Deseret News Article on 5/10/09
Mrs. Utah is using her title to popularize 'Decency Tour'
Armed with the platform that that title provides, recently crowned Karmel Larson on Saturday began a "decency tour" that will run throughout her reign and, she hopes, blossoms beyond that.
The Provo woman will spend the next year speaking to different groups of leaders — from parents to educators, from law enforcement to church officials, from politicians to the military — throughout the state, all in the hope of putting the divergent on the same path to improving Utah's decency.
Larson acknowledges that the word packs a lot of ambiguity. That's why many people have asked her how she defines "decency."
"It's about upholding the moral standards of society, which is also up
to interpretation," Larson said during a kickoff event at the Sweet Library
that attracted a few people. "How I define 'decency' is promoting anything
that promotes strong family values or speaking out against profanity,
violence, indecency, pornography. Anything in the media that pulls down
society's values is what I want to speak out against." Read Entire Article
Daily Herald Article on 5/10/09 -Award Winning Moms
Lots of people have a favorite historical figure. For Karmel Larson, it's Abigail Adams, wife of America's second president, John Adams. "We named my daughter after her," said Larson, a mother of four children (the youngest is 18 months and the oldest is 6) who grew up in Washington state. "She's a perfect blend of a woman who had her own accomplishments but was fiercely devoted to her family."
Larson, who graduated from Brigham Young University (where she studied social work) stays busy outside the home -- in addition to her involvement in American Mothers, she's the Utah County director of the Parents Television Council, works with Citizens for Families and is a board member of the Utah Coalition Against Pornography.
Encouraging people to speak up in favor of decency is important to Larson. It's actually, she said, the biggest reason that the she entered the Mrs. United States pageant. The annual event honors married women and, more importantly to Larson, asks them to address a moral or ethical position rather than preparing a talent.... Read Entire Article