01
January
2021

Former Miss USA Crystle Stewart becomes first Black National Director of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA

01 Jan 2021 | Angelique Reyes

A lot of rumors have been laid to rest as Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart becomes the first ever Black National Director for Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageant. The news was announced by ‘Good Morning America’, and the diva expressed that she is thrilled and ready to take on the new leadership role.

After the announcement, the diva stated, “I’m so thrilled, and I’m so excited for the new things and the new ideas that I want to bring to the Miss USA pageant system. Miss USA will be pageantry re-imagined.”

The Miss Universe President; Paula Shugart stated that Crystle Stewart was the first to say that being Miss USA changed the course of her life forever and her role as the national director was under discussions for over a year. The former beauty queen mentioned that she has been a part of every aspect of the pageant industry and now with the new role under her wings, she hopes to take those things and put in the front.

 

Former Miss USA Crystle Stewart becomes first Black National Director of Miss USA and Miss Teen

 

The beauty queen who has been applauded by the pageant fanatics hopes that with her leadership, she manages to inspire and influence women like her of different colors and races, and men as well, to pursue their dreams without fault and with confidence, go for it and reach higher. The queen intends to rebrand the system and make it more uniform focusing on the part where the pageant tends to boost the women’s self-confidence, and self-esteem; providing them with opportunities, and of course, “all the glitz and glam.”

After her reign as Miss USA 2008 ended, the diva worked towards becoming a successful actress starring in leading roles for Tyler Perry’s "Acrimony" and the sitcom "For Better or Worse." She also founded the MISS Academy, a Houston-based school dedicated to teaching young women life skills through pageantry.

Crystle feels honored with the new role and has appreciated Paula Shugart for the ‘inclusion and diversity’ in the pageant system and the announcement of her being the National Director comes after a year where Black women created history by winning the top titles for their respective countries; Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi from South Africa, Miss World 2019 Toni- Ann Singh from Jamaica, Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin, and Miss Teen USA Kaleigh Garris.

Stewart added, “The reigning Miss USA Asya Branch and Miss Teen USA Ki'ilani Arruda being women of color reflects the ‘diversity of the USA.’I want each and every young woman that crosses a Miss USA state, local or national stage to have that same experience, and that comes with building that foundation through that standardization and consistency,”

Miss USA 2021 and Miss Teen USA 2021 will be the first pageant that will be conducted under Crystle Stewart’s leadership and she explains that the organization is looking for confidence, someone that’s authentic and someone who knows how to enhance their natural God-given asset along with being a philanthropist.