Day: August 31, 2022

Residing in Pennsylvania, USA, Kim Lengling is the mother to a grown daughter and her rescue dog, Dexter. She is a published author, freelance writer, podcast host of Let Fear Bounce, radio show co-host of Voices 4 Vets, and the host of The Write Stuff TV Show.

With empathy and emotion, she has been writing since 2004 showcasing her faith, nature, love of rescue animals, veterans, and living with PTSD. She is the lead author and coordinator of a collaborative book series titled When Grace Found Me and has authored and created numerous journals.

Her newest collaborative book project, When Hope Found Me is underway and set for release in 2022.

When Grace Found Me is an anthology series of faith, perseverance, and personal connection told by twenty women. Coordinated by author Kim Lengling. The book is published by Listening to Your Voice Publishing and is available worldwide in digital and print format.

When did grace find you? 

Years ago, in my mid-30s, I found myself on my knees, sobbing on my living room floor, crying out to a God I had been telling myself for years that I did not believe in. Life had become overwhelming with loss after loss. It felt as if my world was crumbling around me. 

I felt lost as if I was sinking into a pit with no way out. It was a very dark time.

While on my knees sobbing, gut-wrenching sobs, a gentle whisper came. It seemed as if it had come from behind me. But, it was an audible whisper. I thought I was losing my mind hearing things.

The whisper came again; “but those who hope in the Lord….”

At that point in my life, I was not a Christian, nor did I attend church. So, upon hearing those words, I thought, “that sounds kind of “bible’ish”.

I remembered I had a bible in the house and searched for it. I was a bit frantic trying to find it. Once I located it, I sat back down on the floor and began to flip through but had no idea how to find anything. I remember becoming frustrated, tossing the bible away from me and saying out loud, “Where is the table of contents in this thing? How am I supposed to find anything!”

The whisper came again, “but those who hope in the Lord….”

At this point, I did think I was losing my mind but reached out to pick up the bible from where I had tossed it.

The pages were open, and as I looked down, the words “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength….” They seemed to jump off of the page.

My cries changed from gut-wrenching to something else. A feeling of gentle peace came over me. I realized then that it was God whispering to me.

I firmly believe that it was at that moment in time that His grace covered me. A broken woman, crying out to a God she told herself she didn’t believe in.

Tell us about your podcast, Let Fear Bounce. 

I have guests on my podcast that share their journey of facing and overcoming fears. Those fears can be anything from mental health, to sharing their stories through writing, their own podcasts or in many other ways.

I began the podcast when the world shut down in the first wave of COVID. I had lost my job and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my time. I had reached a point in my life where I didn’t want to be an employee anymore. I had skills and talents that I had always thought of as my hobbies. I made a decision that day. Give myself one day to be angry at the world and then get busy. Figure out what I wanted to do, what I was good at, what I had a passion for, and make something of it.

My podcast Let Fear Bounce was born from that train of thought. Fear was so prevalent in the world and I was letting fear of the unknown land on me. I made a conscious decision to not let it land. I said out loud, “I’m going to let fear bounce! It will not land on me.” I googled how to start a podcast, named it Let Fear Bounce, and set one up that day. 

What is your message for those with PTSD?

It is quite a journey living with PTSD and it is different for each person. My journey is an ever-evolving one; there are good days and bad days. 

My main message for anyone living with PTSD is to be gentle with yourself. When thoughts of negative self-worth begin to swirl, remind yourself you are worth so much. You are a masterpiece in God’s eyes, even if you don’t see it yourself.

Seek help. Set your pride aside and reach out to someone. It isn’t easy, but it is worth it. 

Help others. I have found over the years that those who carry the heaviest weight are the ones to help others the most. 

Your collaborative 3-book anthology series titled When Grace Found Me is touching lives globally. Share your journey to spread Hope and encouragement. 

Oh my goodness! What a journey it has been! This series came about through another “God nudge.”

It was a hot August day and I was sitting on my back deck when, seemingly out of nowhere, I felt overwhelmed with emotions and heard another whisper, “stories to be told”. I thought, with a bit of an attitude, “Okay, if this is God, I’ve already shared my story. It was hard, but I did it. How often do I have to share?”

Again, “stories to be told” and then the scene before me, which is my backyard, turned into a black and white scene, as if it were an old movie reel. Within the scene was a young lady on her knees, sobbing. You could feel the emotion radiating out of the scene. It lasted but a second, but I knew right away who the person was and what the reminder was. The young woman was me, years ago, crying out to the God I told myself I didn’t believe in.

I knew then what the message was. Stories, as in many stories, needed to be told. So I reached out to a few ladies I knew and asked if they’d like to participate in an anthology that I was coordinating. They said yes, I reached out to a few more ladies, they said yes. I soon had 20 women who wanted to share their stories of Grace. But it didn’t stop there. More women reached out and I soon realized that this would be more than one book. It turned into a 3-book series with all three being published within 12 months. 

Look at God!!

“The world can be a dark place. So I choose to toss nuggets of Hope into the world like confetti; little sparks of light in the darkness.” Explain.

There is so much darkness and negativity in the world on TV, radio, social media, and within neighborhoods and communities. Seeing and hearing about negative things each day becomes tiring and emotionally draining.

I decided, and was indeed, once again nudged by God, to share the word, Hope. The word. Not necessarily videos, podcasts, or anything like that, but simply the word.

I had seen and heard the word Hope everywhere for weeks at the end of 2021. Finally, I realized that I was to do something with that.

I bought some inspirational cards, just the small kind, and began leaving them in random places in stores when I would be out and about. You know the kind, “You are amazing!”, “You are awesome!”.

Yet the word Hope kept showing up. 

I went online and found polished stones with the word Hope engraved on them. So I thought, “Okay, here we go. Nuggets of Hope!”

So now, I carry a few of those Nuggets of Hope wherever I go, and when I feel a nudge to approach someone, I’ll walk up to the person and quietly say, “I’ve got a small gift for you, a nugget of hope.” And I’ll place it in their hand, wish them a blessed day and be on my way. I don’t feel I am to talk with them but to hand them a small nugget of Hope and be on my way.

That’s how I am choosing to sprinkle Hope like confetti. One nugget of Hope at a time. 

Please share a few passages from Grace Found Me.

Excerpt from Just A Brick, by Kim Lengling, a story in Volume Three of the When Grace Found Me series.

Years ago, I found myself sporadically attending church. I did not consider myself a Christian. In hindsight, I know now that I was seeking something but had no idea what “it” was at the time. When I did attend a service, I didn’t understand much of what I heard. The sermons and stories were confusing to me. And so, each time I would attend, I would leave feeling confused and even angry, carrying a chip on my shoulder. This was no one’s fault but my own, I can see that now, but back then? Goodness, I’d ask myself why I was wasting time attending church.

I would have a running monologue in my head, “Who was that guy up front talking about Jesus and “letting it go” or “giving it to God?” What does that even mean?

And those singers? I think they are up there putting on a show. No one I know acts like that in church. Who throws their hands in the air for Jesus? Who cries because of a song they are singing?”

Round and round, those thoughts would circle in my mind, yet I found myself returning to that small red brick church with the pretty stained-glass windows.

What is your mission for your books?

While I was coordinating this 3-book series, I knew that each story shared would be unique, but at the same time, there would be a person somewhere in the world who needed to read that specific story. Therefore, I strongly felt that the book(s) would land in the hands God wanted them to.

There are 20 stories in each book, but at least one will resonate with whoever is reading it.

The mission? To bless someone who may be sitting in a dark place. For that one person to know they are not alone and they are not the only one.

You are the TV show host of The Write Stuff, The Author’s Voice with the Believe In Your Dreams TV Network. What is coming up? (Where can we find it?)

The TV Show hosts authors from around the globe. Those just starting their author journey to USA Today and New York Times best-selling authors.

The show can be found on numerous streaming platforms under the App, Believe Warriors.

The network and my show are currently available on platforms: GooglePlay, Xbox, Sony Select, Amazon Firestick, AppleTV, ROKU, LG Smart, and more to come in the near future.

What do you want your legacy to be? 

To be honest, I’ve not often thought of what I want my legacy to be.

If one were to look back and think about the type of person I was, I would want them to think, “That Kim, she was a toughie but had a huge heart. She’d been through the wringer a time or two but still saw beauty in the world.

She was protective of those she cared about and would and had dropped everything to help. She was empathetic and that worked well when she needed to connect to a hurting soul, but that strong empathy could also drain her as she took those feelings and emotions on her own shoulders.

She cared, she loved, she hurt, and she stumbled, but she always did her best to be a decent human being. Once she became a Christian, she did her best to walk the path God was laying before her. The path may have been tough at times or way outside of her comfort zone. She may even have argued with God a time or two about what He wanted her to do, but she did it anyway.

You find out quickly that an argument with God is one you won’t soon win. 

Amazon.com: When Grace Found Me: Real Life Stories of Women of Faith – Kindle edition by Lengling,

Kim, Pearson, Ruth, Publishing, LTYV. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. 

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D. C. Gomez is an award-winning USA Today Bestselling Author, podcaster, motivational speaker, and coach. Born in the Dominican Republic, she grew up in Salem, Massachusetts. D.C. studied film and television at New York University. After college, she joined the US Army, and proudly served for four years.

One of D.C.’s passions is helping those around her overcome their self-limiting beliefs. She writes both non-fiction as well fiction books, ranging from Urban Fantasy to Children’s Books.

You write both non-fiction as well as fiction books, ranging from Urban Fantasy to Children’s Books. Take us through your series. 

I’m truly blessed to write in multiple genres. My urban fantasy books have expanded into their own universe (Reapers Inc.), with the first series being The Intern Diaries. This universe is based on the four horsemen of the apocalypse being present in the modern world. Currently, the universe has two other series, The Order’s Assassin and The Elisha and Elijah Chronicles. The Order’s Assassin picks up at the end of the Intern Diaries (Judgement Day) with a side character named Eric. The Order of Witches recruited Eric to find the traitor among them. 

Elisha and Elijah is a cross between Urban Fantasy and Dystopia, taking place sixty years in the future. A plague that turned humans to zombies, and a war between humans and witches has destroyed the world. If the plague didn’t kill enough humans, the war definitely did. Her nemesis (the humans) recruited Elisha to find a potential cure for the plague. Being a superpower witch, way too curious and fairly bored, she agrees to take on the job. The Second book for both series will be released this fall. 

For those readers that magic is not their thing, I have a contemporary humorous fiction series called The Cat Lady Series. This story follows the adventures of Angela, who was a depressed cat lady turned into arms dealers. This is a second chance story of finding purpose and caring for those people in your life. 

For anyone with a little one in their family, I have a children’s series called Charlie’s Fables. My nephews inspired this series. My goal was to give them books that would entertain and inspire them at a very early age. Book one is Charlie, what’s your talent? This book helps little ones discover their innate abilities and enjoy their own talents. 

Finally, I have a collection of devotionals. During the pandemic, I found myself moved by the Lord to write a series of devotionals to help those around me heal. The series has three books right now: Dare to Believe, Dare to Forgive and Dare to Love. The books are meant to be completed in twenty-eight days, with each day providing readers with a scripture verse, commentary, and a place to reflect on their own experiences. 

I’m a genuine believer that we all enjoy many things in our lives. My genres have a little bit for everyone who is searching for a fun story to read. They all have one thing in common: they are full of unique quirky characters that will make you laugh, and at times cry, but will help you escape from your own world. 

What readers are saying, 

“Well written … fast-paced … a mix of supernatural and earthly realms where Death resides … loved the humor … hooked from the very beginning … unusual connection to dark themes.” Tell us about Death’s Intern. 

Tell us about Death’s Intern. 

Death’s Intern is the story of Isis Black, and the knock at her door that changed her life. That’s really the essence of Death’s Intern. What would you do if Death knocked at your door with a job offer? Would you take it or run for the hills? Isis had a choice: to walk away or take the job. But her only friend in Texarkana went missing and nobody wasn’t interested in finding him. She took the leap to work for Death, with a 5,000-year-old talking cat and a boy genius, to find her friend and put an end to the kidnappings.

What inspired your main character? 

Isis is an orphan, raised by her free-spirited godmother. To rebel against her unstructured upbringing, she joined the military. For most of her life, she has been looking for a place to call home. The series takes us on this journey as she pursues her search for her own tribe. The fun part comes when Isis realizes she would do anything to protect them. To me, we all have a little of Isis in us. We are all searching for love, for family, and for a place to belong. Isis helps us see all that in the most enjoyable way possible. 

Tell us about Book 5, Judgment Day. Is this your best book yet? 

Judgement Day is probably one of the most action-packed and exciting books I have written. This is the conclusion of The Intern Diaries, and where Isis comes to full circle. I knew from the start of the series that I wanted to end it with a potential apocalypse. On Judgement Day, we have all the horsemen’s enemies coming against them. The action is bigger, and the madness is nonstop. It was truly so much fun to write and extremely exhausting. By the end of the book, I felt like I was running with my characters through the streets of Texarkana to save the world. 

You are a certified John Maxwell Team speaker and coach, and a certified meditation instructor from the Chopra Center. Share your experience. 

I’m a huge John Maxwell and Deepak Chopra fan. For years, I have been reading their books and their missions for their organizations. When the opportunity came to train with the John Maxwell group, I jumped right in. The ability to share John’s leadership principles and help individuals/organizations grow is amazing. With the Chopra Center, I’m able to bring the whole body/mind wellness together. 

I have worked for years in the corporate sector and learned very early on that the key to success was a combination of self-care with self-development. By utilizing both of my certifications, I’m able to provide clients with a holistic approach to their own personal growth. Meditations have done wonders for me, not only in my health but also in my professional life. I’m able to handle stressful situations with more ease.

Do you have any speaking engagements scheduled? 

Do to all the different things that I do; I balance my schedule between book events and speaking engagements. At this time, I’m getting ready to attend several Comic-Cons and book events for the fall. With the upcoming release of two new books, my focus is on promoting those books and connecting with readers. In the spring, I will switch things up and go back to speaking engagements. 

To learn more about her books and her passion, you can find her at http://www.dcgomez-author.com.

Veronika Didusenko is a fashion model and women’s rights activist. In 2018, Veronika was crowned Miss Ukraine (Miss World) but was consecutively disqualified for the reason of being a single mother. She stood up to the unfair rules of the beauty pageant which discriminate against women based on the protected characteristics of family status, maternity, and pregnancy. 

Veronika brought the issue to the attention of Gloria Allred, US women’s rights attorney and the two agreed to meet to discuss her campaign for change. Then, in December 2021 a 27-year-old woman Andrea Quiroga from Los Angeles, California came forward. Andrea had always wanted to participate in beauty pageants but, as a mother, was not able to compete in the two biggest pageants – Miss Universe or Miss World.

On March 9 2022 Gloria Allred, representing Andrea Quiroga, announced a challenge to the rules of the Miss Universe and Miss World beauty pageants, citing Veronika as a “worldwide leader on this discrimination issue in beauty pageants”.

In California, the Unruh Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination against women because they were or are pregnant.

Ms. Allred’s firm – Allred, Maroko & Goldberg (AG&M) – contacted the Californian Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DEFH) and filed the intake form for Andrea to initiate the complaint process. When the DEFH accepts a case it independently investigates the facts and legal issues. DEFH attempts to resolve the dispute in appropriate cases. It may also decide to take legal action [by filing a civil action in court].

A Historic Victory!

On 6 August 2022, 10 days after AG&M filed the submission and DEFH opened an investigation, the Miss Universe pageant announced that from 2023 it would allow women with children, pregnant women, married women, and women who had previously been married to enter the competition.

Ms. Allred said: “This sexist rule which has been in effect since the 1950s is now ‘herstory’” and praised Veronika for being a “courageous advocate on these issues for many years.”

“I am infinitely grateful to Gloria Allred for seeing in my story and Andrea’s the blatant discrimination against women around the world and for supporting us as she has done so many times before when she has witnessed shocking injustices.”- Veronika Didusenko

My name is Veronika Didusenko. I am from the besieged city of Kyiv, from war torn Ukraine.” Tell us about your life in Ukraine and what you want the world to know about Ukrainians. 

A few days before the Russians invaded Ukraine I met a pregnant friend in a coffee shop in Kyiv to discuss what we would do if there really was an attack on our country. American President Joe Biden had warned there would be a full-scale attack and I believed him, but in the cafe, that day, sipping cappuccinos while our two sons, who are both seven, chatted and played, it was hard to believe that life as we knew it was about to change. My son Alex and I were woken on February 24 by the sound of sirens and explosions. Kyiv, a city of more than three million people who were sleeping, without any hope of taking shelter, was hit by an enemy bomb. In-between raids, we, along with tens of thousands of other families, tried to get out of the city. Thousands of cars formed a traffic jam on the highway on the way out of Kyiv for many hours. Directly above our heads, dozens of Russian helicopters were bombing the Gostomel airfield to try and take control of it. It took us several days to reach the southwestern border of Ukraine. During that time there was no escape from the sound of sirens, and rockets and bombs exploding around us. We had to travel through four countries: Moldova, Romania, Luxembourg, and Switzerland to reach the safety of a friend’s home. I had previously planned a trip to Los Angeles, to meet with Gloria Allred on International Women’s Day (8 March) to discuss women’s rights around the world. Little did I know that meeting would take place in a completely different world to the one I had known before the Russian invasion.

When I arrived in LA in March, Ms. Allred and I decided what was most important was to discuss what is happening to mothers and their children in Ukraine, forced to flee their homes, their families, and their livelihoods. We held a Press Conference and the US media shared my story – and the plight of millions of Ukrainian children and their mothers, trembling in subway stations and bomb shelters – with the world.

Today, Russian aircraft, missiles, and rocket launchers continue to strike Ukrainian cities. Putin has deliberately bombed civilian targets – maternity hospitals, orphanages, kindergartens, and schools. Even turning his weapons on innocent people trying to escape via humanitarian corridors. Where Russian soldiers have passed, they have left behind total devastation. But Putin has underestimated the steel will and courage of Ukrainians, strengthened because of Russia’s actions against our country since 2014. The myth about the invincibility of Russian weapons and the effectiveness of their military strategy has since been debunked. It’s not only professional soldiers who are fighting for Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of civilians – men and women – have signed up for the territorial defense. And where there is no organized territorial defense, the inhabitants of Ukraine’s villages and cities stand, unarmed, in the face of our invaders

My people are not giving up. Ukrainians absolutely have the courage to defend their land and homes, but in order to stop the endless attack, they need more weapons and more ammunition. They are fighting for our land and for our freedom. My heart remains with the millions of Ukrainian mothers and children who stayed behind. As a former Miss Ukraine and a campaigner for women right’s and children’s education in my home country, the least I can do is to use my voice to speak for those who are not seen and cannot be heard, to ask the world to help us and to help save our children from Russian terrorism. My son, Alex, tells people now: ‘My mum took me away from Ukraine so I didn’t get shot.’ While every day I am relieved that he is safe, it is heart-breaking that my own mother – and her mother – are left behind in Kyiv. My 86-year-old grandmother, who has Parkinson’s disease, isn’t well enough to travel. My 47-year-old mother, Tatiana, is caring for her and volunteering at a local hospital. My 56-year-old father, Artem, is now an armed member of the Territorial Defense Force. I speak to them every day and pray for them and, for now, they are safe, but I can’t take anything for granted. 

In the years ahead, we will have to comfort and support a generation of children traumatized by the horrors they have witnessed. Maternal love will be more important than ever as we try to heal.

Share your background as a model and why being Miss Ukraine was important to you. 

Before I entered the Miss World Ukraine contest, I had been a successful model for many years. My son, Alex, has accompanied me on photo shoots around the world, and visited many countries – it’s been an amazing experience for him. I was encouraged to enter Miss Ukraine by the pageant organizers, who had followed my modeling career. I was intrigued by the organizers’ promise to support the best charity project presented by the entrants. At the time I was developing an idea to set up a charity “Young Einsteins” to support Ukrainian children with a natural gift for mathematics [a subject I am passionate about and obtained my degree in at Kyiv National University). So, I decided to enter the Miss World Ukraine contest with this charitable goal in mind. 

Take us through your thought process when you were discriminated against as a mother and why you were compelled to seek justice for yourself and others.

I was completely shocked when, on September 20, 2018, I was crowned Miss Ukraine. I had never contemplated winning the contest, I had only hoped it would raise awareness of my charitable project. As the winner, I should have gone on to represent Ukraine in the Miss World 2018 Final held in Sanya, China, in December. But a few days later, I was shocked again – but this time it felt a hundred times greater – when I was told I had been disqualified from the contest. The Miss Ukraine Organizing Committee posted their official statement, which said that the reason for my disqualification was that I am a mother and a divorcee. One of the judges of the Miss Ukraine contest, Bogdan Yusypchuk, pointed to me live on air, during a media interview following the committee’s decision to disqualify me and said: “She gave birth to a child at the age of 19 and she is divorced. I think it’s wrong to make someone like her a standard from which to take an example.”

Being a mother is my greatest achievement, yet here was someone suggesting it was something to be ashamed of. The fact that I am a mother has never been an issue during my career as a model; and why should it be? My maternal status is not relevant to my ability to fulfill my professional responsibilities. My first instinct then was to run away from the shame that had been cast upon me. If I had been alone, I probably would have done just that. But these accusations not only shamed me, but they also shamed my beautiful son too. And it was my son, my greatest achievement and the source of my greatest joy, who gave me the courage not to run away and hide back then. 

Attorney Gloria Allred took your case. Did you think you would win? 

Ms. Allred’s reputation precedes her. She has been a fearless advocate for women’s rights for over four decades, fighting tirelessly and successfully for those – like me – whose rights have been violated. She stands up for what is right and seeks positive change. When I first met with Ms. Allred we discussed how we could take action on this issue affecting the condition, status, and rights of women around the world. Ms. Allred was glad I had brought this matter to her attention and we pledged to work together to end this barrier to women’s equal rights.

Then in December 2021, a 27-year-old woman [Andrea Quiroga from Los Angeles, California] came forward. She had read about my story and contacted me via Instagram to share her experiences. Andrea had always wanted to participate in beauty pageants but, as a mother, was not able to compete in the two biggest pageants – Miss Universe or Miss World – in her hometown of Los Angeles, California. Andrea and I met with Ms. Allred soon after and (on March 9, 2022) we announced a challenge to the rules of the Miss Universe and Miss World beauty pageants. Ms. Allred and I firmly believed the rules of both pageants clearly discriminate against women who have been pregnant and have given birth.

I had doubt in my mind that with Ms. Allred by my side, we are in the strongest position to end these outdated rules, once and for all.

On August 5th, 2022, the Miss Universe pageant issued an overwhelming decision that women who are mothers, pregnant women, married women, and divorced women can compete. Tell us about this victory. 

In California, the Unruh Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination against women because they were or are pregnant. Ms. Allred’s firm – Allred, Maroko & Goldberg (AG&M) – contacted the Californian Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DEFH) and filed the intake form for Ms. Quiroga to initiate the complaint process. When the DEFH accepts a case it independently investigates the facts and legal issues. It attempts to resolve the dispute in appropriate cases and may also decide to take legal action [by filing a civil action in court].

10 days after AG&M filed the submission, and DEFH opened an investigation, the Miss Universe pageant announced that it would allow women with children, pregnant women, married women, and women who had previously been married to enter the competition.

I am infinitely grateful to Gloria Allred for seeing in my story and Andrea’s the blatant discrimination against women around the world and for supporting us as she has done so many times before when she has witnessed shocking injustices.

“This latest action in the US – and my own against the organizers of Miss Ukraine – are part of my #RightToBeAMother global movement for change, established to expose the discriminatory entry criteria of the world’s four largest beauty pageants (Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss Earth, and Miss International).”- Vernika Didusenko 

Tell us about your ongoing global campaign #RightToBeAMother. 

When I was stripped of my Miss Ukraine crown in 2018, it marked the start of my four-year battle. When I set off on this journey, it was not just for me and my son. It was for tens of thousands of women all over the world affected by this blatant discrimination. To recognize their pain, their suffering, and their humiliation. Women who, due to the outdated rules that determine a woman’s worth by her virtue [introduced 71 years ago by Miss World] have been deprived of their pride, their status as mothers, and of the opportunity to make a career in the beauty pageant industry. 

Over the past four years, I have been very fortunate to assemble a professional team that supports my campaign. But it has not been an easy journey. The single-person pickets that I held in front of the Miss World office in London did not lead to anything. I have repeatedly addressed publicly and privately the leaders of the Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss Earth, and Miss International pageants. They did not respond to me. I have given hundreds of interviews to TV channels, radio stations, and online and print publications around the world. I have spoken at universities and at public events. I collected tens of thousands of signatures from women – and men – from more than 130 countries around the world under my petition in defense of the rights of young mothers. I also created an NGO named #RightToBeAMother to represent all the women who have faced the same struggles in the beauty pageant industry as I have. And of course, I have launched legal challenges in three countries – the UK, the US, and Ukraine. It has been a non-stop campaign and I thank my team and everyone who has walked this road with me. 

What do you want to see happen next?

Personally, of course, I wanted to Miss World to be the first to end the discrimination against mothers. The same contest that stripped me of my crown. But for the rights of women all over the world, it does not matter who is first. I applaud the Miss Universe pageant for leading the way and setting a precedent for other beauty pageants to follow. After soberly weighing up the inevitable chances of facing a legal battle, the Miss Universe pageant took the historic decision to completely remove these discriminatory rules from its list of entry requirements. It may seem like a forced concession, but in fact, it is a reasonable commercial move. Indeed, greater inclusiveness means greater commercial success. For many years you, the ‘Big Four’ international beauty pageants (Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth, and Miss International) have turned a deaf ear to the demands of the hundreds of thousands of women I represent – young mothers and girls who have lost their children, victims of rape who decided to continue their pregnancies and bear their children, women who are married, victims of forced marriage, and young widows. 

Today, three of these contests still remain indifferent to the fate of these women. Today, I appeal to the business people behind these organizations. Follow the example of the Miss Universe beauty pageant. Change history or become history. It’s your move. 

For more information about the RightToBeAMother campaign visit: https://righttobeamother.info/