Miss Teen USA steps down 2 days after Miss USA relinquishes crown
The 17-year-old beauty queen noted in an Instagram post that she’s been “grappling with this decision” for months.
Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava resigned on Wednesday from the pageant organization, citing her “personal values,” as others in the organization allude to trouble behind the scenes.
The announcement comes just two days after the resignation of last year’s Miss USA titleholder, Noelia Voigt.
The 17-year-old beauty queen noted in an Instagram post that she’s been “grappling with this decision” for months.
“I will always look back on my time as Miss NJ Teen USA fondly, and the experience of representing my state as a first generation, Mexican-Indian American at the national level was fulfilling in itself,” said Srivastava. “After careful consideration, I’ve decided to resign as I find that my personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
Pointing to the nonprofit work she’s since been able to do as her “TRUE purpose,” Srivastava deemed the experience “a privilege.”
“UmaSofia, we are wishing you all the best,” Miss Teen USA captioned a photo of from the night she won the title, noting the organization does “respect and support UmaSofia’s decision to step-down from her duties.”
“The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority,” the caption continued.
Voigt , who on Monday said she was resigning and told followers to “never compromise [their] physical and mental well-being,” commented on Srivastava’s post to express support.
A handful of commenters remarked on Voigt’s post that the first letters of the first 11 sentences of her statement spell out, “I am silenced.”
Miss New York 1995 Shanna Moakler, who was that year’s first runner-up to the Miss USA title before eventually being crowned, also expressed her support in Voigt’s comments.
Moakler, who currently works as Executive Director for the Nevada and Utah chapters, also released her own statement.
“The contract titleholders signed today, I also signed. As state directors, we sign lengthy franchise/licensee contracts with our parent companies. … We are not sitting silently; we are working our best behind the scenes to ensure the future of an organization we love dearly.”
Continued Moakler, “We all pride ourselves on the mental and emotional well-being of all contestants.”
Maintaining her belief “that together, we can return to the business of being confidently beautiful and uplifting,” Moakler told those in the organization, “You are being seen and heard.”
Representatives for Miss USA could not immediately be reached by the Daily News.
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