Q&A with Miss Louisiana

By: NICKOLAS FONTENOT
Staff Reporter

Candice Bennatt is looking to become the first Miss Louisiana to be crowned Miss USA since Ali Landry took the crown in 1996.
The Kingwood Texas native, and former Houston Texans cheerleader, has lived in many places during her life. Bennett moved to New Mexico where she pursued her undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Communications. She won the title of Miss New Mexico in 2012 and after moving to New Orleans to study law at Loyola University she decided to commit to entering the Miss Louisiana Pageant.
Bennatt, representing Ville Platte, was crowned Miss Louisiana USA 2015 last October in Lafayette.
Now Bennatt will once again represent Ville Platte, as well as all of Louisiana, in the Miss USA pageant in Baton Rouge, which airs at 7 p.m. on Reelz TV this Sunday.
Question: When and why did you start participating in pageants?
Answer: I began participating in pageants at age 14. There was a person at my high school who helped out in the drama department who noticed I was a competitive dancer and this person helped her make my first friends in the pageant world.
Q: Why do you feel like you deserve to win this pageant?
A: The Miss USA title comes with a lot of responsibility and I feel that I am uniquely capable of facing that responsibility head-on because of the hardships that I have personally had to overcome in my own life. The lessons that I have learned from those experiences drive me to work hard at every single thing I do.
Q: What do you plan to do with the title of Miss USA, if you win?
A: If I win the title of Miss USA, I will dedicate my life to utilizing every second of my rein as queen to achieve the goals that I have set forth, which is to advocate against domestic violence. As Miss USA, I will also have more social advantages and influence that I can use to help put an end to domestic violence through the charity that I currently volunteer for called “Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV).
Q: If you were asked to describe yourself in three words, what would those words be and why would you choose those words?
A: I would describe myself as tenacious, compassionate, and relatable. I chose tenacious because I have always relentlessly pursued my dreams and goals no matter what life has thrown at me. I consider myself compassionate due to the fact that I can empathize with people who are struggling at making their dreams come true. Lastly, I consider myself relatable because I have had to overcome normal life struggles, and continue to battle, in order to overcome adversity; like everyone else at some point in their life.
Q: If you win the pageant, tell me about your life aspirations after you fulfill your responsibility as Miss USA?
A: Life after Miss USA will definitely include practicing law in one way or another. I have two years left of law school and I intend to practice law as a Patent and Trademark Attorney. It would be a big decision, but I have considered one day working towards a career in politics.
Q: How do you plan to represent Ville Platte if you are selected as the next Miss USA?
A: To me, Ville Platte truly means “Good times, good food, and good people” and I will take that motto with me as I travel throughout the world representing this wonderful city.
Q: What is your idea of happiness and success?
A: In my opinion I have already achieved happiness and success. As Miss Louisiana, I have maintained a positive and optimistic outlook on life. Many people misunderstand the meaning of being optimistic; they think that being optimistic means always being positive. To me, though, being optimistic is when you have a perception of the world that is positive. So as the world constantly changes around you, your optimism is easy to maintain because it’s always positive.
Q: What are your thoughts on the new push for anti-bullying legislation?
A: We live in an age where children and even adults are now being bullied both online, at school, and all to often, they are even bullied at home. We truly do live in a new era of bullying, and now bullying has grown to include social media and other sources not previously experienced by generations past. I believe that there is a greater pressure on youth, to be themselves in the face of adversity. Furthermore, my message to anybody being bullied is to just simply be yourself, even when others don’t see your value.
Q: Who is the most inspiring person in your life?
A: My mom will always be the most inspiring person to me. She is a true testament to hard work and has encouraged me to passionately work toward my goals. I am in this position today because of the work ethic she has instilled in me.