National All-American Miss Pre-Teen shares her message

Mallory Habstritt is using the platform to speak out about a rare autoimmune disease.

A decorated pageant winner, accomplished speaker, and children's book author are just a few of the accomplishments Mallory Habstritt has to her credit. Her story is powerful, her message is inspiring and she is only 14 years old.

The Benilde-St. Eighth grader Margaret thrives on inspiring others and spreading the message that true beauty comes from within. Last fall, the bubbly teen won the title of National All-American Miss Pre-Teen at the National American Miss National Pageant in Orlando, Florida. She uses her platform to talk about her life with vitiligo, a rare autoimmune disease that attacks the pigment in her skin. “I am wonderful and beautiful just the way I am,” Mallory declares confidently. “But seeing that and understanding that was difficult.”

Mallory was diagnosed with vitiligo when she was in first grade. After diagnosis, she began her journey of not only understanding the phrase “everyone is different,” but also embracing it. “I wore pantyhose to hide the white spots on my legs,” says Mallory. “I was ashamed of this new and different thing that was happening to me. Plus, I had never met anyone who looked like me. I felt so alone and it was hard.

Fortunately, those feelings didn't stick. Shortly after her diagnosis, Mallory began competing in pageants. She was immediately surrounded by a community of young women who taught Mallory about self-love and acceptance. “Everyone has differences, and I was accepted because of who I am, not any differences I might have,” she says. “These other pageant sisters showed me by example how to love who I am.”

Mallory's parents, Annalee and Brett Habstritt, say they welcomed their daughter's diagnosis and saw it as an opportunity to raise awareness and inspire others. “She uses her voice to raise awareness that all differences, visible or invisible, are what make them beautiful and unique,” ​​says Annalee. “She celebrates people for who they are and encourages them to celebrate too… We are so proud of her.”

Although winning pageant titles has given Mallory a literal stage to spread her message, she is also raising awareness at school. She is an ambassador and leader for Where Everyone Belongs, which promotes belonging and inclusiveness. “I think accepting differences and recognizing them as special and unique is an important lesson that people need to learn and really understand early on and what better way to do that than at school? Mallory said. “I am very grateful for vitiligo because it has taught me my whole life that our differences are beautiful and wonderful and has allowed me to be more inclusive of others.”

Mallory says the fact that inspiration comes full circle is significant. She is now able to help others on their journey toward acceptance, just as her pageant sisters did and continue to do for her. In 2022, she spoke at the World Vitiligo Day conference in Minneapolis, where she had the honor of being surrounded by others who looked like her. “People came up to me afterward and told me I inspired them,” Mallory says. “It was so powerful and it meant everything to me.”

She will have the opportunity to spread her message even further as Mallory travels the country this summer under her National All-American Miss Pre-Teen title.

As Mallory speaks to different groups on the tour, Annalee says it's not just her daughter's peers who listen to what she has to say. Parents are also attentive. “Sometimes as parents we are very concerned about society's different expectations of ourselves or our children, and we need to remember Mallory's message,” she says. “I hope that if we can reach the parents, the children will hear it in two places: at Mallory and again at home.”

Mallory agrees. “My goal is to be able to offer to others what was given to me to the point of inspiring others,” she says. “They may not have vitiligo, but they have their own differences, and I want to encourage them and encourage them to see that they are beautiful just the way they are.”

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