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OPERA-BELTING NEW YORKER CROWNED MISS AMERICA
We’re in a New York state of mind.
Miss New York Nia Franklin has been crowned Miss America.
In a pageant clouded by controversy after its swimsuit portion was eliminated and plagued by infighting between last year’s winner and the organizers, Franklin, gorgeous in a white gown, brought home the crown by beating out Miss Connecticut Bridget Oei, who finished as runnerup.
A classical vocalist, Franklin’s pageant platform is “advocating for the arts.” Sunday night, she sang an operatic selection from the opera “La Bohème.”
Frankin, 25, moved to New York after she was accepted into the Kenan Fellow program at Lincoln Center Education in Manhattan. She earned a master’s degree in music composition from University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
On her official bio page, she said the competition empowered her to become a champion for all children to have access to quality arts education.
During the talent competition held in Atlantic City Sunday night, Franklin sang opera, then spoke out about her “New York grit.”
“I understand what it means to work hard,” she said, to loud cheers from the audience.
From the stage after her win, an emotional Franklin thanked God, her parents and her fellow competitors.
She finished victorious from a final five that included Miss Louisiana Holli Conway, Miss Massachusetts Gabriela Taveras, Miss Florida Taylor Tyson and Oei.
Backed by a soundtrack of female power anthems, including Beyoncé’s “Run the World,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and Whitney Houston’s “I’m Every Woman,” the 51 women focused more on their messages than their outfits in the first pageant of the #MeToo era.
Changes to the competition began in December, when CEO Sam Haskell was ousted over leaked internal emails that included crude remarks about 2013 Miss America Mallory Hagan’s weight gain and sex life. In June, the competition eliminated the swimsuit portion, which was awarded at every Miss America pageant from 1940 to 2018.
Cara Mund, the reigning Miss America, has also accused current head Gretchen Carlson, a former Miss America herself, and Regina Hopper, the chairwoman of the Miss America board of trustees, of bullying her and silencing her after she spoke out about being unhappy with how she was treated by the organization.
On Sunday, contestants left behind the backstage scandals and instead strutted in shiny, glamorous gowns — and one pink jumper — in the glitzy event.
Among the more political messages, Miss Michigan Emily Sioma used her introduction to call out the Flint water crisis.
“From the state with 84% of the U.S. freshwater but none for its residents to drink, I am Miss Michigan Emily Sioma,” she said.
During the talent portion, Miss Nebraska Jessica Shultis performed a self-written monologue about being diagnosed with cancer at age 19.
The winner of Miss America spends her one-year reign advancing her Social Impact Initiative and serving as the national ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network.
The Empire State has been on a beautiful run lately with Miss New York winners Mallory Hagan, Nina Davuluri and Kira Kazantsev claiming the title from 2013 to 2015.