After finishing as a runner-up last year, Lake Oswego resident Emma Burke has her sights set on achieving the title of Miss Oregon for America Strong next month.
Burke, who currently holds the distinction of Miss Willamette Valley for America Strong, will participate in the 2024 Mrs. Oregon America & Miss Oregon for America Strong pageant May 4 at the Elsinore Theatre in Salem. The Miss Oregon for America Strong pageant is for single, divorced or widowed women, and the winner will go on to compete in the Miss America Strong pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada this summer.
“It felt like the crown was within reach, so I wanted to come back to use everything I learned last time to do a better job,” Burke said.
Burke strove to spread awareness about the prevalence of sex trafficking during the pageant last year but shifted attention to crime this year. She created the organization Survivors Collaborating Against Recidivism, which strives to “reduce crime through education and legislative advocacy.”
Burke hopes to lobby in Salem and potentially at the national level to improve public safety laws. She advocated for House Bill 4156 in Salem this year, which modified definitions related to stalking orders and stalking offenses — and made stalking offenses more punitive in certain cases.
She hopes that advocacy can lead to better laws.
“Many of us have stories of trauma and lived experience and it doesn’t do much good until we share them with people who can do something about it,” Burke said.
The pageant includes a question-and-answer session as well as swimsuit and evening gown sections. Burke hopes to improve her wardrobe for this year’s competition.
Burke ran for Lake Oswego City Council twice and has served on the board of directors for local organizations like the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce and Clackamas Women's Services. She received the service award at last year’s competition.
“My heart was to serve the community. I realized I didn’t need to be an elected official to do that,” she said.
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