Last night in Muskegon, thirty-one of Michigan's beautiful and talented young women gathered to perform their hearts out for the crown, and because the fourpoints office is located in Grand Rapids, we were invited to attend the preliminary pageant event. Being my first pageant, anticipation for the talent, interview, bathing suit, and evening wear performances was high. But what impressed me the most about the contestants (apart from the courage of walking on stage in a bikini) was something Miss Michigan 2011, Elizabeth Wertenberger said.

"The crown is a microphone."

Because of local, state, and national pageants, young women involved in MAO wear as Elizabeth put it, "more than an accessory." The crown to MAO titleholders is a microphone through which hundreds of women past, present, and future can advocate for their platforms, and speak volumes as representatives of womens' empowerment.

Written by: Erika Fifelski, fourpoints editorial coordinator