Miss Connecticut

Heidi Voight

What is your hometown like?
Milford, Conn., is a working-class shoreline community rich in history and full of diverse people -- the kind of place where everyone knows everyone. As much as it progresses year by year, it never loses its small town charm.

What were you like when you were a child?
I loved to play in the swamp, hunt crabs on the beach and wrestle with my brothers as much as I loved to dress up in crazy costumes and put on plays for my family. I was always very curious and loved art class the most!

Who is the most influential person in your life?
My mother worked three jobs to keep a roof over our heads when I was growing up and raised the five of us kids single-handedly. Through it all, she taught us to stay optimistic and never use hardship as an excuse to fail, rather, as a motivation to succeed.

What is one thing about you that people you meet may not immediately realize?
That I've been living on my own since the age of 17 as a completely independent, self-supported young woman. Also, I'm a wild-streaked rock-and-roller through and through and have toured in my own bands since I was 14!

What was one defining moment in your life?
Following a traumatic event in my life, there was a period in my teenage years during which I started to give up my hopes and dreams and almost lost my sense of self completely. The rude awakening of realizing where my life was headed if I succumbed to that fate inspired me to reclaim my power and begin a journey to healing, which in turn led me to my calling as a counselor/victim advocate.

What was one defining moment in your life?
At the end of the night, when the cameras stop rolling and the audience goes home, you are alone with yourself -- your best friend and potential worst enemy. I have learned to honestly challenge myself, leaving no stone unturned in my goals, because if I attack a feat with vigor, then win, lose or draw, I am at peace knowing I achieved my full potential.

What was one defining moment in your life?
I want to be the first Miss America to directly address the issue of violence against women and children and spearhead a national discourse while shattering the stigma surrounding it. I want to use my unique skills and special talents to bridge the gap between audiences young and old, reaching out to people from all walks of life.