Damion: What do you think it was that made you enter that first pageant? Because that's kind of a big one to enter as your first.

Ella: Yes, state level was very big, very competitive but I had a great coach at the time. Her name was Britney Guidry, and she introduced me to all of the other teens that she was coaching. So I went in knowing people, because like I said, I did have social anxiety, so she introduced me to the girls and we all clicked from the jump and we went in and it was just a great experience because I knew the girls and I just love being on stage. I remember seeing the pictures that Ryan took of the girls on stage and coming across my pictures. I was like, wow, I really look like that. And that was it.

Damion: So pageants boosted your confidence?

Ella: Yes. Absolutely.

Damion: Does it still do that now?

Ella: Absolutely, after I compete, the next day, I always go and watch the pageant over again on Pageants Live. And, and it's not even about looks and your physical appearance, it's about saying, I got up there and I did it. Honestly, being in front of a crowd is the scariest thing you can do to yourself. I think pageant girls are kind of crazy in a way, because we love to get in front of a crowd of a thousand people and perform in a swimsuit. So it's a very intense , but it's very rewarding.

Damion: Are you hard on yourself when you watch yourself back on Pageants Live?

Ella: Yes, I am a certified perfectionist. I've always been, I'm my worst critic. This year though, in 2023, I made it my, one of my resolutions to be kinder to myself and to be easier, more lenient on myself. And that's what I've been doing preparing for Miss Louisiana USA. It's like, look, if you wanna have a break day, if you just wanna lay in bed all day and eat a piece of pizza, you can do that. Because at the end of the day, we're all human and we're not robots.

ELLA CLARK - FEATURE INTERVIEW

Damion: Would you like to introduce yourself. Talk about what titles you have and what titles you've had.

Ella: My name is Ella Clark and I'm the current Miss Crescent City USA . Last year I was Miss Baton Rouge USA . I have been competing as a teen for three years, and this is my second year competing as a miss for Miss Louisiana USA .

Damion: Have you always done USA?

Ella: I did branch off into the United States system a nd I was Miss Louisiana Teen United States, I want to say 2016. And I came right back to USA . It was not for me Nationals was a week long event and it just wasn't for me. USA suits me more.

Damion: So you came back to USA as a teen and did you win any teen titles?

Ella: No. I competed for Miss Lafayette teen and I was the first runner up to Gracie Petry. Gracie went on to win Louisiana Teen, and that was my last year as a teen, then I switched to Miss.

Damion: Going up against Gracie was tough competition.

Ella: Yes, she is awesome. Love her.

Damion: Do you remember your first pageant?

Ella: My first pageant was Miss Louisiana Teen USA . I was 15 years old and I didn't even place, but at that point in my life, I struggled really bad with anxiety, social anxiety especially. And I don't know what came across me, but I was like " mom, I wanna be in a pageant." I took that leap of faith and I competed in Louisiana Teen USA . Ever since then, it's like a switch kind of flipped in me and I'm so much more confident. I am so much better at public speaking because I couldn't even talk to strangers at that time. I've learned so much about myself and that first pageant was what got me hooked.

Damion: At Louisiana USA last year, where did you finish ?

Ella: Top 15.

Damion: What are you aiming to change this year? Have you changed anything big to try and place higher for this year?

Ella: It's not, so, it's not a matter of placing higher for me, because even if I don't place, I'm still gonna be happy with myself. You have to get in the right mindset to compete. It's almost like you have to go in with the mindset of, I'm not winning. I'm going to have fun. There's only one girl who's going to win. There's 36 of us, one girl is gonna win . So you have to think realistically going in, I would like to get top 10. That would be my goal for this year because I'm still young. That's kind of what I'm working towards. I would like to place a little higher than I did last year.

Damion: Last year was your first year as a Miss. What do you think was the biggest thing you've learned from last year's pageant?

Ella: The experienced girls are not as scary as you think, because transitioning from teen to miss was a little tricky. I mean, you go from trying to make yourself look younger to going to kind of make yourself look older. So going into Miss, I was thinking , this is so scary. These girls are so intimidating. Well, whenever you get there, they're really not scary. You all are gonna be able to talk, you're all gonna be able to get to know each other.

Damion: You saw how that everybody's just a person. They're not really intimidating, it's just something you build up in your mind and things like?

Ella: Yeah! In fact for opening number, we had a dance routine and I was next to KT Scannell, who won Miss Louisiana USA and she was like, "Guys, I will count for us", because she used to do ballet when she was younger. So she was literally on stage while we were doing our opening number, counting out like 5, 6, 7, 8, she was counting out for us to help us all. So if anything, the girls are more supportive and more helpful, especially if you're transitioning into Miss, because it can be scary for some people. I know it was nerve-wracking for me. When I was a teen, I was always told "You're a miss. You're not a teen."

Damion: Do you find it easier to make yourself look older than it was to make yourself look younger in Teen

Ella: Definitely. For Teen, my last year especially, I custom made a Cherry Hill ball gown that was so not me. It was like a cupcake and I had to talk about, things that younger people would talk about, but now it's free reign in miss. I can do whatever I want. I can wear whatever I want, talk about whatever I want and that's empowering!

Damion: So let's step away from the pageant for a second. You're a college student. What are you studying?

Ella: I am attending Louisiana State University studying Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations with a minor in business.

Damion: Do you have any ideas for after college?

Ella: I absolutely want to open my own public relations firm here in Baton Rouge if I am still living in Baton Rouge. Public Relations has always been something I was interested in. One, because I'm awful at math, and I was looking at the course descriptions for subjects where there's no math,<laughing> so I was like, perfect, this is for me. It's mainly helping people with their public image. It's a lot of social media work, a lot of managing work, party planning, that kind of thing. Y ou're basically an assistant for whoever you're working for. M y goal is to have clients such as athletes, influencers, non-profit organizations. One of the non-profit organizations I would love to work with is Battle Against Autism. My brother was diagnosed with autism when he was really young, and it's always been something close to my heart. So I would love to just represent autism ultimately to get the word out about inclusion and how to treat those with autism.

Damion: What's the biggest thing that you've seen your brother struggle with?

Ella: Definitely making friends. The thing about people with autism, or if they are on the spectrum is their social skills. W hether you have Asperger's, which is a mild form of autism, or if you have a more severe form of autism, whatever you have, it's harder for people on the spectrum to communicate with other people. He was outcast in middle school and high school. So ultimately what I want to do with the title of Miss Louisiana USA or without it, I want to speak to middle schoolers and high schoolers about how to include those with special needs, how to treat them, explain to others that just because someone is different it doesn't mean that they should be treated differently. I co-founded a club at my old high school called Friends of the Mac, which is just that it's an inclusion club where students meet once a week and there's a guest speaker that talks about, um, all things special needs.

Damion: Fantastic. So that's your platform that you support and will support when you become Miss Louisiana next week?

Ella: Crossing my fingers <laughing> That's one of the main things I'm super passionate about. Another one is mental health awareness, because I was diagnosed with social anxiety and depression when I was 12 years old, I've had to learn of ways to cope with it and how to deal with it while still normalizing it because it's so much more normal than people think. W e've lost a lot of loved ones due to mental health. So it's absolutely something that needs to be talked about.

Damion: What would you say to somebody who is dealing with a mental health issue, like anxiety or depression?

Ella: I would tell them to seek help, even if it is just anxiety. I know that when I get anxious, sometimes I want to be alone in a ball in my room away from everyone. But the only way that you're gonna get better is if you seek help. W hether that help is just talking to your mom and saying, mom, I am not feeling that great about myself or going to therapy. I know that therapy has helped me and I know that it's helped so many other people. Working through it and seeing where it stems from. I f you are depressed or you think you could be, seek help. And there are so many hotlines as well, just reach out to someone.

Damion: Do you think, being involved in pageants has helped give you a direction and a refocus to try and draw you away from your mental health issues?

Ella: Yes. I think that at the end of the day, pageantry has helped me become a stronger individual. It's challenged me and going into my first pageant, as I said, it was a huge jump for me. Like, you had this very insecure young girl saying, I wanna be on stage. The most scary thing I could have done. But I think in my mind, I knew if you want to get better, you have to challenge yourself. You miss one hundred percent of the chances you do not take. So yeah, I think that pageantry has helped so much with my mental health, but I do know that pageantry is a stressful hobby to have. It's an expensive hobby too. I'm sure that not everyone would benefit the way that I have, but I do encourage those who are thinking about being in a pageant to do it. Definitely take that leap of faith and try, because you never know what opportunities it can bring you.

Damion: We live in a world where social media is a big aspect of our lives, and we all see the negative comments that people write on people's social media. Have you experienced that negativity on social media or anything like that?

Ella: For sure. Yeah. Not only myself, but other girls too. There's a lot of stigma about pageantry. It's not just putting on a dress and looking pretty. A lot of people think that it is. A lot of people want to hate on you for your hobbies. I was bullied in middle school, so I've dealt with this for a while, cyber bullying included. And my best advice is just to block, delete and don't think about it because the reason that they are hating on you is because they hate themselves. If that makes sense?

Damion: Yes, that makes sense. The comments and bullying is a "them" issue rather than a "you" issue. Let's lighten it up a little bit. Thinking back to your first pageant, was there anyone there that has kind of become your pageant bestie?

Ella: She's not still competing. We don't talk that much. But my first pageant was so memorable because of Emma Brooks McAllister, she won Miss Louisiana Teen USA the year that I actually took a break. I just remember going into my first pageant, she was so lively and so welcoming and comforting towards everyone. I am so proud of her to this day for reaching the amount of success that she's reached. I definitely wish that we talked more because she was the one that made my first pageant experience so memorable.

Damion: She's modeling now, isn't she?

Ella: She is. She is in LA doing her thing, and I'm very proud of her and she's just smashing it, killing it.

Damion: Who do you think is the big competition this year at Miss Louisiana USA?

Ella: <laugh>. That's a very tricky question.

Damion: Okay. Let me rephrase it. Who do you think is going to place in the top three?

Ella: Top three? Well, we have a lot of veterans competing, we also have a lot of new people. I think the top three is gonna be surprising this year. That's all I'm gonna say. <laugh> I'm not name dropping. I think the top three will be surprising.

Damion: Okay. Are you gonna be there?

Ella: Crossing my fingers. I hope so.

Damion: What motivates you to keep competing? Because you've been doing it a while now?

Ella: My competitiveness, number one and the opportunities that I've made, number two. I get my competitiveness from my dad. My dad was a player in the MLB for 16 years. And when he was on a mission, he was on a mission. One thing about me is I will not stop until I win. That's the perfectionist side of me and the competitive side. I have to win <laughing> If it's not this year okay. But I'm not stopping until it happens. Also the opportunities I've made after my first time competing, I was scouted by MMG New York and now I'm signed with them for modeling. And since then I've walked in New York Fashion Week, I've been featured in Teen Vogue. I've been on two covers of bridal magazines. So the opportunities are endless and I think that's also another reason why I keep going.

Damion: Do you have any pageant idols that you look up to, whether it's from this system or another system ?

Ella: I love Allie Landry. She actually was my judge when I was competing for teen. She was just the most genuine person. She wasn't trying to trick you. During interview I remember I put fitness and nutrition in my bio and she asked what I eat. She was just like, "What's your favorite snack?" And I was like, whoa. I don't know! <laugh>. I love her. Of course Cheslie Kryst, I looked up to her. She also was one of my judges. I met her at the Sherry Hill Fashion show when she was Miss USA. She was just kind to everyone and that's what I aspired to be. Just kind and the brightest light in the room. Brittany Guidry, of course, she was my first pageant coach and I remember watching her in Miss USA when they came to Baton Rouge. That's where I found her <laugh>. She's always inspired me to try my best, eyes on the prize. Don't worry about anyone else.

Damion: So the people you've mentioned are all very genuine people.

Ella: Yes! Three very genuine souls.

Damion: Any advice you would give to a girl entering her first pageant?

Ella: Have in your mind before you get there, " No matter what the outcome is, I will get something out of this". It's a long weekend. You think it's long until it's over. It goes by so fast. <laugh>. So I would say to soak in every moment, have fun and just know, whatever happens happens, it's God's plan at the end of the day. I'm here to have fun and get whatever out of it. If I don't win, I'm still alive. <laugh> Of course you wanna win, but realistically you probably are not gonna win.

Damion: You have to manage your expectations?

Ella: Yeah.

Damion: Do you have the same type of nerves that you had when you first started?

Ella: I think when I first started in teen specifically, all my years of competing for teen, I was so nervous because I put so much pressure on myself because I'm my biggest critic and I'm so hard on myself. I said, you have to get in top five, you have to make top five, blah, blah, blah. Now that I'm a Miss and I stopped putting that pressure on myself and I just say, I'm going in, whatever happens happens, there's no spot that you have to hit. Just go in and see how well you can do. Now that I have took that pressure off of myself, I definitely feel less nervous. Of course, you're always gonna get nerves, but less nervous and I've figured out ways to cope with nerves and anxiety.

Damion: Is there any part of the pageant weekend that you struggle with?

Ella: Hmm. I guess realistically the thing that I struggle with is smiling for 20 minutes. For 20 minutes, you're on stage for a long time. Your cheek starts to hurt, your mouth starts to shake. I know that everyone has the same problem <laughing> So that's something that everyone I think struggles with is just smiling for 20 minutes.

Damion: What is your favorite part of the pageant weekend?

Ella: My favorite part, in all honesty. I love being on stage. There's just a fire that lights under me on stage and it's so much fun. Last year I looked at my videos on stage. There were a lot of improvements I could make. This year I'm making those improvements and I'm excited for everyone to see.

Damion: Do you have you have a walking coach?

Ella: I have worked with a few walking coaches. I have always loved to walk. I think walking's really fun. I've worked with a few walking coaches and it's just kind of a mix of a bunch of different styles, but it's me, it's my walk.

Damion: So you just take a little bit from each coach and add your own pizazz in there.

Ella: Yeah. One thing about me is no matter how good I think I'm doing, I will always take advice. I will always take constructive criticism. If I don't see something and someone else sees it, I would want you to tell me. Even with you taking my photo, if you don't like a face I'm doing, I'm changing my face <laugh>

Damion: You don't get offended by it?

Ella: No. Depends what it is. <laugh>

Damion: Who is your biggest influence outside of the pageant world?

Ella: That's a great question and honestly it's my mom. My mom is my biggest influence, she's the woman that I aspire to be and I can't be more thankful for her. She has been my biggest cheerleader since day one, and she's my biggest cheerleader now.

Damion: So let's just finish off with any thank you's to people or sponsors.

Ella: I wanna say thank you to Megan Bologna for helping me, for keeping me on track and helping me live a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Rhinestone Runway for always nailing my wardrobe. Raven Ramsey and Chloe Mcal for believing in me and giving the best advice. Damion Haines - The Headshots Guy for taking the most gorgeous photos, especially my official Miss Crescent City USA shoot. Ashley Stewart, the best director ever, and my mom and Aunt Holly for the constant support, but ultimately I owe everything to God!

Damion's Comments

Ella competed at Miss Louisiana USA and rocked it, finishing in the Top 5 in only her second year in the Miss division. I spoke to Ella on stage immediately after the pageant and she was full of energy, excitement and positivity. The comment that I loved from Ella on that stage straight after was.......

"We'll get it next year!"

Model - Ella Clark: Miss Crescent City USA

Photography - The Headshots Guy

Hair & Makeup - Amelia Emily Artistry