Cierra Jackson, Miss District of Columbia, won the swimsuit competition, while Miss Tennessee, Grace Burgess, won the talent competition, singing the Eagles’ classic “Desperado”. The Show Me State resident could also happen to be the first openly lesbian victor in the beauty pageant’s 95-year history.
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Camille, 23, an Ivy League scholar from Ithaca, N.Y., where she received a bachelor of science degree in Human Development from Cornell University, now holds a position in Upper New York State in the field of Human Development with an emphasis on youth social and personality development.
After a week of service and appearances around the area, the Miss America contestants took to the stage Tuesday night in the first preliminary of the competition. In picking up the award for Arkansas, Moses shared her platform story.
Miss District of Columbia 2016, Cierra Jackson, competes in the swimwear category during the first preliminary night of the Miss America 2017 competition at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
FYI: The Miss America competition was initiated as part of an elaborate public event staged by Atlantic City businessmen to extend the summer tourist season.
Inspired both by the tragic loss of a close friend to suicide at age 13 and her concern over suicide rates among young gay people, Miss O’Flaherty would devote her tenure as Miss America to suicide prevention. “She came out as a lesbian in 2014”.
Although they didn’t win, the other contenders put on quite a show.
Jackson called her swimsuit win “a blessing”.
Contestants compete in the evening gown portion of the Miss America pageant on Tuesday.
And Miss Massachusetts Alissa Musto added, “From the state that brought you bands like Boston, The Cars and Aerosmith, I’m here to rock and roll!”
Miss Mississippi Laura Lee Lewis performed the song that helped her claim the state title, “A Piece of Sky” by Barbra Streisand.
Josh Randle, COO of the Miss America Organization, also had some encouraging words on the matter.
‘One piano can create 1,000 musicians, ‘ she said.
Supporting the military, helping children and seniors figured prominently in the onstage interviews some of the contestants gave.
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‘As we’ve all seen with this election year, a talk about immigration has been extremely painful, ‘ she said. The Beijing-born Quan said she hopes to “provide tools to Americans to celebrate their backgrounds”.
