Stacy Fleurenssaint has worn a lot of hats over her 27 years, and she’s hoping the next one is a crown.
Fleurenssaint, currently a model and a proud resident of Rockland County, will be competing in Miss New York USA on July 25 and 26.
The annual state-wide beauty pageant determines the Empire State’s representative in the Miss USA national competition.
Fleurenssaint hails from Spring Valley
Fleurenssaint, born and raised in Spring Valley, earned a degree in public relations and advertising from the City College of New York in 2021. She has since worked as a strategic planning associate for a media services brand, social media consultant for small businesses in her county and a freelance model.
This year’s battle for the Miss New York USA crown — which has produced four Miss USA winners in the past — will be Fleurenssaint’s very first pageant.
“I’m somebody who loves to take chances and put myself out there and try something new,” Fleurenssaint said.
She sees this pageant as an opportunity to bring her town and county into the state — and potentially national — spotlight.
“I’ve become this person because of the experiences I’ve had here in this town,” she said. “Knowing I’m representing Rockland and bringing them with me to the grand stage, it means a lot. It’s a humbling experience.”
The competition is scheduled to take place at the Hilton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, New Jersey. The two-day event features three phases of competition — the private interview, swimsuit portion and evening gown segment.
“It’s about how you present yourself, your level of poise, your elegance, how you operate under pressure,” said Fleurenssaint. “Having a good sense of self, knowing who you are and being rooted in that definitely helps.
'Mentor figure for young girls'
When she learned she earned her spot in the competition in late May, Fleurenssaint threw herself into preparations.
She’s been mastering her walk, smoothing out her speech and curating lookbooks for her slate of outfits, which she hopes to tie together with a theme (she’s leaning toward an old Hollywood vibe).
“In my own personal style, there’s not always a theme, sometimes it’s just a feeling,” said Fleurenssaint. “That’s what I love about fashion … you’re showing outwardly how you feel inside.”
Fashion has always been big in Fleurenssaint's world. One of her first stops after the news broke was the Tia Maria Boutique, a high-end clothing store in New City owned by Tia Maria Montemurro.
She said a thrilled Montemurro treated her to a celebratory day at the boutique. They styled different options, picked out a dress, and devised a game plan on what other local businesses could help Fleurenssaint with on her journey.
“That just really touched my heart,” said Fleurenssaint. “As the first person in the community that I told the news to, she’s just been amazing.”
Fleurenssaint, who has been surrounded by clothes for years as a model, hopes to also craft a fashion-forward future — ideally one that involves running her very own boutique.
She added the pageant stage often turns into a platform for activism and advocacy.
“I’ve seen [contestants] get involved with different charities and organizations, and they pride themselves on giving back their time," she said.
Fleurenssaint said she would love to run an organization that empowers young girls, building their confidence through closet revamps and mentorship.
“Having a trusted big sister figure in your life, that makes all the difference when you’re a young woman growing up.” she said. “That’s definitely what I would love to be, that mentor figure for young girls and women.”
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Meet the Miss New York USA contestant from Rockland County
