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Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019, Emmy Nominated TV Host & Lawyer, Passes Away at 30

According to CNN, Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst died Sunday morning, her family and police said. Kryst, 30, won Miss USA in 2019, died after jumping from her luxury high rise condo building in Manhattan, according to the New York City Police Department.

“In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie,” her family said in a statement posted online. “Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined.”

The former Miss USA and correspondent for Extra posted on Instagram shortly before her death. “May this day bring you rest and peace,” she captioned alongside a photo of herself.

@chesliekryst via Instagram

Cheslie was a former attorney with a license in both North and South Carolina. She fought for Civil Rights litigation prior to taking a hiatus upon winning Miss USA. She was the longest reigning titleholder (557 days) and made history with four other titleholders, Miss Universe, Miss Teen USA, Miss America and Miss World who were all Black woman and held 5 of the top beauty pageant titles in the world. She placed Top 10 at Miss Universe

Several titleholders, pageant fans and followers of Cheslie took to social media to express their sorrow at this sudden news…

Andreia Gibau, a former Miss New York USA titleholder, share how she was “gutted” by this sudden news and how she had future plans on creating content with Cheslie and meeting up for sweets in New York City soon.

She also held a law and master’s in business degree from Wake Forest University, where she was previously a Division 1 track-and-field athlete at University of South Carolina. She finished practicing law officially and began to develop and invest more into her television career serving as a Correspondent with Extra, a daily entertainment news television program. A producer once called Cheslie a ”vital” part of their program.

During her stay, she was nominated for two Daytime Emmy’s Awards and broke the news Empire actor Terrance Howard was retiring from acting.

Former Miss Universe Catriona Gray shared with many about the loss of light the world will no longer experience.

Newly crowned Miss Teen North Carolina Gabby Ortega’s winning moments was the last post on Chelsie’s Instagram story with a congratulatory post including her and the new Miss North Carolina USA 2022. She shared how she felt confirmations to pursue the title thanks to Cheslie’s inspiration and breaking the mold with her curly hair.

Daughter of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Bernice King, took to Twitter to talk depression and appearance.

Cheslie competed in the Miss America system placing Top 10 at Miss North Carolina on her first try and First Runner-Up on her second attempt prior to competing in the USA system. She competed for Miss North Carolina USA three times, placing Fourth Runner-Up, Top 10, then winning the title on her third try on her last year of eligibility.

She represented North Carolina at the 2019 Miss USA competition whenit was held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. She was crowned by outgoing Miss USA Sara Rose Summers. At 28 years and 4 days, she would be the oldest women to be crowned and hold the title of Miss USA since Nana Meriwether in 2012.

During Cheslie’s historic reign, she made numerous appearances with Miss Teen USA Kaleigh Garris and then-Miss America Nia Franklin. One of the stylist from this epic photoshooot in New York City with the trio says it was an ”honor” to style Cheslie’s hair for this look.

After winnng Miss USA, Cheslie took a brief hiatus from law to prepare for the international Miss Universe competition which was held at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. She broke through to the Top 10 and brought the broken mirror design to the evening gown fashion.

As a fashionista, she was the founder and CEO of a popular fashion blog dedicated to styling women for the white collar office. Fans of her almost 300K TikTok following was obsessed with her closet, the backdrop of her videos and Zoom interviews and she was secretly working on a collaboration with Express for a summer project.

National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Please call and reach out if you need help or an ear. You can even text the hotine number. You are not fighting alone.

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Kentucky’s Elle Smith Wins Miss USA Flys off to Miss Universe in Two Weeks

Congratulations to the new Miss USA 2021 Elle Smith from Kentucky.

The Television News Reporter took home the Mouawad Miss USA Power of Positivity Crown on Monday, November 29th at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Elle Smith, Miss Kentucky USA Official Headshot for Miss USA. Makeup by Team Flawless. Photo: GrantFoto

Placing in fourth runner-up was Illinois’ Sydni Bennett, second runner-up, was Miss Florida USA’s Ashley Carino and placing as the First Runner Up was North Dakota’s Caitlyn Vogel.

Smith is a reporter for WHAS 11 News in Louisville, Kentucky and she won her state competition on her first try. She will be flown out to Israel to represent USA at the international Miss Universe 2021 competition to be held on December 15th.

According to her Alma Mater’s newspaper, during her years in the college at the University of Kentucky, she participated in the UK Student News Network, the Kentucky Kernel, WRFL and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) as the vice president during her senior year in college. It was through an NABJ conference where Elle landed her first job with WHAS-TV in Louisville.

“I felt so much support from staff, faculty, peers. And there are also so many different opportunities for journalism students,” she says, “I think those are what led me to get this job in Louisville right out of school.”

Elle Smith crowned the new Miss USA 2021 in Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 29, 2021 at the River Spirit Casino.

With this historic win for her state, Elle is moving into a luxurious downtown Los Angeles apartment, will receive a $100,000 salary along with a brand new porche to move around in true class all year long as part of the new Miss USA prize package under new leadership and all-around #GirlBoss Crystle Stewart.

Stewart was named the new President as Miss USA when she bought the national license from IMG/WMG back in November 2020. She was crowned Miss USA in 2008, which she used to launch a successful career in entertainment as an actress and as an entrepreneur and owner of the Miss Academy. With this Directorship, Stewart became the very first Black female owner of the iconic 70-year-old brand.

Miss Texas USA, Crystle Stewart, reacts as she is crowned the new Miss USA during the 2008 Miss USA Pageant April 11 at The Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)Eric Jamison

All 51 contestants competing in a preliminary competition round consisting of private interviews with the judges, evening gown and swimsuit. They each also showcases their unique which comes with her specific state during the Miss USA State competition.

Elle is a 2020 Graduate in Journalism from the University of Kentucky.

Ahead of our #MissUSA2021 Finals Recap episode, you can grab your glass and tune into our thoughts about the new Miss USA ownership and our preview into the new look.


Have you heard the news? Pageants & Prosecco was named on of the Top 15 Beauty Pageant Podcasts of 2020!! 
Congratulations to the entire team and to our hundreds of listeners for supporting P&P! Cheers!!

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Crystle’s Re-Imagination

Who else is ready to see where the Miss USA Organization can go under Crystle’s ownership?

Listen now on all major streaming platforms.

Crystle Stewart dropped a brand new website on our laps, serving us a sneak peak into the mind or dare I say, imagination of the former Miss USA mind and the new era of pageantry we are about to experience.

I caught wind of the changes, probably just like you, via the socials. All of a sudden, all of these fabulous pictures of Asya began emerging on the Instagram streets. New stunning looks, thick, free, big hair, some high buns like in the picture below and we are now really seeing Miss Teen USA Ki’ilani and Asya shooting together looking gorg! What was more so the loudest rumblings was the new prize package which and the full transparency of what the winner receives besides the obvious. Have we ever really known what Miss USA or Miss Teen USA was guaranteed to receive besides their shared apartment in New York City and dozens of appearances and modeling opportunities? It was always a bit underwraps for the rest of us.

missusa.com

However, Crystle is showing out and understands the full assignment of what a prize package should look like for a national titleholder. First off, there is a six-figure salary for the next winner! $100,000 salary off bat!! They also are changing the location of her apartment to the West Coast and providing her with a killer electric ride. Learn the details on this week’s episode of Pageants & Prosecco, The Podcast. I hop on the new website with you all and scroll and search around. My favorite update is the new color palate from the photoshoots of both Asya and Ki’ilani.

Grab a glass and hop on the new Miss USA website and scroll along with. I’d love to have you!
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What it’s like competing for Miss Earth USA?

On the latest episode of Pageants & Prosecco, The Podcast, our former two-time Miss Illinois Earth titleholder Kristina Dechev is joining us to talk about what it was like to compete at Miss Earth USA twice and her platform “You Are Enough” aimed at creating more mentors for young women and those new to the pageant and modeling world.

Get to know more about this beauty in this week’s episode of Pageants & Prosecco. Press Play . . .

Kristina sits down with Pageants & Prosecco to talk competing at Miss Earth USA and her growing mentorship organization.
Eva Flis Photography
Eva Flis Photography
Eva Flis Photography
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22 Things to Know About Miss India USA Aaishwariya Gulani

What did the journey to your crown look like? 

My interest in Miss India USA stemmed from my strong cultural roots.  I have been dancing since I was six years old, and have always loved engaging with the Indian community back home through this. 

Going for Miss India USA was a way to mesh my two cultures while pursuing a title outside of my comfort zone and I hope to use my platform to encourage this in all younger women.

I began prepping in the summer of 2019 before I began medical school.  The first pageant, local version, was in November.  Then I prepared over winter break for nationals.  I had some outfit changes and interview prep to be done but the bulk was in the summer. 

My mom helped a lot because I did not have that much time in medical school in between class and everything.  I also had a few sessions with Marianne, a coach in Orlando, who helped me get on track initially because, as I said, this was my first pageant.

What tips would you give to pageant competitors?

Make sure you stay true to yourself.  A lot of struggles I had with pageantry was trying to hide my science and medical background and it never helped.  Only when I began to speak about it during interviews was I able to show my true self.

Do you have a favorite wine, or drink? Rose is my favorite! 

Dream pageant gown designer? Sabyasachi (a famous Indian Designer)

What are your makeup go to’s for a quick beat?

Foundation and mascara, makes you look alive with the bare minimum

What was your first pageant competition? The Miss India Florida

Current read? Embarrassingly, my textbooks 😦 

Which portion of competition is your fave?

I think the talent! I loved getting to share something I’m so passionate about with the audience and judges and make it my own.  I’ve been dancing for so long and learned over 10 different styles! 

If you could travel anywhere despite the pandemic, where would you go?

Iceland, the northern lights are top of my bucket list right now!

How do you balance your pageant, school, and personal life?

Its definitely a lot but i love everything I do and try to make them overlap as much as I can.  Pageantry and medicine have no overlap but making them work together has been such an experience! I try to incorporate medicine in the stuff I do for Miss India such as my appearances or the talks that I host.  I had one with American Medical Women’s Association about going beyond medicine and another thing coming up with a women physicians summit where I will be modeling.

Give us a good motivational quote that inspires you…

“Be the girl who decided to go for it.”

Would you consider yourself a hero?

Hopefully some day!

Who would you consider to be your hero?

My parents!

Drop that skincare routine!

Glossier, Glossier, Glossier!! Three step routine with the face brush to really exfoliate.  Twice a week NY Biology Charcoal mask.

Which artists are on your playlist?

Post Malone, Taylor Swift, and Lauv

How did you decide on your evening gown?

My evening gown was based on the princess vibe i wanted to have.

What are 3 words you would use to describe yourself?

Outgoing, enthusiastic, and passionate

Favorite junk food?

Jalapeno kettle chips

One global issue that tugs at your heart:

Global health disparities

What is your favorite movie?

Mean girls!

How do you unwind on a Sunday evening?

Clean the apartment, put on a face mask, get in bed and watch some Netflix before the week begins.

Give us your best Pageant Patty answer: Describe your perfect date?

Beach picnic and sunset walk!

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Miss Dominican Republic Calls Out Miss Global For Cheating During Competition

Those of us who have been around pageants have either watched or participated in a pageant where we thought the results were skeptical. However, the 2020 Miss Global pageant takes that suspicion to a whole other level! The depth of corruption was beyond belief over the weekend.

This year marked the 8th anniversary for the Miss Global Organization (Photo Cred: Miss Global)

During Saturday’s pageant, held in Oaxaca, Mexico, viewers and contestants astonished by a certain sponsor’s push for Miss Mexico Global, Palmira Ruiz, to win the crown. Apparently, Miss Mexico was treated differently than the other 56 competitors. Speaking with local media following the debacle Miss Dominican Republic 2019, LeslieAnn Padilla said Palmira was treated better than the other competitors throughout the pageant. She claimed, “Mexico was always late to rehearsals and was always absent.” According to her, during the final show all the other contestants were crammed in a small area with no heat and were freezing changing in and out of their competition wear while Miss Mexico was comfortable with her two of her own heated rooms.

According to sources who spoke with Pageants & Prosecco, Miss Mexico Global, Palmira Ruiz, was given special treatment throughout the competition. She was allegedly absent or late to several events. (Photo Cred: Instagram)

LesilieAnn says only her, Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, Cuba, and Venezuela spoke Spanish. This meant she could understand a lot of what was going on behind the scenes.

During a conversation with Pageants & Prosecco, she told us she overheard a man backstage with Van Pham the CEO and Founder of Miss Global. For safety reasons she chose not to disclose his name or position with the organization. She told Us it was this guy who told Van Pham, if Miss Mexico did not win, they would pull the plug on the entire televised show. LeslieAnn felt the need to call out the man for the unfairness and was threatened if she did not remain quiet!

A true pageant queen, prior to being Miss Dominican Republic Global, LeslieAnn was Miss Latina International USA (Photo Cred: Instagram)

This did not stop Miss Columbia Global, Jesenia Orozco from speaking out on stage during the pageant, “It’s fraud! There is a lot of corruption in Mexico and it’s unfair.” In order to attempt to silence her, staff played music over her protests. In videos from that night you can hear Jesenia saying, “It is disrespectful to all the women that worked hard to be here.” She went on to say the pageant was full of corruption and fraud, and the Miss Global Mexico representatives were giving Latinos a bad name.

However, it is important to know she and the other contestants don’t see the Miss Global organization as the ones to blame, “it should be on Miss Global Mexico.”

This photo of Miss Columbia Global, Jesenia was taken moments before her now viral on stage protest. (Photo Cred: Instagram)

So, who was behind the scheme to crown Mexico as Miss Global? According to those close to the competition, it was one of the host country’s sponsor, Ramiro Gutierrez, who pressured the Miss Global organization to crown Miss Mexico the title; going so far as to threaten to cancel the entire broadcast if she was not selected. When the Miss Global Organization refused to meet his demands, Gutierrez carried out his threat and pulled the plug during the live televised broadcast, ending the pageant without a winner being crowned and before onstage questions began.

In the days following, Van Pham issued a public statement on behalf of the Miss Global Organization denouncing this behavior. He asserted that, while Guiterrez was one of the country’s sponsor, he is not affiliated with Miss Global. He expressed his support of Miss Columbia’s public protest onstage and said Guiterrez needed “to uphold the rules and procedures that Miss Global has always honored.” The public statement ended with the announcement of the winner, Karolína Kokešová, Miss Czech Republic (who reportedly had the highest score at the time of the interruption) and the organization’s commitment to maintain the integrity of their pageants in the future.

You can see his full statement here:

The public statement was made the same night of the 2019 Miss Global Pageant. (Photo Cred: Miss Global)

What do you think about the events and public outrage at Miss Global? Tell your thoughts below…

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Remembering Kobe Bryant – Titleholders Share Their Love for the Legend

Everyone is in mourning right now. Kobe Bryant impacted more than the sports world, he touched everyone through the game and his love of basketball. Kobe, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, pilot Ara Zobayan, Mamba girls’ basketball assistant coach Christina Mauser, eighth grader Payton Chester and her mother Sarah Chester along with Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa, a teammate of Gianna’s, passed away on Sunday.

A moment the world will never forget and a name which will always be yelled when tossing a wad into the trash can. For many, like myself, this news comes with great sudden sadness as he represented who you can be if you have the drive, courage, God-like confidence with enough humbleness wrapped into his famous Mamba mentality. His tenacity, determination and motivation I am sure has been put in a few of our journals and on our vision boards as we prepared for that next level of competition.

Our timelines were flooded with love for the NBA Legend and his daughter GiGi. Similar to Los Angeles and the world, the pageant community as well is in mourning:

Remember, you are more than what you do (being an amazing titleholder), it’s who you are in Kobe’s famous words. As a pageant family, let’s look to Kobe’s legacy and continue to push the definition of excellence in our communities, our industry and on stage.

Love yours truly,

-B.

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Sisters By Blood and The Crown!

Pageant history was made in Omaha, Nebraska when Megan Swanson was crowned Miss Nebraska USA 2020. You see, Megan’s younger sister, Allie, is the current reigning Miss Nebraska and just competed at Miss America in December. Meaning both major state titles are held by the Swanson sisters! And they both competed at Miss America.

Megan shared her euphoria with Pageants & Prosecco, “I can’t even describe the feeling of having these next few months as LITERAL sister queens with my real-life sister.” This is not the first time history was made by these Swanson sisters. Both were also the first pair of sisters to win the coveted Miss Nebraska (MAO) title. Megan said her sister’s epic win last summer was “just the icing on the cake.” Things got even more serendipitous when Megan said the two won their titles wearing each other’s gown! Megan explained how this was not done on purpose, “it was what we had!”

Miss USA 2020 won’t be Megan’s first time on a national stage. She was previously Miss Nebraska 2014 and competed at Miss America. (Photo Cred: Jessielyn Palumbo)

Allie showed her excitement over her older sister’s Miss Nebraska USA win on social media, “can you believe that this is real life and that our dream come true?” Both of the sisters will reign together for the next 6 months. Allie expressed her gratitude, “still can’t get over how good God is!”

Last June, Allie won Miss Nebraska 2019 at the North Platte HS Performing Arts Center in North Platte, Nebraska. The 6’2 beauty shared on social media after she won she believed she had a shot at the Miss America crown because she’s a “powerhouse that will make you smile, laugh, think, and learn to love yourself for who you are.”

Allie’s social impact initiative for Miss America 2020 was CyberSmartz: Protecting Yourself in a Digital World. (Photo Cred: XYZ Media)

Pageantry unsurprisingly brought these two very close. Megan gushed about her sister, “she’s the best Miss Nebraska we’ve ever had, and almost doubled the organization in a year.” She went on to say how her little sister Allie, inspires her to be a better person each and every day. Megan even called Allie “part of my WHY to be Miss USA.”

Miss Nebraska USA Megan with her little sister Allie! Allie was crowned Miss Nebraska (MAO) last June. (Photo Cred: Instagram)

So, what did the sisters do once they were both crowned? Of course, they went on a sister-sister media tour across the state. There is also more in the works, so be sure to follow both sisters on social media. Allie wants the public to know the sisters are only just beginning, “look out world… Here the Swanson sisters come!”

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Miss Black America Ryann Richardson Endorses Mayor Pete Buttigieg for President

Pageantry turned political this week when Miss Black America Ryann Richardson posted her endorsement for Pete Buttigieg as our next President, a first for the pageant industry. In what’s otherwise considered a taboo topic, not just in pageantry but also at the Thanksgiving table, Richardson decided to share her thoughts on who she believed should be next in line for the Oval Office.

Traditionally, contestants are encouraged to keep their political views to themselves or answer an onstage question very middle ground with no bias in a bipartisan-like manner. It’s always been considered not pageant like and separatism in fact if a titleholder expressed even what her party affiliation was because of the fear of alienating the opposing parties and not being able to reach everyone at appearances during her reign. There was fear of missing out on deals, contracts or butting heads with directors if a titleholder was too one sided in her thinking and expressed them in public her crown and sash.

Miss Black America Ryann Richardson took to social media to officially endorese Pete Buttigieg as President. The pair met during an event for the Congressional Black Caucus last year. Photo Cred: Ryann Richardson

In a first for this new 2020 era of the definition of who a titleholder is, she decided to not only express her views but officially go on record to endorse and encourage her followers to vote for Mayor Pete at the polls.

We reached out to Ryann about her decision and speaking to Pageants & Prosecco about her thought-piece, she said she felt it was important to add her voice in the 2020 election cycle conversation. Not simply because she is holding a national title but rather out of pure civic duty and what she explains is responsibility to her community, “You could argue that Miss Black America, because of it origins as an act of protest, does exist in a unique space in the ‘pageant world.'” She continues,

Richardson served as Miss District of Columbia USA in 2017 when Kara McCullogh won Miss USA. She’s competed in the Miss America system & was Miss Philadelphia in 2009. Photo: Instagram

With 20K followers on IG for this TEDx Speaker & one of the youngest honorees on the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America list, Richardson says it is ultimately irresponsible of her to sit out here voiceless “when I believe our community is facing a critical opportunity in this election.” Calling the move to speak up an important one to prevent anyone who’s listening from making the wrong decision at the polls.

In the op-ed she wrote for The Grio, Richardson talked about why she chose the millennial veteran, pointing to his honesty addressing his weak spots as the Mayor of South Bend, his leadership and intellect. Her endorsement might help Buttigieg’s campaign which is looking at dismal polling numbers among Black voters.

According to the lastest Washington Post/Ipsos poll, 21% of Black voters right now view Buttigieg as ‘unfavorable.’ The highest in the crowded Democratic nomination party, besides newly-entered billionaire Mike Bloomberg (25%). With the Iowa Democratic caucuses in just a few weeks, some fear he might not reach enough of these voters in time to nab this critical state for any of the 13 candidates. These Iowa caucus’ results are going to shed light on where they all stand in the Black community’s mind. On the other side, he does lead in Black votes 57-4 if it were up to them choosing between him or 45 for round 2.

Photo Cred: Ryann Richardson

“It’s fair to say my opinion may be an unpopular one … for now. It would surely be easier to keep my head down and not weigh in. But I’ve never been afraid to be first and I was raised to live in my truth.”

Richardson for TheGrio.com

She wrote about how growing up in D.C. gave her a first hand look at the voting process as a kid visiting the election polls with her parents and watching each new President get sworn in every 4 years.

However as she grew up and the realities of oppression and her “double strike” as a woman first and then as a person of color (or vice versa) became real, she writes, “With each election, I intuitively knew how my country would move, even when it was counter to my own desires.”

It took courage for Richardson to share her political views and she admittedly said she was sick of seeing hatred being spewd out online and was considering “clock[ing] out on America for a while to preserve my own mental health.” Who wouldn’t blame her? Twitter is full of constant dialogue, discussions and the true thoughts of keyboard happy anonymous trolls just saying anything now a days.

“The attitudes of the basest corners of our society, once fodder for faceless Twitter trolls, are now promoted from verified accounts with names and Congressional seats and endorsements from the highest office in the land.”

View this post on Instagram

Oh hey, 2020! Nice to meet you.⁣ ⁣ The first 10 days of the New Year have been wild (hence this long-delayed post). But I figure this is as good a time as any to share some 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 about an important decision I've made for 2020 and my challenge to all of y'all.⁣ ⁣ —⁣ I wrote a piece for @thegrio. It goes a little something like this:⁣ ⁣ "As Black Americans, for generations, our votes have been taken for granted by candidates who saw our support as a foregone conclusion. Today, they shouldn’t. We have options. Furthermore, we have a responsibility to ourselves and to the future of Black America to explore those options, to question the conventional wisdom about who we should support, and to scrutinize the (sometimes long and problematic) record of any candidate who purports to deserve our loyalty."⁣ ⁣ —⁣ Read all of my #hottakes on the 2020 Presidential Race and why I'm calling on Black Americans to join me in supporting Mayor @Pete.Buttigieg as OUR nominee. ⁣ ⁣ 🔗 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐈𝐎⁣ ⁣ #election2020 #wokevote2020⁣ #blackvotesmatter #blackgirlsvote #letswin #election #democrats #peteforamerica #teampete #POTUSPete

A post shared by Ryann Richardson (@theryannrichardson) on

What do you think about titleholders endorsing a candidate, whether local, state or national? You can read the full article here and comment your thoughts below.

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Miss Earth USA 2018, Yashvi Aware, Sets Sights on Miss D.C.USA Crown

Miss Earth USA 2018, Yashvi Aware, officially announced she is competing at the Miss D.C. USA 2020 pageant as Miss Mount Vernon USA 2020. Yashvi shared the news of her new title through a video posted on her social media page to her followers. The pageant is set to take place this month, January 18-19th.

Yashvi’s video post about her “special announcement” of her 2020 Miss Mount Vernon USA title. (Photo Cred: Instagram)

The reason for Yashvi’s late announcement was due to recovering from surgery, “I decided really last minute to compete because I was healing from my ankle surgery.”

Yashvi’s ankle also gave her a little bit of a struggle during her reign as Miss Earth USA and has had multiple surgeries on it, landing in the hospital twice while competing at the international pageant. At one point during her reign, she was in a cast and needed crutches to walk. Despite her injury, Yashvi is pushing through in her recovery and is working hard to prepare for the Miss DC competition, “I’m running again, wearing heels, and volunteering all over the district.”

Aware in the hospital during the 2018 Miss Earth pageant (Photo Cred: Facebook)

Yashvi was crowned Miss Earth USA 2018, on July 15, 2018, at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center located in Virginia. The Miss Earth USA and Miss Earth pageants are centered around environmentalism and is based off the concept of Beauty With A Purpose. This means contestants should not only prepare to walk the runway, but to be able to speak about an environmental cause they are passionate about as well.

One of Aware’s headshots as Miss Earth USA 2018 (Photo Cred: Instagram)

After being crowned Miss Earth USA, Yashvi traveled the world, modeled in New York Fashion Week, volunteered, and spoke about her environmental platform “The Future is Green.”

Her platform choice was due to the fact she wanted to be a “more responsible citizen.” Although winning the crown presented her a lot of opportunities, she had to make hard sacrifices in order to fully commit to her reign, “I gave up so much to be here at Miss Earth including my real job and education as a psychologist, because I’ve always believed in my greater purpose to serve others.”

Yashvi volunteering during her reign as Miss Earth USA 2018 (Photo Cred: Facebook)

Yashvi’s inspiring fighter mentality seemed to stick with her post-crown as she somehow finds the time to prepare for the pageant and plan a wedding. Yashvi and her fiancé, Ashu Suri, got engaged August 31, 2018 in Washington D.C. in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Ashu made Yashvi believe they were going to a photoshoot which she said was, “Not out of the ordinary in my life.”

Suri and Aware moments after their engagement (Photo Cred: Facebook)

The surprises continued, “Somehow I was blindfolded and when I opened my eyes, this handsome man was on his knee asking me to marry him surrounded by all our friends, plus a bunch of tourists cheering us on!” To this day Yashvi claims it was, “The best day of my life.”

In her video announcement Yashvi thanked her followers and asked them for continued support as she prepares for the competition, “Please continue following my journey, thank you all so much for the support you’ve given me this past year since I’ve been recovering.”

Photo of Aware in her Miss Mount Vernon 2020 crown and sash (Photo Cred: Instagram)

The 2020 Miss D.C. USA pageant is set to take place at the Carpenter Theatre at the Dominion Energy Center from 2:00-8:00 PM, January 18-19th. Interviews are scheduled for Saturday, January 18th. The rest of the preliminaries will take place on Sunday, January 19th at 2:00 PM.

Finals for Miss D.C. USA is on Sunday, January 19th at 8:00 PM. Will Yashvi win the coveted Miss D.C. USA 2020 crown? We’ll have to wait and see.

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Former Miss Teen USA Named New Catfish CoHost

The world of social media & pageantry combine on MTV tonight as former Miss Teen USA, Kamie Crawford makes her debut as the newest cohost of the popular MTV docu-series, Catfish.

Crawford announced the news to her followers on Wednesday. She will cohost all episodes of the new season with longtime host and founder, Nev Schulman.

Crawford is replacing beloved Catfish cameraman Max Joseph. She said she had to pray during the taping of the first episode because things get heated.
(Photo Cred: Instagram)

When Crawford was initially invited on the show to guest host in September 2018, she first thought it was a joke, “I thought I was being Catfished.” However, she later accepted the invitation after realizing the offer was indeed real.

Crawford was a guest cohost for several episodes on the show last season and loved every minute of it,

“All of the support I got from fans of the show was amazing, but I was just happy to be there for as long as they would have let me.”
In July 2019, Crawford received a call from Schulman asking her if she wanted to be a part of the show fulltime as the new cohost. She was elated saying, “Of course, I wanted to shout it from the roof tops.”

She is replacing longtime cohost, Max Joseph, who left the show to focus on his filmmaking career. Crawford made a point in her post to ensure her followers she is not trying to replace him, “I hope I can make him, Nev, and Catfish fans proud as we move into season 8 and beyond!”

Catfish’s official announcement of Crawford becoming the new cohost. Former Miss USA, Deshauna Barber certainly approves of their decision. (Photo Cred: Instagram)

Crawford was crowned Miss Teen USA on July 24th, 2010 at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort in the Bahamas, representing as Miss Maryland Teen USA. Upon being crowned, she won a $100,000 scholarship, moved to New York City sharing an apartment with Miss Universe Ximena Navarrete and Miss USA Rima Fakih.

After her reign as Miss Teen USA, Crawford enrolled in classes at the New York Film Academy. Her time there led her into the world of acting, modeling and hosting, which eventually led her to the MTV hit show, Catfish.

Crawford being crowned Miss Teen USA 2010 at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort in the Bahamas. (Photo Cred: Miss Universe)

Catfish began airing in 2012 featuring Nev & Max. The two came up with the idea for the show following Schulman’s very own catfish experience.

In 2007, he met and fell in love with a woman named “Megan” online. Over the course of 7 months, he and Megan exchanged text messages and even talked on the phone. However, everything fell apart when Schulman finally met Megan in person. Megan turned out to be Angela! Several years later, in 2010, the documentary, Catfished, was released featuring footage of his catfish encounter with Angela/Megan.

Following the documentary’s release, Schulman’s DMs was bombarded with people sharing similar experiences asking for his help. This inspired him and longtime friend and camera operator Joseph to create hit the show. Debuting with 2.7 millions viewers during it’s very first episode.

The MTV docu-series is still going strong after 7 seasons of success. Season 8 premieres tonight, January 8th at 8:00 p.m. EST. and will be Crawford’s debut as the new fulltime cohost of Catfish.

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Miss America Fans Drag Org For Sharing Negative Article On Their Facebook Page

No doubt the Leadership team at Miss America are scrambling right now after Miss America fans (and critics) gave the MAO front office the read of their lives on Sunday after someone on their social media team shared an article from The List, The Untold Truth of Miss America 2020 Winner Camille Schrier.

Even though MAO didn’t provide the info or pictures for the article, fans still dragged them for this picture featured. Photo Cred: Instagram

In the article, the writer Blaire Erskine called the MAO system sketchy and posted a hyperlink to another article on it’s site Sketchy Things Everyone Just Ignores About Miss America written by another writer Shira Danan. The Sketchy Things article, dated during the Sam Haskell era, talks about the system’s racist history of banning women of African descent from competing, organizers telling Miss America 1945 Beth Meyerson (a daughter of Russian and Jewish immigrants) to change her last name to sound less Jewish, Vanessa Williams’ saga and a handful of other negative press MAO endured over their storied history.

Grab a glass and tune in to the Pageants & Prosecco podcast available on all digital streaming platforms.

In the now-deleted article shared on the MAO official Facebook page, Erskine takes statements from Schrier’s interviews with the BBC, her social media captions, the Miss Virginia website, a handful of other media outlets including VCU News, the school paper for Virginia Commonwealth University, the school Schrier is currently studying at for her doctorate in pharmacy and twists her words around to sound as if Miss America is bashing her 2.0 systems’ former life during the 1.0 time.

The article claims Schrier was not even interested in competing for the title under it’s traditional categories and format. She’s also quoted as saying she does not see Miss America as a beauty pageant anymore.

Camille is quoted as saying she only began competing locally after MAO changed to their 2.0 format. A move many took as not paying homage to the pageant’s foundation and a disregard to the contestants who competed in swimsuits. Photo Cred: Miss America Organization

The comment section exploded with people immediately criticizing the MAO social media handlers for sharing an article that arguably does not put them in a positive light. Many people, still scorned at the way the competition was held last month, expressed their utter done-ness with Miss America 2.0. Some felt by MAO sharing this article, it’s the organization’s way of slapping the previous titleholders crowned under 1.0 in the faces and doing an about face heading into a 2.0 tragedy right before it’s 100th year anniversary.

The 100th year anniversary of the Miss America competition is in September 2021. Photo Cred: Miss America Organization

Other comments came at the definition of who is a scientist/biochemist considering Camille is still in school, while others said crowning a scientist is no new feat in the pageant world and her talent was “an elementary school level” demonstration. Some people even went as far as saying her “unusual” talent should not be a media talking point when many contestants train years for their artistic displays i.e. dancing, baton twirling, piano etc.

Fans are still debating if sciences experiments and demos are deemed Miss America talent worthy based of skill level. Schrier won the Miss America Preliminary Talent Award. Photo Cred: B. Vartan Boyajian/MAO

The overall theme of the fans were how disappointed they are in MAO’s PR department sharing an article of this nature in the first place with many people questioning the organization’s motives to share media which condescends the pageant’s barely-recent 1.0 past and the dismissal of the contestants who competed before Gretchen took the helms.

However their PR team seemed to have scrolled through the comments and jumped on deleting the shared article off their Facebook page. Now to see if they are going to release a statement about the fuss made or sweep this little incident under the rug. Time will tell.

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What it means to be Black, Beautiful & A Queen in a 2020 Beauty Pageant

Cheryl Browne won Miss Iowa in June 1970 becoming the first African America contestant to compete for Miss America. It would be 13 years later with Vanessa Williams’ win in 1983, the first Black woman is crowned the national title.

I don’t know if the $5M crown was bobby pinned all the way down on Queen Zozibini before the great-as-expected social media frenzy kicked off like a starter gun in a 100 meter dash featuring Usain Bolt. People all over were trying to hide their inner racism by questioning why so many Black people, mainly women, were so excited to see a contestant like South Africa “finally” get crowned.

Without shedding light on too much of their commentary, some of the comments spoke about how we should look past skin color and admire her for her answers instead during the competition. Others said Zozibini’s look is more in line with IMG’s “brand” i.e. the increase in women of color being crowned since they took over the organization’s management in 2015. Other trolls question the “rally cry” Black Girl Magic and stated it was taking steps backwards from Martin Luther King Jr’s work to integrate among each other.

@Zozitunzi on Instagram

While no one is wrong in genuinely looking to gain more insight into a Black woman’s mind, especially those of a darker complexion, to understand the even more complex background of what is consider beautiful in both the Black culture and in the white world. However, some of these VERY same people are the ones imprinting into young children’s mind what their typical ideal standard of beauty looks like and for a long period of time it was not how our current Miss Universe looks.

It was at this point the crown was secured!

From the dawn of time, Black women have been competing against a European idea of beauty. Straight hair, slim nose, fair or lighter skin; in pretty much every culture with darker skin people,women are subconsciously taught lighter skin is better and prettier. This leads to the infamous skin bleaching we’ve seen with some celebs.

Times that with a particular hair curl also being discriminated against from your very own mother for years until you took ownership of your scalp around the same time you signed up for your first credit card. Times this again by entering a beauty pageant dominated by blondes with blue eyes winning for decades before they even ALLOWED a women of African descent to compete in their system. Enter infamous Rule #7.

Watching our new Miss Universe grace the stage so elegantly and speaking up for young girls’ leadership, education and self-perception is a significant and historic barrier that’s long been waiting to be broken. It took Deshauna Barber’s final walk in her full 4c afro glory for Zozibini to run Sunday night. (And probably the all-female selection committee) Kara giving us her bountiful hair full of curls made us change the way we see scientists and Cheslie is doing the same in the courtroom.

Black women have been slowly integrating the pageant systems with our true authentic self and some of the features are becoming more accepted, like the all-curly hair and fros we’ve been seeing lately. Several Black women would simply get overlooked in any pageant system wearing their tighter kinks or afros and being labeled “too black” for what is often a non-diverse judging panel. It’s a common coaching tip to minimize your Blackness in several ways to appeal more to the white judges:

Never forget.

wear white. Red is too dramatic and shows you are too commanding, intimidating, too much dare I say, aggressive. Pull your hair up in a bun or half-updo and away from your face. This shows the judges your face more and hides your hair. Or opt to wear a straight long weave, frankly, the easiest option for a week long competition away from home for quick maintenance. All of the past Black Miss Universes won with straight hair. Chelsea’s was big and high in a more Afrocentric way. However, everyone’s hair was high and close to God back then.

On Sunday, a woman wearing her naturally tightly coiled 4c hair had a $5M dollar crown placed on her head in front of 3.8 million people live on television and the world was calling her the universe’s most beautiful person.

Oprah invites Miss Universe to speak with her students at her all-girl academy in Henley on Klip, Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Can you imagine how powerful that moment is for a 13-year-old girl who was just bullied for having that very same skin complexion? Or for the thousands of Black pageants contestants who try year after year to compete in the same system that has no former titleholders who look like them. Texas just crowned their first Black women in the Miss America system. A system founded in 1921, 98 years ago.

With her natural hair, shea butter whipped brown skin and public speaking skills in line with other women leaders of our generation, Zozibini displayed love for her culture all during the competition. She wore tradition African prints and spoke boldly about women’s right to education especially since the apartheid ended in South Africa. Typically, this would have been told to lessen down because it’s “too black” but on Sunday like she said, “that ends tonight.”

Hail our new Queen! How many times do I have to sing Brown Skin Girl to get skin this smooth??

Sidenote: I spoke more about how, during this time of silent discrimination against women of color, Black pageants rose in popularity.

Unfortunately, they are several horror stories from contestants, including myself, about our experiences competing in these systems. Despite the negative press, sometimes these systems made for us, by us is a woman’s only true shot at becoming a national titleholder.

It automatically evens the playing field and eliminates the bias of racial beauty while becoming an inclusive environment for like-minded Black women on the same mission to do good philanthropy, invest in their education and compete for a crown. Very few other clubs/hobbies/church groups have driven women in them who understand your desire to drop $800 on a new couture gown instead of paying your rent. Many of my adult friendships are from competing in pageants open to women of African descent.

I spoke more about this cognitive dissonance dilemma among Black contestants on the Pageants & Prosecco Podcast.

Grab your glass of wine and tune in 🙂 Available on all streaming platforms.

-B

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South Africa wins Miss Universe!

YAY!!! Like many people of color, watching South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi compete all night was a breath of fresh air as she easily graced the stage and dominated each question and phase of competition that came her way. With this historic win, Tunzi is the third South African to take the crown since Demi Leigh-Nel Peters. She is also the first Black woman to win the award since Leila Lopes in 2011.

During the 2019 Miss Universe pageant, Tunzi spoke on the importance of education and how her grandmother gave her her first book even though her grandmother was not allowed to receive an education. She also used her platform Sunday night to talk about what holding the crown would mean for those looking up to her during her reign.

During her final onstage question she spoke on the importance young girls taking up space and to hold more leadership positions.

“I think we are the most powerful human beings in the world.” – Tunzi

We’ll be watching you Miss Universe!

India’s Harnaaz wins Miss Universe – Get to Know the Most Beautiful Woman in the World

India’s Harnaaz Sandhu wins the 70th Annual Miss Universe Competition.

According to Miss Universe’s bio of the delegates page:

Harnaaz draws her inspiration from her mother, who broke generations of patriarchy to become a successful gynecologist and led her family. Driven to support other women the same way, Harnaaz grew up working with her mother at health camps addressing women’s health and menstrual hygiene.

Deeply conscious of the privilege her mother’s struggles have gifted her, Harnaaz today is a strong advocate for women’s empowerment, particularly their constitutional rights to education, careers, and their freedom of choice. Professionally, Harnaaz is an actor with two Punjabi LMS slated for release in 2022 and hopes to essay characters in LMS that break stereotypes that the world has of women.

Her favorite actor is Priyanka Chopra, and she draws inspiration from her body of work. In her spare time, Harnaaz enjoys the company of friends, loves yoga, dancing, cooking, horse riding, and playing chess. She is a water baby and never misses a chance to jump into a pool to rejuvenate herself. She believes in the saying – “Great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful.”

FUN FACTS

  • I mimic almost anyone including animals.
  • I am a closet singer.
  • I love writing couplets in my mother tongue Punjabi.

Congratulations to India!!!

Miss Universe Top 16 Picks

Hello World Cup of Pageantry Day! The Olympics of beauty, poise and grace. We have made it to Miss Universe Sunday and today we are getting a new Queen! Admittedly this day caught up with me so quickly but nonetheless, I am ready with my Shiraz to share my picks for who our new Miss Universe will be.

As you know, I don’t miss!!

Grab your glasses and recap the prelims with me and I narrow down my favorites for the crown. Some of these women are definitely bringing it and stand out above the rest. 

Who do you have in your Top 16? Top 3? Comment below

Miss USA 2021 Preliminary Picks

Who do you have winning Miss USA 2021?

You know I am always super spot on and can tell who is going to take the crown! Trust me as your leading pageant picking professional LOL! In this episode on the eve of Super Bowl Sunday aka Miss USA.. I am narrowing down my faves for the crown. It was hard for me to pick a full 20 because I know at least 7 women who I personally would have as the next Miss USA (whom those women are are revealed at the end)!

Nonetheless, I am really amazed at the work Crystle Stewart is putting in and I am certain MY picks are Miss Universe ready today. They need no additional help and are ready to represent on that international stage in just three weeks!

Grab your glass and narrow down your faves with me in this episode. As usual, I will be back for a follow-up episode after the competition to tell you all I told you so!

Have you heard the news? Pageants & Prosecco was named on of the Top 15 Beauty Pageant Podcasts of 2020!! Congratulations to the entire team and to our hundreds of listeners for supporting P&P! Cheers!! NOW HIRING!! Come sip along with Bee and join the Pageants & Prosecco team. **We are looking for a Talent Relations Intern. College Credit available.** Click here to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes by following Pageants & Prosecco on Instagram & Twitter. Follow our new sponsor BeeHoldHer 5D Mink Eyelashes on Instagram for launch dates – coming soon to the Pageants & Prosecco website.

22 Things to Know About Olivia Pura, Miss Illinois USA 2020

  1. What did the journey to your crown look like? I decided to compete in Miss Illinois USA 2020 in May of 2019. It was something I had thought about since I held the Teen title… but I finally felt in my heart that the timing was right! That summer, I was working full-time as a research assistant and studying for the GRE. Any and all of my free time was used for pageant prep – which made for a pretty busy summer. Having such a good rhythm in my preparation made it feel so effortless and, before I knew it, pageant weekend came! I felt a genuinely calmness while competing and soaked in every moment. 
  2. What tips would you give to pageant competitors? My biggest advice is so start preparing early, slow and steady. There’s nothing worse than stressing before or during a pageant weekend – it takes away from the magic of the experience! If you’re competing on a budget, I highly recommend checking out YouTube for pageant prep help. There are plenty interview tips, walking videos and makeup tutorials available for free. Most importantly – be YOU and have FUN. What’s meant to be yours will be yours, whether it’s winning the title or not!
  3. Do you have a favorite wine, or drink? Cold brew is my favorite drink! I’m a coffee lover through and through. If I’m indulging in a glass of wine, it’s definitely red – the best I’ve ever had is from the V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena, CA.
  4. Dream pageant gown designer? Sherri Hill made my dream gown come to life for Miss USA! She is not only a talented designer but a kind, caring woman. My favorite international designer is Valdrin Sahiti! 
  5. What are your makeup go-to’s for a quick beat? If I’m short on time, I throw on Image Skincare’s tinted SPF, a little bit of concealer (Tarte Shape Tape is my favorite!), Glossier Boy Brow and Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam.
Prior to becoming Miss Illinois USA 2020, Olivia was Miss Teen Illinois 2016, where she placed in the Top 15 at Miss Teen USA!

5. What are your makeup go to’s for a quick beat?: If I’m short on time, I throw on Image Skincare’s tinted SPF, a little bit of concealer (Tarte Shape Tape is my favorite!), Glossier Boy Brow, and Glossier Cloud Paint in “Beam.”

6. What was your first pageant competition like? My first competition was Miss Illinois Teen USA 2016. I went in so clueless and imperfect, yet excited and grateful. The friendships I met that weekend, several of them being returning contestants, were all incredibly kind and offered a lot of advice. The whole weekend, I focused on having FUN! Going into finals night, I didn’t think even for a second that I would win. Imagine the shock I felt when I was called the winner! It was a giant blessing that truly changed my life’s course forever.

7. Current read? Right now, I’m reading The Confidence Code by Claire Shipman and Katty Kay.

8. Which portion of competition is your fave? Though it’s nerve-wracking at times, interview is my favorite portion of competition! It’s where the judges really get to see who you are and what type of titleholder you would be. Prepping for pageant interviews has allowed me to be a better, more confident interviewer and public speaker in general!

9. If you could travel anywhere where would you go? Without a doubt – the moon!

10. How do you balance your pageant, work, and personal life? Prioritization and organization are key! It’s important to be honest with yourself and know when to say no. This was really hard for me at first.  I also keep a bullet journal where I jot down my daily thoughts, keep track of short-term and long-term goals and managed my weekly to-do lists. Bullet journaling also allows me to let out my inner artist and have fun with planning!

Olivia is the oldest of three siblings in her family, and is first generation Polish American.

11. Give us a good motivational quote that inspires you.: “Just keep swimming!” – Dory, Finding Nemo

12. Would you consider yourself a hero? I view my accomplishments with nothing but humility and gratitude. The reality is, I wouldn’t be where I am without my heroes. However, there is no better compliment than to be told that I am a role model to someone.  I choose to live my life as though I am someone’s hero and strive to set the best example always!

13. Bedtime routine? TAKE. MY. MAKEUP. OFF. ALWAYS. I have acne-prone skin, so I start by making sure my face is clean and moisturized at night (witch hazel, CeraVe SA Lotion and tea tree oil are my favorite products). My favorite nights are spent sipping a mug of caffeine-free herbal tea and snuggling into my massive pile of throw pillows. Minimizing my nighttime phone use was a big 2020 goal for me – once I’m in bed, I put it on Do Not Disturb and leave it locked!

14. What artists are on your playlist? My most-played artists are definitely TroyBoi, Odesza, and deadmau5. If I’m not listening to EDM, I’m probably listening to Aminé, Hozier or Dan + Shay.

15. How did you decide on your evening gown? My Miss USA gown was actually the first and only gown I tried on at the Sherri Hill showroom in Austin! I immediately fell in love with it. The color, cut, neckline and beading were all BETTER than what I had envisioned for myself. When you know, you know!

Olivia is a senior at Northwestern University and is a double major in biochemistry and Slavic languages & literatures. (Photo cred: Miss USA)

16. What are 3 words you would use to describe yourself? Cool Mom Friend. I’m just as likely to plan a fancy brunch in the city with friends as I am to throw on a pair of crocs and spend a night watching romcoms. No matter my mood, I’m always looking out for those around me!

17. Favorite junk food? My goodness, it’s impossible to pick just one! I have a CRAZY sweet tooth. If I HAVE to pick… I’d say Nutella. But oreos, donuts, peanut M&Ms, and Portillo’s chocolate cake are all honorable mentions! 

18. One global issue that tugs at your heart: While the feminist movement has taken unbelievable strides in the United States, there are still many countries around the world where women are considered inferior to men. I want to see a world where women are truly equals and share the same rights: access to education, voice in their governments and respect in leadership roles. 

 19. What is your favorite movie? I absolutely adore all of the Harry Potter movies; my favorite is the Chamber of Secrets.

20. Who would you consider to be your hero? My parents are always have been and always will be my heroes. Both of them left Poland, their home country, when they were younger than I currently am. Watching them pour themselves into our family in hopes of giving me and my siblings the life they always wanted fuels my daily drive! I am in awe of their work ethic, compassion and fearlessness. 

21. How do you unwind on a Sunday evening? I love to throw on a giant Tshirt, crack open a pint of Halo Top (chocolate chip cookie dough is my favorite) and watch YouTube. I’m actually not a big Netflix gal and prefer watching tutorials, vlogs and DIY videos!

22. Give us your best Pageant Patty answer: Describe your perfect date? My perfect date is September 2, 2019 – the day I won the title of Miss Illinois USA! Could I ask for anything better than that? 

Catch up with Olivia on this week’s episode of Pageants & Prosecco, the Podcast. She shares her story about her time competing for Miss Teen USA, how she and the other former teen titleholders mentally prepare to compete as Miss, her relationship with the Vanbros management and other state titleholders working with them, what her reality is like being a first-generations American and why she chose to pursue the STEM field at one of the country’s top schools.