BE THE LIGHT
Eating Disorder Awareness
Early Intervention
Empowered Recovery
Be the Light is more than a Community Service Initiative — it’s the work that shaped my education, my career path, and my purpose.
As someone who has lived through an eating disorder and dedicated years to studying nutrition, mental health, and performance, I believe recovery deserves both compassion and credibility. This initiative exists to provide honest education, early intervention, and hope — especially for young people navigating pressure, identity, and perfectionism.
Why This Work Matters
Eating disorders are the deadliest psychiatric illness, yet they often go unnoticed until crisis.
Too many people struggle quietly — believing they need to be “better” before they deserve help, or that their pain isn’t serious enough to speak about. Be the Light was created to interrupt that silence.
This initiative focuses on:
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Early awareness before behaviors escalate
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Education that removes shame and fear
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Conversations that humanize recovery
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Wellness that includes mental health, not just food
My Lived Experience
Before I ever studied nutrition, I lived the reality of an eating disorder.
Recovery forced me to confront beliefs about worth, control, and identity — long before I could explain them in scientific terms. That lived experience gives me empathy. My education gives me responsibility.
Today, I approach recovery work with both:
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The compassion of someone who understands the struggle
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The professionalism of someone trained to educate, not glorify illness
I don’t share my story to center myself — I share it so others feel less alone.
Recovery-Centered Nutrition
Food is not the enemy. Restriction isn’t discipline. Healing is not weakness.
Education here focuses on balance, nourishment, and rebuilding trust with food — without rigid rules or fear-based messaging.
Mental Health in Performance
Athletes are often praised for control and resilience — even when it comes at a cost.
Be the Light brings mental health into athletic conversations, helping performers understand that fueling the body also means protecting the mind.
Movement Without Punishment
Exercise should support health — not be used as compensation.
Through gentle education and lived example, this initiative reframes movement as something rooted in respect, strength, and longevity.
Core Education Pillars
Who Be the Light Serves
This initiative is designed for:
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College students navigating food, body image, and independence
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Athletes facing performance pressure and identity tied to body or output
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Young people experiencing early signs of disordered eating
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Parents, coaches, and educators seeking accurate information
Anyone rebuilding trust with food and themselves
Impact So Far
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1,000+ hours of community service
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Public speaking through pageantry and wellness events
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Partnerships with national advocacy organizations
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Education delivered in athletic, academic, and community settings
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Thousands reached through recovery-centered digital education
If Crowned Miss Florida 2026
If given the opportunity to serve as Miss Florida, I would use the title to amplify Be the Light across Florida — bringing education, honesty, and hope into spaces where eating disorders often go unnoticed.
My goal is not to tell people how to look — but to help them understand that health is not something you earn by shrinking; it’s something you protect by caring for yourself.
Be the Light exists for the quiet moments — the ones where someone feels unsure, overwhelmed, or alone.
If this page reaches even one person who realizes they don’t have to suffer in silence, then this work matters.
And I will keep showing up — educated, compassionate, and committed — for as long as it takes.
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