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ALZ and mental health advocate Tianna Clark bested over 80 other competitors to be crowned Miss California USA 2023 on Sunday, June 18 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove, California. The 27-year-old soldier and professional model from Perris is a psychology graduate of Norco College in Riverside County. She succeeds last year's winner Tiffany Johnson and will now prepare to represent her home state at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada on a date yet to be announced. "Blessed and grateful. I'm truly grateful and excited for the year ahead. Thank you to the coach and all the sponsors who helped me along this journey," she shared online. Giselle Burgos of Boyle Heights was named first runner-up while Samantha Ramos of Fullerton, Athenna Crosby of NorCal, and Jaanu Patel of Huntington Beach were the second, third, and fourth runners-up, respectively. Rounding out the Top 18 were Issha Rose Mata, Natalie Benson, Dominique Mihaljević, Lilian Thorington, Akanksha ...

Haley Berger, representing Lawrence, was crowned Miss Kansas USA 2023 on Sunday, June 18 at Polsky Theatre in the Midwest Trust Center, Overland Park. The 22-year-old pharmacy student at the University of Kansas will now prepare to represent Kansas at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada on a date yet to be announced. Darby Davis of Kansas City and Megan Reinhart of Wichita were declared the first and second runners-up, respectively, while Natalie Hotz of Topeka, Jaelynne Seirer of Russell County, and Aryssa Joel of Prairie Village rounded out the Top 6 finalists. "I want to extend my deepest appreciation to the sponsors and the pageant organization for providing this platform, allowing us to showcase our intelligence, and inner beauty," the new Miss Kansas USA shared on social media after winning her first pageant ever. "I have been inspired by the incredible women I have met throughout this competition. We have bonded, supported one another, and shattered stereotypes together...

Miss Black Hills, Amber Hulse was crowned Miss South Dakota USA 2023 on Sunday, June 11 at Watertown Event Center in Watertown, South Dakota. The runners-up were Lexus Paulson (Sioux Falls), Cathyliana Santiago-Nunez (Harrisburg), Anna Bonnstetter (Southeast South Dakota), and Jaimye Wininger (Brookings). Amber is a former White House intern who holds a degree in political science and government from the University of South Dakota. She is currently pursuing her doctorate of law degree at Georgetown University Law Center. No stranger to pageantry, the 24-year-old is also a former Miss South Dakota winner who went on to participate in Miss America 2020 in Uncasville, Connecticut. She will now prepare to represent her home state South Dakota at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada on a date yet to be announced. "I am beyond grateful to be standing here today as your new Miss South Dakota USA. It is an absolute honor to represent this beautiful state and its people," she shared on socia...

Badlands' Monni Nyaribo was crowned Miss North Dakota USA 2023 on Sunday, June 11 at Watertown Event Center in Watertown, South Dakota. The 27-year-old BBA in marketing graduate of North Dakota State University will now represent North Dakota at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada this fall. Morgan Layton (Minot), Haley Helmin (Fargo), Chelsey Faye Morlock (Dunn County), and Lauren Cannon (Jamestown) were announced as the first, second, third, and fourth runners-up, respectively. As a proud Kenyan-American, the new Miss North Dakota USA hopes to inspire young girls with the same skin color as hers. She wrote on social media: "I hope any little black girl watching knows that they are worthy of love. They are worthy to be successful." Monni also shared her foundation and social impact initiative "Find Your Match" which was cultivated from her own life-altering experience with burnout in her 20s. It aims to eliminate hustle culture and raise awareness for burnout prevent...

Bianca Wright, representing Anthony, was crowned Miss New Mexico USA 2023 on Sunday, June 4 at the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Center for the Arts in Las Cruces. The 28-year-old environmental scientist and founder of a community organization Harvesting Help for Humanity will now prepare to represent New Mexico at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada this fall. She succeeds last year's winner and Miss USA 2022 Top 12 finalist Suzanne Perez.  Her court of runners-up were Chariona Bridges, Elizabeth Medina, Alondra Ruiz, Francesca Covino, and Priscilla Trujillo. For the teens' division, Hobbs' Asia Rose Simpson succeeds Caroline Babcock as she won the title of Miss New Mexico Teen USA 2023. The 15-year-old will go on to compete in Miss Teen USA 2023. Asia's runners-up were Jade Vargas, Carolina Ockerman, Analyssa Jaimes, Hailee Gallegos, and Mya Sanchez. The last time New Mexico won the Miss USA title was in 1984 with Mai Therese Shanley who went on to place i...

Nevaeh Harmon was crowned Miss West Virginia USA 2023 on Sunday, June 4 at the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts, West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon. The 21-year-old Filipino-American (Blasian) pre-med student from Charleston-Huntington Area will now prepare to represent West Virginia at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada this fall. Rounding out the Top 5 were Tamia Hardy, Emma Knapp, Cassidy Myers, and Erin Wellman. They were proclaimed the first, second, third, and fourth runners-up, respectively. "This is the most surreal feeling I have ever felt in my life. If you would have asked me one year ago today if I pictured myself winning, I would have said you were crazy," Nevaeh shared on social media. "I am honored and excited to represent my wild and wonderful state and community on the national stage, and I promise I won't let you down. This year is going to be a wild one, but I'm ready for the ride," she added. View this post ...

Alexis Fagan-Williams, representing Motown, was crowned Miss Michigan USA 2023 on Saturday, June 3 at the McMorran Place Sports & Entertainment Center in Port Huron. The 22-year-old psychology graduate from Detroit succeeds Aria Hutchinson and will now prepare to represent Michigan at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada. "Words cannot express how grateful I am to have won the title of Miss Michigan USA 2023. I want to thank everyone who has helped me on this long journey to the crown. It means the world to have such an amazing support system behind me," she wrote in a statement on social media. Her court of runners-up includes Sidnei Austin of Somerset, Alexandria Kelly of South Canton, Sabrina Ramos of Dearborn, Michele Lewandoski of Norton Shores, and Victoria Singleton of Macomb County. Farmington Hills' Avery Hill succeeds Isabella Mosqueda as she was proclaimed Miss Michigan Teen USA 2023. She will now proceed to compete in Miss Teen USA 2023 final this fall. The teen...

Candace Kanavel was crowned Miss Arizona USA 2023 on Monday, May 29 at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts in Gilbert, Arizona. The 27-year-old Arizona State University alumna and police officer from Tempe will now represent her home state at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada this fall. She succeeds last year's winner Isabel Ticlo after trying to win the title for several years. Jordyn Owen, Khayla Munir, Zari Chacon, Sammi Landsman, and Victoria Jackson were declared the runners-up to the new Miss Arizona USA. "Is this real life?! So excited and honored to represent the state of Arizona as your Miss Arizona USA 2023," Candace wrote in a statement on social media. "It’s true when they say it takes a village, and I couldn’t have done this without mine," she added and went on to thank the people who made her victory possible. Her message for her fellow competitors: "To my amazing class, you are beautiful, inspiring, intelligent, and kind. This isn’t just my...

Cumberland's Mary Malloy was crowned Miss Rhode Island USA 2023 on Sunday, May 28 at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium (The VETS) in Providence. The first runner-up was Katie Bergantine while Jesaura Peralta, Briana Vega, and Kaitlynne Santana were announced as the second, third, and fourth runners-up, respectively. No stranger to pageantry, the new Miss Rhode Island USA is a former Miss Rhode Island Teen USA titleholder. She also participated twice at Miss California USA where she placed first runner-up in 2021 and Top 16 semifinalist in 2022. Mary will now prepare for the Miss USA 2023 pageant to be held in Reno, Nevada later this year and hopefully conquer the second national title for the state after former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo in 2012. The 26-year-old is a journalism graduate of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. She is also a mental health advocate who volunteers as a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit that provides free mental health support. For ...

Miss Freeport, Samantha Elliott, was crowned Miss Illinois USA 2023 in a glittering state competition held on Sunday, May 28 at Braden Auditorium of the Illinois State University. The runners-up were Grace Rodi of DuPage County, Olivia Santelli of Edison Park, Yolina Lindquist of Southern Illinois, and Abby Foster of East Central. Samantha succeeds Angel Reyes, last year's winner who placed fourth runner-up and bagged the Miss Photogenic award at Miss USA 2022. The 22-year-old University of Kansas alumna with degrees in accounting and analytics will now prepare to represent Illinois at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada this fall. "Truly honored to be your new Miss Illinois USA. Words cannot express how excited I am to get this year started and to be headed to Miss USA," she wrote on social media. Sunday's event also crowned Vivica Lewandowski of Gold Coast as Miss Illinois Teen USA 2023 while Sofia Console, Karolina Kozbial, Sophia Xia, and Grace Toomey were announced as ...