pageant
From Miss to Mrs. Name is Really Long
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 • America United Pageant, career, Career Coach, Culture, Marriage, Mrs. Washington America United, pageant
I have heard, studied, and researched it all. Common themes of, "But your spouse didn't get your degree(s), so in your career you should keep it Brunner", "But you are married and you should respect the culture / your new family name", "If you have kids, don't you want to share a last name with them".
So I chose both. Because in Mexican culture, I keep my family name and I inherit my married last name.
I am proud to be a Brunner - it represents the family farm I grew up on and the immigrants that were my great grandparents / Grandpa who came to the USA to create a better life for their lineage. If I were to be known as a leader - It'd be that I worked hard, I followed through, and I always tried to do right by people. I live by that and that very much represents the Brunner side of my lineage.
However, being married and marrying into another culture, I also wanted to implement a new part of my identity, which is Reyes. Aaron has been extremely supportive of me as a whole person, my goals in life, and our mutual dreams - He is my encourager, my rock, and provider in many ways. Carrying his family name represents what's now and what's to come, and to me, it was important as a wife, I carry this with me.
So, when I decided to run for America United Mrs., I had a contract to sign when I was initialing for my Mrs. Washington America United title. I originally put JB. Because in my higher ed career, no one will really know me by Jayme Reyes currently, only Jayme Brunner and in my business I am known as Jayme Alexis because no one could pronounce either my first or last name, so I tried to give people an easier way of remembering.
But when all was said and done, I re did my contract with JRB to include and encompass all the names I proudly represent. There comes so much power from claiming all my names for all the different aspects of my old life and new life emerging into one.
Jayme Alexis Reyes Brunner - It's a long name, but that just means it comes with a long list of things to be grateful for. A long list of things to learn from, and long list of people who have come before me in which I get build a life off of what they have built. A long and wide feeling of love when I think of how my name connects different cultures, people, countries, and families together forever.
What did you decide to do with your last name concerning business, career, etc?
Follow my titleholder FB: Mrs. Washington America United
Follow my titleholder IG: Mrs. Washington AU
20 Years with American Pageants
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 • american pageants, career, love, miss teen of america, pageant, pageantry, pageants, Relationships
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| 2019 National Titleholders - photo by My Heart's Desire |
20 years.
Besides a few friendships, 20 years is the longest I’ve ever committed to anything in my life. 2 weeks ago I was at the 35th Anniversary of American Pageants, formerly known as Miss Teen of America.
My affiliation with the program was in 1998 when my Mom convinced me to be in this scholarship program called Little Miss of SD. From contestant to honor court member in the Teen division, I went on to choreograph, emcee, judge, direct at the state level, and then at some point recruited judges for our state, regional, and national pageant.
This program has been my consistent and familiar long after leaving my parents home, it’s the 1 thing I’ve taken with me on the journey of a dozen zip codes from South Dakota (minus my car, but even she was put to rest in November).
The program took a break with the transition of leadership and I won’t forget in April of 2016, getting a call from our President that she wanted me on the team. I had just quit a job I hated and moved to my dream city San Francisco while I shared a home with 4 other people. I was hustling as much as I could on the side and in my work as a Fashion Design Advisor to live in the most expensive city in America (We had just surpassed New York City - Manhattan). This offer was a piece of home that to me in a space I was just easing into.
It is easy to list off the reasons why I love this program. From recognizing all girls and women for their achievements, the lifelong friendships, teaching girls/women that we are not each other’s competition - that we are our biggest competition, the life skills - interviewing, resumes, and personal development...all fundamentals that are evident everywhere in our pageant’s history and present. That’s just the shortlist.
But I think it’s more than what’s on our social media, it goes beyond how it prepared me for a college essay or a job interview, it's prepared me for womanhood:
I text our President a week after the pageant that if it weren’t for some of the advice I had gotten from her and the friends I’ve made in this program, I would have settled in my life - in every aspect. I think I would have taken the first good life that presented itself. But that first path was not meant for me at 18 when I graduated high school, at 22 when I moved to Los Angeles, or at 24 when I finished graduate school, or now at 29 - where I am just feeling like life is just getting started!
This pageant has kept my character accountable. It’s really easy to cut corners and to copy/paste what’s out there. It’s easy to not be original and to replicate what’s been done. I would have made very different life choices in college, in relationships, and in situations that I could have taken an easier path, and no one would have known. But that wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying. On this same note, it also taught me to take RISKS. To explore, discover, to find what works for me. There are so many paths out there, that this pageant family no matter what decision I've made (even if they disagreed) has supported my journey of becoming.
Finally, this pageant taught me to CELEBRATE. We get so caught up in achievement, that achievement becomes the benchmark in all that we do. It’s why I’ve felt devastated after break ups, dissolving friendships, etc. Because I’ve been trained my entire life that achievement is what matters, and everything including things related to the human heart has a formula for winning…and obviously finding out that couldn’t be further from the truth. And by all means, achievement matters, it’s just not the only thing that matters. This pageant is a reminder to pause, and to recognize how far we’ve come...and that we can achieve, list out everything on a resume, and so forth, but what value is that if we can’t appreciate ourselves?
My trophies, plaques, tiaras, and sashes sit with dust at my parents house. But everything I’ve mentioned here are the most valued things someone can say about me - that I don't settle, my character matters, & that I celebrate the achievements of others and myself.
American Pageants & our AP fam, thank you for a decorated 20 years. I love the way you’ve shaped my womanhood in every possible way.
American Pageants, 2 years in a row has been named Top 10 Teen Pageant & Top 10 Best National Pageant by the Pageant Planet.
2017 Highlight Reel
Wednesday, January 3, 2018 • 2017, american pageants, career, family, fashion design, fashion show, love, Miss America, Miss California, miss covina, pageant, pageantry, pageants, reflection, Relationships, reunions
It was a year of reunions, sacred traditions, and internally focused. 2017 was about staying, rooted, rituals, and the adventure of consistency and steadiness. It was the year I needed; stay with me for my 2017 highlight reel...
Jayme Alexis LLC: After working for a talent agency for 10 years, my mentors encouraged me to do my own thing. To not work based off commission and to go referral only. It's been a bumpy road, but I have made fewer, but stronger connections in my side hustle that I hope one day could be a full-time hustle.
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| Former client's Spring 2017 collection that was headed for NY Fashion Week |
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| Miss Covina 2017 court |
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| Canvas Small Group Crew |
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| When your first set of students become your real friends...scary I know... |
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| Lands end with my forced best friends (cousins) |
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| My wonderful Momma who has now been 1.5 years cancer free! |
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| Class of 2007 |
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| Half my home team at the 4th of July Rodeo! Katie (College), Becky (Pageants), Caitlin (High School) |
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| Fall Training 2017! |
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| Night out on the town. PC: J. Gomez |
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| 2017-2018 Tower Patch Kids |
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| 2016-2017 Area Coordinator Squad! |
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| 2016-2017 Tower Rangers |
1 concert per year tradition w. Hive: I met Alex & Sondra (We missed Alli!) in my first professional job at Cal State Monterey Bay. They were like my big siblings and each year we go to 1 concert - Ingrid Michaelson (3 times), Jason Aldean, & Luke Bryan. I was so happy we carried on our tradition and kept it classy with wine in a canteen.
American Pageant Nationals: I have been affiliated with Miss Teen of America and its sister programs since 1998, but it was a full circle to become keynote and Judges Chair for this year's national program in Orlando. I also got to see my friend Cara Mund, current Miss America!
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| Miss America - Cara Mund |
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| Judging Panel for American Pageants |
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| 2018 American Pageant National Titleholders |
San Francisco night life:...I'd be lying if I didn't mention this year was wild...and one day when I'm 50 and can actually publicly speak about all the things that went down...I'll post it. It will make my future children very uncomfortable and I cannot wait. But to put it tamely, I enjoyed all the nights out partying in San Francisco this year that led to some....laugh until I cry stories...and also stories I cringe when I hear them being told by my friends.
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| Hip Hop Party August 2017 |
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| Village/Towers Reunion |
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