Interviewed by: Wally Ahmad - Chelsea Rodgers is proud to say that she's put everything on hold for the opportunity to serve as Miss District of Columbia 2008 at the 57^th Annual Miss USA® competition on April the 11^th. The Arab Washingtonian met with this beautiful and bright young woman to discuss her many experiences and get a glimpse on being Miss D.C. A resident of the District, Ms. Rodgers grew up in Augusta, Georgia and at 24, she's getting ready to graduate this spring from Howard University's School of Law and represent the District of Columbia. With her busy life, Ms. Rodgers still manages to find time to champion her philanthropic causes. For this Miss D.C., style is all about confidence, and unlike the other candidates she'll be up against, she has the ultimate weapon; the combination of beauty and brains.

How did a Georgia girl end up representing D.C.?
Yes, I was born in Georgia, my mother and father are both from there but, let me start off by saying that ‘home is where you pay rent!' [Laughing] Let me start off by saying that! I was an undergraduate in Atlanta and then I moved to New York to work for L'Oreal and left there for law school here in D.C. and I just fell in love. It's the perfect match between Georgia and New York, or perfect for me at least. It's the big city but it still has that suburban feel. I like it.

What was the first contest you ever entered?
I started competing two years ago, I did it for scholarship money and I ended up getting first runners up, I went back and got first runners up again and then switched pageant circuits (to the Miss USA circuit) and I competed over there in November and won. It was incredible and it was a completely different circuit, different format, and different platform.

What segment in the Miss USA competition are you looking forward to?
The interview is hands down my favorite. To be able to sit there in a room full of people that have never met you before and try to convince them in three or five or ten minutes how you stand out from 51 beautiful and talented girls, is my favorite. For me it's a practical experience, everything I go through in an interview I take it to a court room when I'm representing my clients.

Any great models that you admire?
You know, I really like Tyra Banks. I like her because when she entered into the industry she was in high school trying to decide where she wants to go to college and a random modeling scout approaches her and tell hers she would be perfect for Milan and Paris. She didn't know if that was what she wanted to go for but she went for it, took it, and ran with it and turned it into an incredible career. She also ended up introducing curves to the business. She the first to do this and she just decided to be real and tell everyone "Hey, this is me, real women have curves, take it or leave it," because not everyone could relate to supermodels back then, and she was and still is a trendsetter. That's what I admire about her.

Only 24 years old, and yet you've done so many things! Your a full time law student at Howard University School of Law, you've got the fellowships, the scholarships, the memberships, and still have done all the charities you've participated with such as Habitat For Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, American Cancer Society Annual Breast Cancer Walk, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and AIDS Walk D.C. How do you find the time?

I'd like to say that I'm a great multitasker but that would be a lie! [Laughing] I'm a procrastinator, honestly, a lot of things I get done best when I'm under pressure, that's just how I am. I don't know, I guess you find time for the things you want to find time for.

With the many charities you've participated with, is there one issue facing the District of Columbia that you would like to try to galvanize more awareness of and what would it be?
There are two actually, two issues that really press hard into me is building self-esteem into children because every problem that affects children rises from low self-esteem. Alcohol abuse, drug abuse, low achievements in school, teen-pregnancies, getting involved in domestic relationships; all of those stem from not having a strong sense of self-love. If we instill a healthy sense of self-love into children, they can have the world and everything in it when they get older because they will know that they are unique and their uniqueness is a value to them. That to me is very important.

The other one is breast cancer. I lost my aunt to it three years ago. She actually beat it and she was growing back her hair, and living healthy and everything was fine. Then it came back and she developed pneumonia and that took her. But to see her struggle through everything, she left behind a good and positive message. So, breast cancer is an issue that's really close to my heart.

With everyone talking about the primaries, have you settled on a presidential candidate so far?

I was a political science major in undergrad. So, I look at the election a lot differently than those that don't have political backgrounds. I look past what I see on television and I actually go research each candidate and see what their stances are on multiple issues.

I believe that the country needs to change, and I'm looking for the candidate that can implement that change, and I'm also looking at both parties for that. I'm a conservative on some views, and a moderate on some others, so I'm looking all around because I don't think my job is to choose a party but to choose that person and I believe with the four front runners that we have, we have four completely different views. And the important question remains, who can make our country better.

What is it about the presidential nominees that you admire so much?

Hmm, well, I think it's incredible that we are at a time when we have an African-American candidate and a female candidate running at once. And I think when you have that kind of diversity that want to take on the job of commanding the most powerful country in the world, it's exciting. I think all four candidates realize the main thing - that there are problems facing Americans, like our economy, the market, the foreclosures, and the rising unemployment... the list goes on.

On the lighter side, any favorite restaurant in your hometown that you can recommend?

Oh my gosh, have you been to The Steak and Egg on Wisconsin? It is the most rinky-dinkiest little 24 hour diner and I tell you, it's so good! You know the lines on the weekends are out the doors!

Are you friends with Virginia and Maryland?

You know Maryland was at my pageant when I was crowned, we've done some events together and we're going to host an event over the summer. I have not yet met Virginia though, but, she's on my list to check down when I get there.

Any words of advice for the girls seeking your job?

Believe in yourself, you can do anything you put your mind to!

Interviewed by Wally Ahmad - Chelsey Rodgers will represent District Of COLUMBIA (DC) at the 57^th ANNUAL MISS USA® competition; to be broadcast live from the Theatre for the Performing Arts located at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on April 11, 2008 and broadcast live from 9-11 p.m. ET/delayed PT on the NBC television network and distributed internationally. She will join delegates from each of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia for more than two weeks as she takes part in a schedule of fun filled events leading up to the exciting live network telecast. For more information on the competition please visit http://www.missusa.com/