Life and Work with Jacqueline Thomas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Thomas.

Jacqueline, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Hello! I am a proud Arizona Native. I have been a part of the Miss America/Miss Arizona Organization for almost six years now and it has completed transformed me into the women I am today.

There has been some backlash in the media recently regarding the Miss America Organization (MAO), so I wanted to start by clearing some things up. MAO is a wonderful, incredible organization that does amazing things for women and their surrounding communities. No matter who sits in the corner office on the East Coast, the heart of Miss America is service, scholarship, empowerment and the overall betterment of not only the participants – but also anyone who becomes involved in the organization. And the heart of Miss America is alive and well here in our communities in Arizona!

This organization is near and dear to my heart because it has helped me give back to my community, grow in confidence, and find my true passion – helping women step into their leadership potential.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey has not been easy, but it has been worth every single sacrifice, setback, and loss that has come along the way! I have been competing for the last five years for the title of Miss Arizona and the journey has transformed me as an individual, quite literally, from the inside out. Being in this environment encourages you to create the best version of yourself and this can be a very tiring, but also extremely rewarding!

Different setback that I have encountered were people not understanding or being supportive of this dream or the goals of the organization, but at the end of the day, it is up to you to figure out what works best and make it happen.

The biggest advice I can give to anyone starting to compete is to be open to the advice from others, to say YES to as many opportunities as possible, and to focus on serving your community. It’s important to remember that this isn’t about you.

Please tell us about The Miss America Organization and Lady Leaders.
As Miss North Phoenix, I am an ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, an advocate for my personal social impact initiative, a volunteer, and a local representative of the Miss Arizona Organization. The events I attend range from fundraisers to bedside hospital visits at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, local community events, elementary classrooms, college campuses, and charity events.

My social initiative work focuses on one-on-one mentorship for young girls and instilling that everyone can be a Leader. I have created a Lady Leaders Blog and LLC and developed curriculum and worksheets for elementary aged children up to college seniors designed for setting goals, giving tools & resources to accomplish the goals, and empowering them to make a difference in their surrounding communities.

Who have you been inspired by?
First and foremost, I have to say, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, former First Lady of the United States. I was named after her and have always looked up to her for her courage and strength. She was known for how she made people feel like they were the only and most important person in the room when she was talking with them. Onassis was always dressed to the tee and embraced her femininity while not composing her strength.

Another lady I admire is Princess Diana. Even though it broke her protocol to really get involved with serving communities in need, she went ahead and did it anyway because that is who she really was, a servant leader. She was truly a princess of the people.

Some modern ladies I look up to today are every single female member of the US Congress, Condoleeza Rice, Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook), the women who have spoken up about the Me Too Movement, and all of the trailblazing women who were a part of the Miss America class of 2019.

Contact Info:

• Website: lady-leaders.com
• Email: missnorthphoenix@gmail.com
• Instagram: @missnorthphoenixaz
• Twitter: @missnorthphxaz

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.