Friends & Fellow Citizens
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Friends & Fellow Citizens
#190: Bringing Limitless Possibilities and Jolly Cheer to Orphans feat. Anna Leah Jolly
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America is a quilt of immigration stories, and among those is one that is unimaginable for any child. As an orphan who moved from Ukraine to America just 12 years ago, Anna Leah Jolly is living out her life-changing American Dream. As we celebrate another winter holiday season, learn how she went from a childhood amidst abuse and neglect in Ukraine to now serving as Miss Mississippi 2025 (and Top 10 at the Miss America 2026 competition!) and running her own platform and dance studio!
Follow Anna Leah on Instagram @missamericams and @22annaleahjolly!
Check out her book Theodore: The Little Bear with Big Feelings!
Friends & Fellow Citizens wishes everyone Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Music Credits:
"Joy to the World" by DIXIDD (AudioJungle)
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IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.
They they saw me and my mom, this is so random, but like my mom had a dream that she had a baby and that it was fully grown and it looked just like me. And like my mom and I like don't really look alike, but like she was like, oh, she had brown hair and brown eyes, and like she just had this like vision, I guess, of me. And so when she met me, she like felt like she knew me because it looked just like the girl in her dream.
SPEAKER_00Patriotism, faith, national unity, education, physical responsibility, civility, the values that define America. Fascinating stories and talks from America-loving patriots dedicated to preserving freedom, opportunity, and justice. Welcome to the Friends and Fellow Citizens Podcast. Well, tis the season, everybody. Hello, and thank you for tuning in to Friends and Fellow Citizens. I'm your host, Sherman Tilowski. Welcome to the show. Thank you all so much for joining for this special winter holiday episode releasing on the week of Christmas. And if you are new to this podcast, welcome aboard, welcome over to this special episode. Firstly, a big and shout out to our dedicated Patreon supporters. Their contributions are helping to keep this show running and they're enjoying bonuses with their listenership experience. So if you're enjoying our content and would like additional benefits specifically for Patreon supporters, check out our Patreon page down in the show notes below. We're having some more video episodes like this one. The video version is down in the show notes below on YouTube. Let's aim for 100 subscribers. That is our new campaign. So if you haven't already hit or smash that subscribe button on YouTube to get notifications for when new episodes come out. And we have a special guest today joining us to talk about the holidays, but also to talk about her platform. She's got an incredible story. Truly a story that describes the living out the American dream. So without further ado, let's get into our episode. I am very, very excited to welcome Miss Analyah Jolly from the great state of Mississippi, just next door from where I'm recording here in Alabama, onto the podcast. Annalea, thank you so much for coming on our friends and fellow citizens today.
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. Well, I'm Analia Jolly, Miss Mississippi 2025. It is still kind of a miracle to be able to say that a little bit about me as I'm adopted from Ukraine. I was adopted and I was almost 12 years old. So exactly half of my life ago. I'm 24 now, so it feels like I've lived a double life. Half of my life has been in Ukraine and half of my life has been in America. And yeah, I own a dance studio. I just started competing for Miss Mississippi last year. Um some a friend actually recommended it. And um I ended up getting top five last year and then winning this year. And I'm so excited just because I get to leave a legacy talking about um just my testimony, talking about Jesus, talking about um how God has literally transformed my life, changed my name. Um my name is Annalia Jolly, which is like such an ironic thing because um as a child, you know, I have felt anything but joy. So um to be, you know, got us so into detail. So to be um named like Joy basically is so interesting to me. And um, especially now with the holiday season coming up, and um, I'm so excited to be Miss Mississippi. I get to talk about adoption and foster care and making some uh changes in our legislation and um hopefully inspiring some people that no matter where they start in life, they can also be limitless.
SPEAKER_00That's uh that's amazing. And I I just think of the song uh have a holly jolly Christmas. So I'm sure you bring some holly jolly within within your personality and all. So uh I really appreciate you just again spending time to to share with us. Annalita, as I mentioned before our recording, I don't know, I mean somehow just things just happened, but I came across an article or a report of some kind about your story, and I just wanted to remind the audience that we did an episode earlier this year talking about Taiwan, because as people may know, uh my mom is from Taiwan, and so we talked about that with another guest uh with Oceana earlier this year, and this month we are talking about my I guess Ukraine side, my other side. So um, and I was really, really touched though, reading about Analyya's story, and I want this episode to be about you specifically, Anna Leah, about your journey to America when so many things were out of your control and uncertain. And we all often, when we think, we hear Ukraine, of course, we think a lot, probably a lot about uh foreign policy, but also about relations with the West and what and whatnot, kind of the political realm. But I really want to focus in on about you and about what your platform and what your representation means for not just for your home state, but for uh Miss America, for the country. So you have such a you said quite a story. I mean, I'm sure you can you can be here all on this episode uh for uh quite a while talking about your story, but what can you share about your life growing up in Ukraine and and how you came about to eventually find your way across the Atlantic to the United States?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I um the reason I guess I was in an orphanage is because I've been through some severe like physical abuse and um it was actually pretty life-threatening. I ended up being in the hospital several times, and I um I don't know, I guess I kind of didn't really know how to get out of that situation. Um but one of my friends noticed that like she's noticed the marks, and so she like told our principal at the time I was out of school, and um before you knew it, like I was I ended up being in an orphanage but at 11 years old. But before that, I was actually in and out of uh a format of an orphanage. It is not foster care and it's not orphanage, it's kind of like this institute that you can go to for about a year at a time as your parents is either incarcerated for a short amount of time or is um like trying to find a job or something like that. And um, I don't know, my mom just like dropped me off at the gates of a Ukrainian like that orphanage at like about five years old, and she kept like kind of picking me up from there and dropping me off, picking me up and dropping me off like my whole life. And um, I just remember just kind of being very confused, and she then became like super abusive. Um I don't know, I guess she was just kind of mad at the world. And um anyway, before you knew it, um I was you know going to school at an orphanage. I was doing everything, and it was just kind of as what you can picture an orphanage being like, um, is exactly like what it was like. Um I there was this one summer I was um at this summer camp and it was honestly like the happiest moment of my life just because every like so every orphanage goes like it's this giant summer camp in Ukraine. It's actually in Odessa, if anyone knows like the air the region, um very close to the Black Sea, and um I just remember being so excited about that, but I got pulled out of the of the camp to go to America because this girl got like really sick that was supposed to go and they took me instead. Um, and that was just I just remember being like so upset. I was like, what the heck going to America? Like this is gonna be so weird, you know. Nothing to speak English, but I didn't understand. Like as a child, I just wanted to be at this camp for the whole summer, but uh, we were here for about two and a half to three months. Um, and my parents actually were thinking about adoption and foster care, uh, but they never like did it. They were 38 at that point, and um, they just haven't like really considered it much and talked about it much. And um, they got an email like the next day after a conversation that they had um that these group of orphans were here and that we were already here for like two weeks. Um, and they were asked to basically help with like transportation and things, and um, so they ended up volunteering and they they saw me and my mom. This is so random, but like my mom had a dream that she had a baby and that it was fully grown and it looked just like me. And like my mom and I like don't really look alike, but like she was like, Oh, she had brown hair and brown eyes, and like she just had this like vision, I guess, of me. And so when she met me, she like felt like she knew me because it looked just like the girl in her dream. It was so odd, and um, but anyway, I was actually not up for adoption internationally, um, just because my mom hasn't gone through the whole like parental rights removal and all that stuff, so um technically I wasn't up for international adoption. Um, but I ended up being adopted. It was so odd. Um, about a month after I got back to Ukraine, we went through the whole court process, and my mom um got to go first um to talk about like kind of basically her defense of why I should still be her child, and she ended up like lying about everything and basically saying that I fell from a tree or like she was just basically making stuff up on how I got injured, and um she anyway, after she went, it was my turn, and I quickly realized that like if I was to say yes, um, that I still want her to be my mom, then I might like not survive this. Um, and so I don't know, I get a lot of people actually around me um after the whole court process that were in charge um in the orphanage, they were saying the adults were saying that I was really wrong for making that decision because I'm almost 12 years old at that point and like no one's gonna adopt me, everyone wants a baby, and um just my life is gonna look bad from now on. And um, and I was like, well, it's been bad, might as well, like, might as well actually live, you know. And um, I just remember them just I just remember how orphans were treated in Ukraine and it was less than human, like they um are not treated the same as they are in America. I think in America we like try to help orphans, um, but in Ukraine, nobody feels bad for them as if it's like their fault or something. And um, but I just remember like coming to the US and it was so funny, I always say this um from the moment they met me to the moment I landed in America. My my parents always say like it was like it was nine months, so it was like having a baby, and it truly was like that. I got renamed, um, I didn't speak English, so I had to learn, and I didn't have any siblings, so I couldn't like practice Russian with anyone. And um, I started like I remember kids in school, I learned the language in like three months, so I got adopted in May, and by the time school started, I was already like speaking English English, but I remember kids saying, like, I don't understand what you're saying, like uh, because I would roll my R's and I had like such a thick accent. So I ended up speaking super slow and uh trying to get rid of my accent and um say y'all more often. And um I just remembered like trying to fit in, and um, before you knew it, my my accent was uh gone, and I was just I guess trying to be an American girl. And um, my parents ended up signing me up for ballet um just because you didn't need to know the language very well in order to learn ballet. Um I ended up dancing professionally for a little bit and then started my own dance company and um it's called Studio A Dance Company. It's in Brandon, Mississippi, and I'm just I'm so excited to um be on this journey now, like only a few months later, like competing for a pageant. Um it's it's just been it's been interesting, and also like going to Miss America as well. Like um, I got top 10 at Miss America, which I never thought was really possible for a girl like me that didn't necessarily you know grow up here my whole entire life. And um, I'm truly am, I guess, living the American dream. And I got asked like at Miss America, uh, it was an on-stage question, and it had a lot to do with like immigration policies and um just immigrants in general. And I got to say, like, I really am a walking representation of an American dream because I mean, just 12 years ago I was an orphan, I had nothing, and here I am now, and I literally have a whole new name, whole new language, family, um a wonderful like faith. And I'm just I'm just so excited to see like what God has for me next and how I can like live a legacy and hopefully change someone else's life like America has for me.
SPEAKER_00Wow. I mean, um, you know, Annalea, first of all, uh I really appreciate what you shared about the story of immigration through you. I mean, you you are a lot representation of the immigrant America. And for you to share, I mean, everything from when your your mom told you about the dream, I let me put it this way I think she was right. I think she uh knew that you were going to be somebody who would carry uh some very important values as a person, and you obviously have developed such fantastic presentation skills and uh and of willingness to serve others given what you've gone through. Um I've I can't imagine that you know you met you talk about 12 years now. 12 years for you is a long time. Maybe for me is not not it's it's a long time, but not as long of a time. But to think 12 years ago, I would have been in the middle of high school. And I it's hard to believe, just as I'm standing here now, to imagine that we were both very different parts of the country, different parts of our lives. And for the people who have been part of your life to bring you here to adopt not just you, but your personality and everything about you, um, I think I think it really gives me a lot of comfort about the uh power of power of America, really, to be able to um have uh such kind-hearted people and loving people who uh still care about uh children who are um going through so much. And uh I I just I can't believe, by the way, that you your English is absolutely incredible. I I don't think if you had not told me about the fact that you came from Ukraine originally, uh I don't think I'd be able to tell. And I'm I'm not even kidding here. Like I'm I'm telling from the heart here. Uh I think it's because you picked up the southern accent.
SPEAKER_01That's so funny. Um, because I had to, I used to feel so stupid speaking slow, because like in if you if you meet like any like Spanish speaking person or Russian, like it's just a fast language. And if you told them to speak slow, they were gonna sound like stupid speaking slow and they're gonna sound like it. And um, so it's for me to like slow everything down was very difficult. But in America, like the language is not necessarily super fast, but I don't know. I'm actually like really trying, like, especially in interviews. I definitely do like try to pronounce everything correctly, but I don't know. I feel like in life, I if I start speaking super fast, it it yeah, you'll you'll pick it up a little, you'll pick up the accent a little bit. I'll start missing some vowels, rolling some R's.
SPEAKER_00Uh it's there was one time I heard this like the fastest rap ever, and it's like you gotta check it out. But it's like that luckily people don't actually talk that fast. Uh so um I I do I think you're you bring up to bring up that point of language, right? Because English is what was unfamiliar to you when you came, but through the English language, through your dedication, your hard work. Because for anyone out there, it's not easy learning another language. I'm I'm sorry, like that's just the way it is. It's a whole, it's not just translating from your old language to another language. There's there are far more different cultural and different uh syntax-related changes you have to make to get to that point. So I just want to acknowledge your amazing skills. I mean, I I just I'm blown away. My my mom uh when I was growing up, she taught me to speak Chinese by just literally not responding if I spoke in English to her. So uh that's uh I know I just admire people who um who pick up a language. Annalia, I'd like to uh delve a bit into a bit about you, about your an integration into America because I imagine that there's so many things you had to learn, right? What what were some really unusual culture shocks or things about America that you that really stuck out to you? And maybe things that either you've adopted or maybe things that you you're still wondering why Americans do such crazy things.
SPEAKER_01Oh gosh, I don't want to get canceled. But oh gosh, there's just so many different things. But okay, like I guess like the normal thing or like the most obvious one was food for me. Like I was 12 years old and I was like 75 pounds and I was losing weight because I couldn't find anything I liked, and everything is like fried in the south, and um I've never had fried food before that was really odd, and uh also like not ever hearing like about Jesus in Ukraine and like and then like moving here and hearing um the gospel, it's just so different because like I do think they had like a religion type mentality in Europe in general, but in um in America I would say it's like way different. Like I could see there's like an actual revival, there's an actual relationship with Jesus, especially like where I'm at, and um so to be in that kind of environment was so different because I would say Ukraine is very like spiritually dead in so many ways. So that was a big I don't know, like just whenever I got whenever I got saved and born again, for anyone who knows what that means. Um it truly was eye-opening and so different from um what I've experienced. Like even like I said earlier, orphans are treated so differently in Ukraine than they are here, and like you're probably wondering, like, well, why? Well, because like people in America, they're they actually like I feel like there's not it's not just religion, like they actually have a relationship with Jesus, and I think that's the difference. Like, there's just not that in Ukraine, there's religion, but there's no like actual compassion and love, you know. So I don't know, I just kind of noticed like people are definitely nicer here.
SPEAKER_00Well, I I you're absolutely right, and the the South has been just a great great place to study for me. And and you may mention the people, right? It's the people who really make a society and uh country. One of the things I just found striking about what you shared is not not just about the fact that you were when you were discussing how orphans are are treated, but uh you know you you also just mentioned a lot about this this journey, this this um this religious journey for you. Um what can you share about your religious journey throughout this process and uh particularly as we're we're in the winter holiday season, what sort of elements of faith do you think really stick out for you and and and how they've they've shaped you as a person the last several years?
SPEAKER_01So when I was first adopted, I had a lot of nightmares. I don't know why. I guess it was just because of everything that like happened in Ukraine, and then now I was all of a sudden in like this whole new it like think about this. Like if you're like at war, right? And I feel like a lot of veterans would could like maybe relate, you're at war, right? And you at this point you feel like maybe you'll never make it back to your family or your loved ones, and um you don't know how you're about to like survive what you're going through, and you don't really see an end to it, and there is no end, like you don't know when you're coming home, like you don't know if you're gonna be rescued. Um, and I just remember feeling so weird being home, like being safe and being in another country and like another language. Um, as scary as it was, it was also like the most like miracle thing ever that has happened to me, and it just felt so surreal. And I feel like a lot of veterans that come home just feel like this like overwhelming amount of like gratitude, you know, to like be home in this relief, right? But you still might have like nightmares or things like that. And uh, I definitely had that with like everything that happened to me in Ukraine, and um, I just remember waking up one morning, and this was after I've like accepted Jesus. Um, I remember thinking if like having this thought that I kind of knew wasn't my thought necessarily of like if if you want to be normal, like if you wanna have a good life, forgive. Like you have to forgive. Your past and everything that happened. Not forget, which is a difference, but forgive everyone who's wronged you. Forgive like your whole life and like keep moving forward and following me. And that like forgiveness has been such a big part of my story. And then on top of that, I remember when I was I was in this like really bad situation where I was like locked in the house, the part like where it didn't have a kitchen. Um, because like the house was like a two, like a two-part house, and I don't know, you basically had to like go out of the house to go to another part of it. It wasn't like connected. Um, I have no idea why, but anyway, um I literally was locked there for like a week. Um, and I remember there was like no food, no water, and I literally thought I was gonna like actually die. And I remember praying, and I also like have never heard of prayer before. I never understood like that God existed. I just thought it was something that I made up, but I kind of had this like big sense of um I know there's something more than like there has to be more, you know, than just like people, like there has to be something bigger, um, and there has to be a purpose. And I just remember like praying that God takes me out of that situation. And it's just so like whenever I heard about Jesus as soon as I learned the language, I realized that wow, like God not only answered that prayer, but he didn't only take me out of that horrible situation, but like he placed me on the other side of the world with um with the name Jolly and literally gave me brand new parents that are healthy and loving and um gave me a purpose to share the gospel and and um have a dance studio and be like you know, go to college debt-free because of this or you can like because of Miss Mississippi and uh get my master's debt free, which is like just so rare, you know, to hear someone that has been like literally nothing to go from that to all of a sudden like be like where I am today. And um, all I can say to that it really is Jesus, and it's nothing, um, nothing like money has provided, nothing that um like like even my parents, they were just simply obedient. They were just obedient to, hey, we want you like to adopt, like God was like, Hey, I want you to adopt this child, and and they did like and then from then on they learned how to be parents and they learned um you know how to like raise me to be the person, not not they never were focused on me being successful, they were more focused on like what kind of person I was going to become. And um, just forgiveness had just a lot to do with my journey.
SPEAKER_00Well, Annalia, I'd like to now get into your platform. I mean, for you to not only go through this journey from Ukraine to the United States, but also to reach the very top of the Mississippi pageant. And I can't believe that this is your second time going through and you made it through, and then you made it at the top 10. Uh, I don't I don't know if there's that many women who can say that. I mean, that's pretty that's pretty remarkable. And I'm sure you learned so much and have developed so many connections along the way. Uh, tell us a little bit about that journey for you to uh get into Miss Mississippi. I mean, did you want always want to do it or did uh did things have to happen before it you started? But just tell us a bit about what that journey was like and and a bit about your platform as well, which is called Limitless.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I definitely don't think of myself as a pageant girl at all, or I used to not. And I think God just had to like put some things like honestly, my whole life has been kind of leading up to this moment. If you if you're gonna look back, because like Miss Mississippi organization and like the Miss America organization in general has a lot of it's not just a different, like a regular pageant, it is definitely different. Um, they require a community service initiative and a talent portion of the competition. And then of course, there's like uh the walking in an evening gown and then fitness. And I just like looking back in my life, I'm like, wow, um, it's interesting that God was like preparing me for this because as a business owner um and as someone who has been from Ukraine and then also was adopted and has like the foster care and adoption side of things, like and like knowing that part, um, just kind of made it for an interesting story, I guess, for me to talk about during Miss Mississippi when I was competing. And I think it was just kind of like a good, I don't know, like a everything like kind of had to come together in order for me to do maybe as well as I did. And it wasn't like one individual specific thing that I would say maybe got me the crown, if that makes any sense. But um, I just remember uh growing up, I kind of was starting to lose confidence um because I became, you know, like obsessed with dance kind of I was uh dancing eight hours a day and every day. And um I just remember like dance becoming my life, and I was starting to kind of like lose the connection aspect of like being able to like communicate who I am and um maybe even like thinking about what kind of legacy I wanted to leave behind and things like that. And um, so my mom encouraged me to do a pageant called Our Little Miss, which is kind of like not I wouldn't even call it a sister pageant to Miss Mississippi, but they model Miss Mississippi very well. Um they also have the like talent portion of the competition and things like that, and um, they don't have a community service initiative, but they do a lot in the community if that makes sense. Um, and anyway, so I ended up entering and winning um my state and then winning uh nationals as well. And I I guess I became a pageant girl, and that was when I was 16 years old. This was my fourth year in America, and I still had a pretty, pretty thick accent, uh, but not not too bad to where you couldn't understand me. Um, but I think the judges liked the fact that I wasn't like a cookie cutter pageant girl, like I didn't grow up doing pageants, and um I was just like kind of raw, I guess, definitely unpolished, but that was maybe the attraction, I guess, um, for some judges. And um then later on at 20, I did it again. It was the same pageant, uh, but this year, that year it was their 60th anniversary, and it was in Washington, DC. And I just thought, wouldn't it be really cool if I like won it on their 60th anniversary? And I ended up um, I ended up did winning, and it was right after COVID. And I just remember like thinking, okay, like this is it, like my Paddy career is done, like I'm good. You know, I've done it, I've done it twice and it's been awesome. Um, but I want to like focus on running my dance studio and things like that. And um, I just remember just kind of being over it, and then someone asked me if I should compete for Miss Mississippi. Like, I think they were like, I think he would do really, really well. And um, I definitely did not consider it at all. I remember watching Miss America and just thinking that everyone sounds like a reporter, everyone sounds so great, and um just very, very educated and um just I don't know, just kind of a pro at it, almost like born into it, and um just very coached. And I that is something that was not me at all. And um yeah, I just didn't have the confidence to do it, but for some weird reason I ended up uh and ended up signing up, and it was two weeks before the pageant, and you know, you have to win like your local area before you could compete at Miss Mississippi, and I ended up signing up and I won Miss Rankin County, which is uh one of the biggest counties in Mississippi, and um ended up winning that, and that was that was really unexpected at all because I actually signed up for like the Jackson pageant, like you know, the Jackson area, but I and I am from Brandon, so I ended up just I was gonna just go watch uh the Brandon pageant or the ranking county one, and I ended up was like, you know what, I'm just gonna compete, and then ended up winning. So I was just very shocked and um just kind of unexpected, and then I um started so you know they say you have to have a community service initiative, and all I had at that time was just a name, uh, which was Limitless. Like, that's all um I knew that I wanted my community service initiative to be called Limitless, but um didn't know what to do with it. And at first last year, I was kind of like starting off as like a motivational speaker that, like, you know, I'm just an orphan from Ukraine and now I'm living my American dream. Um, I own a dance studio, I'm a business owner, and um I'm competing for Miss Mississippi and I used to dance professionally, like that was kind of like my story. But um, you know, after after only getting top five and um not winning, um, I just remember thinking, like, thank God, because that's not the kind of legacy I would want to leave behind. I would want to do a little bit more with my story than just motivational speaking, and which honestly, no no hate on motivational speakers. We really need that. But I just did, I just knew we could I could do a little bit more than that. And um, I started asking myself, like, what kind of legacy could I leave behind? And um, I started talking to the kids that were adopted from Ukraine um those years ago. There was about 14 of us and spread out across Mississippi, and I just remember thinking, like, wow, none of them are having a good relationship with their parents. Like, so a lot of them don't call their parents their parents, and also um two of them went back to Ukraine, and then another um guy, I mean, they're all adults now, but like a lot of another person got uh the adoption basically got dissolved, and he was adopted by another family um in another state. And I just think that's just so sad that in Mississippi, like we're adopting, but we're not keeping our kids adopted, and there's just so much with adoption and foster care that doesn't go well and no one talks about it. Like we're only like when we hear adoption, we're like, oh, that's so sweet. It's like your Cinderella happy ever after story, right? But in reality, like, but what happens, you know, to Cinderella after she gets married to the prince, right? Like what happens after? And like the fairy tale of adoption is not what everyone expects it to be. It's a it's a lot of work, especially for like me. I was 12, almost 12, but everyone else was older than me. So um, those other kids, they had even more trauma that they remembered. And for me, like, of course, I've remembered everything as well. But I just I just know that like they've been even through more trauma as well. And for someone who's been through that much, it's hard to just snap out of it and just be like, Yep, I'm gonna call these strangers, my mom and dad, and everything's gonna be happy from now on. Um, but in reality, that's just like not the case. The kids snap out of it after about a year, and then they start having behavioral issues, and um, the parents don't understand where it's coming from, but it's coming from trauma and abuse. And um, my parents just so happened to really study up on trauma-informed care and how to raise a child that has been through so much abuse, and um, they just did really, really well with me. Um, they were not focused on how well I did in school or how well I was speaking English. They were more focused on what kind of human being I was going to become. Um, they were more focused on my character, and I think them uh parenting from that perspective um just made me like my I had all A's in in high school, and I um same with college, like I exceled in something that was very hard for me just because my parents took the pressure off. And for other kids, I mean, parents were so focused on school, and um that's just something we don't think about, right? After we adopt, like we're just like, oh yeah, I'm sure they're doing well. But in reality, like, think about these kids, they they remember this whole other life that wasn't great, and um, they remember all these horrible things, and um, now they just have to snap out of it and learn English and um do well. Like that's that's very hard, you know, to do. And um just I think the parents weren't understanding, um, and they weren't really looking for understanding either. And my my parents used to be friends with all of them, but we kind of ended up taking a step back, and um, just because I could sense that the kids were very stuck in, like they were keeping up with Ukrainian politics and Ukrainian news, and everything they were still speaking the language really good and they weren't in learning English very well, and um they were stuck in everything Ukraine, you know, and they were stuck in their past identity, and the parents um were just frustrated with that, but they didn't know they didn't know how to like properly getting getting them out of that like mindset. And I don't know, my parents just did a really good job with that, and um they build trust. And um, I actually okay, so about a year ago, I was in a car wreck, and um no, it was a little bit more than that, and uh, but anyway, I had a panic attack and I've never had one before, and I ended up going to a therapist, and then that therapist got invited to speak at this like um orphan slash adoption um like seminar, and she knew nothing about adoption in foster care, so she asked me if I could come with her and speak like from my side of things, and I ended up saying yes, and um she gave the like scientific part and I gave like my experience to the parents, and um the parents were like wow, I've never heard it from like that perspective before. And they asked, like, one of the parents was like, Why do I feel like like my kid doesn't love me? Like my child doesn't love me that I adopt, you know, I adopted them at like six or seven, and um they're 17 now, and I just feel like there's a disconnect. And I was like, Well, are they a Christian? And she was like, I I don't know, I don't think so. And and I was just telling them, you know, um, you if there's a scientific part to having a child, um, there's this connection that's just natural, but it's not necessarily love, like it can be mistaken for love because it's so strong and it's like how God designed it. Um, but you can feel like all the things for your the child that you just gave birth to, but in reality, it's still not love, it is just science. But when you accept Jesus into your heart, you're able to like if God is love, you're able to like actually love someone with a self-sacrificial, unselfish, pure as they can get love. And whenever the child doesn't have that, they're not able to give something that they don't have, and so it's just like for the parents, it's just you gotta be patient. Um, and I really think that connection-wise, like can having a connection is one thing, but being able to love is a whole other thing, and I think the parents were chasing the feeling of love so hard, and um, they were having a hard time when the child wasn't reciprocating. And um, so with my community service initiative, I was really going to be like just kind of promise myself that I was going to be focused on um making sure that the kids that are getting adopted are learning about emotional intelligence and how to share their past traumas and how to share their feelings and um and that the parents are equipped with that information as well. So I have a website called limitlesspower to connect.com and it talks about the emotion wheel and talks about my story a little bit and how you can literally it's super duper simple. It's not a fancy website, uh, but it talks about how you can use the emotion wheel and like print some games out and connect with it with your child and um get like I guess build trust because that's like trust is um a form of love. Like is it is a form of getting to to love. Um, because when a child like cries for their mom and their mom doesn't come get them, um they're gonna they're gonna build like this sense of untrust. Um that wow, whenever I need something, no one comes and get, you know, gets me. So I don't have my needs met. So um I guess like the emotion wheel kind of tries to get you to like build trust with your child. And then I also have two children's books in Barnes and Noble um for the kids to learn about emotional intelligence and just about like achieving their dreams as well. And um, one is called Annalia the Limitless Ballerina, and it's about a girl that starts ballet super late in life and makes it professionally, and uh the other one is called Theodore, the little bear with big feelings, and it's about this guy, a little little bear that gets adopted, and uh this little guy does not know what to do with his feelings, he's so confused um about the whole situation. So the mom in the story kind of introduces the emotion wheel and uh gets him comfortable enough to share feelings. And uh the the main like I think like for the parents, the main thing to get out of this little book is um that the parents in the story always listened to him and they weren't like forcing themselves on him, you know, and um that built a strong connection. And at the end of the book, it talks about the emotion wheel and how to use it and like just different aspects to it. And um yeah, I guess I like I really wanted to give resources to um two parents that are adopting and two kids that are being adopted. And then um I started partnering with Casa, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. Um they're a guardian at Lydum. They make sure that the kids that um are in court are being represented well and everything that's happening is happening for the well-being of the child and not because of emotions or uh simply because like of uh parental rights, you know, just um so that way the child is actually getting like what they need. Um and now my books are being put in their court bags so that way the kids that are going through their foster care system are getting to learn about emotional intelligence um and get to like kind of see what it's like to have a healthy relationship, a healthy connection, and that's gonna get them far in life, not just with their parents, but with friends and with in their career one day as well. Um, to be able to be aware of your feelings and being able to handle it well is gonna be important for any phase of life. And um, so yeah, that's just kind of a little bit of what I do and why I do it.
SPEAKER_00That's amazing. Well, well, a few things I like to just point out. First is obviously your journey through the the pageant world. I mean, I can I I think about just how my I've seen the movie Miss Congeniality. So I'm clearly an expert in this uh this field here. Um But um I mean in all that's there was um the the congeniality part though. I mean, I I imagine it's not just the the uh visuals and whatnot, it's also how you carry yourself itself, how you treat people around you, uh with your whether you're fellow contestants or judges or or uh coaches, anyone involved in you. So I think that the I can definitely see that within you. I think you uh you you bring that sort of energy to to anybody. So I think that has really helped with with your uh with your performance and and again congratulations on the top ten. It's it's huge, huge with with all the competition out there. I mean the other the other point that you mentioned, you talked about you know connecting, but also teaching people how to love too. And I think that's so so valuable because you know it's it it might sound cheesy to the word love, however, I I I do think with any sort of family, any sort of upbringing, you have to have opportunities to uh show show and show that love, show that love within the family, outside of the family. Um one of the things that I've been concerned about in our side nowadays is kind of this erosion of institutions. You know, when I say institutions, I don't just mean in terms of government or education systems. I do mean institutions, it could be religious institutions, it could be in terms of the family, you know, and a family structure. And I think the the glue that brings people together truly is this this the love thy neighbor kind of um uh uh element. I've I've met people who you can tell they can meet people of all different backgrounds, whether it be it could be someone with different political ideas, someone with a different ethnicity or different sexuality or different nationality, and you know that that person can love that per that that another individual, like that person is a brother or a sister. And I think what you touched upon there with all these different um opportunities to connect with children and teaching them these just fundamental values that I I can't imagine what those dividends are going to pay later in life. Because I imagine that with every single child, you know, that that is someone who also has dreams, who also has hopes, just as you did when you were young. And you know, you still you do, you still have those those dreams and all, I imagine. But for for people to have, I think, such a role model like yourself, Annalia, I think that's a huge deal. And for these kids who are looking for mentors, looking for people to not have, but to learn from it's like a lifelong learning. Um that is I think is something to to to really appreciate there. Um you know, uh I I want to before we get to talking about the holidays and all, because I I think this is of course you know the holiday episode, right? You gotta get into the cursed spirit or holiday spirit. Um and uh I want to now get into more about I guess the uh to type take it more broadly, Analia. So uh we you were talking about your initiative and all that. I'd like to think now more broad broadly in terms of what you'd like to see in terms of your vision for your platform and as well as w what else we can do as a country to try and uh rebuild these institutions for these uh for these kids. And uh there's there's never going to be obviously one policy or one organization or one person who can give it all to everybody. But I I do think this is gonna be a collective effort. I think it's gonna take probably a combination of local, state, federal, uh, but also not just local in terms of local government, but but just your your neighborhood, right? Your neighborhood, your town, your your peers, and I try to encourage that with my students to try and find people whom they can connect with in the class. What sort of vision do you have for our country in terms of how we can help uh orphans with both here domestically and abroad? And and what sort of uh options or solutions do you think would be best for us to move forward as we we think about our constant role in in the United States as as not just as a democracy, but also a democracy that can serve those who don't have much for for many years to come.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I actually kind of have like a two-part or maybe answer. Um, one part is I've been kind of involved in politics pretty uh lately a little bit and been just very honestly excited about it. I never thought that I would see myself as um someone who would like that. Um I so okay, when I started this or um competing in the organization, um when I started first partnering with CASA, I actually contacted the National CASA and they said, like, yeah, um, would you would you be okay with like working with someone in Mississippi? And I was like, of course. So then they put me in contact with a Mississippi CASA and um uh Mindy Brown, she um she's kind of like in charge of it, and she um that was an answer, that was the phone call that I was you know on at that point, and she told me, like, hey, tomorrow, this is like Thursday, by the way. Like, it was Wednesday, like she goes, tomorrow on Thursday. If you could just um put your crown and sash on. Um I'm trying to pass a bill that we don't have a representative for, and we had a representative, but um, she dropped out, and um I was like, wait, what? I was just so like confused. And the funny thing is, I actually've always wanted to pass a bill, especially something to do with foster care and adoption. And I've always like, you know, wanted to be involved in that process. And um, I was actually trying to contact people who've already like started on a bill or are working on one, so I can kind of like hop on and then also like build my resume from there and like for Miss Mississippi, and then she goes, Yeah, so tomorrow I'm going to the Capitol. And I was like, Wait, what? So I ended up uh canceling all my ballet classes, um, teaching and all that things. I was also working at a lab. Um, so it was like it was a whole thing um to compete for Mississippi, and I was in school as well, so I ended up like literally canceling everything, and um, I went to um went to the Capitol, got to meet a lot of representatives, and basically didn't know anything about the bill until I got there. And I shook a bunch of hands, and um, I really quickly figured out that it was a man's world. There was only like seven women. Um, so I just was like, okay, um, you'll be surprised how many people listen when you have a a crown and a sash on. But I talked about the bill, the it was uh House Bill 1624. Um, and it was basically trying to get Casa more funding for um for their kids because like every three kids out of four that come into their system are there because of some kind of like their parents had some kind of like um substance abuse or like drug abuse, and um they are paying for a lot of like medical bills, and there's just a lot that comes with a child who has uh been exposed to that, and um not to go into too much detail, but basically they were looking for more funding. Um, and it's something that was very, very important for them. The bill ended up being passed about a month later, maybe less than a month, and that was just just such a miracle. Um, we we found some people that would um hop onto it and voted for it, and I'm just just so excited that Governor Tate Reeve signed it. Um, we did not get most of what was on that bill passed. There was just a lot of funding that did not get covered and that we really, really needed. So, right now Casa is working on something else, but it did, however, open up a lot of doors for Casa to have a conversation with the government in the future and hopefully get some more funding later. So, nevertheless, whether the bill or not like was success successful in what they were looking for, it did open up a lot of doors for them. And um, I'm just so excited to just be part of like just a little bit be a part of that process. And um, it was just it was such a cool thing to say. And um, I ended up then later. Um, we don't have like a limit like I basically really wanted to have a limitless day in Mississippi, so I talked to Celeste Hearse and was just like hoping that um she can find a represent just like someone um to kind of like sign a petition for like having Mississippi Limitless Day and getting that is like a day in Mississippi on May 15th, which ironically happens to be the day I was adopted. Um, but the day was supposed to just represent adoption foster care and um just kind of just having having Limitless Day just kind of made it um made it easier for me to talk about it and easier for me to spread the word of about abuse and like domestic abuse and um just in in general like talk about like what I have to offer as an individual, like like my books and um my website and just kind of things like that, like resources that I have um so people can connect with uh with their parents or their kids that are being adopted. And that was just kind of, I guess, the the highlight of this year. So I'm so excited that it happened and um it kind of made me very interested in politics. And um, I later on as when I went to Miss Mississippi, it was about two weeks later, we had a woman's day at the Capitol, and that was really fun. And what I did not know about it is that day was actually all about adoption and foster care, and there were so many women that have adopted and are fostering and so many kids that were going through adoption and foster care process. And I got to share my story at both in front of the children and in front of the parents, and just to see them uh like even pray for me as I was going to Miss America and them them just like see everything that I was talking about like happening within their family as well, and um just kind of like hearing those like tips and tricks of like what makes me but what would make it maybe a little more um easier and less complicated. And um, I just remember just being so like fulfilled from talking to both kids and parents at the same time about something that is so beautiful and so special in a country on country, like a lot of countries are not even allowed to adopt like for you know from foreign countries. So the fact that America can adopt almost from anywhere is amazing. Um, so I don't know, it was just it was very fulfilling, and I always want to say that like in that sense, in the political world, um, of course, I cannot pass every bill in the world and I'm not a representative, and maybe I will be one day, maybe I'll take Governor Chase for his job one day. I don't know. But um what I do know is there are a lot of people that can do something about it. And um, if I could like even talk to our president or the UN, you know, I would talk about um about like everything that's going with Russia, like going on with Russia and how Russia's literally taking kids from Ukrainian orphanages and putting them for adoption. Um, and there's been thousands and thousands of kids that are being transported to Russia that, you know, they're not from there. And that's technically um, you know, just not right. And I would love for for there to be a conversation about that. And also like just in Mississippi or in like different states, there's so much we can do for adoption, and it doesn't necessarily mean money. Um, it means, hey, um, what if we made it like this is just like a thought from the top of my head of like, what if we made sure that when parents are adopting, they are very, very coached in what to do when you're adopting a trauma care child, like when you're adopting someone who's been through so much trauma, and how do you raise someone, how do you handle that situation, especially if you also have kids of your own on top of that? And and then also like my other side of like if not politics, is this like if you are called to adopt, and it is a calling, it is not for everyone. Um, just because you feel bad for a child, please don't adopt because they're gonna feel that you're just doing them a favor and there's gonna be a disconnect, and it's just gonna be a random, it's just gonna be an extra person living in your house, and it's not gonna be someone that you're gonna truly connect with when you're just doing it as a favor, um, or just because you have like a quote unquote good heart. But so truly like pray about it and adopt only because God is like calling you to it. But if you're not called to adopt, I would say send missionaries out, uh, pay for people to go and be missionaries to orphans and or be yourself, like be an be a missionary to orphans and share the gospel because I would way rather know about like my heavenly father and about um Jesus and have and have Jesus on my side and have God um the Lord of my life than I would even be adopted. Um, because that is gonna matter way more. Um our spiritual life is way more precious than our physical life. And um, so yeah, and I so I would encourage for people to really get involved in in what's going on in orphans because we can be pro uh or we uh sorry, we can be like against like uh abortion, we can be like pro-life and all these things, right? But if we're not even taking care of our orphans, like if we're not even looking around of the kids that, you know, really need families and are struggling and don't know what their life is gonna look like 10 years from now, um, then what are we doing? You know? Um so I just I would like really encourage that. Um, as much as we are pro-life, that we are per every life for the ones that are already here and the ones that are already struggling and needing our help and needing our prayers and needing our not just resources, but uh hope.
SPEAKER_00It's almost like you read the Declaration of Independence to the part where it says life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Um and uh I I love what you said there just about just all the different ways that people can influence our government and to push for good policies. And uh you talked about you went in and there's a bunch of men out there. Apparently, for some reason, men think that we have more men and somehow we're smarter. Apparently, uh it's women are always gonna be smarter than us. So I don't know what what is that we we just want to watch football or something. I think that's that's the last time I checked. That was what what most guys really want to do. Um, but but in any case, I mean this this really does incorporate think about just all the different kinds of groups that can be involved, right? It could be churches, schools, businesses, government. I mean, so many different actors to complain this. That's also why I really like that. I like that pro not just pro-life, pro-every life. I think I'll think I'll I think I might steal that one from you, Annalena. Well, uh, okay, let's get to some oh go go ahead, go ahead.
SPEAKER_01Sorry, I honestly forgot. It's okay.
SPEAKER_00Okay, it's all good. It's all good. Um, let's get let's talk a bit about winter holidays now. I mean, this is the season, right? Tis the season to be jolly, of course. Um and uh I I wanted to give an opportunity for you, Annalia, to share a bit about what the winter holidays mean to you. I mean, particularly with your story and with uh with your heritage as well. I'd imagine that this is truly is truly is a very special time to spend with your family. And you know, you you've got the great Christmas desk decorations in the back, uh very rustic, very cool. And uh you know, I really I really appreciate just having this opportunity to to talk about what it means for uh us spiritually, personally, physically, and uh just anything that you like to share about what the winter holidays mean to you.
SPEAKER_01Oh my goodness, yes. I I think I was a little overwhelmed when I spent the first Christmas with my parents just because I've never even been to a Walmart before, let alone had a Christmas. So um that was definitely unique for me. And um I think the holidays like you know, it's November and we already have it decorated. And um, I just I love it a lot, and not because of like the presents or the even the decorations, it's just um it's just a time where like I feel safe, I guess. Um it's just like everyone, I don't know, everyone is like happy in my opinion. Um not happy, but there's just so much joy during the holidays, and um I wish it was like Christmas every day, but um, but you know what? I think at the end of the day, like the greatest commandment is love God and love people. And if we do that, then it will feel like Christmas every day because if we can give um, if we can just be a little more selfless and give love to those that don't necessarily deserve it but need it is is truly special. And I think it doesn't have to be saved for the holidays, but I'm so excited to I'm just I'm just so excited to like honestly see my family and um hang out with everyone who means so much to me. And um also as Miss Mississippi, I will be doing a lot of parades and a lot of uh speaking engagements and get to see kids. And I have a dance studio, like I said earlier, and have uh a little group called the Christmas Bells, and they go out into the community and perform different songs and actually four different dances um or five. And anyway, it's it's all about Christmas and very, very nutcrackery, very um roquettes, if you will. They look like little roquettes and with their outfits, and um, they're just they're just so excited to spread a little bit of cheer. And um honestly the holiday season for us starts in August with all the all the choreography and all the rehearsals. Um, so yeah, I I love this season. It's definitely one of my favorites. Um, but honestly, like fall is so good too, so we can't forget about Thanksgiving, of course. And um, I'm just so excited about the new year as well. I've never thought that I would be Miss Mississippi 2025. It's just like such a special uh Christmas to be Miss Mississippi. Um, exactly 12 years later, like literally half of my life and half of my life, you know, being in Ukraine and half of it being in America. It's just such a special year for some reason. And um, I'm just I'm just so excited to see um to see what the holidays bring just as Miss Mississippi and meet getting to meet like all these all these amazing individuals. And I'm actually about to go to New York and um meet um some of my friends from Miss America um to for like a Miss America reunion. So I'm so excited about that. And everyone, all the 52 um girls reunited again, and they're even doing something special for the top 10, so that's gonna be really fun, and um just kind of for the first time ever experiencing Christmas vibes in New York, so we'll see what that's like, and uh getting to be back though right before Thanksgiving. Um it's gonna be so much fun and so special. But um, I know that it's November, it's November right now, but it's about to be December whenever this is airing. So I just want to say Merry Christmas, everyone. And I can't believe that your Miss Mississippi literally is named Jolly. So um I really hope that you feel you feel happiness when you meet me.
SPEAKER_00That's not everybody. It's gonna be a bit more jolly because of Annaleah for the season. And uh I I imagine that you're you're gonna do a fantastic job continue to represent Miss Mississippi, uh, or the pageant, but also of course the state as well. And uh I I just can't believe that. And as you said, we're already here. I mean, I just came back from Boston not too long ago, and the leaves are changing. I mean, it's already we're feeling it, right? And uh, okay, before we go, imagine it's oh gosh, if I if I say it's snowing in Mississippi, God clearly it's the climate is not where it should be. But imagine let's just say it was really cool out there, sitting in the fireplace, all that. What's what's a go-to beverage or snack that you would go for to really feel feel the whole Christmas energy there?
SPEAKER_01If you saw my pantry right now, you would die. Uh yesterday, actually, I went and got three different hot chocolates and tons of toppings, like too many toppings. We're gonna all have diabetes after this. It's gonna be so bad. Definitely hot chocolate. I I don't know, I don't think I've ever had it in Ukraine, so it's kind of special to me. And um, definitely hot chocolate with like some peppermint uh sprinkle on top, peppermint sticks, and um maybe like another peppermint candy cane, like with it. Um, so yeah, just um obsessed with hot chocolate. And honestly, Mississippi is a very bipolar as far as weather goes. So maybe we will have snow this year.
SPEAKER_00Well, Analia, it's it's up to Santa to decide, uh, fortunately. So it's not in our hands, but nonetheless, you can get you can always get some fresh hot chocolate. So I'm really enjoying that. Um, well, Analia, before we go, uh I'd like to just do one more question, then of course have an opportunity for you to share how people can learn more about you. I'll include the link that you mentioned for your website down in the show notes below. One of the things that we've we we talked about on the show is about watching's farewell address. And you know, I wanted to take advantage of this holiday season, but also to uh take this opportunity to reflect a bit on you know some of these values, you know, patriotism of faith, of national unity, of education, fiscal responsibility, and civility. Uh we we talked about faith uh obviously uh quite quite actually quite a few times. Uh what sort of what value or values do you think out of those would be uh quite relevant to what we talked about and a bit about your life and your service?
SPEAKER_01Um, you know, I think obviously all of them for sure, but this is something I've kind of noticed throughout the history of America in general, is when America is putting God first, and when America is united in their faith, and I know that it's the melting pot and all the things, right? But when you know it was founded on Christian principles and it was founded on the foundation of the Bible, and whenever we honor Jesus, we do the best in America. America is at its finest, and when we don't, America is not. So I would say, I mean, yeah, I know that sounds maybe too too perfect, you know, of an answer, but it really is like that simple. Like if we honor God, God will honor us. And I'm not I'm not saying that everything will be perfect, um, but I will say that we do our best as Americans and we thrive compared to other countries when we put God first, and that is the only thing that sets us apart. Truly the only thing, because we can be the greatest nation in the world, but if we're not honoring God, um, we truly are not the greatest in the world. And I think that's what made us the greatest to start with, is that we we are founded on Christian principles, but if we don't live up to it, then it's just it's just noise, right? Um it's it's not it's not real if we don't live up to it. So I would say if America comes together and has a revival and is really truly like focused on honoring God, I think we're gonna do some great things.
SPEAKER_00Excellent. And uh so what can people do to learn more about you and and follow you and on the social media and just learn learn what what Annalia is up to these days?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I am actually doing something every single day. They're saying that um I am definitely making history with how busy I have been. Um and I'm not joking, every single day I have something going on, and um the best way to like keep up with everything that I have is um Miss America Ms, is my Miss Mississippi. Um profiles of Miss America MS and then 22 Analia Jolly is my personal page. They're both very public. And then of course, like on Facebook is the same. It's just Miss Mississippi and Analia Jolly. But yeah, I'm just so excited. And then like with my with my website, it's super easy. If you have been through adoption or thinking about it, it's called Limitless Power2Connect, like the number two.com. And I'm about to do some more reviving on it just to make sure everything is running super smooth. But yeah, I'll also be posting on my social media of like the different events that I will be uh attending. And I'm hopefully going to Alabama um soon as well. Um I I'm potentially going to speak uh to a very big conference about adoption and foster care, but I'm not sure if it's 100% happening. But if you keep up with me on on Facebook and Instagram, you'll see um if it does end up happening. I think that's gonna be in Birmingham, Alabama. So we'll see how that works out.
SPEAKER_00Well, uh Analia, thank you so much for coming on to our program. I really just enjoyed your candid stories, your reflections, particularly when you were so young too, when you were adopted. For someone for someone who's 12 years who was 12 years old when you were adopted, now you've you've basically crossed the threshold now of now you've been you've been in the states more longer than you have been in Ukraine. Um that I can't imagine how great of a feeling that is, how profound of uh feeling that is for you and your family. And I wish that there there were more people like you who can be uh so um thoughtful and caring of others, thinking about others, and uh thinking about service too. So uh I I know I'm I've I'm preventing you from getting to that hot chocolate in the pantry here as right now, but um I'll I'll let you go enjoy some hot chocolate right now. And uh Annalia, thank you so much for for being on the program. I just so appreciate it. And of course, Merry Christmas to you and to your family as well.
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much. Merry Christmas.
SPEAKER_00Thank you all so much for listening to this episode. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to check out the links down in the show notes below. Have a great rest of your day and rest of your week. And remember, a day in America is always better when we are with our friends and fellow citizens. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of you.
