DIGITAL DESK: One-on-one with Miss Mississippi 2023

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Miss Mississippi 2023 Vivian O’Neal is excited about her new title, but moreso, the exposure the platform gives her to shine a light on her passions: education and disability inclusion.

The 25-year-old Hattiesburg, Mississippi, native recently graduated with a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Sothern Mississippi, where she worked as the Coordinator of Recruitment and Strategic Communication for the Honors College.

O’Neal’s community service initiative is called CapABLE, in partnership with Mississippi public schools and the Mississippi Community College Board.

CapABLE is a nonprofit organization that provides disability inclusion resources to educators.

The collective is comprised of a series of five-day disability inclusion curricula, a children’s book series, and a professional development seminar on inclusion for college students.

The curricula have reached over 20,000 students, and over 1,000 educators and administrators across five states, and the first children’s book, “Josiah’s Big Day!” has sold 200+ copies.

WLBT’s Sharie Nicole had an opportunity to chat with O’Neal about continuing her work with CapABLE during her tenure as Miss Mississippi 2023 and long into the future.

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