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September 1, 2017 8:01 AM
Miss South Carolina Suzi Roberts checks her phone while getting her hair done last week at Occo Luxury Spa and Salon in Columbia. Miss South Carolina Suzi Roberts is interviewed after she won the title this summer. Miss South Carolina Suzi Roberts and Lex Moore talk hair at Occo Luxury Spa and Salon. Miss South Carolina Suzi Roberts checks her phone while getting her hair done last week at Occo Luxury Spa and Salon in Columbia.
BY DWAUN SELLERS
When I first met Suzi Roberts, she was one of several local queens I contacted for an interview prior to them competing for Miss South Carolina 2017. Each girl was asked to bring their crown and sash to be photographed in.
While a few girls arrived with a change of clothes and their crown in a box, Roberts strutted into the building in nude stiletto pumps adorned with white pearls, a fluorescent pink sleeveless peplum top with matching pencil skirt and her crown and sash already on.
In preparation for the upcoming Miss America pageant, Miss South Carolina Suzi Roberts has her hair done by Lex Moore at Occo Luxury Spa and Salon in Columbia.
In preparation for the upcoming Miss America pageant, Miss South Carolina Suzi Roberts has her hair done by Lex Moore at Occo Luxury Spa and Salon in Columbia. Tracy Glantz tglantz@thestate.com
“I went to lunch like this,” she said, beaming a megawatt smile. “I’m proud to be Miss Columbia and to be competing for Miss South Carolina.”
That was two months ago. Now I was catching up with the 23-year-old Pawleys Island native before she left to compete for the title of Miss America in Atlantic City as Miss South Carolina. Roberts was days away from leaving and was getting her hair done at Occo Skin Studio. (The owner, Chaz Ellis, is also the Vice President of the Miss South Carolina organization and will be heading up to Atlantic City with her.)
“Suzi hit the ground running,” said Ellis. “She had a purpose in winning Miss South Carolina and it was very evident to us as an organization. In the first 45 days she has made her mark on this state and I think she’s ready to make me make as Miss America.”
Leading up to the big night, there’s almost a week’s worth of rehearsals, events with sponsors and filming interviews. Roberts is ready.
“Having competed for three years I felt confident the moment that crown was placed on my head I was ready to compete at Miss America,” she said. “Having the job of Miss South Carolina and being from a state like South Carolina that is so diverse and is such a leader in the sense of community and the sense of diversity that we’re not seeing around the rest of the country, gives me an advantage on the national level. Especially when they’re looking for somebody to be a unifier like Miss America is supposed to be.”
While getting her head foiled and prepped, she said what’s kept her sane and centered during this process is her platform, “Suzi Stands 4 Kids”. The organization is founded on the advocacy and action for children’s rights and well-being.
“I’ve been working with the department of education and had a one-on-one meeting with Molly Spearman, the superintendent of education. We talked about some marketing techniques we could use to promote women in STEM (an acronym for: science, technology, engineering and mathematics) from the level of elementary education up and we’ve also been talking about how we can get adverse childhood experience (ACEs) screenings in all early childhood care facilities in South Carolina. So those are two things we’ve been working on both with the Institute for Child Success and Children’s Trust of South Carolina.”
She’s also been on the fundraiser circuit, raising money for The Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, The Miss America Organization’s national platform. All girls competing at local, state, and national levels, are required to raise money in order to participate in the competition. At the time of the interview, Roberts was over her goal of raising $50,000 and was on the verge of being the largest fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in the history of the organization.
Dohn Dye has known Roberts since she was two years old. He and her mom are good friends. He always felt she’d be good at pageants because she’s competitive. From a very young age he would quote author and spiritual activist Marianne Williamson to her: “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
“I wanted it to happen but I didn’t want to apply to much pressure,” he said. “I’ve known Suzi way before pageants. I was a cheerleader for her when she was doing dance competitions. Its a lot of pressure to put on a little girl and we would always have a pep talk and that quote was one of the things I told her. This is your gift. This is God using you, so go forth and do it. I’ve always been proud of her. She’s a special kid. We’re excited to go to Miss America.”
By the time you read this article, Roberts will already be in Atlantic City. Ellis pointed out that shortly after arriving Roberts was a finalist for the pageant’s “quality of life” award, the most prestigious honor bestowed to national and state volunteers, says the Miss America website.
“I’m not really worried about anybody else in terms of competition,” Roberts said. “If I didn’t think I was the right person for the job then I shouldn’t even be going. Everyone’s qualified (to be Miss America) but I’m the most qualified.”
And what advice would she give to the young women looking to compete for the title of Miss South Carolina next year?
“I would tell them not to look at who’s won in the past and think that they have to fit some certain mold. That’s what held me back. I thought “this is what Miss South Carolina is” so I have to fit myself to that. And this past year I said no, Miss South Carolina is what you make of it. So be yourself. And don’t let your flaws stop you or hold you back.”
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