They may not have won the overall title, but their presence in the top ranking of Miss America was everything.
After competing in the 95th Miss America pageant, two Black women finished in the top five, advancing through several categories that included a Job Interview, Social Impact Pitch, and Red Carpet Wear.
Miss New York: 1st Runner-Up
Taryn Delanie Smith, title winner of Miss New York 2022, took home the title as first runner-up for the Miss America 2023 competition.
According to Sports Keeda, Smith ranked in the top two, standing beside Miss Wisconsin (winner).
Smith joined the Miss America organization in 2015 as an
ambassador representing the City of Seattle. She has used her platform to advocate for women, speak about diversity and race-issues, and coordinate initiatives that care for women and children experiencing homelessness. Smith created the Supporting Our Shelters (S.O.S.) initiative to extend her advocacy for donations to local shelters.Goals for Smith include becoming a writer and hosting a weekly segment for Good Morning America. Additionally, she is working toward launching a nonprofit aligned with her social initiative, with a mission to support women experiencing homelessness.
Smith is a graduate of St. John’s University, where she studied Communication Arts and French Language. The Certificate of Academic Excellence recipient graduated Cum Laude, receiving her Bachelors of Science in Communication and Media Studies. She extended her educational endeavors as a Summa Cum Laude graduate with her Masters of Science in International and Intercultural Communication.
Smith was crowned Miss New York 2022 at the Paramount Theatre Peekskill on May 29, 2022 in New York.
Miss Georgia: 4th Runner-Up
Miss Georgia, Kelsey Hollis, was also amongst the top five ladies who advanced to the final round of the competition. According to Fox 5, Hollis, currently a student at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, finished the competition as the fourth runner-up.
Hollis served as Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen in 2016, placing runner-up to Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. She entered the Miss Georgia competition following her 2021 title as Miss Music City, where she competed in the Miss Tennessee Competition.
Hollis has used her platform to advocate for disabled individuals and their families, supporting them through their joys and struggles.
The Miss Georgia website reported that Hollis grew up with her older brother who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, leading her to launching her own nonprofit organization Teaching Autism Awareness by Siblings (TAABS) in 2014.
As a fan of the sports industry, future plans for Hollis include a career in sports psychology and opening her own firm of traveling sports psychologists.
The Miss America 2023 crowning aired on Thursday Dec. 15, 2022.