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Have you ever met someone that always knows how to brighten your day, lift you up and encourage you in your journey?! Well, we certainly have and her name is Whitney Gladden! Whitney is one of the most inspiring women that you'll ever meet and she holds the title of Mrs. Mississippi America. We are so excited to share this interview with you and give you a little look into Whitney's world.
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Q: Whitney, tell us a little bit about yourself and what your background is.
A: Where should I begin? I've lived a long 44 years, so there is a lot to tell! First and foremost, I am Tucker and Macy's mom and Lee's wife! They are my heartbeat and I am totally crazy about all three of them. I met Lee while I was in law school, and quickly noticed how alike we were, except that he is a little bit better than me at pretty much everything! But it's amazing to see how incredibly gifted he is and how much he is able to accomplish with his sweet smile, quick wit and southern charm, paired with his incredibly sharp mind and his matchless work ethic. He inspires me to be better every day! While I still have my law license and have passed the Mississippi and Louisiana Bar, I have partially retired to be more present for the kids. I say partially because in my spare time, I am an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, a Fitness Nutrition Specialist, a FASTer Way to Fat Loss Coach and a distributor for Proceller8 Supplements. I fell in love with fitness 25 years ago and that passion has never gone away! Outside of fitness, I love animals and have recently become a Registered Therapy Dog Handler with my partner, Chicken Nugget. Chicken Nugget is an Australian Shepherd that we are fostering who was trained by Mississippi Therapy Animals. He brings so much joy to our home, and it is just incredible to see how people will respond to animals! I have very much enjoyed taking him on site visits to help alleviate workplace stress or taking him to visit our friends at Shower Power Mississippi. He is also helpful to relieve anxiety in patients undergoing medical treatment - he's an amazing, beautiful, loving dog! I am always looking for places to take him on a visit.
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Q: How did you get involved in pageants and Mrs. Mississippi America?
A: Lee was actually the person who encouraged me to do it! We were together when we ran into his friend, Sandra Strain (who is now my invaluable pageant coach), and she asked me why I had never done a pageant. It was her first time meeting me, but right there in the grocery aisle she told me I would be great at it. I laughed it off, but Lee heard this and, having grown up around pageantry in his family, began to encourage me to give it a try. It took several years, but finally he convinced me to sign up, and that's when everything began. It's not at all what people sometimes think. In order to excel in pageantry, you have to be kind, caring, gracious, graceful, a good listener, a good speaker, funny, lighthearted but serious, intelligent...on top of drinking all your water, eating healthy, getting all the dishes and laundry done, raising your kids, getting your workouts in, getting work done, and finding time to be in full hair and makeup at a moment's notice. In heels! I have a whole new admiration for "pageant girls/women." Being able to multitask is a definite must! But the women you meet and the fun you have at the end of the day is 100% worth the work and preparation. The crown is a bonus, but whether or not you earn that, the experience is priceless.
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Q: You are a role model to so many, including myself! Who/what inspires you and keeps you motivated?
A: Thank you for saying that! Honestly, my kids are the catalyst for everything. They are 9 and 11, and ever since they were very little I've wanted to be sure they know that there are no limits, and they can do anything they set their mind to, as long as they put in the work. We have told Tucker that he can be President of the United States if he wants, and that's been a running theme throughout his life now! Macy is intent that she will become a veterinarian and we have now expanded that vision to include the most posh "pet spa" in the country. They've both had big ideas, and I've done my best to put legs under every single one of them, from lemonade stands to acting lessons, piano and singing, gymnastics, violin, baseball, holding collection drives for the homeless - there's nothing I won't let them try. But they know once they commit, they must see it through (at least for that school year or season). And for the most part, they have! It's important to me that I not just tell them to commit, but that I provide that example as well. And that's what they have seen. They've watched me commit to fitness competitions, obstacle course competitions, pageants, building direct sales teams, and serving at church. Each time I have the thought of "skipping," "cutting short," or "backing out" (we all have those thoughts!!) I remember that they are watching, and I complete what I started. Those kids have two parents that never quit, and my prayer is that they always stay true to their commitments throughout their lives, starting now.
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Q: What is your favorite thing about Mississippi?
A: I have to admit, I am a transplant! I am originally from Louisiana but moved to Mississippi 17 years ago. While I have a love for both states, Mississippi is absolutely my home, and the people make it so! The culture here in central Mississippi as well as throughout the state is such that the kindness is palpable. I honestly can't think of a single place I've been that I haven't been greeted with a smile and some form of southern hospitality, whether it's a glass of water, a sweet tea or "come sit in the shade." "Can I getcha something?" is just as common as "hello, how are you?" around here! I can't imagine living anywhere else. And while I have never lived in "the Delta," I married into a Delta family and I love everything about it - from churches like I grew up in (with hymnals and everything), to local pottery, to "the Fighting Okra," it's a culture I'm so proud to be a part of!
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Q: What does it mean to you to be Mrs. Mississippi America? What are you most excited about?
A: Of course I am very excited to compete for Mrs. America this fall! What an honor to compete for the oldest Mrs. title in existence - there is so much history attached to it. But what most excites me is what comes after that. Whether it's as Mrs. America or as Mrs. Mississippi America, this year will be spent talking to parents and kids about "Kids for a Cause - Leaving a Legacy of Service." My kids and I have done a lot of work over the past few years simply serving. They have an organization they started called The Provision Project which, essentially, calls charities around the area and asks what the specific needs are at that time. Whether it's sheets and towels for the Grace House, Deep Woods Off for Shower Power Mississippi, or hygiene products and socks for We Will Go Ministries, we just roll up our shirt sleeves and go collecting those things. The amazing thing about it is seeing how my kids react to the act of giving - you should have seen their eyes light up the first time they were genuinely thanked for their donations! Or the emotion swelling up in 11 year old Tucker's chest when he handed a homeless woman a set of clothes she needed. Or how 9 year old Macy cried with a mix of joy and sadness when she gave her Sprite away to a homeless woman on County Line Road who was holding up a sign that said "Hungry - anything helps." From a very young age, they have been helping me pack lunches for kids who were out of school for the holidays and didn't have cafeteria lunches to rely on. So it's just been a thing we do in our house for a long time, and that was a great place to start. But can you imagine if there were more children, in more cities, with parents who were willing to take them to serve? Families who made it a family activity to serve in soup kitchens, or collect canned food, or do clothing drives for specific ministries? We could raise a whole generation of service oriented people - and what a changed world we would have! I honestly cannot wait to bring that message to as many people as will hear me.
A: Where should I begin? I've lived a long 44 years, so there is a lot to tell! First and foremost, I am Tucker and Macy's mom and Lee's wife! They are my heartbeat and I am totally crazy about all three of them. I met Lee while I was in law school, and quickly noticed how alike we were, except that he is a little bit better than me at pretty much everything! But it's amazing to see how incredibly gifted he is and how much he is able to accomplish with his sweet smile, quick wit and southern charm, paired with his incredibly sharp mind and his matchless work ethic. He inspires me to be better every day! While I still have my law license and have passed the Mississippi and Louisiana Bar, I have partially retired to be more present for the kids. I say partially because in my spare time, I am an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, a Fitness Nutrition Specialist, a FASTer Way to Fat Loss Coach and a distributor for Proceller8 Supplements. I fell in love with fitness 25 years ago and that passion has never gone away! Outside of fitness, I love animals and have recently become a Registered Therapy Dog Handler with my partner, Chicken Nugget. Chicken Nugget is an Australian Shepherd that we are fostering who was trained by Mississippi Therapy Animals. He brings so much joy to our home, and it is just incredible to see how people will respond to animals! I have very much enjoyed taking him on site visits to help alleviate workplace stress or taking him to visit our friends at Shower Power Mississippi. He is also helpful to relieve anxiety in patients undergoing medical treatment - he's an amazing, beautiful, loving dog! I am always looking for places to take him on a visit.
---
Q: How did you get involved in pageants and Mrs. Mississippi America?
A: Lee was actually the person who encouraged me to do it! We were together when we ran into his friend, Sandra Strain (who is now my invaluable pageant coach), and she asked me why I had never done a pageant. It was her first time meeting me, but right there in the grocery aisle she told me I would be great at it. I laughed it off, but Lee heard this and, having grown up around pageantry in his family, began to encourage me to give it a try. It took several years, but finally he convinced me to sign up, and that's when everything began. It's not at all what people sometimes think. In order to excel in pageantry, you have to be kind, caring, gracious, graceful, a good listener, a good speaker, funny, lighthearted but serious, intelligent...on top of drinking all your water, eating healthy, getting all the dishes and laundry done, raising your kids, getting your workouts in, getting work done, and finding time to be in full hair and makeup at a moment's notice. In heels! I have a whole new admiration for "pageant girls/women." Being able to multitask is a definite must! But the women you meet and the fun you have at the end of the day is 100% worth the work and preparation. The crown is a bonus, but whether or not you earn that, the experience is priceless.
---
Q: You are a role model to so many, including myself! Who/what inspires you and keeps you motivated?
A: Thank you for saying that! Honestly, my kids are the catalyst for everything. They are 9 and 11, and ever since they were very little I've wanted to be sure they know that there are no limits, and they can do anything they set their mind to, as long as they put in the work. We have told Tucker that he can be President of the United States if he wants, and that's been a running theme throughout his life now! Macy is intent that she will become a veterinarian and we have now expanded that vision to include the most posh "pet spa" in the country. They've both had big ideas, and I've done my best to put legs under every single one of them, from lemonade stands to acting lessons, piano and singing, gymnastics, violin, baseball, holding collection drives for the homeless - there's nothing I won't let them try. But they know once they commit, they must see it through (at least for that school year or season). And for the most part, they have! It's important to me that I not just tell them to commit, but that I provide that example as well. And that's what they have seen. They've watched me commit to fitness competitions, obstacle course competitions, pageants, building direct sales teams, and serving at church. Each time I have the thought of "skipping," "cutting short," or "backing out" (we all have those thoughts!!) I remember that they are watching, and I complete what I started. Those kids have two parents that never quit, and my prayer is that they always stay true to their commitments throughout their lives, starting now.
---
Q: What is your favorite thing about Mississippi?
A: I have to admit, I am a transplant! I am originally from Louisiana but moved to Mississippi 17 years ago. While I have a love for both states, Mississippi is absolutely my home, and the people make it so! The culture here in central Mississippi as well as throughout the state is such that the kindness is palpable. I honestly can't think of a single place I've been that I haven't been greeted with a smile and some form of southern hospitality, whether it's a glass of water, a sweet tea or "come sit in the shade." "Can I getcha something?" is just as common as "hello, how are you?" around here! I can't imagine living anywhere else. And while I have never lived in "the Delta," I married into a Delta family and I love everything about it - from churches like I grew up in (with hymnals and everything), to local pottery, to "the Fighting Okra," it's a culture I'm so proud to be a part of!
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Q: What does it mean to you to be Mrs. Mississippi America? What are you most excited about?
A: Of course I am very excited to compete for Mrs. America this fall! What an honor to compete for the oldest Mrs. title in existence - there is so much history attached to it. But what most excites me is what comes after that. Whether it's as Mrs. America or as Mrs. Mississippi America, this year will be spent talking to parents and kids about "Kids for a Cause - Leaving a Legacy of Service." My kids and I have done a lot of work over the past few years simply serving. They have an organization they started called The Provision Project which, essentially, calls charities around the area and asks what the specific needs are at that time. Whether it's sheets and towels for the Grace House, Deep Woods Off for Shower Power Mississippi, or hygiene products and socks for We Will Go Ministries, we just roll up our shirt sleeves and go collecting those things. The amazing thing about it is seeing how my kids react to the act of giving - you should have seen their eyes light up the first time they were genuinely thanked for their donations! Or the emotion swelling up in 11 year old Tucker's chest when he handed a homeless woman a set of clothes she needed. Or how 9 year old Macy cried with a mix of joy and sadness when she gave her Sprite away to a homeless woman on County Line Road who was holding up a sign that said "Hungry - anything helps." From a very young age, they have been helping me pack lunches for kids who were out of school for the holidays and didn't have cafeteria lunches to rely on. So it's just been a thing we do in our house for a long time, and that was a great place to start. But can you imagine if there were more children, in more cities, with parents who were willing to take them to serve? Families who made it a family activity to serve in soup kitchens, or collect canned food, or do clothing drives for specific ministries? We could raise a whole generation of service oriented people - and what a changed world we would have! I honestly cannot wait to bring that message to as many people as will hear me.
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We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to chat with Whitney and can't wait to continue following along her journey. Here are a few places that you can keep up with Whitney:
www.facebook.com/whitneygladden
www.instagram.com/whitneygladden
theprovisionproject.com
linktr.ee/whitneygladden
www.facebook.com/whitneygladden
www.instagram.com/whitneygladden
theprovisionproject.com
linktr.ee/whitneygladden
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