Photo By Staff Sgt. Terry Rajsombath | Spc. Alexia Rodrigues, public affairs mass communication specialist, captures photos,...... read more read more
EAST GREENWICH, R.I. - “Often, people take pageantry and the military at face value,” said Spc. Alexia Rodrigues, a public affairs mass communication specialist with the 110th Public Affairs Detachment, Rhode Island National Guard. “They see heels and dresses, boots and guns, but when you look at the way each organization shapes people, they’re very similar [more] than most people think.”
On Sunday, May 12th, Rodrigues will be competing in the Miss Rhode Island, vying for the title, Miss Rhode Island.
As a child, Rodrigues never saw herself standing on stage as a pageant contestant, much less serving in the military.
“I was a very shy kid. I could not look anyone in the eye,” said Rodrigues. “But when I was 16, I got a letter to the house for the Miss Teen Rhode Island USA pageant and my family thought it was hilarious because I was so shy. They were laughing and were like, ‘Oh, my God, you would never do that.’”
So, she decided to prove them wrong.
Rodrigues went on to compete in the 2016 Miss Teen Rhode Island USA pageant, where she proved not only her naysayers wrong but also herself. While she didn’t place or win any awards, she left the competition feeling like she won in more ways than one.
“After the competition, I made amazing friends and became so much more confident from that weekend alone,” said Rodrigues. “I went from being petrified and hyperventilating to being excited to hear my family cheer for me on stage.”
Rodrigues said what she loves about pageantry isn’t the competition, but the sense of community, service, and leadership; values she finds present and promoted within pageantry and the military. From the outside, she understands how one might view each organization as complete opposites, but for her, she’s able to see common denominators between both worlds.
“A lot of people don’t come into the military already resilient or knowing how to lead,” said Rodrigues. “But that’s what the military teaches you and similarly, pageants teach you how to be courageous, compassionate and lead in its own way.”
Many pageant systems ask of its contestants to be civically minded amongst other things. They ask for beauty, brains, and big hearts. To act as a catalyst to better their communities.
At the age of seven, Rodrigues was adopted by her foster parents and through her experience, is an advocate for children in foster care. She's created a foundation - Foster Hope, Adopt A Dream - which aims to raise awareness for foster youth one story at a time.
“I’m one of [the] only 27 percent of kids who can say they made it out of foster care, which is an astronomically low number,” said Rodrigues. “I’ve dedicated myself to ensure that each child is heard and gets the proper resources that they deserve.”
Through her nonprofit, she hopes to raise the percentage of children who are adopted out of foster care.
Galvanized to make a difference in the world, in January 2021, she enlisted into the Rhode Island Army National Guard where she felt like she could find her place, similarly in the world of pageantry.
“[In the Army National Guard] I feel so fulfilled,” said Rodrigues. I genuinely love what I do.”
Currently, Rodrigues works as a social media manager within the Rhode Island Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion.
Still early in her military career, she intends on completing twenty years of service and has grown to consider many of her fellow Soldiers as members of her family.
“In pageantry, we call it sisterhood,” said Rodrigues. “In the military, they’re my brothers and sisters-in-arms.”
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2024 08:54 |
| Story ID: | 470757 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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