It's no wonder that Miss America 2014, Nina Davuluri, is having no trouble overlooking the ignorant comments expressed by some Americans over her recent win as the first Indian-American Miss America. She comes from a growing legacy of women who have used the Miss New York platform to combat ignorance, abuse, and bullying. Meet the five women who, over the past four years, have worked to make New York (and the nation) a more supportive place.
1. Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010
Claire was the first Miss America contestant to take on LGBTQ equality as her platform. She was a regular on the political scene and a key player in encouraging New York State to pass marriage equality. Claire's work even won her the People's Choice vote during the Miss America competition. She's now a board member for PLFAG and continues to speak at LGBTQ events across the country.
2. Kaitlin Monte, Miss New York 2011
Kaitlin fought bullying head-on. She collaborated with lawmakers to reform New York State cyber bullying laws and received awards from the Anti-Defamation League for her extensive school workshop series inspired by her two siblings, both bullied for their disabilities. She's now a partner at a tech start-up, designing software to help schools tackle student behavior issues and cyber defamation through an interactive digital platform.
3. Mallory Hagan, New York 2012/Miss America 2013
The media tried to mess with Mallory shortly after her Miss America win with attacks aimed at her body. She set an example for women everywhere by addressing the issue head on, and then regularly tweeting photos without makeup and of her early morning workouts. Women everywhere looked to her as a role model for not letting the media define her idea of true beauty, all while advocating her platform against child sexual abuse on a national scale.
4. Shannon Oliver, Miss New York 2012
After assuming the state title when Mallory became Miss America, Shannon got right to work speaking in schools about breaking stereotypes to end bullying. She is a trained diversity educator and used her musical background to engage students in more than just conversation. In her personal blog, Shannon often shared stories about the reality of being Miss New York to help break stereotypes about pageantry.
5. Nina Davuluri, Miss New York 2013/Miss America 2014
While some seem to be struggling to accept the first Indian-American Miss America, Nina hasn't batted an eye. This Bollywood-dancing, aspiring medical student is on a mission to promote tolerance, selecting cultural diversity as her social cause of choice. Her accomplishment represents hope for millions of Americans who seek to be seen for what they are: American.
