from, like, the quality of work that we put out, especially in such a male dominated field. That's what I've seen. Has done very well.

[A]

Wow. I love that quote. That is amazing. And you're the first person on misrepresented that's actually said that. And it's such a unique perspective. And I think that I really struggle with that. You know, as a business owner and a lot of other women that I speak with that own businesses, we struggle with staying in our feminine energy because as a leader and as a business owner, we kind of end up being more masculine. And it. I don't know if it really helps us at the end of the day, you know, so to embrace that and then have your work speak for yourself is really, really incredible. I'm so glad you said that. Yeah. So what made you choose that career path? Like, did you know, like, early in the day that you wanted to do that? Did you have a passion for design?

[B]

Honestly, it found me. My family is into real estate investment, and I started working on projects pretty young, when I was in college doing design with a designer that works with my family.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And he kind of looked at me and said, you have a knack for this, Victoria. Because I'd be able to walk into a room and tell it. As you could see, when I walked in, I saw like panels and I was like, ooh, what's this? I'm very curious when it comes to those types of things. And I think it's so beautiful to know, like, when you start a project, for example, building a house, you finish the project. And I love taking, like, residential clients because I know, like, if I'm working with a family, like, I visualize the memories they're going to make in that space.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

So it's more than just throwing paint on a wall. It's curating a space to be able to create memories. And then also, too, with commercial places and commercial properties, being able to curate a place that works for a business owner. Yeah. To know that you can make very instrumental decisions in making someone's life easier because of your experience and also bringing in, like, people who are tenured, like people on my team who've been working in this industry for 20 years.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I have no problem bringing them in and saying, listen, you are the specialist when it comes to this. I would like to learn from you.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And I think that's something that's really hard for people to do sometimes.

[A]

Yeah. Just letting go of the reins and trusting people, but also learning, being, like.

[B]

I don't know, everything. Yeah.

[A]

Wow. So your beauty with a purpose, was it cystic fibrosis? Was that, like, your platform?

[B]

Yes, mainly cystic fibrosis, but also to my work with an organization called Angels for Humanity.

[A]

Tell us about both of them.

[B]

I've been working with CF since, like, for 15 years almost.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Or probably a little more at this point.

[A]

Do you have a personal experience with it?

[B]

Yeah. My childhood best friend had cystic fibrosis. So at the age of eight, I became a caretaker for someone with cf. So I think, like, in pageants, people always look at you and they're like, she's so put together. She's a business owner. They don't see the building blocks that made you into the woman that you are. And I had a lot of those. So being a caretaker and seeing someone that I loved struggle to do something that we take for granted, Breathe. Every day was like, a really, really humbling and, like, had me have a lot of humility in my life. Right. So I got to write a children's book, publish it, distribute it across the United States. I've raised a lump sum of money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. We are, and I will, like, pray, but it's very attainable. Going to find a cure for CF in my lifetime, which is amazing. Wow. And, yeah, I started competing in pageants because of Julie, because she was really struggling with cf and she had such a light, and I knew her light needed to shine brighter, but she couldn't do that from a hospital bed. So I kind of took on the responsibility of letting her light shine through me. And after her passing, I made a vow that her light would never dim and I would continue to push it forward.

[A]

Is that what led you to the other platform?

[B]

The other platform was more of my love for kids.

[A]

Okay. So it's completely different.

[B]

Completely different. But we do work a lot in the health care field. So. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that a child is born with. And with Angels for Humanity, I work in different countries around, usually the Caribbean to provide kids with health care. So it's all health care focused. Yeah. And we're able to do, like, doctor's visits, dental visits, on mission trips, building a school, if you ever want to come.

[A]

I do. So what inspired you to, like, get into Angels for Humanity. Was there, like, a special connection there, too?

[B]

I was able to meet the owner and the founder of the organization, and I become very passionate about working with people who don't just share that passion, but have that, like, innate need. Like, Judith Joseph, our founder and CEO, created this organization 18 years ago.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And she has the story where she's from Haiti, and she would see street child, like, children walking around with no shoes on and, like, eating out of garbage cans and, like, just the most, like, sad experiences. And she knew that she had to do something. So working with Angels for Humanity, I know that every dollar that we raise, every trip that we take, we're doing it out of the purest, like, places in our hearts, and everything's going to where it's supposed to go. We have no people who get paid in the organization.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Nobody. We're all volunteers.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

That's beautiful.

[A]

Have you been to the Caribbean?

[B]

Which.

[A]

Which islands?

[B]

I've been all over the Caribbean, but on our mission trip, I went to Haiti last.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And we got to distribute Christmas gifts to kids all over Haiti. And we. We broke ground in our school there, and we delivered medical supplies.

[A]

That is so beautiful.

[B]

Yeah, it was really fun.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

It was humbling, I bet.

[A]

I've never been to Haiti, but I've heard stories and, like, I would love to participate. Like, it sounds incredible and, like, so enriching.

[B]

And we have a lot of great events in the States, too. We have huge, like, shows, which are our fundraisers. Our last fundraiser was at the Biltmore Hotel, and the one before that was the Balmain Fashion Show.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

They did it for our organization, so if you want to come, let me know. But we also have our back to school event, which is happening at the end of July, where we're providing over a thousand children in the Miami Dade area with haircuts, checkups, dental screenings, shots, backpacks, uniforms.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I love it.

[B]

So all the money that we raised at our tea party at the Biltmore is going toward directly into the community, being infused, making sure these kids are ready to go to school.

[A]

I love that. I love that you make it fun, too, because it's like, yeah, I want to go to a tea party at the Biltmore. Like, of course, you know, and then you're also helping kids, and, like, I want to go there and, like, help and see, you know, where that money's going, too. Like, that is so incredible. I love that.

[B]

It's A good organization.

[A]

So I know everyone's probably asking you now that Miss World is over, but what is next for you?

[B]

Right now, I think that I have my bearings. I'm really working on my career and finishing off my year strong as Miss World America and helping Ekta and Shree find the next Miss World America.

[A]

How is that going?

[B]

It's been good. Yeah. We're. We're just starting to. To get that season rolling.

[A]

Yeah. When is the next pageant?

[B]

We don't know yet.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Or hasn't been announced yet.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

But it will soon on the Miss World America page, and then we'll see. I'm really. I have a very open mind for my future, which I think is exciting and scary.

[A]

And I think that's when, like, the best things come to you, though. Because if you're, like, set on something, you know, sometimes God has, like, better plans for you. So you need to have an open mind and just go where he takes you. Of course. Do you have any advice for how to win Miss World America? Because I have a feeling like all 50 delegates will be watching this episode. Hey, guys.

[B]

How to win Miss World America. I. During my prep for Miss World America, I paused more than I had ever paused in my life. I'm a very go, go, go, like, over prepared, like, workaholic as a business owner and, like, just as a woman. I feel like a lot of pageant girls are. But I paused, and I would take moments to sit on my balcony, to journal, to try to understand my why, to really dive into my beauty with a purpose project. And not like, the pretty times where you go and take pictures.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Going to the hospitals and, like, doing it with nobody knowing and sitting with CF patients and sitting with kids and reading with them and really connecting to that power source that has fueled me for so many years. So when I went to Miss World America, I was me, and I was, like, the most pure, fun, like, lighthearted version of me. And I was just excited to take on, like, a challenge. And it worked.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

It was fun.

[A]

So just being yourself. Right. And slowing down, enjoy the process. And, you know, I feel like that really is the bottom line, is just being yourself. And in pageants, like, people think they have to, like, look and act and talk a specific way and dress a certain way, and they lose themselves. And those are the girls that don't do well, even though they could have if they were themselves.

[B]

Yeah. But also, too, to listen to you. I think in pageants, we hire coaches or we have directors and we have parents who Usually have a lot of opin. But a woman's intuition and, like, what you feel is so important. So to lean into that and to listen to yourself and embrace your inner voice and have fun with it. Because if you do something that someone else wants you to do, win or lose, you're gonna feel better. If you do something that you wanna do, win or lose, you'll be more fulfilled.

[A]

I love that. Exactly. You hit the nail on the head, right.

[B]

I've been here for almost 10 years. I don't want to talk about it. I look back, I'm like, I am old.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Has it been 10? No, it has been 10 years. How long have you been doing pageants for?

[B]

Sixteen.

[A]

No way. Sixteen years.

[B]

No, I was 16.

[A]

Oh, you were 16? I was like 16 years.

[B]

Almost 10. Almost 10.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

But not consistently. I took the nice, like, seven year break in the middle.

[A]

Okay. Probably after Teen usa.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then you came back to Florida and, you know, like, you have to roll with it because God had a different plan for you. And if you won Florida usa, you would have just.

[B]

Yeah. You know. Well, that's another thing to think of too. My dad literally used this when my little brother didn't make his soccer team. I competed for Miss Florida usa, got second runner up, went back, competed for Miss Florida usa, got first winner up. I was like, come on, like, what's. What's going on here? What's the plan? And I had to take a step back and, like, look at it from a bird's eye view and know that, like, you know, there are blessings in the balance for you. And the one blessing that you maybe don't get, it wasn't meant for you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But there is another blessing waiting for you. You just have to have, like, open eyes and an open heart to get it. So not winning Ms. Word USA, I got to cheer on one of my favorite people on the planet. Carolyn Dixon, compete at Miss usa. But I also got to go and represent the United States at Miss World and spend a month.

[A]

It's a win for both of you guys.

[B]

It was a cool thing and a cool experience.

[A]

So I love that we're gonna do this or that. It's like my favorite part of the show. So my first this or that question. Since you live in South Florida, you're kind of like a Miami girly, right? Do you like Joe and the Juice or Pura Vida?

[B]

Pura Vida.

[A]

Really?

[B]

There's one. Well, I'm not close to Joe and the Juice, but there's One walking distance from my apart apartment.

[A]

Oh, that's dangerous.

[B]

I know. My bank account.

[A]

Yeah. Very happy about it, but it's worth every penny. What's your order?

[B]

It depends. So if it's a morning, I love the avocado toast. I will always get one of their little immunity shots.

[A]

So good.

[B]

And I like their salads.

[A]

All of their salads. I get the chicken plate. I love that. And then they're super green smoothies. So good.

[B]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[A]

But, like, Joe and the juice is growing on me now, so I'm like, I can't decide. Like, it's like, you know, when you're in the mood for that kind of food, those are, like, the two options.

[B]

They are. I have to try Joan, the juice.

[A]

It's good. Their sandwiches are really good.

[B]

Are they?

[A]

Yes. Okay. I know. That was so random, but I'm like, she's from here. I needed an answer for that because I don't know. Steak or sushi?

[B]

I like steak.

[A]

I love it. Road trip or fly?

[B]

I'd rather fly.

[A]

Just get it over with.

[B]

I want to get there. And I sleep on the flights, too, so it's amazing. I'm recharged the second we perfect down.

[A]

Are you, like, one of the girls that would, like, do skincare or, like, do the heatless curlers on the plane?

[B]

No, no. When I went to Miss World.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Because I had to get off the plane and kind of look.

[A]

Oh, yeah, good.

[B]

I actually went into the bathroom with my little makeup kit, and the flight attendant saw a different girl walk in the bathroom.

[A]

Oh, my God. Like, when did she get on the plane?

[B]

So pageant girl 101, learn how to do your makeup in the bathroom of a plane.

[A]

I always get so nervous because I'll be in there for so long doing, like, a full face. I'm like, these people, like, are probably waiting. Like, you know, they'll knock. And I'm like, no. Yeah.

[B]

Sorry, guys.

[A]

East coast or west coast?

[B]

Well, I'm from the east coast, so I'm biased.

[A]

Yeah. Crown or sash?

[B]

That's hard. I think sash, because I always tell little girls that the real princesses don't need a crown. Like, the real crown is, like, in their heart. So I think being able to say that while wearing a sash, but also too, like, it shows your organization and, like, the pride of it.

[A]

Like, everything you represent. Yeah, I love that. Swimsuit or gown? This is like, a USA Girl question.

[B]

But I love swim. I really do. Me too.

[A]

Platform heels or sandal heels?

[B]

Oh, that's hard. I Would say platforms.

[A]

I love that you answer that. Because you're super tall, but you're still, like, I'm gonna be taller.

[B]

Oh, yeah, I'm tall. But we will use this as.

[A]

And that's how you win. Hair or makeup?

[B]

Makeup. I'm terrible at hair. Really?

[A]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I love that, like, gigantic thing you had in your bag. The.

[B]

It's like the Revlon, like, blowout brush.

[A]

I've never seen that. I see Dyson, like, 30 times a day. But, like, that Revlon thing. I want one, though.

[B]

It's nice. It's, like, 20 bucks.

[A]

And your hair looks so good.

[B]

Thank you. I'm trying not to put heat on it since, like.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Since India.

[A]

Oh, you said you had a story.

[B]

Oh, this is a story. All right. Imagine. Take it back.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Victoria and Jamie, USA and Canada. Touchdown in India. We're at Miss World. We're getting ready. We're, like, super prepared. I think collectively. We had, like, 14 suitcases in our room.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I had a few irons. She had a few irons. We both had steamers. Within the first 48 hours of Ms. World, the conversion of the, like, Volts blew out all of our curling irons and all of our steamers. So we're texting, like, every person we know on our address book. Do you know anyone in New Delhi, India? And I found someone. A woman that went to my training gym, whose brother is a commissioner in New Delhi, India.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Who sent his assistant to the beauty supply store and bought us new steamers and curling irons.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

But they didn't have heat settings, so.

[A]

You'Re just, like, full power or nothing.

[B]

Power, like, frying our hair every day. So when I got home, I went to my hairdresser and I said, cut off everything that's dead. Well, I ended up with a bob.

[A]

At least you had a bob.

[B]

Six inches off. So I've been rocking this haircut. I love it for health reasons.

[A]

I love it. It looks so good. It suits you.

[B]

Thank you. It's been fun.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

But yes. Get the converter for your irons. If you're gonna compete in a pageant.

[A]

Sometimes the converter doesn't work. I've been to, like, overseas, and, like, the converter, something still pops. And then my thing doesn't work anymore. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[B]

I blow up my Dyson, too. I had my air wrap.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

And Jamie had her. She said, try yours first. Okay, I tried it.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Air ups are the worst, though. They don't convert very well.

[B]

No, I don't risk it. We had no idea.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

But it was a fun story to tell.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

For the rest of our lives.

[A]

I'm glad I remembered it was good. Shopping online or in person?

[B]

I like in person. But it has to be quick.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like in and out. But I want to try it on.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Reels or tick tock reels?

[B]

I don't have tick tock on my phone.

[A]

Really? Why?

[B]

I don't know. I just found myself scrolling too much.

[A]

Yeah, me too. No, whenever I open tick tock, like, it's over.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

To like 4:00am, I'll be like, in bed, like, scrolling. I can't stop.

[B]

I noticed it, so I said, look, I deleted it.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

And I've been a lot better.

[A]

Reels is catching up, though. And now, like, I don't even know which app I'm on anymore because I'll be scrolling on reels. And I'm like, wait, it's is dangerous. But at least, like, we get, like, notifications, you know, and you can kind of close out.

[B]

Of course.

[A]

Yeah. Okay, last question. Is mob wife or clean girl?

[B]

Clean girl.

[A]

I totally see that for you. I'm not surprised.

[B]

Definitely dainty.

[A]

I love it. So where can our audience follow you on social media?

[B]

So personal. At Victoria desorbo and then Miss World America at America's Miss World.

[A]

Perfect. Thank you so much for coming on. I had so much fun.

[B]

Thank you. I did too. It was a pleasure.