At 18, Taylor Ragano was processing her diagnosis of bipolar disorder and obtaining the right medication. In January, the 33-year-old Arlington resident was crowned Ms. Virginia North America, 2024. Now she’s raising awareness about mental health issues by collecting complete coloring books, games, and puzzles to help those who are in treatment facilities.
Ragano began competing in high school with Miss Virginia Teen USA. Pageantry serves as a backdrop for how Ragano promotes disability advocacy. “For competing, I’m showing up for myself. I feel like a winner already,” Ragano says.
Through her own hospitalization experience for bipolar disorder, she realized the lack of quality in resources for patients, such as incomplete coloring books and missing puzzle pieces. This inspired her to create the Boredom Relief Program, which supports mental health patients by providing games, coloring books, and other entertainment to Virginia psychiatric wards, rehab facilities, and residential programs.
Ragano says that boredom can exacerbate distress in people who are in mental health facilities. Donations can lift their spirits, reduce anxiety, and help improve their overall mental well-being.
“I just hope for [the program] to continue to grow, and for it to grow into a nonprofit would be an amazing accomplishment,” Ragano says, praising the overwhelmingly positive community support.
The Boredom Relief Program hosts a kickoff event at Texas Roadhouse in Chantilly on Friday, June 14.
Donation boxes for complete coloring books, games, and puzzles are being set up at the following NoVA locations:
- Texas Roadhouse, 4993 Westone Plz., Chantilly;
- Ridgetop Coffee & Tea, 21631 Ridgetop Cir., Sterling;
- Crossroads Tabletop Tavern, 9412 Main St., Manassas;
- Huzzah Hobbies, 44927 George Washington Blvd., Ashburn;
- City Tap Loudoun, 20376 Exchange St., Ashburn.
A Sterling U-Haul store will provide the boxes, and Signarama Herndon donated signs.
In addition to the dropoff locations, Ragano has a GoFundMe campaign for the Boredom Relief Program where she is looking to raise $20,000.
Ragano graduated from James Madison University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and then received her master’s in public administration from the Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs in 2023.
She almost didn’t finish school because of her stay at Leland House, a residential treatment facility in Centreville. However, she graduated with a 3.8 grade point average and now serves as a Leland House spokeswoman.
Family ties to pageantry run true, as Taylor’s mother, Marcella Ragano, was crowned Ms. Senior Virginia USA on March 15. Marcella lost her eyesight when her daughter was 18, and Taylor credits her mom as a source of inspiration.
“She’s been my No. 1 supporter, and she’s coming down with me to the [national] competition in July,” Ragano says.
Ragano competes in the North America Beauty Pageant from July 22 to 26 in Orlando, Florida. She aspires to be the first national title holder with bipolar disorder, and believes that disabilities and body changes should not define opportunities.
“When I tell people I have bipolar disorder, at first, I’ve dealt with some judgment. But mostly, when I open up, I feel people are very humble,” Ragano says. “Don’t be ashamed of your disability.”
Feature image by Rod Legend
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