Open in App
  • U.S.
  • Election
  • Newsletter
  • American Insight

    Miss USA Alma Cooper crowned amid controversial pageant year

    15 days ago
    User-posted content
    AI-assisted
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1zK1PF_0uoQdWXK00
    Alma Cooper, Miss Michigan USA wins Miss USA 2024 at the 73rd annual Miss USA Pageant at Peacock Theater on August 4, 2024 in Los Angeles.Photo byGilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

    Alma Cooper of Miss Michigan was crowned Miss USA during the pageant's 73rd annual ceremony on Sunday, succeeding a tumultuous year for the organization marked by high-profile resignations and controversies.

    Cooper, 22, celebrated her diverse background as an Afro-Latina and U.S. Army officer. During the Q&A segment, she shared, "As the daughter of a migrant worker, a proud Afro-Latina woman, and an officer in the United States Army, I am living the American dream."

    Cooper is also a data scientist and a master’s student at Stanford University, where she researches food insecurity. Her journey to the Miss USA stage has been a long-held dream, supported by her community and personal growth.

    The pageant aired on The CW, which is currently reassessing its involvement with both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

    The crowning of Cooper comes after a period of significant disruption for the Miss USA organization.

    The resignation of former Miss USA Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, along with the departure of the organization's social media director, sparked controversy.

    Voigt announced her resignation in May, citing the importance of mental health, while Srivastava expressed a misalignment with the organization's values.

    Voigt’s and Srivastava’s mothers accused the organization of mistreatment, claiming their daughters faced bullying and abuse.

    In response, Savannah Gankiewicz, the 2023 Miss USA runner-up who briefly held the title, defended the organization, dismissing the allegations as untrue.

    Gankiewicz’s recent statements defending the organization have drawn criticism from Voigt’s and Srivastava’s representatives, who argue that her comments attempt to discredit the experiences of the former titleholders.

    Voigt and Srivastava have both emphasized that the focus should remain on the contestants and their experiences, rather than on the surrounding drama.


    Expand All
    Comments / 0
    Add a Comment
    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
    Most Popular newsMost Popular

    Comments / 0