Brianna Bailey

Brianna Bailey – Virginia
Nomination & Photography by Diana Giammarco Photography
Issue 61 of Inspiring Teens Magazine
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Nomination: Brianna is such an inspiration in how she treats everyone with such kindness and thoughtfulness. Brianna placed 3rd in the Ms. Teen Globe United States pageant in 2019, being the first in pageant's history to have a developmental disability: Asperger Syndrome. Brianna's story is one of inspiration and perseverance. Brianna presented her project that embraced Asperger Syndrome entitled "Teen Girls Rise", demonstrating that anyone is capable. Brianna is a model individual, but also a fashion model and has walked the runway several times! Everyone that meets Brianna loves her!
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Photography by Diana Giammarco Photography

​Tell us about your pageant life. When did you get started and why? 
I started my pageant life around the age of 12.  The 1st pageant I participated in didn't go so well.  I was accepted and people really didn't understand what Asperger's really was; and how it impacts individuals that suffer from this disorder.  I like participating in pageants, because I get to utilize my skills and pursue my passion for modeling.  Later, after my first attempt, I tried again in another pageant, and it went better this time.  My parents came up with the idea to write a "Comp Card," (used as a tool for actors & models) which explains Asperger's. This helped a lot; because I was able to give these cards out to anyone I came in contact with so that they had a better understanding of this disorder.  The card explained what Asperger's Disorder is (in detail) and how it affected me and how to best help me in certain situations. Everyone that suffers from Asperger's is affected differently, and that was the primary reason for me speaking out about this disorder, and to spread awareness, so that others could recognize that we are "people too," with the same hopes, dreams, and aspirations as anyone else. 

What do you love most about it? 
What I loved the most about pageant life, is how nice the girls were; once they knew that I had Asperger's. I was very happy to see how they interacted with me, and how they embraced me; disability and all! 

Walk us through prepping for the Ms Teen Globe United States pageant in 2019.
My parents hired a pageant coach for me.  The coach was a prior pageant winner and knew the ins and outs of participating in pageant contests.  My coach understood what Asperger's is, and was able to coach me based on my strong points.  My coach was very patient and kind.  She made me very comfortable, with me accepting myself for who I am, and not someone else.  We practiced a lot on walking the runway, and how to respond to questions posed by the judges. 

What was the day like?
The day was so exciting; however, I must admit that I was very nervous. I was scared because I thought the girls wouldn't like me and that I would get pushed into the corner all by myself.  But the opposite happened; the girls were really nice, and I was included in all the after-day events.  At the end of the day, I met and made some really nice girlfriends. 

What is your favorite memory of the pageant?
My Favorite memory of the pageant was Flying to California, with my parents, and getting dressed up and made-up by the makeup artist.   I really enjoyed it when the group went out together and had dinner at a Chinese restaurant. That was awesome!

What might people who have never been in a pageant not know about being a contestant?
Being a contestant is not as easy as it looks -- it's learning to be yourself, but also being competitive at the same time. It's a balancing act!  At the beginning, I didn't want people to know I had a disability; but once they knew and understood how it affected me, they were really accepting and cool about it.  

Photography by Diana Giammarco Photography

​​What do you wish people knew about Asperger's?
Asperger's affects everyone differently.  Most people who don't know I have Asperger's think that I'm weird or odd.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  All that anyone wants is to be accepted and included.  Most kids that have Asperger's don't have many friends.  The kind of friends that ask you to go hang out at the mall, or a school function, or maybe even, a football game. Unfortunately, that just doesn't happen very often. 

Tell us about your presentation "Teen Girls Rise".
Teen Girls Rise was my Girl Scout "Gold Award" project.  The Gold Award is the highest award you can recieve in Girl Scouts, and it's usually done in your junior/senior year in high school.  The main point of the project was to keep girls in school.  If by chance, they had a "Mishap" when their cycle came on at school, and they weren't prepared, they could stop by the nurse's station and retrieve Feminine Hygiene Products (without cost).  This would allow them to make it through the remainder of the school day. This ready access to Feminine Hygiene Products would preclude students from the embarrassment of not having products on hand, to help them with this emergency.  Most of the time, if our clothes got "soiled," we would have to call our parents and they would have to come pick us up or bring a change of clothes to school.  It was with this in mind, I (in conjunction with my parents and the school administration) developed this program.  So, I worked with my high school nurse on how to keep girls in the classroom, i.e. without having to call their parents.  I did a lot of fundraisers and received donations from local stores.  I kept our nurse’s office stocked with feminine hygiene products, i.e., leggings, new packs of underwear, deodorants, and more! We even made care packages for the girls "in need," at our home, who couldn’t afford to pay for products themselves.  The "Teens Girls Rise" Project was a huge success!  Girls were able to get back into the classroom, feeling good about themselves, and were able to concentrate on schoolwork and not be disrupted because of an emergency where they were required to call their parents and go home.    

Tell us about your family. Where do you fit in, and where do you stand out?
My mom and dad are cool. They are both retired Disabled Military Veterans.  My dad served over 20 years in the United States Air Force, and my mom served over 20 years in the United States Navy.   I am just me; I have an older stepbrother who is about 12 years older than I am.   My parents and I travel a lot. Usually for recreation/vacations.  I have a Miniature Poodle (Penny) that we adopted from the shelter.  Unfortunately, like so many other animals, she was horribly abused. We helped her get better and we gave her lots of love.

What is a favorite family memory?
My favorite family memory is when we went to the Grand Canyon.  We boated down the canal and flew over the canyon in a helicopter.    Oh, one of my favorite vacations was when we went to Paris.  We have been lucky enough to have visited it 3 times on our travels out of the country. 

Photography by Diana Giammarco Photography

​How did you find and why did you choose Diana Giammarco Photography for your photographer? 
A friend of my mom's recommended Mrs. Giammarco.   They told my mom that she would be a good fit (because of her patience) for my disability and some of the challenges I face.  Mrs. Diana is so kind, understanding and very patient with me.  She takes the best pictures ever! 

What was your experience like? What did you love most about it? 
Mrs. Dana is kind; she knows about Asperger's and can easily see when I start to get frustrated/upset.  Sometimes, she would just put the camera down, and we would just have a fun chat.  Then we would re-engage the photo shoot and go back to taking pictures.  She showed me how to have fun in front of the camera.  Mrs. Diana made me feel relaxed and very comfortable. 

What inspiring things about you does your nomination not cover?
I suffer from Asperger's disorder. However, I am determined to move forward with my life, and will not allow anything or anyone, hold me back from achieving my goals. Even though I suffer from this disease; it does not limit my aspirations, nor does it define me.  I am currently attending Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). I am enrolled in General Studies and will graduate next year. I have been accepted to attend George Mason University’s (Advance Program) where I will be Majoring in Tourism. I currently have a 3.6 G.P.A. and was on the Dean's List last semester.

What else would you like to talk about? 
I would most likely talk about my Asperger's disorder, and how it impacts me. Not many people are aware of this disorder. I would like to bring this to the attention of those who are not aware of its existence and shed light on how and why those suffering with this disorder may act a little differently than others, but we are just like everyone else. We have hopes, dreams, and aspirations; and want to achieve success in life. Everyone that suffers from this malady is affected differently. Nevertheless, we too, strive for greatness. Even Mariah Carey suffers from this disorder. I use her as an inspiration. There are many others that suffer in silence from this disease. My goal is to bring Asperger's to light; so that it benefits others. In doing so, everyone will have a better understanding of who we are and accept us for ourselves.

My goal is to become a print/runway model.  My parents have taken me to New York City, and I have walked the runways in several shows.  I really enjoy this industry.  However, my disability comes to light, and agents just don't understand how to work with me to get the best possible results for their medium.  I hope that one day I will find a good agent that understands Asperger's and how they can capitalize on my skills and abilities to bring me into the modeling industry.   

If you were to present a topic to a group of your peers, what would it be and why?
The topic that I would present is how to stay safe from COVID during this pandemic. As we all know this pandemic has been tough on all of us. It's not something that we've ever seen during our lifetime. We have all been impacted, in one way or another by having to modify our lifestyles. Whether it be school, work, or any other aspect of daily life, our lives have changed dramatically. In would simply encourage my peers to remain vigilant, observant, and steadfast in following the protocols recommended by the CDC. Because of the ever-changing dynamics involved in virulent strains of the virus mutating, we cannot be sure how it will impact our friends, colleges, families, or us personally. My plea to everyone is not to take this virus for granted and to take appropriate precautions to remain safe, healthy, and happy.
 

Image by Marie Bailey

​What is the hardest thing you have ever accomplished, and how did you do it? 
The hardest thing I have ever accomplished is understanding the complications involved with the Asperger's disorder that I have; and just how do I move forward pragmatically.  I am currently trying my best to live an uncomplicated lifestyle by coming up with systematic strategies on how to understand myself better; to be truly successful in life.  

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today? 
My advice would be to keep working hard at whatever your passion may be, and to keep moving forward, no matter how hard things get.  (1). Never stop chasing your dreams, until you achieve them; (2). Make your dreams a reality; and (3). Finally, don't let anybody, and I mean anyone, attempt to take advantage of you -- it's your life and you need to be responsible (and in control) for choosing your own path to your dreams.  If you want to chart your pathway to your dreams, listen to those you love and really trust. But never give up your morals or values to obtain tangible rewards. Don't let anyone control you or stop you from pursuing your dreams!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans? 
I think I see myself as a model in a magazine or entertaining people in some capacity.  
What is your favorite activity or pastime that was not in your nomination? I like to cosplay and act out my own characters that I've made and put them on TikTok.
Do you have a hidden talent? What is it? I can draw and paint; but I don’t have a specific hidden talent. However, I'm always working to develop one.  

3 Things on your bucket list? 
1- Graduate from George Mason University,  
2-Become a Fashion model 
3-Entertain people on a broad stage; or by cosplaying some of the characters that I have created. 

Who do you find inspiring?
I find my dad inspiring because he is always there for me when I need him, and he helps me when something doesn’t make sense. I’m very proud to call him my dad, he is the best thing that I have ever had in my life.

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I think that I am inspiring to others because I struggle; but I aspire to overcome any and all challenges or obstacles that life may throw my way. 

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
I am very proud to have been nominated to participate in this process.  I hope that I can be a positive inspiration to others who suffer from sometimes misunderstood and hidden disabilities in our society.   

Look for Brianna in issue 61 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

click here for more information on issue 61 of Inspiring Teens Magazine

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