In a surprising turn of events, both the reigning Miss USA, Noelia Voigt, and Miss Teen USA, UmaSofia Srivastava, resigned from their titles within two days of each other. Voigt cited mental health as the reason for her decision, stating that she values making decisions that are best for her well-being. She detailed a toxic work environment within the Miss USA organization that she had experienced since winning her crown in 2023, including an incident of sexual harassment that was not taken seriously by the organization’s CEO and President Laylah Rose.
Srivastava also cited personal values as the reason for her resignation, stating that they no longer fully aligned with the direction of the organization. The fallout from their decisions continued with Miss Colorado Arianna Lemus resigning in solidarity and social media manager Claudia Michelle also submitting her resignation. Both Voigt and Srivastava’s mothers appeared on Good Morning America to speak out about their daughters’ experiences, highlighting the ill-treatment, abuse, bullying, and harassment they faced within the organization.
Voigt’s resignation letter spelled out “I AM SILENCED,” indicating her feeling of being silenced within the organization. She accused Rose of creating a toxic work environment and failing to take allegations of sexual harassment seriously. Srivastava had grappled with the decision to resign for months and expressed gratitude for the support she had received from her family, state directors, sister queens, and fans. She stated that she would continue her advocacy work for education and acceptance, citing her children’s book, The White Jaguar.
The Miss USA Organization released a statement to ABC News emphasizing their commitment to fostering a healthy, communicative, and supportive environment for all participants and staff. Laylah Rose released a statement to NBC addressing the allegations and stating that the well-being of all individuals associated with Miss USA is her top priority. The organization also shared posts on social media thanking Noelia and UmaSofia for their time with the organization and wishing them the best in their future endeavors.
Celebrities, including former Miss USA winners Nia Sanchez and Olivia Jordan, offered their support to Noelia and UmaSofia after their resignations. Sanchez encouraged others to support Noelia, while Jordan expressed her support for UmaSofia and her strength. Miss Teen USA 2022 Faron Medhi also showed support for UmaSofia, emphasizing that this was only the beginning for her. Both Noelia and UmaSofia commented on each other’s posts to offer mutual support during this challenging time.
