Los Angeles, California, United States
As a television correspondent, model, community activist, pageant winner, and motivational speaker, Michelle Hope has raised above daunting life circumstances to become an inspiration to young girls and ladies across the country.

A biracial young woman growing up in a low-income, disadvantage rural area of Lafayette, Indiana, Michelle struggled to fit in with her classmates. Realizing that this Midwestern college town didn’t offer the opportunities for her to realize her goals, Michelle moved to California at the age of 19, with $500 in her pocket and her aspiration to impact the world.

Describing Michelle can be difficult because her essence creates a challenge to define this multi-facet/multi-dimensional woman. Nevertheless, Michelle’s perseverance, tenacity, and networking skills introduced her to the world of pageantry. After conferring with a reigning pageantry queen, Michelle decided to enter the Miss Black California USA 2004 pageant. The experience thrust her into challenging life decisions, both personally financially, and professionally. However, Michelle accepted those challenges and press her way to victory. She earned five category awards for Miss Social Consciousness, Miss Congeniality, Best Public Speaker, Best Swimsuit, and Best Interview that affirmed many of great qualities that she wears proudly each day.

The title provided Michelle fortuitous events that propel her to direct her focus and goals toward the economical inequities and poverty experienced by the homeless. Volunteering her time for inner city Los Angeles shelters, Michelle became committed to fulfilling her passion of establishing and operating her own homeless shelter, encouraging and energizing some of our society’s most ostracized citizens.

Throughout her time in L.A., Michelle has expanded her personal vision to include serving as a television correspondent on a program known as LA X-Large, a show dedicated to an eclectic representation of the urban L. A. lifestyle. Her talent, natural beauty, and gift of gab, brought a new flavor to the show’s programming, interviewing billboard topping hip-hop artists from around the country like Twista, Tyrese, and more; coupled with legendary R&B artist such as Earth, Wind and Fire. “No other city can match the essence of L. A.,” states Michelle. “I want to help expand the show and the audience base to include every aspect of the LA urban lifestyle so that it rivals the likes of ‘Entertainment Tonight’.”

Currently, Michelle is a motivational speaker; speaking for such organization as the HerShe Group, helping young foster girls with shredding their self-esteem issues and developing self-efficacy. Michelle launched this opportunity in her work with Barbizon’s Community Outreach program that taps into junior high schools and high schools covering the Western United States, including California, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Nevada, and Hawaii. Speaking to kids about self-confidence and being a leader, while addressing sensitive subjects in which she is well-versed—such as homelessness and drug abuse—Michelle’s moving message inspires students to have faith in their dreams and pursue those dreams with an amazing vigor. Her impact on the kids she addresses evolves as young people open themselves up to her and realize the opportunities life has to offer.

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Dance: Improvisational, Interpretive, Jazz, Modern Singing: Choral / Choir, Gospel, Jazz, R & B / Blues Sports: Badminton, Bicycling, Body Building, Bowling, Boxing, Cross Country Running, Football, Frisbee, Golf, Jazz, Running, Horse Back Riding, Jet Skiing, Jump Rope, Pilates, Rollerblading, Rowing, Skateboard, Skiing, Skydiving, Surfing, Swimming, Track and Field Events, Volleyball, Weight Lifting Voice: Alto Accents: American Southern, Standard American Additional: Cheerleading, Cue Cards, Ear Prompter, Hosting, Improvisation, Modeling, Newscasting, Stand-up Comedy, Teleprompter