I’m Taylor Rothwell, 28 years old from Danville, Illinois, and your Ms. American Elegance 2025–2026. I’m loud, I’m sassy, I’m a little chaotic, and if you know me… you know I don’t show up halfway to anything. I’m a small business owner, a mom, and a woman who is unapologetically herself — whether people are ready for that or not.

 

My platform is Celebrate Recovery because CR is the first place I ever walked into where I didn’t have to clean myself up or pretend I was fine. I brought every bit of my hurt with me — the child abuse, domestic violence, sexual trauma, losing both of my parents, the anxiety, the depression, the PTSD — all of it. And instead of judging me, CR handed me a chair and said, “Sit down. You’re safe here.” I’m not fully healed, I’m still working on me, but that’s exactly why CR is my heart. My goal as a queen is to show people that you don’t have to be polished to have purpose. Healing is messy. Survival is loud. And strength doesn’t always look pretty — sometimes it looks like getting up one more time when everyone thought you were done.

 

This year, I’m fired up to work with Mission K-9 Warriors. I plan to be loud, present, supportive, and probably just a little bit extra — because veterans and working dogs deserve a whole army of people cheering them on, and I’m honored to be one of them.

 

My son Isaac keeps me grounded, focused, and moving. And I’ve gotta send a shout-out straight to heaven — to my parents — because I know they’re looking down like, “Yep, that’s our girl… causing good trouble again.”

 

My purpose as Ms. American Elegance is simple: show up real, serve big, love loud, and remind every person watching that being a work in progress doesn’t make you weak — it makes you unstoppable. And if you really want to see the sparkle, the sass, and the story all come together, come join us at nationals November 12th through the 15th!