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With
a
social
impact
platform
that
is
personal,
Emma
Rose
Lewis
'19
earned
a
$500
scholarship,
the
title
of
Miss
Greater
Cleveland
and
the
chance
to
compete
for
the
Miss
Ohio
crown
in
June.
The local and state pageants feed into the recently revamped Miss America competition.
In 2018, Miss America replaced the swimsuit competition with a segment that asks candidates to speak about a social impact initiative close to their hearts. Lewis, a BW senior broadcasting and mass communications major with a public relations minor, told the Miss Greater Cleveland judges that her choice of platforms was personal.
"My social impact initiative is 'Put It to BED: End Binge Eating Disorder & More' because I suffer from binge eating disorder (BED), depression and anxiety," Lewis says. "This specific eating disorder affects almost three and a half times the people who suffer from anorexia and bulimia combined, yet awareness is slim."
"My
goal
with
my
platform
is
to
raise
awareness
about
BED
and
other
mental
illnesses
so
people
can
feel
empowered
to
seek
out
the
treatment
and
help
they
deserve."
Lewis, who sang "Habanera" from Georges Bizet's "Carmen" for her talent presentation, also told the judges about her early life when she moved from Saudi Arabia to the United States.
"This
part
of
my
life
has
helped
to
shape
my
perspective,
compassion
and
drive
for
human
rights,"
she
explains.
Lewis also highlighted her experience as a summer social media intern with New York jewelry company LeFrak Productions: Same Sky.
The organization works "to create employment opportunities for women struggling to lift themselves out of extreme poverty" with trade collectives based in Rwanda and the United States.
Working with the organization solidified Lewis' goal to work in the broadcasting industry and enact social change.
Lewis credits the BW broadcasting program for pushing her out of her comfort zone and helping her make amazing connections.
With
the
scholarship
money
awarded
to
her
from
the
Miss
Greater
Cleveland
competition,
Lewis
plans
on
applying
to
graduate
schools
to
pursue
a
master's
degree
in
journalism.
One day, she hopes to work alongside her idol and Good Morning America host, Robin Roberts, as a writer and segment producer.
She'll have a chance to compete for more scholarship money (and another crown) at the Miss Ohio competition in Mansfield in mid-June.
