At 35, I won a beauty pageant. I wanted to show my kids I could do anything.

Kristan Vermeulen won Ms. Maine in 2025.

Courtesy of Jen Dean

• Kristan Vermeulen is the host of the Makers of the USA podcast and leader of its community.
• In 2025, at 35 years old, she was crowned Ms. Maine by the United States of America Pageants.
• She wants people to know that pageants are about so much more than vanity.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kristan Vermeulen, the founder of Makers of the USA podcast and community. It has been edited for length and clarity.