Some view the world of pageantry as shallow, and focusing on external beauty. Samantha Vu Tran talks about how she was able to use the world of pageantry as a catalyst to finding inner beauty and self love. Samantha Vu Tran obtained her Bachelors of Science in Chemistry at the University of Central Oklahoma. She started out as a Chemical Technician at the Oklahoma State Department of Health and continued to work in different departments at the state lab. A former laboratory scientist and molecular virologist, she was called back to the state lab to assist as a COVID Lab Specialist. Samantha has competed in pageants since the age of 15 and recently gave up her title as Mrs. Oklahoma. She is also the Asian Night Market Festival program coordinator, board member of FAITH Kids, she fights for vets through Warriors for Freedom Foundation, a religious education teacher, help founded the Asian American Student Association, the founder of Miss Asian UCO pageant, and is currently the director of the UCO International pageant. She has with 3 kids, manages their house flipping business, TRANsitions, and working on getting her book, Memoirs of a Mediocre Asian published. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx