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05/05/2022
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By JACQUELYN MOOREHEAD May 05, 2022
Smithfield native Abby Mansolillo was crowned Miss Rhode Island on Sunday, May 1. (Photo Courtesy of DANIEL GAGNON PHOTOGRAPHY)
SMITHFIELD – Smithfield’s own Abbie Mansolillo won the title and role of Miss Rhode Island on Sunday, saying it is a dream achieved due to practice, preparation and help from many along the way.
The competition was held May 1, which Mansolillo joked was only a few days past April 25, the “perfect date” according to Miss Rhode Island in the movie “Miss Congeniality.”
Mansolillo, 22, said she fell in love with pageantry at age 14 when she participated in her first pageant. From there, she said, she’s dreamed of representing Rhode Island on the national level, and she’d long hoped to bring the honor to Rhode Island. Since age 17, except for COVID years and a break to focus on her first year of law school, Mansolillo has participated in the Miss Rhode Island pageant.
Mansolillo said she still gets chills thinking about how much she enjoyed her first pageant. After years of aspiring to be named Miss Rhode Island, Mansolillo said she put her crown beside her bed Sunday night so when she woke up on Monday, she would know it was not a dream.
“I’m so thrilled to be fulfilling my dream, I feel like I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” she said.
Mansolillo said she is happy it happened now and not sooner, adding she is in a better place all around. She said competing taught her discipline, tenacity, and resilience.
“Anyone can walk away and give up. It takes someone different to say I can do this,” she said.
For her talent, Mansolillo performed a monologue from former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s biographical movie, “On the Basis of Sex.” Mansolillo said she acted through middle and high school, and it felt incredible to be back on stage.
“I can’t wait to do it again. To act and be on stage, and blended with my legal career, it was so much fun and powerful,” she said.
The title of Miss America has not gone to Rhode Island since its beginnings in 1921 along the boardwalks of Atlantic City. Mansolillo said she believes in the pageant’s motto to “prepare great women for the world and to prepare the world for great women.”
Mansolillo said the last time Rhode Island placed in the Miss America competition was 55 years ago, in 1957, as third runner-up.
“I really do hope I can be my very best and bring this home,” she said.
In her role as Miss Rhode Island, Mansolillo said she will work closely with former Miss Rhode Island winners. She said she is excited to crown Miss Outstanding Teen in June.
Along with fulfilling her dream of representing Rhode Island, Mansolillo will also use her job as Miss Rhode Island to raise awareness for her personal social health initiative, Trust Your Gut: Be Your Own Health Advocate. She said she hopes to encourage and empower women to speak up for themselves about their health and to health providers.
Two years ago, Mansolillo said her mom felt ill and received a diagnosis that did not seem right. After speaking up and getting another opinion, her mother was diagnosed with a small cancerous tumor on her small intestine, which when caught early has a high chance of survival.
Mansolillo said she wants to give back to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute that treated her mother, and encourage people to talk openly about health advocacy to providers.
“Especially young women, we’re told we’re fine and there is nothing wrong. We can say ‘I know my body well enough to push for advocacy for myself,’” she said.
Goal-oriented, Mansolillo is in her second year of law school at the Roger Williams University School of Law. She intends to become a criminal prosecutor and the second female attorney general in Rhode Island. Upon earning her law degree, Mansolillo said she will attend Salve Regina University for her master’s degree.
“We’re not just pretty faces,” she said.
Mansolillo credited much of her success to her support system, including her family, friends, colleagues, and management firm, Pageant Prep. She said her high school, Moses Brown in Providence, made her much of who she is today.
“My mom taught there, my grandfather went there. It was really nice to continue the family legacy,” she said.
As Miss Rhode Island, Mansolillo receives a scholarship that will help with her attending law school. She said the Miss America organization is incredible with its focus on scholarship, and helping women access higher education.
“I feel my values align beautifully,” Mansolillo said.
The Monday after her big win was a whirlwind, she said. She spent the weekend in interviews and rehearsals before finally winning the competition against 10 other Rhode Island women. Mansolillo said though Miss Rhode Island is a competition, the women who she competes with are more like sisters than the competition.
“I left with 10 new friends who are just wonderful women. We’re like sisters who support each other,” she said.
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