http://www.leahjuliett.com/, http://www.songsofsolidarity.org/

Miss Stamford, Stamford, CT (2025)

04/13/2022

Thank you to Post University for having me last night for an incredible evening of poetry and storytelling. I had the opportunity to read poems from my book, Naked in Public, while telling the stories behind the poems and having important conversations about identity, abuse, and activism. Thank you to the English Department and the LGBTQ+ Affinity Group for having me, and a special thank you to Lucia Dressel for organizing the event and supporting me.

Tonight I’m speaking at Central Connecticut State University’s “Take Back The Night” virtual event, and next week I’m keynoting at the National Political Science Honor Society induction ceremony at Western Connecticut State University. And don’t forget about my panel with the Cyber Abuse Task Force of New York City at the end of the month! There’s lots happening and I’m grateful to be freelancing while continuing to work in the tech industry.

TLDR; the work isn’t over. It’s just begun. Stay tuned.

04/10/2022

I want to give a shoutout to my good friend and our Miss Congeniality Sierra O’Keefe. Sierra is the epitome of grace, class, and kindness. I love her and her family, who allowed me to share several meals with them throughout the week, very much! Thank you Sierra for your friendship and congratulations on your well-deserved award 💖

04/10/2022

My dear friend. Last year in our hotel room, you told me that it was going to be me and you holding hands as the Top 2 candidates and that one of us would be Miss Connecticut. Last year wasn’t our year, but when it finally happened today it was the most incredible full circle moment of our friendship. You were the first person I called when I considered getting involved in the Miss America Organization, and you’ve supported me whole heartedly from the very beginning. I couldn’t imagine sharing the beautiful moment we experienced together tonight with anyone else. Witnessing you achieve your dream is something I will never forget. I am tremendously proud of you and cannot wait to champion you this year. Thank you for being a champion for victims of violence and abuse. The world needs the love you provide. I love you.

04/08/2022

Check out this beautiful class of empowered candidates ✨ I’m incredibly inspired by each of these women doing bold, important work in their communities and advocating for issues that matter most to them. They’re kind, they’re talented, they’re extremely funny — and they’re all worthy of great things and bright futures.

This afternoon we kick off our interview phase of competition, and I’m wishing all of my friends tremendous success in speaking their truths and conveying their stories to the judges.

Supporting each other never gets old. Pass it on.

📸

04/08/2022

Thank you to our generous sponsors for providing products for our candidate gift bags! One of the best parts of being a candidate is working with brands that align with my values and the values of the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Organization. These brands are no joke about supporting our empowerment and advocacy initiatives. Please give them your support as they support us!

Sponsors mentioned ::

Thank you all for your incredible support of our 2022 class of candidates ✨

04/07/2022

I’m feeling exhilarated heading into rehearsal at the Cabaret Theatre. Last night’s arrival ceremony was an awesome opportunity to reconnect with friends (like my friend ) and learn more about the week ahead. I’m ready to head into rehearsals representing the trans community on my chest and in my heart 🏳️‍⚧️

Thank you to for having us and being so accommodating this week.

Let’s do this! 💪🏼💪🏽💪🏾💪🏿

04/06/2022

And we’re off ✨ My dad and I have packed up the car and are en route to for the competition! I’m feeling an overwhelming sense of pride, joy, and excitement as we prepare for the 93rd to be crowned this weekend — a moment that I never envisioned I would be a part of if you had asked me 10 years ago.

Before rehearsals and competition week get in full swing, I wanted to take a moment to thank all those who have helped me prepare and hone my skills for this moment. Whether you helped me with a mock interview, donated to my Spotfund fundraiser, purchased an ad, or let me call you to talk through my excitement, I am incredibly grateful for the time and energy you’ve given me and the support you’ve shown me. The number of supportive messages I have received throughout the year from both friends and strangers has been staggering, and I am overwhelmed by your graciousness and belief in my mission and my values.

I’ll be checking in throughout the week and can’t wait to let you in on the behind the scenes of this historic competition.

Until then, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“I am deliberate and afraid of nothing.”

Let’s do this.

04/05/2022

Tomorrow, I leave for the competition at Mohegan Sun. Today is a day for reflection and gratitude. Please, share a cup of coffee with me as I talk through some of the emotions that I’m feeling as I mark 10 years since my first time competing as a teen in the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Organization.

I’ll let this video speak for itself, but I could not be more grateful for your support and for the ability and privilege to make a dream that my younger self didn’t dare to dream come to fruition. I’m honored to represent the LGBTQ+ community and all those who have felt historically marginalized as my full, authentic self.

I’ll see you tomorrow, my friends 💖🦋

04/04/2022

Feeling strong and confident after speaking on Australian news for the first time this morning!

, Australia’s most watched news network, had me on their daily podcast this morning to discuss my experience with tech-based abuse. You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

I’ve had the honor of speaking internationally before on primetime television and in print, but it’s always incredible to tell my story in a new country — especially on a network with millions of daily viewers. I’ve been blessed with so many cool opportunities to facilitate social change on the subject of tech abuse.

Speaking on the global news circuit professionally has prepared me for the job of by equipping me with the skills to convey my message and tell my story to citizens around the world. I’ve never been more prepared to interview for the job of , and to head into a year of interviews and press opportunities that will move the needle to and stomp out internet harassment.

Thank you for having me!

04/04/2022

I’m thrilled to have four upcoming events that I will be speaking at in the next few weeks — and if awarded the job of , I’ll get to attend these events with an exciting new title!

✨ On April 12, you can join me at Post University for a discussion on gender identity and a reading from my book Naked in Public.

✨ On April 13, join me virtually for the annual Take Back the Night event at Central Connecticut State University, raising awareness for campus sexual assault prevention. I’ll be reading one of my poems!

✨ On April 26, I’ll be speaking on a panel for the New York City Cyber Abuse Task Force, sharing my story of cyber sexual abuse with lawyers, litigators, and New York City politicians.

✨ On June 2, join me at the Square Foot Theatre in Wallingford for an evening of music in celebration of the Connecticut Gay and Le***an Chamber of Commerce Foundation. I’ll be performing poetry and singing!

Each of these events hits on one of the important elements of my identity — speaking out about gender, performing poetry, and advocating against cyber abuse. I hope you’ll join me (as 🤞) for these events, as well as the exciting upcoming year of events hosted by the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Organization!

It’s week. We’re just getting started 💪🏼💪🏽💪🏾💪🏿

04/03/2022

We did a lil chop 💇🏻‍♀️

It was such a full circle moment yesterday when I returned to Kreations Beauty Salon in Waterbury and Tona worked her magic to make my hair ready.

Tona was my original hair sponsor 10 years ago when I served as Miss Greater Waterbury’s Outstanding Teen — and now she’s celebrating 10 years of owning her own salon!

Listen, I’ve always talked about how physical appearance is the least important aspect of preparation for . But feeling your best helps you to show up as your best — and Tona has always made me feel my best self.

The countdown to arrival is on :: 3️⃣ days until Mohegan!

I love you, keep going.

04/01/2022

On Tuesday evening, our candidates were invited to a webinar hosted by The National Alliance on Mental Illness () to discuss the importance of prioritizing mental health. As someone who publicly talks about living loudly with mental illness, I found this webinar to be both critical and necessary during this unique time in our lives as we experience both the pressure, anxiety, and excitement that comes with competing in a state competition.

After the webinar, I recorded this TikTok as a reminder to all those struggling with mental illness or dealing with a tough time that you are deserving of grace and wired for hope.

As we head into the weekend, I wanted to remind you that my DMs are always open and you are always welcome to reach out to me to talk.

I love you, I’m so glad you’re still here. Stick around 🦋

03/30/2022

We’re officially one week away from the morning I will pack up my car and drive to Mohegan Sun for the competition ✨ I can’t believe it.

This photo from last year doesn’t do a good job of encapsulating all of the emotions that I was feeling on that day last April, so I wanted to take a moment to let you in on the truth behind this picture.

Behind every poised, prepared, confident image of me is a healthy amount of nervousness. No matter how prepared you are, no matter how many times you’ve practiced your talent or answered interview questions, you will feel nervous when the day comes that you’ve been waiting for. In this photo, I was on the verge of tears, aching with excitement, bursting with energy, and navigating the uncertainty of what was to come. The truth is that every candidate in the Miss America Organization, no matter how carefully crafted their social media posts are, will feel nervous on the day that their state competition starts and this photo is taken. And guess what? You should!

We’ve all put so much effort, care, and passion into preparing for the moments that are to come. Not knowing what will happen is scary. But discomfort is where the learning happens. So, for the next week leading up to arrival, I’m going to ground myself in the knowledge that any nervousness I feel is the universe giving me the opportunity to learn something.

The suitcases, the sash… they’re all just accessories. The real prize is YOU. And you’ve been here all along. Win or lose. You get to stay.

I love you. See you soon ✨

03/29/2022

Friends, I’m honored to be on the leaderboard for our Miss Connecticut Spotfund fundraising campaign! All of the funds raised through my Spotfund platform go directly towards scholarships for the candidates competing on April 9th. I was fortunate to be able to donate $500 in proceeds from my book sales to my fundraiser, and also have received generous donations from friends, family, and supporters like you. If you’d like to help me continue to fundraise for this organization that means so much to me, you can click on the gold “donate” button on my website, which is linked in my Instagram bio. I’d be extremely appreciative ❤️

The Miss Connecticut competition is coming up quickly and your help and support is invaluable to me. I would love to see you in the audience supporting me at the competition on April 9th. Seriously, I can’t stress enough how much seeing your face would make me smile. Ticket sales close next Thursday! I can’t wait to see you there.

🏷

03/28/2022

If you’ve been victimized by sexual or intimate partner violence, this passage from my book may resonate with you.

In less than two short weeks, I’ll be reciting an original, unreleased poem on stage at . I wrote this poem exactly for this moment in time — it’s what I think everyone needs to hear right now.

I’m proud of my writing, how far I’ve come, and that I achieved my dream of having a book in bookstores around the world by the time I turned 25.

Being a poet is a unique trait that I’ll bring to the job of . I use my words to help make sticky subjects emotionally resonate and become accessible for everyone. I’ve been fortunate to reach thousands of people on Tik Tok and through my book, and today I was honored to make a $500 donation to the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Organization via Spotfund of the proceeds from my book.

Poetry is everything to me; it’s my way to communicate my feelings to the world. I can’t wait to perform for you onstage at so, so soon.

Until then; clear eyes, full hearts 🦋

Miss Stamford

04/13/2022

04/10/2022

04/10/2022

04/08/2022

04/08/2022

04/07/2022

04/06/2022

04/05/2022

04/04/2022

04/04/2022

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04/01/2022

03/30/2022

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03/28/2022

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