OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Casana Fink’s rise to glory as the current bearer of the Miss Florida title came as quite a surprise to the Ocala native.
What shocked her even more was the outpouring of community support that followed her crowning on Saturday, June 29.
“Being born and raised in Ocala, I’ve always had a love for this community,” said Fink. “But just the way that everyone’s been so supportive… I really was not expecting it at all. I really feel surrounded by love, and it makes me smile.”
Early days
It’s been a long journey for the 26-year-old Fink, who started her pageantry career at the age of 13.
“The idea definitely came from my mom,” said Fink. “She participated in pageantry when she was younger, I want to say when she was around 19 or 20 years old. She really fell in love with the skills that it equipped her with for the rest of her life.”
Although her mother was confident, Fink had her reservations.
“I remember going to the first competition and thinking to myself what in the world are we doing here, and what the heck is going on?”
Despite her initial doubts, Fink ended up winning the competition and fell in love with pageantry.
“I truly am who I am today because of the Miss Florida organization,” said Fink. “It just teaches you some really amazing skills that you can utilize in every aspect of your life.”
Fink competed for three years as a teen. In her last year, she was honored with the title of Miss Ocala’s Outstanding Teen.
From 2013-2015, she took a few years off from the competition circuit.
In that time, she pursued a Communications degree from the University of Florida and spent time living in London to study fashion.
Covid Curveball
Afterwards, Fink moved to New York to work in the fashion industry. The unexpected COVID-19 pandemic brought her back to Ocala.
Fink says she suffered an “existential crisis” during that time.
“I just felt like I didn’t have a purpose anymore,” said Fink. “I was still volunteering but nothing was goal-oriented… I felt like I wasn’t hitting the same marks that I was used to.”
That’s when Fink decided to step back into pageantry.
“When in pageantry, you’re around all of these strong women who are really trying to make a lasting impact,” said Fink. “It motivates you, and when you don’t have that, you almost become a little complacent.”
Expectation and emotions
No longer a teen competitor, Fink found the pageant process much more rigorous.
“When you’re an adult, I think judges expect you to be more well-versed in what’s going on in the world,” explained Fink. “I started getting asked questions about DeSantis, abortion, immigration… as a teen, they don’t expect that level of understanding of world affairs.”
Fink joked about the solutions to political issues such as abortion and immigration being something “the president can’t even answer.”
Instead of feeling stumped by the questions, Fink used them as a showcase to her stability under pressure.
“The questions served as a good opportunity to show judges your ability to articulate your thoughts and opinions in an unoffensive manner,” said Fink.
Fink’s preparation and hard work paid off. She earned the title of Miss Tampa in March which set the stage for the Miss Florida competition.
Fink was first runner-up in last year’s Miss Florida competition and relied on her faith in the face of pressure.
“I prayed for peace of the outcome and for peace in preparation,” said Fink.
Fink described the three nights of competition as “intense.” And when her name was announced as the winner, she was flooded with emotions.
“I felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude,” said Fink. “I remember my dad came up to me afterwards and told me how proud he was. They’ve seen for years the sacrifices, and everyone close to me has had to make sacrifices for this as well. I think they look at me and they know that I’ve earned it.”
Looking ahead
Fink is currently pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at the University of Florida, while also preparing for the Miss America competition in January. She remains confident in her ability to handle the pressure.
“I feel like I’m getting to a point where I have worked so hard, so there’s a developed sense of confidence,” said Fink. “I’m continuing to pray for peace and preparation while continuing to work really hard to show up as my very best in January.”
Fink also actively advocates for organ donation. At 14, she created a nonprofit called, Give to Live, after her father received a life-saving liver transplant. She says her message has reached over 100,000 Americans across the country.
Wherever she travels as part of her reign, Fink always remembers her roots and reflects on it fondly.
“Growing up in Ocala was truly the most beautiful experience, and it took me moving away for me to realize how special of a place it is,” said Fink. “I feel like it’s home, and I can’t express how much it means to me to be surrounded by so much love.”