The 17-year-old beauty queen who won last year’s Miss Teen USA pageant announced Wednesday she would be relinquishing her throne, saying that her personal values “no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
In a lengthy Instagram statement, UmaSofia Srivastava offered a vague explanation for her departure, saying she’d come to the decision after “months of grappling” with it.
“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,” she said.
Miss Teen USA responded to Srivastava’s resignation on Instagram, thanking her and saying a new queen would be crowned in the future. “We respect and support UmaSofia’s decision to step down from her duties,” the organization said. “The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority.”
On Monday, Miss USA, Noelia Voigt announced she’d be giving up her own crown, citing the need to step back and take care of her mental health. Her own Instagram statement all but lit the pageant fandom on fire, particularly when eagle-eyed fans noticed that the first letters of its first 11 sentences spelled out “I AM SILENCED.”
The queens’ dual resignations come on the heels of the bombshell resignation of Miss USA’s social media director, Claudia Michelle, who said last Friday that she was leaving the organization, suggesting “workplace toxicity and bullying” was to blame.
“This is a women’s empowerment organization and my hope in making this statement is to restore some of the empowerment back to these titleholders that was so deeply lost in their year,” Michelle said.
Noting that she had not signed any non-disclosure agreements, she claimed that she’d witnessed Voigt’s mental health decline in their time working together, as well as “the disrespect” shown to Srivastava and her family.
“The brand IS the titleholders,” Michelle said. “Without them, there is no Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. I believe their voices and their stories should be heard and not silenced.”
Miss USA did not immediately reply to The Daily Beast’s request for comment on Wednesday night. But the organization told USA Today in a statement that its leadership was “troubled to hear the false accusations made by a former Miss USA employee.
“Miss USA is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment, and we take these allegations seriously,” the statement read. “Indeed, we have and will continue to prioritize the well-being of all individuals involved with Miss USA.”
Sources close to the matter told the New York Post on Wednesday that both Voigt and Srivastava, who won their crowns last September, had been exposed to “harmful workplace conditions” they couldn’t speak about due to what the newspaper termed “iron-clad contracts.”
Citing well-placed insiders, the outlet reported that Voigt had woken up “on pins and needles” every day during her reign because of “harassing emails” from pageant organizers. “‘Don’t do this,’ ‘Don’t do that,’ ‘Take that post down,’ Unlike that post,’” the source explained.
At the heart of the harassment, according to the Post, is Miss USA President and CEO Laylah Rose. After Voigt was allegedly harassed by a man at a Christmas parade last year while she was representing Miss USA, a source claimed, Rose soft-pedaled her report. “Laylah said, ‘Well you’re going to have to get used to that because you’re in a public role now,’” they said.
By the end of her tenure as Miss Teen USA, Srivastava’s relationship with Rose had deteriorated to the point where all their communications were conveyed through the teenager’s parents, according to the Post.
Rose, a fashion designer and entrepreneur, took over Miss USA in August 2023, a month before Voigt and Srivastava were crowned. In a statement to the Post, Rose said, “Our all-encompassing goal at Miss USA is to celebrate and empower women. Our participants make a real difference in this country and around the globe.
“All along, my personal goal as the head of this organization has been to inspire women to always create new dreams, have the courage to explore it all, and continue to preserve integrity along the way,” the executive continued. “I hold myself to these same high standards and I take these allegations seriously. Please be assured that the well-being of all individuals associated with Miss USA is my top priority.”
An insider who knows Michelle, Voigt, and Srivastava said they planned their strategically-timed resignations together.
After Voigt’s resignation, Michelle reposted it, highlighting the “I AM SILENCED” letters. In the comments of Srivastava’s resignation post on Wednesday, Voigt wrote, “I LOVE YOU! So proud of you my angel.”
The Miss USA Organization has weathered a number of controversies over the years, including accusations that the 2022 pageant was rigged. (The organization later said that “a thorough and extensive investigation” had found the claims to be false.)
In January 2022, Cheslie Kryst, the 2019 Miss USA, leaped to her death from her high-rise Manhattan apartment building, sparking an outpouring of grief as well as speculation about her mental health. Hours before her fatal fall, she’d posted to Instagram: “May this day bring you rest and peace.”
If you or a loved one are struggling with a mental health condition, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For more immediate crisis care, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
This post was originally published on Daily Beast
