By STEPHANIE SCHELL sschell@amnews.com
Miss Deaf America may not have its contestants walking across the stage in swim suits, but it compares to the other Miss America pageant in just about every other way.
Mickie Brunton, who was named Miss Deaf Kentucky in 2005 and serves for two years, is a 2004 Kentucky School for the Deaf graduate from Louisville. She will compete for Miss Deaf America this summer in California in the platform program, on-stage interview, talent, private interview and off-stage monitoring. Her talent will be using American Sign Language to recite a poem she wrote from her life experiences called "The Rose."
Brunton, 21, said a few of things are different than the other Miss America pageant. The amount of recognition, awards and funding Miss America gets compared to Miss Deaf America are the biggest differences.
Miss Deaf America contestants have to fund their own way. Brunton has raised nearly half of the $6,000 for the trip expenses for herself and her chaperone. Brunton isn't letting the money situation stop her from partaking in this opportunity. "I believed in myself enough to be a representative for Kentucky's deaf community," Brunton said through her interpreter and Miss Deaf America chaperone, Ina Faye Price. "I know that I'm going to represent well at the national level."
She chose domestic violence as her issue
Miss Deaf America contestants must come prepared with a platform devoted to an issue relevant to today's society. Brunton chose domestic violence. "I have some experience (from) a bad relationship," Brunton said. "I don't want that to happen to others."
When Brunton experienced the abuse from someone she thought loved her, she said she went to a shelter for abused women. The experience at the shelter literally sent her back to the abusive relationship because, Brunton said, no one at the shelter could communicate with her.
Brunton said the deaf community has little representation at facilities like shelters, and she is working to help change that. She said she wants to help develop a better shelter for deaf individuals in abusive relationships.
She thinks if the shelter she went to would have been more accommodating, it would have kept her from going back to the abuse a second time. Brunton is out of the relationship now and wants to keep others from getting involved with abusive partners. She said she will continue to work at her platform even after the pageant is over.
Brunton is known as a friendly person among contestants. She has won the title of Miss Congeniality twice. She won the title in both Miss Deaf Kentucky and the 2003 Miss Junior National Association of the Deaf pageant. In the Miss Junior NAD pageant, Brunton took the crown as well.
Raising money with calendar, bracelet
Brunton has been working hard to raise the other $3,000 for the rest of her pageant expenses. She has asked companies for donations and has developed a bracelet and calendar to sell. The bracelet comes in 11 different colors and is made of a stretchy rubber material. The bracelet has the ASL sign for 'I love you,' which Brunton drew. She wears a pink one, her favorite color. The bracelets sell for $3 each.
The calendar also was Brunton's idea also. Each month has a photo of a child signing a word that represents that particular month. The calendars are $10 for black-and-white, $20 for color.
For more information about the Miss Deaf America pageant, or to purchase a bracelet or calendar, e-mail Barbara Harris at mdeafky@yahoo.com.
Copyright The Advocate-Messenger 2006
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