North Carolina lawyer Cheslie Kryst named Miss USA 2019

May 3, 2019 at 16:44 UTC

By The Associated Press

RENO, Nev. – A 27-year-old North Carolina lawyer, representing free detainees, won Thursday night the Miss USA title, describing herself as a "weird kid" with a "unibrow" being part of the first generation of truly empowered women .

Cheslie Kryst of Charlotte, who was asked in the last round to use a word to summarize her generation, said "innovative".

"I'm here in Nevada, in the state that has the first female-dominated legislature in the whole country," she said at the event held for the first time in Reno. . "Mine is the first generation to have this forward-looking mindset, characterized by the inclusion, diversity, strength and empowerment of women." I'm looking forward to see the progress of my generation continue. "

Alejandra Gonzalez of New Mexico second runner-up and Triana Browne of Oklahoma second runner-up helped highlight the diversity of competition on the stage as finalists as well as Kryst, African-American .

Browne said she's a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation, whose father is white and the mother is African-American. She is collaborating with Nike to promote a brand celebrating the Native American heritage. Gonzalez, whose mother immigrated from Mexico to the United States, founded a non-profit organization that teaches children the importance of literacy.

Nevada's Tuanahelmohoa, who finished as one of five finalists, was the first Samoan-born woman to compete in the 1952 competition. Savannah Skidmore, a former basketball champion from the state of Arkansas, holds a second degree black belt in Taekwondo and is pursuing law studies, also finished in fifth position.

Kryst and Gonzalez face each other, holding hands a few moments before the announcement of the winner, then the news.

Kryst said that she did not feel nervous as she progressed in the elimination rounds.

"I kept hearing my name being called," she said. While waiting for the winner to be announced, "All I could think was:" It's really cool. ""

Kryst earned a law degree and an MBA from Wake Forest University before becoming a litigator in civil litigation. He volunteers to reduce the sentences imposed on inmates. In a videotaped message at a two-hour event in a hotel-casino, she recounted the story of a judge at a legal tender told him to wear a skirt rather than a pants because judges prefer skirts.

"Glass ceilings can be broken by wearing a skirt or pants," Kryst said.

She told reporters that she would never forget to be at the Wake Forest Law School and participate in a Louisiana Moot Court competition with a panel of judges who commented very little on the thing and his partner.

"We stayed there for 30 minutes after practicing for months and all you said was to wear a skirt next time?" she says. "It was very frustrating, do not tell women to wear different clothes while you give them background information about their legal arguments."

Kryst, who qualifies for the Miss Universe competition, was crowned by Miss USA 2018, Sarah Rose Summers of Nebraska. She added that her interest in construction competitions had begun at the age of 10, watching her mother ride a carriage during a parade when she was named Ms. North Carolina in 2002.

"It was a moment in my life when I did not know who I was and I did not trust myself.I was that weird little boy who had a half-angel and "I had no friends, my hair was always pulled back, I thought I wanted to be like her," she said.

Kryst went on to compete in high school.

"I can not say that contests make you beautiful, I think they make you more confident in the person you are," she says.

"I'm still that same weird kid I always love to read books.And at the end of the day, I like to sit alone at home and watch movies." But I think historical reenactments have taught me all that, and my mother was really the one who introduced me to that and attracted me to the pageantry. "