Bright lights, elegant gowns and sparkling crowns are often what people notice first about pageants. Competing in the Miss Mississippi teen pageant represents something much deeper than a competition for sophomore Madalyn Sullivan. The stage provides a platform to share a cause that is deeply personal, advocating for autism awareness in honor of her sister, Millie.
“The Miss Mississippi Teen program includes talent, interview, on-stage questions, fitness, evening gown and it provides tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships for teens,” Madalyn Sullivan said. “I love every aspect of the competition, but I especially love that it gives me a bigger opportunity and larger audience to talk about Millie Sullivan and autism acceptance.”
Millie’s Mission is Madalyn Sulivan’s community service initiative. It is dedicated to her thirteen year old sister Millie Sullivan who has autism.
“The purpose of Millie’s Mission is to promote love, kindness, compassion and understanding toward children with autism with the hopes of creating a more inclusive and accepting society for children with autism,” Madalyn Sullivan said.“Part of Millie’s Mission is getting to know her through our children’s book, Meet Millie.”
Madalyn Sullivan’s book is about her sister. It is a children’s book designed to help young readers learn about autism and the value of kindness and acceptance. Her sister has given her a firsthand understanding of the challenges and strengths that come with autism. Through their relationship, she has developed a strong desire to educate others and create a more supportive community for the individuals and families impacted by autism.
“Millie and Madalyn worked together and put Meet Millie together at our kitchen table,” Madalyn Sullivan’s mom Shannon Sullivan said. “They used scrapbook paper, pictures, and glue to make all of the pages together. It was truly a labor of love by Madalyn and Millie, and I could not love it more. It is so special to me that Millie had such a big part of putting the pages together and writing her name on the cover of the book. Millie loves going with Madalyn to classrooms and handing out stickers. Millie knows what Millie’s Mission is all about, and it is sweet to see her have something that is all about her.”
Madalyn’s mom has truly supported Madalyn through all of the different aspects of creating a book. She has also helped Madalyn come up with different ways to support her sister.
“We love Millie very much and want her to have the best life possible,” Shannon Sullivan said. “Millie’s Mission is all about making life better for Millie and others with autism. Hopefully, through Millie’s life we can all learn ways to show love, kindness, compassion, and understanding toward everyone. If so, Millie’s Mission was successful.”
Those closest to Madalyn Sullivan say that her dedication to the cause is what makes her efforts so meaningful. Friends and family have watched her continue to grow her initiative while staying true to herself.
“Since I first met Madalyn, I’ve seen how naturally she impacts people just by being kind,” one of Madalyn’s best friends Savannah Chen said. “She makes everyone feel important and accepted. She also sets a great example to younger girls and girls of our own age.”
While pageantry often focuses on crowns and titles, Madalyn Sullivan sees it as an opportunity to create lasting change. Through her community service initiative, her book and her outreach efforts, she hopes to continue spreading understanding and acceptance for individuals with autism.
“Millie impacted my life in so many unexpected ways,” Madalyn Sullivan said. “Having a loved one with Autism can be challenging at times. However, Millie’s life with autism has taught me a lot about patience, perspective, and better ways to treat people. My family’s journey with autism has taught me to try and put myself in other’s shoes before being so quick to judge because I never really know what someone is going through. We all have challenges no matter how it appears. Millie has taught me to be more loving and not stress over the small things.”
