Miss Michigan Called Out the Flint Water Crisis During the Miss America Pageant
Last night, Nia Franklin of New York was crowned the latest Miss America, but it is Miss Michigan, Emily Sioma, who is making headlines thanks to her short introduction during the broadcast.
Instead of using the moment to highlight her achievements or qualifications—she graduated with a degree in women’s studies and works to support survivors of sexual violence—Sioma instead chose to call attention to the continuing water crisis in Flint, MI. “From the state with 84% of the United States’ fresh water but none for its residents to drink, I am Miss Michigan Emily Sioma,” she said.
The city’s water problems have been ongoing since 2014 when it was found that the water in the city’s pipes was contaminated with high levels of lead and other toxins.
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Social media users were quick to praise Sioma for her bold move with one writing this was “clearly not your mother’s Miss America pageant.”
Another said, “Been rolling my eyes all weekend that Miss America is still a thing but MISS MICHIGAN FOR PRESIDENT.”
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This is surely the type of positive attention that the Miss America organization is looking for as it continues to rebrand and attempts to focus more on the intellect of its contestants. Back in June, board of trustees chairwoman Gretchen Carlson announced that the pageant would no longer include its famous swimsuit competition. “We are no longer a pageant,” Carlson told Good Morning America at the time. “We are a competition. We will no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance. That’s huge.”
“Who doesn’t want to be empowered, learn leadership skills, and pay for college and be able to show the world who you are as a person from the inside of your soul,” she continued. “That’s what we’re judging them on now.”
While Sioma didn’t even make the final 15 in the competition, her message was most definitely heard.