Asya Branch of Booneville was crowned Miss Mississippi 2018 on Saturday night in Vicksburg. . She will represet Mississippi at Miss America 2019. Asya  Branch is a broadcast journalism student at the University of Mississippi. At the finale night, Asya was moved to tears when her name was called as the new queen.

She expressed her feeling about her win that it was an unbelievable and a shocking experience. She says it was like floating on air, but now it is time to come back to earth and go right back into competition mode to prepare for Miss America 2019.

Asya Branch wants to increase awareness of the needs of children whose parents are sentenced or imprisoned. Her motivation for her initiative is her father who is serving his jail time for kidnapping and robbery. Her father has been in prison since she was 10 years old. She says it cost her family everything they had.

Asya Branch said she is most thrilled about reaching more children who have parents in prison and being a voice for them. For her, her father remains one of her biggest supporters and she hopes having the title of Miss Mississippi will encourage other children. She says she hopes to increase resources and mentors for such children. Branch has further planned to go to law school to support her cause related to children.

Asya Branch succeeds and was crowned by Miss Mississippi 2017 Anne Elizabeth and will be competing in the Miss America 2019 on 9th September 2018 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Do you think Asya will represent her state with dedication and bring home the Miss America crown this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.