HERE IT IS!

Live Interview with MSNBC's Thomas Roberts



This was an incredible opportunity, and I am so grateful to Thomas Roberts for the opportunity to share my message with the national audience.  Thomas found some news articles and brief interviews of me from the Hamptons Empire State Pride Agenda event and tracked me down.  Jackie Holmes came with me to Rockefeller Center where we took excited pictures in the green room, told our story of Miss Manhattan/Miss NY relationship to the hair and makeup people (who loved it!), and headed home in the car service that awaited outside the studio.  So many have asked, so here's the answer:  Yes, the interview was LIVE and no, I did not know the questions ahead of time.  I was definitely nervous, but I was really excited to be able to squeeze in "Miss America, broadcast live on ABC on January 15 from the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas!"  I hope this brings as much press and support to the Miss America Organization as it does to my message because without MAO, I would not have such an amazing vessel to promote my platform.

Plum TV

Here's the video from Plum TV from the Empire State Pride Agenda Hamptons Tea Dance

Please excuse the nasty wind and rain!

Click to view on plumtv.com

Smile!!

(side note: I had to consult my calendar to see what I did this week because my brain is a little fried -- and it's only Thursday.)

Monday we had a really productive board meeting - so many great ideas in this group.  I can't wait for them to come to fruition.  Tuesday was the big day though - Miss America headshots with Joseph Moran!!  I shot with Joseph a year and a half ago for Miss Jubilee and thought those were good...but this time around -- woah!  I'm soooo thrilled with the pictures, and man did he make it a HARD decision.  From 469, I took it to 111.  Then Leigh-Taylor and I took it to 23 - 23 to 5, which grew to 7, then narrowed to 3, then 2 and everyone was stuck. Yeah, you get the point.  Below are some of the favorite proofs - these haven't been touched AT ALL. That's how fantastic Joseph is...well, in my opinion.  Tamara did an amazing job on makeup.

You'll have to wait for the official Miss America release to see the real one though!  And a few other surprises :)  After our shoot, I ran into the hallway a few minutes late to do a phone interview with Gay.com, set up by Jackie Holmes, affectionately referred to as my publicist.  I'll keep you updated for when that article comes out.  (Check the press page - a few new things have been added)

Today, I shot a commercial for custom airbrush tanning for Beach Bum Tanning.  They have been a sponsor of mine for the past two years and will be joining Miss New York as a state sponsor!  Details to come.

Here's the big news!  TOMORROW, Friday July 30 on MSNBC 2:30 EST - I'm interviewing with Thomas Roberts (formerly from CNN Headline News)  I'm really excited for my first national television interview - and it's live!  Neatest thing is that they did not even receive the press release - they found me...they found my platform.  Set your DVR!

4 states in 6 days.

Whew! 4 states in 6 days and I'm back. Last week I flew down (first class free baggage) with our airline sponsor AirTran to spend a few days with Faith Ossmann, Miss NY board member and visit Dr. Goldstein for my first dental consult. Faith and I were such computer nerds, sitting side by side on our matching MacBook Pros working on the website and business card ideas. Her family is delightful and I can’t wait for another trip. I'll be heading back soon for my Invisalign impressions.

at the dentist - nice, right? thanks, Faith.

 First class - doing Miss A paperwork & ads

From Atlanta, I flew to Indianapolis and immediately got to see my brother and his fiancé's house and new nursery for their son Logan, who is coming any day! They were not at Miss New York, so it was exciting to see them and leave Logan an autograph card from Aunt Claire to introduce myself. :) After lunch with my younger sister Hannah and mom, they dropped me off for Katie and Brian's wedding rehearsal. It was quite a reunion and exciting to share in my new excitement, but this weekend was about Katie and Brian, not a crown - as it has been for them so much of the past year and a half. (for new readers or those who don't know me very well, Katie=Katie Stam, Miss America 2009) The wedding on Friday was absolutely gorgeous and only described with perfection. Some may think that Miss America's wedding would be luxurious, dripping with crystals and bedazzled everything from decor to the dress to the cake, etc. Katie's was so natural, minimal and personally unique - yet magnificent nonetheless. Miss CA, VT, DC and HI from the Miss America Class of ’08 were in attendance, and, well, let’s just say made quite a statement!!! This was seriously the MOST fun I have ever had at a wedding and I was so honored to be a part of their wedding. It was so great to be back with my friends for such a special weekend. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Irk!!

Can't show you any of the real pics until they are released!

Then it was to Columbus, OH for a family friend's wedding and back home in the AM for a flight full of Miss America paperwork, a day's work, and back to paperwork.

Date Change for the 20/20 airing....

ABC 20/20 has been moved to 8/6 Please pass the word. Just got this update at 8:57 this morning.

Catch Kayla on Local TV....

Kayla's interview with Channel 6 ABC for the Rick Williams show called Delaware Perspective airs this Saturday July 24th at 5:30 a.m. You will need to check your cable lineup for the right station (Delaware Residents). It will re-air next week on their HD channels but there are no times announced yet. Kayla continues to do a great job and would love your support as she gets the word out about her platform issue, Miss Delaware and Miss America Organization. She continues to make Delaware proud! Hope you have seen her on the Wendy Williams show this week. She was great at introducing the show, just like a pro! Also remember there will be a great piece on 20/20 next Friday the 30th of July. Keep watching....

June 12- June 23

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for being a part of my journey to Miss America 2011! Your support and love from here forward has become so important to me, and I am forever grateful to have you all in my life! The past few weeks have been a whirlwind and each day has brought new challenges. But, just as I promised the Miss Delaware Board of Directors, and judges- I will not let a single day go to waste.

The week prior to Miss Delaware I had flown to New Orleans, LA to accept one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans Awards from the U.S. Jaycees. I could not think of a better way to begin my journey to Miss Delaware, than to experience pieces of the job firsthand. I met some very important, and inspirational people while there, and will never be the same woman I was, prior to this honor. In my personal journal, I wrote, "I was not only humbled to be standing among the greatest young adults in the country- but I was empowered. I have been reminded of the change just one person can make and I am even more excited and ready to become Miss Delaware." Quite the premonition ;) Only one other Delawarean has received this award and that is our nation's Vice President, Joe Biden. Most of the honorees from the past were honored prior to their well-known success, and so the TOYA award is often given to people who have later come to be very prominent people. I have quite a legacy to live up to! No pressure :)

The week of the Miss Delaware pageant is something I will surely not forget. And the moment my name was called as the new Miss Delaware 2010, I felt deep in my heart that my life would never be the same. Already, I have felt the changes come to fruition and I am thankful to God for this opportunity and this blessing. I am so proud of each of the girls, and seeing their faces when my name was called on the video meant the world to me. Because I could sense their happiness for me. I was honored to share the stage with every one of them, and I pray they decide to return to Miss Delaware next year, if that is their dream. Otherwise, I hope they continue on toward whatever goal they have in mind!

The days following my coronation were filled with excitement, relaxation and much love. I was interviewed on WMDT in Salisbury, and the News Journal. My favorite appearance that week was the Delmarva Chicken Festival! I ate some delicious fried chicken from the world's largest frying pan and met Congressman Mike Castle among other politicians!

That weekend, I celebrated my one week anniversary by supporting my MAO sisters at the Miss New Jersey Pageant. Ashleigh did an incredible job, and I cannot wait to get to know her better! Being an old child, has made this experience all the more enjoyable for me, because I have adopted many new sisters along the way. The Miss Delaware and Miss America Organizations feel much like an elite sorority or sisterhood, and I am lucky to be a part of that.

Father's Day I went to church with my family, and was greeted by the excitement of my fellow congregants! We then volunteered as a family at the "Dad and Me Archery" Event for 4-H in Dover where I spoke on the importance of being grateful of our families and I made a homemade dessert with the kids! Mmm! I visited my second and third fathers, Mr. Gillis and Mr. Gravatt to let them know how much I appreciate their love, even though I am not their real daughter! A tradition in my family is to do a father-daughter, or mother-daughter date the evening of their special days. So my father chose to see "Marmaduke" in theatres and enjoy a large popcorn with extra butter!

On June 22nd I interviewed with Gwen Guerke from the Milford Chronicle, worked out at the gym, and attended the Miss Delaware at the Races Fundraiser at Harrington Raceway and Casino! A special thank you to Chuck Ivins for putting together such a lovely evening. I had a great time catching up with some of my fellow contestants and board members. It was that night, that it really set in to me---- I am Miss Delaware!!! I presented the winning rider and horse with a beautiful blanket- and the rider happened to be a Marymount University Alumni! I promise I had nothing to do with it! ;)

The next morning I was interview on WHYY in Wilmington and had my first on-camera interview where I took off the wig! When asked if I was willing to do this, I knew this was an opportunity to show the world that any woman can be Miss Delaware or Miss America with hard work and belief in herself. I know that I can be a great Miss Delaware, with hair or without, and so as I travel the state with the wig this year, I know that by taking it off at select appearances I will have a great impact on other people. And I pray that by me, showing and loving who I truly am, someone else may feel comfortable to do the same.

On that evening of June 23rd I was with my third family, the Gravatt's, and received a call saying I was featured in USA Today! I had not been interviewed for an article with them and so I was in disbelief. Mrs. Gravatt and my best friend, Julie insisted we hop in the car and find a paper right away! Minutes later, we were running into the two nearest stores, finally finding the paper at our second stop. Mrs. Gravatt attacked the newspaper the second her hands made contact, and flipped through page after page until finally.... there I was!!! Their excitement for me, and their love as I got emotional, staring at my first piece of national coverage meant the world to me. I will not soon forget that day, nor the way I felt reading the small article. At that moment, I knew great things were coming and that my platform would finally be heard on a national scale!

Thank you all for following me on my journey to Miss America. I will need your support now, more than ever as I reach for my lifelong dream. Please stay tuned for the update of the weeks between then and now!

Love you all!

Your Miss Delaware,
-Kayla

an activist.

p.s. anybody who calls him/herself an activist and doesn't inspire nasty letters to the editor is either playing it too safe or is completely ineffective. so congratulations!

Back to the conversation starters...

My blog over the past two years has been as much of a learning and support tool and advocacy resource as a “who what when where” journal. I'd like to keep it that way.

So here we go with a few interesting stories and videos:

Will Phillips made headlines when he refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance because he doesn't think we have equality for ALL. He's right. And GLAAD recognized him this year with an award for which he gave this acceptance speech. This kid is brilliant. What did you stand up for today?



____________________

It's been rumored that some Hollywood couples, Brad and Angelina for example, have vowed to not marry until we have marriage equality. Whether I believe it with the Jolie-Pitts or not, I believe it and respect it with Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer who has proposed to his fiancé and will marry in Connecticut rather than his home state of New York as a statement. It’s quite a courageous statement, but it’s not a stunt for votes; it’s his marriage. “I don’t view this as a politically courageous act,” Mr. Stringer said. “This is something we are going to do personally that we will have with us for the rest of our lives.”

Read the article HERE

10 in 7.

10 appearances or Miss New York related events/meetings in the past 7 days! I can't blog about and describe in detail every event I do, but I do take photos at most and post them to my photo gallery. I'll do my best to highlight the variety of opportunities I have as MNY. Saturday was a HOT one, but we all got through that to do two events in Brooklyn, we = Miss Greater NYC Keelie, Miss Jubilee Inga (although she was Miss SENY for the day), and Miss Catskills International Felicia. The School of the Future is a place for intergenerational life-long learning.

Were you here today as a teacher or student?

• Both! That’s what SotF encourages. And in our self-expression class, by challenging others to discover what makes them unique, it opens introspection for me as well.

And the puppies at the Sean Casey Animal Rescue were pretty cute too!

More photos in my Photo Gallery > July Events

Mikie Hara-Japanese idol pictures

Mikie Hara (born 3 July 1987) is a Japanese gravure idol and actress who stars in Cutie Honey The Live as the lead role of Honey Kisaragi/Cutie Honey.Mikie Hara already has a successful television career, as well as appearing in several commercials and numerous DVDs

Sexy Japanese Idol Mikie Hara pictures

Sayaka Isoyama photos

Sayaka Isoyama (was born on 23rd October, 1983 in Ibaraki), Japan,one of the most charming idols around today.She is a Japanese actress and gravure idol with a passion for baseball.

Sexy Sayaka Isoyama in bikini photos

Shoko Hamada pictures

Shoko Hamada is a Japanese gravure idol. She is also a race queen. In addition to her career as a race queen and gravure idol she has released several music CDs, mostly containing cover versions.

Shoko Hamada sexy pictures

Hot Idol Sukegawa Marie pictures

Sukegawa Marie is a Japanese Race Queen and Gravure idol.

Profile:
Name: Sukegawa Marie
Size: T160cm B92cm W61cm H85cm S23cm
Profession: Race Queen
Birth: 1986.10.13
Hometown: Ibaraki Prefecture
Blood type: O
Specialty interests: singing

Sukegawa Marie has a nice loli face and a pair of gorgeous eyes.

Minori Hatsune-Japanese idol pictures

Minori Hatsune is a Japanese av idol and model.Here are pictures about Minori Hatsune is wearing a silk white dress this time. She is making poses on a sofa. Her sexy poses are really luring us.

Profile:
Birthdate: December 10, 1987
Zodiac: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Toyama Prefecture, Japan
Blood type: A
Height: 158 cm (5 ft 2 in)
Measurements: 89-58-85 cm (35-23-33 in)
Cup size: H65

Japanese av idol-Minori Hatsune pictures