Throughout the summer, new mom Crystal Powell sought out help on Facebook trying to get votes for the Maxim Cover Girl Competition. She often posted photos of herself and her daughter, or updates about her challenging life to encourage people to vote for her. She proceeded onward at first but then finished third in the latest voting group she was in.
Undeterred, she’s now setting her sights on another competition to become Ms. Stars and Stripes. “Calling All Country Girls,” is that competition’s headline: “We’re searching for ONE woman who represents a “country” way of life to be crowned Ms. Stars & Stripes in 2022! This country queen will be featured in STAR Magazine, take home $25,000, and be the belle of the ball at all the hottest events of the year!”
Part of what Powell is doing is trying to get Reno more on the fashion and modeling map.
“There is a fashion industry in Reno,” Powell said. “It’s very small and people do know each other, but I feel more than other cities that I've gotten work in, it's very intimate and they're willing to accept any kind of model, no matter what age, no matter what body type. I really appreciate that about the modeling industry here.”
Powell won awards for the above documentary, Life’s Just Hard, she made during her time at the Reynolds School of Journalism at UNR.
During the week, Powell is a media production specialist with the Washoe County sheriff’s office. Two years ago, she was contacted by a marketing agency to do some modeling work for a product advertisement on Instagram. From there, Powell has spent the last few years dabbling in part-time modeling work in addition to her full-time job.
Doing all this while being a new mom is not easy, but Powell says she also wants to set an example for her daughter.
“I want her to realize the sky is the limit,” Powell said. “You can do anything you want to do in this world, especially with the way it's changing. Talking about modeling, certain barriers to entry in the industry are disappearing. Ten years ago, you couldn't do certain things if you didn't look a certain way, if you didn't have a certain background or the right connections. And that is not the case anymore, especially with social media.”
If she ever wins one of these magazine prizes, Powell said she would use the money to move her family into a safer part of town. Where she lives now, she says, she has encountered issues with cars being broken into and gunshots into the night. Powell wants to stay in Northern Nevada, though.
“My daughter's dad is a firefighter and we love the Reno area,” she said. “I've lived in a handful of other large cities across the US since college. And I've always come back here because it really is the biggest little city in the world.”