Miss Massachusetts USA 2018 Candidate Alicia Capone Wants To Empower Young Girls To Be Confident In Their Own Skin

The Miss Universe Organization empowers women to develop the confidence they need to achieve their personal best. A confident woman has the power to make real change, starting in her local community with the potential to reach a global audience… and continue to define what it means to be Confidently Beautiful.

Alicia Capone, who'll be competing in the Miss Massachusetts USA Pageant, had physical therapy for many years due to her scoliosis - "My insecurity of it started when I was 11 and had to wear a back brace for 3 years 23 hours a day. Once my brace was gone I thought all my insecurities would disappear, however I was left with a body that was altered because of the curvatures" - she explained.

Confidence is something she has been working on for many years, that's why she wants to help instill in young woman across the country. She wants to use her story to empower young girls to be confident in their own skin. To show all young women that no matter what the obstacle, that they can overcome it, succeed, and do whatever it is they want to do.

In May 2016 she graduated with her Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. She works full-time as an orthopedic physical therapist for one of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the nation - "This has been a goal of mine since I was a little girl" she said.

I had the opportunity to interview Alicia a few weeks before the Miss Massachusetts USA Pageant. Whilst Massachusetts is not one of the more successful states in terms of number of placements or semi-finalists, their fortunes were improved in recent years when Shawnae Jebbia was crowned Miss USA in 1998 and Susie Castillo won the crown in 2003. Both Miss USA winners from Massachusetts were asked the same final question during the live telecasts.