JACKSONVILLE — When Erica Carnegie flipped through her TV channels and arrived on the live broadcast of the Miss Freedom USA Pageant, she stayed glued to the screen for hours.
“It was always something fun to watch and see my friends participate in,” she said.
The excitement, models, fashion and sparkling crown never failed to catch her attention. And she almost always aspired to be the winner.
She knew she would compete one day and hopefully win. This year, her time finally came.
Carnegie was recently crowned the ultimate title of Miss Freedom USA. For the Fleming Island High graduate, it was a dream well in the making.
“I had a phenomenal time. I would recommend this pageant to anyone, whether you’re new to pageantry or you’ve been doing it for a long time.”
On her special night, Carnegie took home multiple prizes, including $500, a custom-embroidered rhinestone sash, flowers, and a gift certificate from French Novelty.
Carnegie said she first competed in the teen division years ago. She initially had taken a break from pageantry but decided to re-enter the scene this year. In her last year of grad school at Stetson University, graduating next May with a master’s in both business administration and sports business management, Carnegie said she thought it would be a fun opportunity to try again.
This time, she took her practice up a notch.
She prepared by watching previous pageant queens and researching how she could perfect her walk and make her performance more dynamic.
During the one-day pageant, Carnegie participated in onstage interviews, introductions, a high-paced, fun fashion runway and an evening wear competition.
Carnegie won for Best in Interview, Best Onstage Introduction Speech, Best in Runway/Fashion modeling and Best in Evening Gown.
“That really meant a lot to me because I put a lot of work into this.”
Pageants, Carnegie said, bring her excitement and confidence. She said pageants that give back to the community are her go-to.
In addition to crowning a beauty queen, the Miss Freedom USA pageant also prides itself on supporting the military community by donating to organizations that provide essential support.
This includes the Five Star Veteran Center, a Jacksonville nonprofit that provides safe housing and wellness services to veterans and their families.
As an avid volunteer, she said growing up in the area gave her a sense of the impact her volunteer work was having.
“Being in an area that’s so big but feels so small, really lets you see the impact that you’re making, which is one of the reasons that I like volunteering. You always saw a friendly face.”
For her reign, Carnegie said she plans to use her title to continue her slew of volunteer work. Carnegie currently works with the Aneurysm and AVM Foundation and was the founder of its Youth Ambassador Program. Carnegie has an arteriovenous malformation, a rare genetic disorder that is known to cause aneurysms or strokes.
“It’s a rare disease, so it was hard to find people in the community who could relate to me. Or people to ask questions to. So, we partnered with them. I was the first youth ambassador to found the program.”
Carnegie is also the winner of a Jacksonville Image Award and a multiple recipient of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
“I like doing things where I can see the difference that it’s making in the community,” she said.
Her advice to others wanting to compete — go for it.
“Be excited, be confident, get onstage and do your best. There’s never going to be a perfect moment, so if you wait, you’re going to miss your opportunity.”