Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandy Anderson
Hi Mandy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been an entrapreneur for over 14 years. Doing many things from making little hair bows, to really large and impractical hair bows to little girl dresses. This morphed into a photography business, focused on high end artistic portraiture.
In the summer of 2023, I was invited randomly to represent the United States of America at the Woman of the Universe pageant in Dubai. I hesitated, in a big way. I insisted that I am “THE most introverted Introvert who ever introverted.” And that my greatest wish in life is to disappear. I do not enjoy being “seen”. I have never, nor had I ever wanted to do a pageant. As someone with very little self confidence, major depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation, and suicidality- I was absolutely not interested.
However after a few months, I had the thought that this might be part of Gods plan for me. To help with my ongoing Refugee Advocacy efforts, and to have a platform to share love, understanding and awareness about refugees and asylum seekers, to people around the world.
So my very first pageant was an international pageant as Mrs. USA! And to say that it was intimidating is a vast understatement.
But I went, I made it into the top 25, met many lovely women from all over the globe, who, like me, were going out of their comfort zones trying to make a positive difference in the world.
When I arrived home, I began trying to find my way as a new pageant queen and title holder. All while juggling life at home as a wife and mother of 8 children, a photography business, daily social media work for my platform, speaking events, podcasts, parades, and community events and even modeling at New York Fashion week with my own Time Square billboard.
It was so much more than overwhelming. But I wanted to make sure that I gave each day my best, as I felt that this title and platform was a gift from God to help share His love with others.
In October 2024, I finished my year of service and it was as if a giant weight had been lifted from my shoulders. And I “knew” that I would never participate in another pageant.
I began pouring my heart into a project related to my own mental health struggles. I felt a deep responsibility to be open about things I had never shared with anyone outside of my husband. To speak openly about my ongoing suicidality. THAT was another “something” that I never wanted to do. The very first video I made opening up about my ongoing fight with suicidality sat in my “Drafts” folder for months before I got the courage to share it. And as soon as I shared it I immediately wanted to delete it. And disappear. Because it was so hard, to open myself to judgement, criticism, to all of the stigmas. But I have continued to share. And I will say, it never gets easier. B ok matter how often I talk about it, or share posts on social media. At least for me. It doesn’t get easier.
But on my most difficult days, I began creating dresses…impractical, fancy, artistic dresses- that I would work night and day on for many days in a row until the urge to “un-alive” myself became less overwhelming. This effort turned into, what is now called “The Unfinished Wings” collection, which I have been invited to take to the runways of Switzerland Fashion Week in March and New York Fashion Week September 2025 to showcase along with my story of survival.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Every single step has been a GIANT leap of faith. Every single step has been into territory I have never been on. My first pageant was a large international pageant representing the USA! My first modeling experience was at New York Fashion Week. And my first time presenting dress designs on a runway will most likely be Switzerland Fashion Week. And I haven’t known how to do any of it. It’s all crazy scary. I often tell people that I do everything backwards. I start at the finish line and figure out the path in reverse. That’s how I learned to speak German, that’s how I learned so many things in my life.
My title year was extremely heavy, maneuvering self doubt, the weight of so many other people’s opinions of me, my appearance, my choices, my platform, their criticisms truly burdened me. Everyone had an opinion. And I often really let it get me down. But I did so many “firsts” so many really terrifying things. And so many people reached out to let me know that the things I was doing made a difference to them.
Shortly after I finished my title year, another pageant system reached out to me. I had promised myself I would never do another pageant again. And over my title year I had countless pageant systems reach out to me to have me participate in their international or domestic systems. But this one was one I had followed for many months. I admired it for its openness, for its sincere desire to lift up women who are truly trying to make a positive impact in the world. And so I have accepted the opportunity to represent my country one more time in the Miss Mrs. United Nations pageant in India this June. I also recruited a beautiful refugee friend to come and represent Sudan as she is also a refugee advocate with an incredible story.
It feels so heavy to once again wear the name of my country on my chest and to have the burden of representing myself and my nation well. But I want to do everything God sent me to Earth to do. And I think there is something so beautiful about women supporting women and the sisterhood of pageants. I have also seen ugliness in pageants, unfortunately. Pettiness. Dishonesty. Arrogance. Women who are there to lift themselves up instead of truly as an act of service to their community and the world. I am honored to have met some of the most kind, selfless, inspirational women through this pageantry journey.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Apart from my profession as maternity and newborn photographer. I am using my platforms as and international pageant queen to bring awareness and ongoing consumable support to Refugees both here and abroad as well as to bring awareness to the very real- very prevalent very pervasive issues surrounding mental health- specifically suicidal ideation and suicidality, as I share my own personal journey, as I continue struggling every day. My dress design project, called “Unfinished Wings” seeks to broaden the conversations, decrease the stigmas around mental illness, and help give those who don’t struggle with suicidal thoughts or chronic depression to SEE those who do suffer. And especially to help those suffering as I am, to feel seen, and never alone.
The Unfinished Wings Dress Project is a huge labor of love and I am currently looking for sponsors to help with the heavy costs of taking my designs to Switzerland and New York Fashion Week. The Designer entrance fees. The cost of airfare, and accommodations as well as the supplies costs for each dress.
I would love anyone who is interested in sponsoring this project to either donate to our crowdfunding page or reach out about being a business sponsor. Every little bit helps.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Honestly, God, the scriptures, my husband, parents, a couple dear friends, and a good therapist. No podcast, book or app could replace them.
Pricing:
- Donation Links Below
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mama-sarah.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs_usa_woman_of_the_universe/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrs.usa.woman.of.the.universe/
- Other: https://givebutter.com/kK5Mxq
