Miss America 2019: Miss Michigan Emily Sioma talks about the flint crisis

The re-enactment of the Miss America Contest encouraged her beauty queens to take a more socially and politically conscious stance on Sunday night – and one competitor's platform was very lively.

By showing up early in the competition, Miss Michigan's Emily Sioma drew attention to Flint's water crisis rather than getting rid of her personal achievements.

"From a state with 84% freshwater from the United States, but none for its residents to drink, I'm Miss Michigan's Emily Sioma," she said.

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The lead poisoning of the city's drinking water has plagued residents of Flint, Michigan, for many years, with children and infants being most affected. Above average levels of lead in water began to appear in 2014 after the city began using the Flint River as a water source.

Sioma, a student of women's studies at the University of Michigan, did not reach the top 15. Miss New York's Nia Imani Franklin eventually won the crown.

"It took a lot of perseverance to get here and I just want to thank my beautiful family," she said.

In June, Gretchen Carlson, Miss America 1989 and chair of the board of directors of the Miss America organization, announced that the organization was making major changes to the contest.

"We are no longer a show. We are a competition, "said Carlson on Hello America. "We will no longer judge our candidates on their physical appearance. It's huge. And that means we will not have a swimsuit competition anymore. "