Miss America 2021: 5 things to know about Miss Alaska Emma Broyles who won the crown
Miss Alaska Emma Broyles has been crowned the winner of Miss America contest 2021. The event held at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, Connecticut, saw the previous winner Camille Schrier, who held the title for two years due to the pandemic, being dethroned. This year marks the 100th year since the competition was first held on September 8, 1921, where Margaret Gorman was crowned as the winner. Coming back to Broyles, she walked away with the crown and a $100,000 college scholarship after impressing the panel with straightforward responses and also showing her vulnerable side during the interview portion of the competition.
Speaking of pageants, Miss Universe 2021, crowned India's Harnaaz Sandhu as the winner from 80 global contestants. Miss USA 2021 winner Elle Smith had participated in the contest held in Israel, weeks after winning on the home ground. She made it to the Top 10 but was denied a spot in the Top 5. In other news, Miss World 2021 contest which was supposed to be held at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum of Puerto Rico on December 16 was canceled and postponed due to health and safety concerns.
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5 things to know about Miss America Emma Broyles
Emma Broyles is invested in Building Community Through Special Olympics
The social impact initiative close to her heart is to build community through Special Olympics and she spent a lot of time working towards the cause during her reign as Miss Alaska 2021. In October, the Anchorage resident visited the South Anchorage High School to interact with special-needs students. "Today I had the privilege of speaking to South High School’s Partners Club about Special Olympics and the many ways that students can get involved beyond their school program," read an update on her official Miss America Alaska page.
"I firmly believe that lasting change starts with the youth in our communities, which is why I am such a firm believer in our local Special Olympics school programs. Ensuring opportunities for students of all abilities to be leaders in their schools and communities is how we will ultimately develop a more inclusive and empathetic world," the update continued. A few months before that, she visited Dimond High School to speak about the significance of Special Olympics. "It is so truly inspiring to see how dedicated these students are to making their schools and communities a more inclusive and welcoming space," the post read.
Emma Broyles opened up about her battle with ADHD
"I am real. I have flaws. I have ADHD. I have dermatillomania, which is a form of OCD. I've struggled with all of these things and because of that, I am a better person," Broyles said. "During COVID, it was an incredibly difficult time for me, being isolated in my college dorm for so long. It was that point when I hit rock bottom when I realized I can be so much more than that." The 19-year-old who suffers from a condition that causes one to pick at their own skin repeatedly causing lesions wants to be a dermatologist. She is currently Biomedical Sciences at Arizona State University's Honors College.
Emma Broyles' floored judges with this powerful answer in the final round
Broyles walked away with the golden crown after flooring the panel in the final round of the competition. She was asked how she would react in case a male representative of a major sponsor made inappropriate comments and sexual advances towards her. "I know in my heart that as a woman, I am never going to let somebody treat me like, because women should never be treated like objects," Broyles said according to a report. "Women can be angry! We cannot be content with things that are happening." She succeeds Schrier, a pharmacy student and prescription safety advocate who was awarded a $50,000 scholarship along with "the job of Miss America."
Emma Broyles is not new to the stage
Emma has emceed a number of events for her college and is quite popular on campus for her ability to hold a crowd with her skills. Her journey on the stage began in 2017 when she was just 15 and a sophomore in high school. She entered the local preliminary Miss America program competition in Alaska and won the title of Outstanding Teen in her very first outing. The same year she won Alaska's Outstanding Teen as well.
What's next for Emma Broyles's as Miss America?
As Miss America, Broyles is now a full-time, paid contractual employee of the Miss America Organization (MAO) and will be responsible for "positively advancing the goals and objectives of MAO as well as her own Social Impact Initiative." To read more about what the job entails, click here.