Sarah-Elizabeth Langford Interview
Miss District of Columbia 2002 + Miss District of Columbia USA 2005
Why did you decide to compete in the preliminary to the Miss District of Columbia pageant?
I was in law school and a classmate told me that she used to compete in pageants and that I should consider entering one. I thought I was way too old and too into a professional career but then I thought, hey what do I have to loose….and I began a great journey!!
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
Interacting with young school children on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. The kids were so much fun and so energetic and so happy and seemed to be inspired by us and the encouraging words we shared with them. It was really a fun time. Another memorable moment was playing put-put golf with children from the Ronald McDonald house. The kids were so fun and it was amazing to see young people, some with difficult handicaps, never let their physical disabilities get them down or stop them from giving their all in our put put tournament. They were very inspiring to me. The way they dedicated themselves to playing their best golf game was probably how they live their lives everyday…something we all could learn-no matter what difficulty you are faced with in life, remain thankful and upbeat at all times and never stop giving your all because you never know what you may achieve and you never know how much your perseverance and positivity may inspire someone else.
Did previously competing and winning the Miss District of Columbia pageant, help you with Miss District of Columbia USA?
It probably helped me be more relaxed and helped that I was somewhat familiar with the overall pageant process.
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss District of Columbia USA pageant?
Omarosa (from Donald Trump’s Apprentice) competed very successfully in pageants and in general is a very nice and good person who encourages others to reach their dreams and try new things. She suggested that I enter the pageant and I am so glad that I did.
You competed for the title of “Miss Fear Factor” prior to the Miss USA pageant. Were you nervous at all for the final stunt and what would be your most memorable moment on Fear Factor?
There were several very memorable moments. The first was a general feeling of wow if I do something this silly and off the wall….I better do it right…and win (which thank God I did!).
Another very memorable moment was when we had to swim through a tiny tunnel that was filled with syrup and fish and worms. It was so disgusting yet so fun at the same time (I mean when in life would you ever do something that weird!). Another very memorable moment was when I saw the last stunt! They explained that we had to hang from a cage that would be hanging from a helicopter that would be flying over the ocean!!! I was in shock and really didn’t know how I could ever do something that scary!! But it ended up being one of the most fun times of my life. Another memorable moment was when I won and thought about how happy the United Youth Adult Conference would be to receive the donation from the money I won. UYAC is a youth mentoring organization so of course I felt that it was great to compete for such a worthwhile purpose. As you see I could go on and on with memorable moments but one of the last ones was getting to know the host of the show Joe Reagan. He was very inspiring to all of the contestants and it was interesting to learn about his very unique views on life. He helped all of us be relaxed and really enjoy the competition. He’s a fun guy and a very good entertainer.
What would be your most memorable moment during Miss USA?
Gosh there were many. Speaking with fans from all over the world. I met women and men and children of all ages and all backgrounds who seemed to be so inspired by the Miss USA contestants. It was neat to see that our actions and words could serve as motivation for others. This reminded me that I should continuously strive to be a good and honorable role model to young people.
What would be your most memorable moment during your reign as Miss DC USA?
The most memorable moments were when I spoke and interacted with children, business and political leaders. Each group of people had their own unique visions for the future and each group inspired me in different ways (and hopefully I inspired them also).
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss DC USA ended?
I graduated from Howard University School of Law and now work for an affordable housing developer. We primarily build high rises for senior citizens who are on fixed incomes. I enjoy my job and also feel like I am doing something that provides quality and affordable housing to one of our nation’s most vulnerable populations (senior citizens). I feel very blessed to have had so many amazing opportunities in my life- such as all of my pageant experiences and working for National Church Residences (NCR), my current employer. The two people I work directly for at NCR (Jim Baughand Michelle Norris) are great real estate mentors for me and are just good people in general. In addition to my work in the area of real estate development, I have also had a few acting roles in small films such as “Three Can Play That Game”, the sequel to Two Can Play That Game with Vivica Fox and Morris Chestnut. I enjoy my job and real estate development in general and it’s also fun to do some acting on the side as a creative outlet.
I was in law school and a classmate told me that she used to compete in pageants and that I should consider entering one. I thought I was way too old and too into a professional career but then I thought, hey what do I have to loose….and I began a great journey!!
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
Interacting with young school children on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. The kids were so much fun and so energetic and so happy and seemed to be inspired by us and the encouraging words we shared with them. It was really a fun time. Another memorable moment was playing put-put golf with children from the Ronald McDonald house. The kids were so fun and it was amazing to see young people, some with difficult handicaps, never let their physical disabilities get them down or stop them from giving their all in our put put tournament. They were very inspiring to me. The way they dedicated themselves to playing their best golf game was probably how they live their lives everyday…something we all could learn-no matter what difficulty you are faced with in life, remain thankful and upbeat at all times and never stop giving your all because you never know what you may achieve and you never know how much your perseverance and positivity may inspire someone else.
Did previously competing and winning the Miss District of Columbia pageant, help you with Miss District of Columbia USA?
It probably helped me be more relaxed and helped that I was somewhat familiar with the overall pageant process.
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss District of Columbia USA pageant?
Omarosa (from Donald Trump’s Apprentice) competed very successfully in pageants and in general is a very nice and good person who encourages others to reach their dreams and try new things. She suggested that I enter the pageant and I am so glad that I did.
You competed for the title of “Miss Fear Factor” prior to the Miss USA pageant. Were you nervous at all for the final stunt and what would be your most memorable moment on Fear Factor?
There were several very memorable moments. The first was a general feeling of wow if I do something this silly and off the wall….I better do it right…and win (which thank God I did!).
Another very memorable moment was when we had to swim through a tiny tunnel that was filled with syrup and fish and worms. It was so disgusting yet so fun at the same time (I mean when in life would you ever do something that weird!). Another very memorable moment was when I saw the last stunt! They explained that we had to hang from a cage that would be hanging from a helicopter that would be flying over the ocean!!! I was in shock and really didn’t know how I could ever do something that scary!! But it ended up being one of the most fun times of my life. Another memorable moment was when I won and thought about how happy the United Youth Adult Conference would be to receive the donation from the money I won. UYAC is a youth mentoring organization so of course I felt that it was great to compete for such a worthwhile purpose. As you see I could go on and on with memorable moments but one of the last ones was getting to know the host of the show Joe Reagan. He was very inspiring to all of the contestants and it was interesting to learn about his very unique views on life. He helped all of us be relaxed and really enjoy the competition. He’s a fun guy and a very good entertainer.
What would be your most memorable moment during Miss USA?
Gosh there were many. Speaking with fans from all over the world. I met women and men and children of all ages and all backgrounds who seemed to be so inspired by the Miss USA contestants. It was neat to see that our actions and words could serve as motivation for others. This reminded me that I should continuously strive to be a good and honorable role model to young people.
What would be your most memorable moment during your reign as Miss DC USA?
The most memorable moments were when I spoke and interacted with children, business and political leaders. Each group of people had their own unique visions for the future and each group inspired me in different ways (and hopefully I inspired them also).
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss DC USA ended?
I graduated from Howard University School of Law and now work for an affordable housing developer. We primarily build high rises for senior citizens who are on fixed incomes. I enjoy my job and also feel like I am doing something that provides quality and affordable housing to one of our nation’s most vulnerable populations (senior citizens). I feel very blessed to have had so many amazing opportunities in my life- such as all of my pageant experiences and working for National Church Residences (NCR), my current employer. The two people I work directly for at NCR (Jim Baughand Michelle Norris) are great real estate mentors for me and are just good people in general. In addition to my work in the area of real estate development, I have also had a few acting roles in small films such as “Three Can Play That Game”, the sequel to Two Can Play That Game with Vivica Fox and Morris Chestnut. I enjoy my job and real estate development in general and it’s also fun to do some acting on the side as a creative outlet.