The beautiful 17-year-old queen who won last year’s Miss Teen USA pageant announced Wednesday that she will step down from her throne, saying her private values “no longer fully align with the direction of the organization. “
In a lengthy post on Instagram, UmaSofia Srivastava presented a confusing explanation for her departure, saying she made the decision after “months of struggle. “
“I will fondly look back on my time as Miss NJ Teen USA, and the experience of representing my state as the first generation of Mexican-Americans nationally was rewarding in and of itself,” she said.
Miss Teen USA responded to Srivastava’s resignation on Instagram, thanking her and saying that a new queen would be crowned in the future. “We respect UmaSofia’s resolution to resign from her position,” the organization said. “The well-being of our name holders is a very sensible priority. “
On Monday, Miss USA Noelia Voigt announced that she would be relinquishing her own crown, raising a desire to take a step back and take care of her intellectual health. His own Instagram nearly set the pageant’s fandom on fire, especially when eagle-enthusiasts noticed that the first few letters of his first 11 sentences spelled out “I’M SILENT. “
The queens’ double resignation follows the explosive resignation of Miss USA’s director of social media, Claudia Michelle, who said last Friday she was leaving the organization, suggesting that “toxicity and harassment in the workplace” was to blame.
“This is a women’s empowerment organization and I hope that by doing this, you will give back to those people some of the empowerment that they lost so deeply during their year,” Michelle said.
Noting that he had not signed any confidentiality agreements, he claimed to have witnessed Voigt’s diminished brainpower in his collaboration, as well as the “lack of respect” shown towards Srivastava and his family.
“The logo IS the name holder,” Michelle said. Without them, there is no Miss USA or Miss Teen USA. I believe their voices and stories will need to be heard, not silenced.
Miss USA did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment Wednesday night, but the organization told USA Today in a statement that its leaders were “concerned to hear the false allegations made by a former Miss USA employee. “
“Miss USA. “The U. S. Department of Health is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment, and we take those allegations seriously,” he said. “In fact, we have prioritized and will continue to prioritize the well-being of everyone involved in Miss USA. “
Sources familiar with the matter told The New York Post on Wednesday that Voigt and Srivastava, who won their crown last September, had been exposed to “damaging career conditions” that they could not communicate about because of what the newspaper called “ironclad” contracts. “.
Citing insider information, the outlet reported that Voigt woke up “with pins and needles” each and every day of her reign due to “harassing emails” from pageant organizers. ,’ ‘Delete this message,’ ‘Contrary to this message,'” the source explained.
At the center of the harassment, according to the Post, is Miss USA President and CEO Laylah Rose. After Voigt allegedly harassed a boy at a Christmas pageant last year while representing Miss USA, a source claimed, Rose toned down her report. Laylah said, ‘Well, you’ll have to get used to it because now you’re playing a public role,'” they said.
By the end of her tenure as Miss Teen USA, Srivastava’s dating with Rose had deteriorated to the point where all of her communication was going to the teen’s parents, according to the Post.
Rose, a fashion designer and entrepreneur, succeeded Miss USA in August 2023, a month before Voigt and Srivastava were crowned. In a post, Rose said, “Our overall purpose at Miss USA is to celebrate and empower women. Our participants are making a genuine difference in this country and around the world.
“From the beginning, my personal purpose as the leader of this organization has been to motivate women to create new dreams, to have the courage to explore it all, and to continue to maintain their integrity throughout their journey,” the leader continued. “I stand by the same height criteria and take those accusations seriously. Rest assured that the well-being of everyone connected with Miss USA will be a key concern. UU. es my most sensible priority.
A source who knows Michelle, Voigt and Srivastava said they planned their resignation together at a strategic time.
After Voigt’s resignation, Michelle reposted it, highlighting the lyrics “I AM SILENCE. “In Srivastava’s resignation message on Wednesday, Voigt wrote, “I LOVE YOU!I am so proud of you, my angel.
The Miss USA organization has faced a number of controversies over the years, adding allegations that the 2022 pageant was rigged (the organization later said that “a thorough and thorough investigation” had revealed those claims to be false).
In January 2022, Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019, jumped to her death from her Manhattan apartment building, causing a wave of grief as a hypothesis about her intellectual health. A few hours before his fatal fall, he had posted on Instagram: “May this day brings you rest and peace. “
If you or a loved one suffers from an intellectual fitness problem, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) national helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For faster crisis care, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or tap the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
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