MS. FULL-FIGURED DMV PLUS 2022 - KELLYE BEATHEA

Kellye Beathea is a proud [DMV] native: born in Baltimore, and raised in Washington, DC. She earned her Juris Doctorate from University of Baltimore School of Law, and her bachelor’s degree in communications from Bowie State University.

Having a passion for both communications and law, her work philosophy is that journalism is lawyering with a pen. Upon graduating law school, Kellye decided to focus her career in journalism and communications strategy. She takes pride in translating the “complicated” into layman’s terms for the public, and her work reflects her proficiency in these respective fields.

Outside of work and academia, Kellye enjoys modeling, museum-hopping, and all kinds of music. She prides herself in being a full-bodied sommelier of life and sensibility, a die-hard lover of law, politics & culture, a ravenous connoisseur of common sense, and a bastion of #BlackGirlMagic.

images shot by Mickey Armstrong @plusmodelphotography

QSM:  Congratulations on winning Ms. Full-Figured D.M.V. Plus 2022. I always like to start from the beginning. I like to get to know who people were before they became who they are. Tell me about 13-year-old Kellye.

Kellye: 13-year-old Kellye was a chubby, slightly bubbly 8th grader who loved to sing, act, dance… anything performing arts-related. But between 9/11, the DC Sniper shootings, and trouble at home, she was getting her first taste of what anxiety feels like. It wasn’t easy, but because of her family, “framily,” and God herself, 13-year-old Kellye made it to see 32-year old Kellye. I’d like to think that in spite of it all AND because of it all, 13-year-old Kellye is pretty proud of me now.

QSM: Does anyone else in your family work in, or have worked in the fashion industry? I am curious about when the fashion bug bit you.

Kellye: I didn’t find this out until recently, but fashion is what brought my maternal grandparents together! My Pop-Pop (deceased) was a photographer, and my Granny (now 92) was a model. My mom was a pageant queen/model in her 20s; I also have a cousin who’s made a career on the corporate side of fashion, and currently works for a major fashion house in New York. Even still, I never considered myself “bitten,” mainly because at heart, I am a creative. I just love beautiful things–fashion, art, books, music–if I feel good in it, by it, or around it, I simply gravitate towards it.

QSM: What challenges would you say you have faced so far on your journey?

Kellye: I’ve faced QUITE a few, actually. Not even a week into being crowned Ms. Full-Figured DMV Plus in August, I unexpectedly lost my job. It rocked me to my core, because I had no backup plan. In the midst of trying to find work and pay bills with no money, I started having anxiety/panic attacks that would shut my body down, which triggered my depressive episodes. Then on October 2, my baby brother was murdered–he was 26 years old. Suffice it to say that I’m not ok. I have my good and bad days, but I’m not ok. But I’m still going.

QSM: Did you expect to win? Describe that feeling when they called your name.

Kellye: Not exactly. Like I’m sure every contestant does, I dreamed about winning regularly. And my dreams are pretty detailed–there were times I envisioned exactly where those in my category placed and who would announce my win. But I’m a realist, and the REAL Pageant Day was NOTHING like I imagined. My 1st Runner-Up was winning almost EVERY single auxiliary category (deservedly so), and I was getting nervous. By the time the main crowns were being called I had mentally resigned to being 1st Runner-Up. God clearly had other plans.

QSM: Tell us about your platform Strong Black Woman Syndrome.

Kellye: Let me start by explaining what exactly it is: Strong Black Woman Syndrome (SBWS) is the expectation for Black women to be strong while suppressing their emotions. I didn’t choose this platform; it chose me. I suffer from SBWS. I suffer from the reality of always having to be strong and keep going and never giving up because the pressure of perfection is not only expected out of Black women by Black women, women of other races anticipate the results because WE are the blueprint for how things get done. My platform is focused on diving into the ways in which we can dismantle SBWS, because the reality is we’re magical, but we’re still human. Black women need help. Black women need GRACE. And I want to do my part in setting up safe spaces where that help and grace is provided.

QSM: How are you carrying out your platform during your reign as Queen? And is this something that you plan to continue after your reign?

Kellye: This is definitely something I want to continue after my reign as Queen. Right now I’m in the process of planning full-fledged events that support my platform. But I feel like I live out my platform every day: I make sure that I am a safe space for Black women to come to me if they need anything that I’m able to give. I’m working on making time for myself to grieve my brother and other things I’ve lost in the past few years. I try to fully acknowledge every emotion that I have—I'm learning not to gloss over pain points just for the sake of bragging about how much pain I can take. Because I know so many amazing Black women, I make it a point to connect my sisters with each other so that they can go out and do great work and dismantle SBWS in their respective areas. Connecting awesomeness with awesomeness is one of my favorite things to do, because I believe there’s room on the mountaintop for everyone to shine.

QSM: Who are YOUR plus icons? Modeling and/or pageantry.

Kellye: Toccara Jones. Oprah. Jessye Norman. My mom. Ashley Graham. Mia Amber Davis. Monif C. I’m missing so many, but those are the ones I can think of at the moment.

QSM: What is the best advice you have gotten so Far? And advice that you can share.

Kellye: “Give yourself some grace. You are more than enough.”

QSM: Do you ever intend to compete again? In this system or a different one?

Kellye: I’m currently preparing to compete for the National title in November—Ms. Full-Figured USA Plus 2023.

QSM: Where can people follow you?

Kellye: @modelpolitique on IG, and Ms. Full-Figured DMV Plus 2022 on Facebook.

all images shot by Mickey Armstrong @plusmodelphotography

MUA Tazah Richardson @muatazah

Stylist Ron Collins @shop_velvedore