By: Jenny Castro
(The Hollywood Times) 3/26/24 – As Miss Virginia USA 2023, Ashley Williams made history by becoming the first woman of Caribbean-American (Jamaica & Turks and Caicos Island) descent to win the coveted state title. A graduate with a bachelor’s in psychology from Florida International University, Williams was an NFL cheerleader with The Miami Dolphins for 3 years before entering pageantry. As a dancer since the age of 8, Williams immersed herself in the styles of jazz, tap, ballet, and hip hop and continued well through college which proved to be valuable as she pursued pageantry. As an NFL cheerleader, Williams had the amazing opportunity to perform at the Superbowl in 2020 with Shakira and J. Lo and also participate in overseas USO tours. Reflecting upon her NFL experience, she fondly recalls, “They were like the best 3 years of my life,” she said. “There were so many things that go beyond the normal expectations of a cheerleader, and it was much more than sideline dancing on Sundays such as the community service aspect and going overseas visiting the military. Everything was just so above and beyond, and it was incredible.” For the USO tours, Williams visited countries such as Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan to boost morale for the military, “We got to experience firsthand the kind of sacrifices that people make to fight for our country. This really left me with a heightened appreciation for what our service members do and really incredible memories,” she said.
Last Spring, Williams was crowned Miss Virginia USA, a major accomplishment which stunned the young beauty, “My journey into pageantry is a little bit untraditional in the sense that I started off as a judge before I became a contestant,” she explained. “In the fall of 2021, I was wrapping up my time as a cheerleader and was invited to be on a judges panel for a different pageant system for two consecutive years. I then realized this could be the perfect transition for me because I love what pageantry entails. I love that you get to be an ambassador in the community and continue to grow your personal development skills, and I noticed that’s what the contestants were conveying to me as a judge,” she added. Inspired and determined, Williams entered into the world of pageantry and eventually competed for the title of Miss Virginia USA. She initially went into the competition with low expectations, “I didn’t think I was going to win, and realized there hadn’t been a Miss Virginia USA that had looked like me and I had gotten really discouraged,” she said.
Despite her insecurities, Williams walked away with the crown while adorning her natural hair, “Truly, it was very emotional for me, and I was very grateful for the judges and organization for believing in me,” she reiterated. Coming from a background in dance seemingly paid off as it taught her self-discipline and more, “I didn’t have any pageant experience, but I will say there’s a lot of dynamics in dance that I learned growing up such as body awareness, rhythm, and stage presence,” she added. Speaking of Williams’s natural hair, she wants others to know the importance of showcasing your natural abilities and features, “Authenticity in general is going to get you so much further than trying to be someone else. I just feel like you have to be faithful and trusting in your personal skill set and know that you shouldn’t have to mold that to fit any job opportunity and specifically when it comes to natural hair. Nothing against the women who choose to do other methods of hair, but I know in the African American community and in Black culture, there’s this weird stigma against natural hair. I think it’s so important to do your hair in a way that makes you feel confident. For me, natural hair is even more empowering, and the more people see it the more comfortable they are with it. You need to see that sense of representation,” Williams said. The beauty queen is known for sporting curly and braided hair and has even had many girls reach out to her for inspiring them with their own beauty and hair routines.
As Williams looks back on this past year, she’s experienced a whirlwind of memories to last a lifetime, including competing at the Miss USA pageant where she had the joy of meeting other delegates across the country, “It was such a fantastic experience, and would say that was the highlight of my year,” she happily added. “The overall experience of meeting those women, and everything that the week entailed was amazing. We had so many fun activities to partake in, and there’s the teen contestants who are also competing. So not only do we have fun amongst the Miss contestants, but we inspire and interact with the teens as well acting sort of a like a mentor to them.”
In giving advice to other ladies out there in pageantry and competitive fields, Williams believes staying true to yourself and having confidence is key, “I feel like I’m a true testament to never doubt yourself. Success looks different for everyone in pageants. Some people think of success as winning the crown. Others think of success as I left and I got a higher interview score than I did last year, you know what I mean? So, it’s basically about determining your personal definition of success and achieving that because chances of winning are so slim as there are a multitude of fantastic women competing and you have to hope that you’re in favor of the judges on that day. It’s never too late to try. And when you do try, don’t have any expectations other than being your best self.” Williams has also worked with the Travis Manion Foundation this past year, a non-profit dedicated to empowering veterans and families of fallen military heroes, which Williams describes as “near and dear to her heart.” The foundation has programs offering services in areas of leadership, youth mentorship and more.
Currently, Williams works for an energy drink company and travels extensively throughout the country, and remains optimistic about the future, “I’m excited to see what path will open up for me. A lot of girls go into broadcast journalism and hosting so I wouldn’t be surprised if I fell somewhere in that field. I do know that I love being on stage so we will see what’s next.”
Follow Ashley on Instagram: @ashwilllll
Official Miss Virgina USA Website: Miss Virginia USA – Ashley – Miss USA (themissusa.com)
