Carrie Davis Carrie Davis

I definitely attribute my success to my community. As soon as they heard I was running for this pageant, I told them, well, this pageant's free, but I'm gonna need a dress, I'm gonna need this, and if I win, I want to go to Chicago. And from day one, my community was always there with an open heart and their wallet, believing in me. So the community - it all goes back to the community and my support system. They've been there for me every step of the way, and without them, I wouldn't have been able to achieve what I have in the pageant world.

The best career advice I've ever received is don't be afraid to go for a job interview. It might be out of your league, but you have to start somewhere. I started out as a housekeeper, cleaning bathrooms. Now I'm at a restaurant, working a cash register, hosting, and getting out in the community. My skills went from 0 to like a 9 now. So don't be afraid to try something new - you never know where it might lead you.

Don't be worried about your disability, because we all have them there. Your disability will shine if you believe in yourself. I always say, you have a disability, the disability doesn't have you. Don't let it stop you from achieving your dreams. And I feel like that goes with a disability or without a disability. People always laugh when I say things like, I have cancer. Well, yes, you do. The cancer doesn't have you. You have cancer. Yes, it sucks, but you can live your best life. You can still beat this. And go out and have fun. You know, in other pageants, not every girl is gonna win every pageant, but go out and have fun. When you're having fun, it doesn't matter what the judges think. It's your personality that people are gonna fall in love with, not the $1,000 dress you're wearing or the cute boyfriend you have on your arm.

The biggest challenge right now is probably the cost for nationals. It costs the girls, when they win their local pageant, they have to come up with like over $3,000 just for a 3-day weekend. My hope is one day to have enough sponsors where when the girls win, they don't have to worry about that. My hope is one day that when you win, here's your title, and by the way, here's a check to pay for your whole trip. This is what I hope for Miss Amazing - that one day, when they see a free pageant for disabilities, it's truly a free pageant for disabilities. I want these girls to be able to compete without having to worry about coming up with thousands of dollars.

Trust is really important to me. Your attitude is big in everything. I mean, if you go in with an 'I can't' attitude, then you're not gonna do it. Just honesty - that's really important too. I also believe that God takes care of me if I can take care of others. I'm really big on giving back to the community and helping people. Sometimes I have to pull myself back because I'll be walking through town and I'll see some homeless person on the street and I'll be like, are you hungry? My husband says people will take advantage of you, but I always believe in helping others first.