Carolyn Brady was crowned Miss Maine 2019 at the competition held at the Freeport Arts Center on June 22.
Brady, a native Philadelphian, and the first black woman to be crowned Miss Maine, was shouting to herself as Miss Maine 2018 Olivia Mayo was crowning her.
“I literally burst into tears, but then I was telling myself ‘You’ve got to get it together, because you only get a crowning moment once,'” she said. “I can’t be a hysterical mess in the middle of the stage.”
Brady, a student at Bowdoin University, previously competed in the Miss Pennsylvania competition, where she was second runner-up in 2017.
She said it was a bullying experience in college that compelled her to compete. She said Maine has really become home for her, and she was filled with that feeling when the final announcement happened.
“I was simply overcome with love and emotion for all of the support this state has shown me over the past four years,” she said.
Brady said she’s not related to Tom Brady, but also has her football loyalties in check.
“I’m not a fan of the Eagles…because I was told I am supposed to say that,” she joked.”I was also taught to say, ‘lobstah.'”
The energetic titleholder said she has many ideas for her year as Miss Maine, including expanding opportunities for volunteers at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital and creating an expedited peer-to-peer volunteer positions for other titleholders.
She also hopes to expand the Miss Maine program, adding sponsors, volunteers and candidates for the future.
Jane Lipp, a 16-year-old resident of New Gloucester and a rising junior at Greeley High School in Cumberland, won the title of Miss Maine’s Outstanding Teen at the same competition.
Lipp said she worked really hard and although she has danced and sang all of her life, this is her first step into the pageant world.
“It’s something different. I’m learning,” she said. “I love having the tight-knit community of girls and empowering other women. I’m excited for the ride I’m going to be on in the next year.”
Lipp said she’s very excited to be competing for the title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen in slightly more than a month.
“I have heard so many great stories, and I am looking forward to talking with the other state titleholders,” she said, adding that she also hopes to inspire more Mainers her age to get involved in their communities.
“I want to educate other kids in high school to be more civically-minded,” she said, “Specifically to teach them how to have their own drives with other organizations to learn about non-profit organizations and giving back to other people in need.”
For more information, visit missmaine.org.
New England Pageant News 