Talking with Miss Kentucky: Ariana Rodriguez

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Did you know that the current reigning Miss Kentucky is a foster alum? We spoke with Ariana Rodriguez about her life leading up to the pageant circuit, what motivates her, and how her foundation, The Lucky Ones, is changing foster care experiences for foster kids in Kentucky.

In this episode, we talk about:

• You made history as the first Miss Kentucky to have been in foster care. Can you start from the beginning and give us the story that led to this title?
• What was it like living with your grandparents? What were the positive changes? What was hardest about this time of your childhood? 
• How did that time in kinship care help shape who you are today?
• Were you able to stay in touch with your siblings?
• What gaps or “pain points” for kids in foster care or kinship care did you experience in those years?
• How did these lived experiences begin to transform into a passion or mission for advocacy? Was there a pivotal moment when you said, “This is my platform”?
• What personal strengths emerged from your past that you leaned on (resilience, empathy, leadership, etc.)?
• How do your childhood and care-system experiences continue to inform your daily life, mindset, or choices?
• Are there challenges or triggers that still surface for you because of your past experiences? How do you navigate them?
• What are your relationships with your siblings like now? 
• Tell us more about The Lucky Ones
• Do you have a specific story you can share that illustrates the impact of your work?
• Are you gaining new connections and collaborations to help further the mission of your platform?
• What’s next for you, personally (as Miss Kentucky, as an advocate, as a leader)?
• What’s next for The Lucky Ones? Are there new programs to launch, etc?
• What advice do you have for young people currently in the foster or kinship-care system who may feel uncertain about their future?
• For foster or relative caregivers?
• If you could speak directly to the decision-makers (legislators, social services, educators) about one thing to make a meaningful difference for foster/kinship care kids, what would that be?

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