For the 100th anniversary of Miss America, the national pageant was held on 16th December, 2021 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, USA. Although it was a centenary for the Miss America organization, Miss America 2022 was only the 94th edition of the competition. It was also the first time since 1954 that Miss America was not televised, but rather streamed, on Peacock.
At the end of the finale Emma Broyles of Alaska was crowned as Miss America 2022 by the reigning queen Camille Schrier, Miss America 2020. This was Alaska's first Miss America title in a 100-year history. For the talent round of the competition, Broyles sang, ‘Let Me Be Your Star’ from the NBC television show, ‘Smash.’
Emma is the first Korean-American to have won the title and is currently a junior at Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University located in Tempe, Arizona. She is a biomedical sciences and voice performance student who will now earn a six-figure salary and travel approximately 20,000 miles a month during her reign as a representative of the Miss America Organization along with receiving a record $100,000 in scholarship funds.
She also won in the preliminaries for her social impact pitch about the power of the Special Olympics. She shared that she began volunteering with the organization 12 years ago when her older brother, who has down syndrome, became an athlete.
“Being crowned 2022 Miss America is an incredible dream come true,” Broyles shared her vision. “As a Korean-American, I am so grateful for the opportunity to compete alongside so many brilliant, talented women. I hope to live up to the legacy, serve as a positive role model for women of all ages and make the Miss America Organization proud. It’s been an honor to represent the great state of Alaska and I look forward to making a significant impact through my social impact initiative on the national stage.”
Emma aims to destigmatise stereotypes by showcasing that titleholders of national pageants like Miss America and Mister America are just as human and flawed as everyone else is. Sharing her story, she divulged how her struggles with ADHD and dermatillomania, a form of OCD, shaped her into who she is today. By showing her vulnerable side to the world, the diva has inspired everyone to see seemingly unflawed people for who they are, rather than putting them up on a pedestal.