Laura-Valentine was born and immediately abandoned in 1996 in Wanzai, China. Thankfully she was adopted before she was one year-old into a loving American family. She is a senior at Belmont University double majoring in Communications and Sport Administration. Her social impact initiative is Fighting for the Forgotten: A Champion for the Abandoned Child which stems from her acknowledgement that her adoption spared her from a life in an orphanage, the foster care system and even human trafficking. Lock has only been a part of the Miss America Organization for the two years as Miss Heartland and will now take the stage as Miss Capital City. She plans on continuing her endeavors on fighting for these children through her non-profit, Laura-Valentine Ministries, which she began 10 years ago.