• Comedian Steve Harvey made a joke about cartels while speaking to Miss Colombia Gabriela Tafur Náder onstage at the 2019 Miss Universe pageant. 
• Harvey had been discussing his infamous 2015 gaffe, when he incorrectly named Miss Colombia the new Miss Universe instead of Miss Philippines, before he made the joke. 
• When Náder told Harvey that her country had forgiven his mistake, he said: "The cartel hasn't forgiven me." 
• It was Harvey's second joke of the night about Colombian cartels. Many on Twitter called him out, calling his jokes "ignorant" and "absolutely disrespectful." 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Steve Harvey isn't embarrassed about his infamous Miss Universe 2015 gaffe, and wanted everyone to know that when he took the stage as host once against for the 2019 competition on Sunday night. 

But the host began trending on Twitter yet again when he made a cartel joke while talking to Miss Colombia. 

Miss Colombia Gabriela Tafur Náder referenced Harvey's 2015 mistake, when he announced Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the next Miss Universe when Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach had actually won the competition, after he revealed she had made the top 20. 

"Are you sure?" she joked. "Should I go back?" 

Harvey said "Yes, look," and then spelled out Colombia. When Náder told Harvey that her country had forgiven his mistake, he said: "The cartel hasn't forgiven me." 

The joke didn't sit well with many viewers, who took to Twitter to express their disappointment in Harvey. 

Colombian actor Andres Simon said Harvey was the "worst host ever," calling his joke "ignorant" and "absolutely disrespectful." 

"Worst host ever @IAmSteveHarvey, absolutely disrepectful the joke of the 'Cartels'. We are a great country full of good people and we don't deserve that image anymore," Simon wrote in the tweet. "Surprising how ignorant a host can be, recommend you to open a book once in a while. Joke a out of place!" 

One viewer said Harvey's joke was all the more tone-deaf as it preceded Miss Colombia's package video, in which she discussed her work to fight violence in her country.

The moment wasn't Harvey's first cartel joke of the night. At the beginning of the pageant final, during his opening monologue, Harvey discussed his error in 2015 and said "Colombia's gotten over that." 

"They've forgiven me," he continued. "Well, not all of them. The cartel's still tripping a little bit." 

Popular culture in the US has a long history of associating Colombia with Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel that he created in 1976.

Escobar died in 1993, but his influence continues to be seen in everything from the popular Netflix show "Narcos" to references of Colombian violence and drugs in "Modern Family,""Family Guy," and "Entourage." 

• Read more:
• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst wore a Statue of Liberty dress that looked like something straight out of 'Miss Congeniality' to compete in Miss Universe 2019
• Miss Universe and Miss USA reveal how they did their makeup without any mirrors right before going onstage for the final competition
• Miss Universe Catriona Gray believes it's easier to learn how to walk in high heels with a taller heel, and top runway coaches agree
• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst helped free a man sentenced to life in prison for a drug offense and says marijuana should be legal

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A 45-year-long study discovered trends in successful hyper-intelligent children

• Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe 2019 on Sunday.
• Miss USA 2019, Cheslie Kryst, who also competed in this year's Miss Universe competition, shared an Instagram post on Monday acknowledging that Tunzi's win makes her the fourth major pageant titleholder of the year who is a woman of color.
• "Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss America are all women of color!!!!!!! Proud to be a part of this group,"Kryst wrote in her Instagram post.
• "This moment is historic for our organizations, and we congratulate the Miss Universe Organization on their newest team member," a communications representative for the Miss America Organization told Insider via email.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A new Miss Universe was crowned on Sunday: Miss South Africa 2019, Zozibini Tunzi.

The 26-year-old took the crown on Sunday night at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Tunzi is the first black woman from South Africa to hold the Miss Universe title. She is an activist who fights against gender-based violence and is an advocate for natural beauty, as described in her bio on the Miss Universe website.

Also competing in Sunday night's Miss Universe pageant was Miss USA 2019, Cheslie Kryst, who was crowned Miss USA in May. Kryst earned a spot in the top 10 finalists at Sunday's pageant.

On Monday, Kryst congratulated Tunzi on becoming the new Miss Universe via an Instagram post, pointing out that Tunzi's crown makes her the fourth woman of color to win a major pageant title in 2019.

The Miss USA titleholder started her Instagram post by thanking those who supported her in the Miss Universe 2019 competition, writing: "I'm so excited and proud that I had the opportunity to compete alongside such talented, accomplished, beautiful women and I'm even more proud and honored that I had the pleasure of representing my country."

"Congrats to our new Miss Universe, @zozitunzi!!!! You represented us with class and grace and humility and I'm thrilled that I can call you a sister and, now, ROOMMATE!!" Kryst continued. 

Kryst's second photo in the Instagram post was a collage showing herself and Tunzi, along with the 2019 titleholders of Miss Teen USA and Miss America, Kaliegh Garris and Nia Franklin, respectively.

Kryst went on to celebrate the fact that the four pageant winners are all women of color, writing: "Swipe for a little #BGM because, you guessed it, Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss America are all women of color!!!!!!!"

"Proud to be a part of this group and happy reading all of your excitement and love as I chow down on cheesecake and brownies with Nutella this morning," Kryst finished her post.

2019 has been a monumental year for women of color competing in major beauty pageants and competitions

The 2019 titleholders of Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss America are all women of color. 

"This moment is historic for our organizations, and we congratulate the Miss Universe Organization on their newest team member," Mallory Hagan, a Miss America Organization communications representative, told Insider in a statement via email.

"We believe that representation matters and that seeing smart, diverse, community-driven women of color serving as brand spokespeople for national organizations will broaden the dreams and possibilities of young women, no matter their race, around the world," Hagan continued. 

Nia Franklin represents Miss America 2019. She was crowned in September 2018 and was the first winner of the revamped Miss America competition, known as Miss America 2.0, which removed the swimsuit competition portion, as well as reduced some antiquated requirements that placed an emphasis on competitors' appearances.

The Miss America Organization is a separate entity from the Miss Universe Organization. The Miss Universe Organization hosts the Miss Universe competition, as well as the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants.

Kaliegh Garris, who was crowned Miss Teen USA 2019 in April after holding the title for Miss Connecticut Teen USA, wore her hair in natural curls at the pageant finale. Garris was the third Miss Teen USA winner ever to be crowned while wearing a natural hairstyle. The previous two winners were Ashley Coleman, Miss Teen USA 1999, and Janel Bishop, Miss Teen USA 1991.

Garris previously told Insider's Amanda Krause that her natural hair makes her "feel beautiful."

"Some people would scroll down on my Instagram and find old photos of me when I still chemically straightened my hair, and would say I looked better then," Garris told Insider. "But no matter what anybody says, it's not going to make me change myself, or make me feel bad about wearing my natural hair because it's what makes me feel beautiful."

Kryst, Miss USA 2019, also wore her hair in natural curls when she was crowned in April.

The Miss Universe Organization, which oversees Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read more:

• Photos show the emotional moment Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi was crowned the winner of Miss Universe 2019
• What 13 Miss Universe contestants look like without makeup
• Miss Universe and Miss USA reveal what really goes on behind-the-scenes at the pageants, including no mirrors for the top 10
• 20 showstopping looks from Miss Universe over the years

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Behind the scenes with Shepard Smith — the Fox News star who just announced his resignation from the network

• Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi took home the Miss Universe crown on Sunday night. 
• She is the first black woman to win the pageant since 2011, and the first woman to do so with natural afro-textured hair. 
• Tunzi told Insider that many people, including her friends, told her she would wear a wig or weave for the competition. 
• But Tunzi, who has worn her hair natural for three years, didn't want to change herself for the pageant. She said she wanted to show that "beauty does not look one certain way."
• "It extends to more than just hair," she added. "It's about accepting yourself for who you are and how different you are. I hope it just inspires women to be themselves, their authentic selves." 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Look through the winners of Miss Universe from the last few decades, and you may notice a common trend: whether their hair is blonde or brunette, red or black, their locks are almost always long. 

That changed on Sunday, when Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi became the first woman with natural afro-textured hair to win the Miss Universe title. She also became the first black Miss South Africa to wear the Miss Universe crown.

While Tunzi has been praised for her advocacy of natural beauty during the competition, the pageant queen told Insider that many people initially tried to convince her to wear a wig instead. 

"A lot of people did," she said. "And it was so strange because even a lot of people I knew, people that were my friends, were like, "Sis, we love you, but we're just saying, maybe you should put on a wig or buy a weave." 

Zozibini Tunzi had been wearing her hair natural for years. She knew she didn't want to change herself just for the pageant. 

"I was like, "No, you know what, I'm going to do it the way I am, because I've been with my natural hair for the past three years,"' she said. "I don't see why I should change it just because I'm stepping into another platform." 

Tunzi said she wasn't offended by her friends' words, though, adding that she knew they were just repeating what "society has taught us and engraved in our minds for such a long time." 

"In the past, I think that beauty has been stereotyped to look one certain way," she continued. "When you open a magazine, that's what you see. When you open television, that's what you see. And it becomes embedded within society and ourselves." 

But Tunzi has tried to challenge that stereotype with her platform, wanting to show women that "beauty can be anything." 

"I'm saying beauty does not look one certain way," she said. "I'm telling women, you can be beautiful too if you want to. You can stand up and say 'I'm beautiful the way that I am, with the shape that I am, with the skin color that I have, with the freckles that I have.'" 

"Anything that is considered unusual and unconventional can still be beautiful too," she added. "That's why I feel so proud about this win."

Tunzi said she didn't begin wearing her hair natural to make a statement. She said she had just grown tired of sitting in a salon chair for hours, and wanted something new. 

"I decided, no, this is not worth it," she recalled. "I decided that I just wanna go for a different look. I'm going to cut my hair and see how it looks from there. And I just remember looking into the mirror and loving it." 

Yet she had been nervous before getting the cut, scared of what people would think when she didn't look like the women on television or inside the pages of a glossy fashion magazine. 

"Before cutting my hair, I did have to think about it," she said. "I was so scared of not looking beautiful when I see myself in the mirror, of people not considering me attractive anymore. And that's when I realized that we are so scared of people's opinions, and that needs to stop." 

"Because once you start feeling that love within you and loving yourself, everything else will follow," she added. "I cut my hair, and I've never looked back." 

But Tunzi doesn't believe that living authentically means you can't wear a wig or a weave. It's more about making choices for yourself, instead of society or anyone else. 

"It extends to more than just hair," she said. "It's about accepting yourself for who you are and how different you are. I hope it just inspires women to be themselves — their authentic selves. If your authentic self is wearing big purple hair and that's who you are, embrace it! And say, 'My perfect self is my big purple hair.'" 

"That's my message," she added. "My message is not to say to all women, 'Cut your hair, take off your weaves,' no! My message is, 'You are who you are.' And if that's your true authentic self, then don't be shy about it." 

She's about to spend a year traveling the world, but what Tunzi most wants to accomplish as Miss Universe is staying true to her message — and herself

"By remaining myself authentically and speaking my truth and believing in my truth all the time, I'm hoping that it's going to help someone stand for theirs as well," she said.

Tunzi sees change happening like a domino effect, and believes that being a positive example helps pave the way forward for others.

"By being ourselves and speaking our stories, we give others permission to want to speak about theirs as well and then they, in turn, inspire others," she said.

"So I think that's what I'm hoping to do," she added. "Because if you touch at least one life, then you don't know what that person is going to do, they might touch two lives and then it becomes a whole cycle. Then I'll know that I was part of all this positive, amazing change."

• Read more:
• Photos show the emotional moment Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi was crowned the winner of Miss Universe 2019
• The 18 best looks the Miss Universe 2019 contestants wore to compete in the pageant
• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst wore a Statue of Liberty dress that looked like something straight out of 'Miss Congeniality' to compete in Miss Universe 2019
• Steve Harvey's cartel joke at Miss Universe 2019 is not going over well

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 9 items to avoid buying at Costco

• Many missed the meaning behind Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi's national costume during the Miss Universe pageant. 
• Tunzi, who was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday night, told Insider that her costume was inspired by one of her final questions before she won Miss South Africa in August.
• One of her questions in the pageant was what South African women had to smile about. "We have absolutely no reason to keep smiling because South African women are dying every day," she responded. 
• Tunzi then decided to challenge men to write letters to the women of South Africa. Two thousand of those letters were sewn into the skirt of her costume with ribbons in the colors of the South African flag. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Just before she was crowned Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi was asked one of her final questions for the competition. 

"Through all the darkness that South African women face — emotional, physical, sexual, economic abuse — what reason do we have to keep smiling?" 

It was the national competition, the one that would take the winner to the Miss Universe stage. But Tunzi did not hold back, or sugarcoat, her answer. 

"We have absolutely no reason to keep smiling because South African women are dying every day," she responded. "And, mostly, people are doing nothing about it." 

The Human Rights Watch points to such issues in South Africa in its World Report 2019. The report states that "widespread and mostly underreported gender based violence, including rape and domestic violence, continued across the country in 2018."

It was that moment at the Miss South Africa pageant that inspired Tunzi's national costume at Miss Universe, where she took home the crown on Sunday night

"We have had such a huge number of women missing, women dying every day, getting raped, getting killed," Tunzi told Insider. "So in that moment I thought to myself, 'Actually, there's nothing happening at the moment to make us smile.' And I did kind of end it off by saying, 'We need to start speaking to the perpetrators and challenging them to do better when it comes to taking care of women and treating women better.'" 

After she was crowned Miss South Africa in August, Tunzi knew she wanted to incorporate that very challenge into her journey to Miss Universe. 

"I thought to myself, I used that platform — let me not let it die there," she recalled. "Let me extend it and say, 'I challenged you men, so I challenge you a bit further to show love to women, to show your support instead of going the violent way that we've been going."' 

When Tunzi walked onstage for the National Costume Contest during the Miss Universe preliminaries on Friday night, she had 2,000 letters from men sewn into her skirt with blue, green, red, yellow, black, and white ribbons — the colors of the South African flag. 

The letters had been written to the women of South Africa. The costume was called 'Wave of Love.'

"I wanted to approach it in a way of love," Tunzi said. "I think if we start rewriting this narrative, teaching young boys to start looking at young girls as their equals at a young age, then maybe they will grow up to be the men that we need in society today." 

"For me, it was a way of saying, if you as a man can write this message to women, then maybe a young boy is looking at you doing this, then maybe you can teach him to be a better generation than we are today," she added. "That's where the inspiration came from." 

Tunzi said that she also wanted to show that femicide and gender violence are more than 'just a women's issue' 

"It's a societal issue," she added. "And we all need to work on it together to see it come to an end." 

One of the letters that particularly stuck out to Tunzi recognized this, she said. A man had written to her: "I hope the messages that you get are not about women being strong, because we must stop telling women to be strong, even when they don't need to be strong, because of us." 

"I think that one touched me a lot because, that's a compliment that people like to give to women, 'Oh, you're so strong,"' Tunzi said. "But we don't have to be strong all the time. The reason why we go through a lot of things is because people think we're strong and we can handle it. People think they can abuse women, they can handle it." 

"Let's just show love, show real love," she added. "Say what it is that you love about women, except their strength of being able to handle the bad things that are happening to them in the world." 

It is the kind of dark topic that was once rarely seen on pageant stages of the past, when the stereotype persisted that every beauty queen would just say she wanted world peace. 

But Tunzi believes that pageants are 'absolutely changing' in the 21st century

"You choose what to use beauty pageant platforms for," she said. "I see them as one of the few platforms that give women the opportunity to lead. I feel that women have voices and so much potential, and so many things that they want to tell the world — but they just don't have the platform to do it. This is one of the platforms that actually do." 

By winning the Miss Universe title, Tunzi feels that her voice has been amplified. 

"They're handing you the platform and saying, 'You have a voice, you want to lead, you want to tell the world something, here it is, tell them,"" she added. "So pageants really are changing, they're more about intelligent, amazing women who want to change the world." 

"So yeah, they want to bring on world peace — in a more realistic approach."

• Read more:
• People told Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi to wear a wig for the Miss Universe pageant. She won wearing her natural hair.
• 11 details from Miss Universe 2019 that you totally missed
• The 27 wildest national costumes from the 2019 Miss Universe pageant
• The wildest outfits in the history of Miss Universe's National Costume Show

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A podiatrist explains heel spurs, the medical condition Trump said earned him a medical deferment from Vietnam

• Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi celebrated her win with her family, and a great steak. 
• Tunzi told Insider that she had been craving a steak the whole time she was onstage as she had barely been able to eat that day due to all of the adrenaline she felt leading up to the event. 
• The pageant queen said she was most nervous during the competition before the announcement of the top 20. 
• But when it was revealed she was in the final two, Tunzi's nerves disappeared. "I knew whatever was going to happen with my life after would be amazing," she said.  
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the Miss Universe crown was placed atop her head and the adrenaline of the night began to wear off, Zozibini Tunzi had one thought. 

"I could use a great steak." 

Tunzi, of South Africa, told Insider that she celebrated her win on Sunday night back at her hotel, surrounded by her family — and steak, of course. 

"I had been craving it the whole time that I was standing on that stage," she said with a laugh. "You have so much adrenaline throughout the day, mixed with nerves, that you can't really eat anything. Anything you try to eat is just not working." 

"And so the minute they announced that I won, and the adrenaline started wearing down, I started thinking, 'Oh my goodness, I would actually really love some food."'

Tunzi revealed that she didn't go on a diet for Miss Universe

In fact, the pageant queen said that the hardest part about preparing for the competition was the "emotional" work.

"Knowing I was going to be away from home and going to be in a competitive s pace with 89 women, you have to be so comfortable in yourself and your intelligence and everything you have to offer before going out and being in a space with incredible women, and making sure that you don't lose yourself within there," she said.

"There were moments where I felt like, 'Oh my god, it's a bit overwhelming,' but I had that training of emotionally getting myself to that space and mentally getting myself there." 

When it came time for the actual competition, Tunzi said that she was most nervous just before the top 20 were announced. 

"You want to place because that's when the real competition begins in a way," she said.

After it was revealed that she had made the final two, Tunzi said her nerves melted away as she stood on stage with Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson Berrios. 

"I was more calm than anything at that point than I had been for the entire competition, which is quite interesting," she said. "I was thinking that I did everything that I can and everything is finished at this point. There's nothing more I can do than to celebrate how I handled myself in the competition, how much I had fun, and I was happy with how I represented my country as well." 

"And I think I was so content with whatever was going to happen next," she added. "I knew whatever was going to happen with my life after would be amazing, regardless of what happened in that moment." 

When her name was announced as the new Miss Universe, Tunzi said her mind went blank for a few seconds

"I couldn't really hear anything cause I stood there and I was like, 'I think I'm about to faint but I can't faint, I'm on TV!'" she recalled.

"Then I remember just being grateful, like feeling a wave of gratitude because, where I was standing, I could see my parents and realized that they flew so far to come and support me, and they had been supporting me and my dreams since I was a young girl." 

"I can't take for granted the universe and luck as well, because it does play a part of where we are in everything," she added. "I felt lucky in that moment that it was me." 

Since winning the pageant, Tunzi has been congratulated by the likes of Michelle Obama, Naomi Campbell, Tara Banks, Trevor Noah, and Oprah Winfrey, who retweeted one of her speeches

"I think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership," Tunzi said during her powerful "final word" for the competition. "It's something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time. Not because we don't want to but because of what society has labelled women to be." 

"I think we are the most powerful beings in the world and that we should be given every opportunity. And that is what we should be teaching these young girls to take up space. Nothing is as important as taking up space in society and cementing yourself." 

"I'm still dying over that," Tunzi said, speaking of Oprah's tweet. "The biggest thing for me was that she retweeted a message, and that message that was in there I was hoping would spread out, and that a lot of girls and young women would hear it." 

"If a powerful woman like Oprah Winfrey shares it then, for me, I feel like half of my job is done. I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish, and I'm so grateful for it."

• Read more:
• People told Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi to wear a wig for the Miss Universe pageant. She won wearing her natural hair.
• Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi's national costume contained a powerful message about violence against women in South Africa
• Photos show the emotional moment Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi was crowned the winner of Miss Universe 2019
• Miss USA Cheslie Kryst wore a Statue of Liberty dress that looked like something straight out of 'Miss Congeniality' to compete in Miss Universe 2019

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A 45-year-long study discovered trends in successful hyper-intelligent children

• Miss Nigeria Nyekachi Douglas is being praised for her heartwarming reaction after losing Miss World. 
• After Miss Jamaica Toni-Ann Singh was named Miss World, Douglas jumped up and down and did a happy dance as she congratulated and hugged her friend. 
• Douglas later said in an interview that Singh was "amazing" and had been her support system during the pageant. 
• People took to Twitter to praise Douglas, calling her "selfless" and the best kind of friend. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you tuned in to the Miss World 2019 pageant just seconds after the winner was announced, you would have probably thought that Miss Nigeria took home the crown. 

Nyekachi Douglas, 21, let out an excited yelp, jumped up in the air, and did a little happy dance as the new Miss World was called. 

The winner was actually her friend, Miss Jamaica Toni-Ann Singh. But Douglas' reaction captured hearts all over the world. 

Douglas, Singh, and Miss Brazil Elis Coelho were the last three women on stage during the pageant, which was held in London on Saturday night. 

Singh, 23, appeared stunned when her name was called as the winner, but Douglas instantly began jumping and dancing in excitement before enveloping her and Coelho in a big hug. 

Many on Twitter praised Douglas, calling her "selfless" and the best kind of friend. 

Douglas went on to praise Singh in an interview right after the pageant, calling her "amazing" and saying she was a huge support system during the competition. 

"You know, there were a lot of times where you're like 'Oh my god, this is really too much for me,"' Douglas said. "And she's the one who would be like, 'Listen, you've got this."' 

Douglas was also seen celebrating her fellow contestants throughout the night. 

When Miss Nepal Anushka Shrestha won the "Beauty with a Purpose" award, Douglas was pictured enthusiastically clapping and cheering for her. 

Douglas was also seen snapping in agreement as Miss Kenya Maria Wavinya gave her statement. 

While she may not have taken home the crown, Douglas now has plenty of new fans.

Nyekachi Douglas did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

• Read more:
• A Miss World contestant who had her crown taken away after officials discovered she's a mom is taking legal action
• People told Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi to wear a wig for the Miss Universe pageant. She won wearing her natural hair.
• Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi's national costume contained a powerful message about violence against women in South Africa
• Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi celebrated her win by eating a steak at her hotel

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A 45-year-long study discovered trends in successful hyper-intelligent children

• The Miss America 2020 competition is taking place on Thursday in Uncasville, Connecticut. 
• Fifty-one women are vying for the coveted title at the pageant, which no longer includes a swimsuit or evening gown competition. 
• The Miss America 2020 competition will air live on Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the year comes to a close, most Americans are running around to finish last-minute holiday shopping or jetting off on their vacations. 

But there's no rest just yet for the 51 women who are gearing up for the Miss America 2020 competition. 

This is the second year Miss America will not have a swimsuit or evening gown competition; since 2018, the contest has been known as "Miss America 2.0,"a rebranding effort by the organization. 

And this year Miss America has a brand-new home, moving to the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, where the finals will air live on NBC starting at 8 p.m. ET. 

Here are all 51 women competing for the crown this year. 

Alabama: Tiara Pennington

Tiara Pennington is a political science major at the University of Alabama. She is the first black woman to be named Miss University Alabama and the second black woman to be named Miss Alabama (the first, Kalyn Chapman James, was crowned in 1993). 

Pennington's name was actually inspired by the world of pageants. Her mother Dedra Eastland Pennington competed for Miss Alabama in the 1980s and became a pageant director. 

"My mom was searching online for tiaras (when she was pregnant), and my dad walked in one day," Pennington told AL.com. "She said, 'I'm looking for tiaras.' And my dad said, 'That's what we're going to name her, Tiara.'" 

Alaska: Maile Johnston

Maile Johnston is a biology major at the University of Alaska Anchorage and hopes to attend law school to study environmental law. 

Johnston has been dancing since she was 11 years old, studying everything from ballet and lyrical to contemporary and hip-hop, according to the Miss Anchorage Program.

Johnston has been collecting suitcases and toiletries to donate to children in foster care as part of her social-impact initiative.

Arizona: Jacqueline Thomas

Jacqueline Thomas graduated from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix with a degree in business management. She won Miss Arizona after competing for the title for the last five years. 

Thomas' social-impact initiative for the pageant, titled "Lady Leaders," was inspired by the fact that she was not allowed to be the president of her high school because she was a girl. 

"There were no females in any leadership position from the top faculty all the way down to the students," Thomas told GCU Today. "They just didn't encourage women to pursue being leaders or role models or provide us with any sort of role models. The highest position I was allowed to have was secretary, so I was student body secretary." 

Arkansas: Darynne Dahlem

Darynne Dahlem graduated with an animal science degree from the University of Arkansas, where she plans to return for medical school. 

Dahlem has been competing for Miss Arkansas for five years, picking up numerous titles along the way. But when Dahlem's mother first signed her up for a pageant, at the age of 13, she absolutely "hated it." 

"I swore up and down I was never gonna do another pageant as long as I lived, because I had really bad stage fight," Dahlem told The Arkansas Traveler. "I'd stand up there and just shake." 

Dahlem decided to give pageants another go when she turned 18, and so began her journey to winning Miss Arkansas. 

California: Eileen Kim

Eileen Kim graduated from Chapman Universe with a degree in business administration. She has dreamed of a career in international law since she was in kindergarten and has played classical violin since she was 3 years old. 

Kim's social-impact initiative is "Let's Talk: Opening the Discussion Surrounding Self-Harm and Developing Healthy Coping Mechanisms." The initiative was inspired by Kim's own adolescent struggles with an eating disorder and self-harm amid the pressure she felt as a "model minority," she told Chapman Newsroom. 

The pageant queen spoke about these pressures during a TEDx Talk she gave in 2017. 

"No matter the accomplishments that I had, I attributed them all to the fact that I was a woman, or that I was Asian," she said. "Or any sort of label that people had (placed) on me."

Colorado: Monica Thompson

Monica Thompson is a graduate of Oklahoma City University, where she was the first student to complete a double honors major in vocal performance and music theater, according to the Miss Colorado website. 

Thompson's social-impact initiative is "Building Strong Girls," which was inspired by her experience growing up with sisters in a "primarily single-parent household," the website states. 

She has won the Miss America Community Service Award three years in a row, raising more than $21,000 and volunteering more than 500 hours for various organizations. 

Connecticut: Jillian Duffy

Jillian Duffy is a business administration graduate from Southern Connecticut State University. She began competing in pageants when she was eight, and won Miss Connecticut after five years of competing for the crown. 

Duffy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was 13 years old. She continued to compete in pageants as she underwent chemotherapy, according to Connecticut Children's Medical Center. 

The pageant queen hopes to continue inspiring children who have pediatric cancer. 

"The first thing I'll say to them is to just think about tomorrow," she told The Hartford Courant. "I'll tell them my story of where I was just five or six years ago. I'm Miss CT and I got my life back."

Delaware: Hillary May

Hillary May graduated from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a degree in psychology and is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in education from the University of Delaware. 

May is a passionate advocate for destigmatizing mental illness and currently volunteers at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, according to the University of Delaware website. 

She also works at Supporting Kidds, Delaware's only grief center for children, where she facilitates group therapy sessions for children ages 5 through 16 who have lost a parent or sibling. 

District of Columbia: Katelynne Cox

Katelynne Cox graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in nonprofit management at the age of 17. She is currently the manager of fundraising and events at the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation. 

Cox released three albums as a teen and has toured and performed across the country. She has also worked as an anchor for NBC affiliate KOMU and as a cheerleader for the Washington Capitals, according to the Miss District of Columbia website. 

She is also the founder of Silence Is Not Compliance, through which she has lobbied for victims of sexual assault before the US Congress. 

"I am a survivor of sexual assault and was raped in college, and I wanted to turn my terrible experience into a way that could help others," she told Voice of America.

Florida: Michaela McLean

Michaela McLean graduated from the University of Alabama with a double major in dance and public relations. 

McLean hopes to pursue a career in the performing arts or entertainment public relations and dreams of performing on Broadway or working for "The Ellen DeGeneres show," she told Central Florida Ag News.

The pageant queen is also the cofounder of Brave and Beautiful, through which she has taught dance classes in orphanages, as well as schools and churches in the Dominican Republic. 

Georgia: Victoria Hill

Victoria Hill is a vocal performance student at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia. 

Hill, who has won national awards in classical singing, dreams of becoming a professional opera singer, according to the Tribune Ledger News. 

And Hill has already won big in the Miss America preliminaries. On Monday she was named both the overall talent winner and the onstage question winner. 

Hill is a passionate advocate for foster youth and volunteers at North Georgia Angel House, which provides support for foster children. 

Hawaii: Nicole Holbrook

Nicole Holbrook is a business management student at Brigham Young University—Hawaii in Laie.

Holbrook first discovered pageants after a career-ending soccer injury dashed her dreams of becoming a student athlete in college, according to The Ke Alaka'i. 

Just 14 years old at the time, Holbrook had also been taking piano lessons. Her teacher, a former Miss Oklahoma, then began telling her about the Miss America Organization. 

"I like the fact that the Miss America Organization focused on service, talent and scholarship," Holbrook told the student magazine. "I decided to compete and have been involved ever since."

Idaho: Grace Zimmerman

Grace Zimmerman is studying market entrepreneurship at the University of Idaho. 

Zimmerman was originally first runner-up for Miss Idaho, but received the crown after winner Rachel Forest stepped down to pursue an academic opportunity, according to KIVI Boise. 

The pageant queen's social-impact initiative is "wholesome health." 

"I'm promoting self-care that includes taking care of yourself internally and externally," she told the University of Idaho Argonaut. 

Illinois: Ariel Beverly

Ariel Beverly graduated from Illinois State University and has spent the last year teaching art at a high school in Chatham, Illinois. 

Beverly began entering pageants when she was in college, but took a three-year break after she felt she was putting too much time into the competitions. 

"I thought I was losing myself a little bit," she told Illinois State University. 

Now Beverly is focused on advocating for arts education, collecting and donating over $10,000 worth of art supplies to school art programs over the last few years.

Indiana: Tiarra Taylor

Tiarra Taylor is a communications student at Indiana State University. She aspires to become a teacher one day. 

The first-generation college student's social-impact initiative is to bring advantages to disadvantaged youth. 

"It's all about empowering young people and giving them the tools necessary to thrive," she told CNHI News Indiana. "Their dreams are tangible despite their circumstance, just because I'm a living testament that it doesn't matter where you come from or who you are, you can totally do all the things you dream of."

Iowa: Emily Tinsman

Emily Tinsman is a music education graduate from Drake University. Tinsman was set to teach in September but put her plans on hold after winning Miss Iowa. 

"I'm a little nervous about calling my principal and telling him I'm sorry, but I can't teach this year," Tinsman told The Quad-City Times after winning. "I'll have a year of Miss Iowa and then, it's wherever life takes me."

Tinsman first got involved with pageants in college after she began running the social media for Pageant Planet, an online pageant company. 

Kansas: Annika Wooton

Annika Wooton graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in illustration. She has showcased her live painting in exhibits across America, and her work has appeared in New York Magazine, according to her official website. 

Wooton is also on the board of directors with the Kansas Alliance for the Arts in Education and has traveled to Washington, DC to speak with legislators about the importance of the arts in schools. 

"My vision for this job is to communicate with everyone and build on my platform of bringing quality arts into every community," Wooton said during the final round for Miss Kansas. 

Kentucky: Alex Francke

Alex Francke is a business management graduate from the University of Kentucky. She won the Miss Kentucky title after being named first runner-up in the 2018 pageant. 

"This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember," she told The Lexington-Herald Leader. 

Francke is the founder of Adopt an Art, a nonprofit that provides free art classes to schools where art programs are disappearing. 

"I wanted to find a way to connect to kids who are passionate but may not have resources to take arts lessons and classes," Francke told the paper.

Louisiana: Meagan Crews

Meagan Crews is a marketing major at Louisiana State University Shreveport. After she graduates, Crews plans on pursuing law school. 

Crews has been competing in pageants since she was 6 years old. She took a year off from competing for Miss Louisiana so that she could act as student government association president at her university, according to The News-Star. 

While serving as president, Crews spoke to legislators against the potential merger of Louisiana State University Shreveport with Louisiana Tech University. 

Maine: Carolyn Brady

Carolyn Brady graduated from Bowdoin College with a degree in government and legal studies. She is the first African-American to win Miss Maine in the pageant's 84-year history. 

"I hold the title in a state that's about 5% African-American, if that," Brady told The Bowdoin Orient. "I think it really shows that we're moving toward a more diverse and inclusive standard of beauty, which is amazing, and I just feel so fortunate to be able to represent that."

Brady began competing in Miss America pageants in college, after a former contestant was impressed by her violin performance with the Bowdoin Symphony Orchestra and encouraged her to apply. 

Maryland: Caitlyn Stupi

Caitlyn Stupi graduated from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, with a degree in graphic design. 

Stupi next plans to get a master's degree at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and pursue a career in graphics and illustration, according to the Carroll County Times. 

The pageant queen is passionate about promoting youth financial literacy, even writing and publishing a children's book to help teach financial education to kids. 

"Being able to go in at an early age and just introduce these concepts is something I'm very passionate about," she told the paper. "It's really my vision that every child will learn the basics of financial literacy, to really just give them the empowerment and security that they need for a brighter future, regardless of their socioeconomic background." 

Massachusetts: Lyndsey Littlefield

Lyndsey Littlefield is studying biology at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. She aspires to become a dentist, her dream career since she was a child. 

Littlefield has also competed in Ninja Warrior competitions, including the 2018 Obstacle Course Racing World Championships in London, according to The Standard-Times. 

"One of the reasons I got into pageants is I was so ready to shake up this world," Littlefield said. "I didn't go into pageants because I wanted to be a beautiful princess. I wanted to be a fierce warrior." 

Michigan: Mallory Rivard

Mallory Rivard graduated from Saginaw Valley State University in University Center, Michigan, with a degree in early childhood education. 

Rivard has been a first-grade teacher for two years and is pursuing a master's degree in early childhood education. She is also a passionate advocate for literacy. 

The pageant queen has already hit the ground running at Miss America, winning the private interview award during preliminaries on Sunday.

Minnesota: Kathryn Kueppers

Kathryn Kueppers is studying family and consumer sciences at Minnesota State University-Mankato. She also has an associates degree in the culinary arts. 

She comes from a legacy of pageant queens. Her mother, Vicki Plaster Kueppers, won Miss Minnesota in 1983.

The pair are the only mother and daughter to win Miss Minessota in the competition's history. They are the 11th mother and daughter to win in the Miss America program, according to The St. Paul Pioneer Press. 

Kueppers first became fascinated with pageants after she discovered her mother's tiara in a box stashed in the basement when she was 4 years old. Her mother took her to the Miss Minnesota competition every year after. 

Mississippi: Mary Margaret Hyer

Mary Margaret Hyer graduated from the University of Mississippi with an English degree. She is next planning to attend law school. 

Hyer broke her foot while getting caught between a boat and the dock just weeks before competing for the Miss Mississippi title, according to The Clarion-Ledger. 

"I've never broken a bone before in my life, so it was interesting timing to say the least," she told the paper. 

Thanks to a boot and plenty of elevation, most of the swelling went down before the competition.

Missouri: Simone Esters

Simone Esters is a journalism student at the University of Missouri. She performs in the school's Marching Mizzou as a baton twirler, and also mentors young twirlers across the country to help them develop their skills in the sport.

When not at school, Esters devotes her time to a 501(c)3 nonprofit she created in a partnership with the Missouri School of Journalism called Writeous Girls, Inc. The program works to "empower young girls through media and community."

Her social-impact initiative, called Leave You MARK: Mentor At-Risk Kids, aims to improve the quality and quantity of mentors in Missouri.

Montana: Mo Shea

Mo Shea has a history of winning pageants. Not only was she crowned Miss Montana in June, but she also took home Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen title in 2012.

Equally impressive are her academic achievements. After high school, Shea graduated magna cum laude from the University of Montana with a degree in cellular and molecular neuroscience.

She's now an advocate for skin cancer awareness, and plans to be a dermatologist. 

Nebraska: Allie Swanson

Allie Swanson proudly accepted her Miss Nebraska crown in June as a fifth-generation Nebraskan. She even told The North Platte Telegraph that she wanted her win to celebrate the state rather than herself.

"I don't want this to be about me," Swanson said. "I know I won Miss Nebraska, but I don't take this responsibility lightly and I love my state."

In the future, Swanson hopes to continuously dedicate time to her church, become a CEO of her own company, and also "create a type of technology that adds to the world."

Nevada: Nasya Mancini

Nasya Mancini is a big believer in miracles. She was born prematurely after 25 weeks, and was originally given a 10% chance of survival.

Today, Mancini spends her time pursuing a career in broadcast television, and is also passionate about acting. She'll also be promoting a social-impact initiative called Patch for a Purpose #FindYourVoice during the Miss America competition.

The initiative aims to empower children to learn about their character, confidence, creativity, and well-being.

New Hampshire: Sarah Tubbs

Sarah Tubbs took home the Miss New Hampshire crown after being named runner-up for three years in a row. She used each loss as encouragement, and told the Argus Champion Eagle Times that she spent her runner-up years practicing for the title.

"Every year that I haven't won Miss New Hampshire, I decided to take it upon myself to do the things I would do as Miss New Hampshire anyways," she said.

Tubbs graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in marketing and management, and a minor in dance. She now works as a professional dance teacher.

New Jersey: Jade Glab

Jade Glab hails from Belmar, New Jersey, and studied at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. She now combines two of her biggest passions — music and health — to empower children through a social-impact initiative.

Healthy Children, Strong America teaches young people about why they should "take control of their health before it takes control of them," according to the Miss New Jersey website. Glab works with the initiative to host musical presentations, which encourage kids to dance.

Many songs used in the program were written by Glab, who sings and plays acoustic guitar, piano, and flute.

On Wednesday, Glab impressed the Miss America judges during the preliminary competition when she won the onstage interview portion. She took home a $1,000 scholarship as a result.

New Mexico: Misa Tran

Misa Tran is an attendee of New Mexico State University's Department of Kinesiology and Dance, where she majors in athletic training. She plans on using her future degree to help veterans, first responders, and the Children's Miracle Network.

After being crowned Miss New Mexico, Tran began working with Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit that sends care packages to members of the military and their families. The organization is dear to her, as her father was previously deployed.

She also devotes time to hospitals associated with the Children's Miracle Network, and plans on attending graduate school.

New York: Lauren Molella

Lauren Molella has acheived much success in the academic world. She has five different STEM degrees, including a master's in psychology from Sacred Heart University. She's also passionate about ballet and dance, and works as a choreographer.

In terms of activism, Molella focuses on supporting women and members of the military. Her social-impact initiative is called Voices of Honor: Serving America's Heroes, which aims to help communities at risk of PTSD and suicide.

Miss North Carolina: Alexandra Badgett

Alexandra Badgett graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in insurance, risk management, and finance, as well as a minor in actuarial mathematics. She also previously held the title of Miss North Carolina Outstanding Teen in 2012.

Badgett is now dedicated to her social-impact initiative called N.I.N.E (No Is Not Enough), which works against rape and promotes the message of "no means no." She hopes to continue these efforts by winning Miss America.

In her free time, the contestant enjoys dancing and being with her family.

North Dakota: Haley Wolfe

Haley Wolfe previously told Inforum that she competes in pageants mainly "for the scholarship money," though she also wants to give back to people in need.

For example, she aims to support a platform called #BeThe1To, which raises awareness about teen suicide prevention. She also takes place in the Fargo Walk Out of Darkness to raise money for suicide prevention, and dedicates time to the Children's Miracle Network.

"I just love giving back, especially when you have something like a crown to use as a megaphone to raise awareness," she told Inforum.

Ohio: Caroline Grace Williams

Caroline Grace Williams is currently enrolled in a graduate program to attain her master's degree in education. She works in the Office of Admission for Miami University, and also performs professionally at theaters throughout the Cincinnati area.

As Miss Ohio, Williams created a social-impact initiative called The F.A.C.T.S. of Calling 911: Caroline's Crisis Call. It aims to promote personal safety, and teach people how to handle crisis scenarios.

Williams was inspired to create the initiative after being involved in a serious car accident.

Oklahoma: Addison Price

Addison Price held the Miss Tulsa and Miss Oklahoma's Outstanding Teen titles before being named Miss Oklahoma. She's extremely proud of her home state, and is currently studying marketing and nonprofit management at Oklahoma State University.

As someone with dyslexia, Price "understands the struggles many differently-abled students face," according to the Miss Oklahoma website. Her experience even inspired her social-impact initiative: Empowering Individuals with Learning Difference through Self-Advocacy.

In the future, she hopes to inspire children to use their voices and express their needs in learning environments. She's also working with her local governor's office to "rebrand" Oklahoma.

Oregon: Shivali Kadam

Shivali Kadam has a degree in chemical engineering from Oregon State University, and also works full-time as a construction manager.

She's extremely passionate about STEM, and aims to inspire a new generation of female workers, according to the Portland Tribune. Fittingly, her social-impact initiative is called STEM to Bloom: Growing the Next Generation of Female Engineers and Scientists.

Like many other Miss America contestants, Kadam also works with the Children's Miracle Network, and says she's "raised thousands of dollars" for the organization in recent years.

Pennsylvania: Tiffany Seitz

Tiffany Seitz had to overcome numerous challenges before reaching the Miss America pageant. Not only did she enter the Miss Pennsylvania pageant late (another contestant dropped out), but she also had little pageant experience and had only practiced her talent routine twice.

Still, Seitz persevered, took home the crown, and is now headed to the national competition. When not onstage, the contestant works as a dance teacher. She hopes to someday own her own studio, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Her impact initiative throughout the competition will be called Adoption Advocacy — Restoring Hope, Transforming Lives. She was inspired by her own adoption.

Rhode Island: Molly Andrade

Molly Andrade hopes to become the first Miss America winner from Rhode Island, despite not having much of a background competing in pageants. Instead, she began participating after learning about the potential scholarship opportunities they can offer. 

Currently, Andrade is a student at Endicott College, where she studies business management and political science. She also works with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, and has a social-impact initiative titled SARA (Sexual Assault Resistance and Awareness).

"The program helps women understand the reality," Andrade told Endicott College about SARA. "I think that I was somewhat naïve in high school. I thought, 'that's never going to happen' or 'that would never be me,' but when the statistics become real it changes your perspective."

South Carolina: Morgan Nichols

Morgan Nichols won the Miss South Carolina pageant on her first try, according to the Greenville News. After being crowned, she told the news outlet she was "just in shock."

As she enters the Miss America pageant, Nichols is focusing on encouraging women to pursue a STEM education through her social-impact initiative, Stronger with STEM. Nichols herself has a degree from the College of Science at Clemson University.

"I really take this as a job," Nichols told her college newspaper The Newsstand. "I'm here to promote the life sciences, yes, but also to inspire the next generation of women leaders, legislators, and decision-makers."

South Dakota: Amber Hulse

Amber Hulse has been competing in pageants since she was 13 years old. As The Volante reported, she's also a student of political science at the University of South Dakota.

For her social-impact initiative, Hulse created a nonprofit organization called Operation Overload, which helps young people plan their careers. Speaking to The Volante, Hulse also said the program helps inspire confidence and public-speaking skills in participants.

"I don't think there's anything that can really prepare you for being Miss South Dakota," Hulse told the school newspaper. "You don't have a lot of time for yourself. And that's okay because every single thing you go to is one of those incredible life-changing moments."

Tennessee: Brianna Mason

Brianna Mason is the first black woman to take home the Miss Tennessee title. She works as a first-grade teacher, and has both a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Tennessee.

In 2017, Mason created a nonprofit organization called Advocates for Autism to promote awareness and inclusion, according to the Tennessean. She said the program was inspired by a friend who has autism.

As an ambassador for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Mason will also dedicate time to promoting literacy and being "a voice for educators."

Texas: Chandler Foreman

Chandler Foreman studies converged broadcast media at the University of North Texas. Though she's taking a break from school to focus on the upcoming pageant, she plans to get her degree afterwards.

As a pageant contestant, Foreman created a social-impact initiative called The Leader Within, through which she shares personal anecdotes from her life with young people to inspire them.

She's also dedicated to changing the stereotypes associated with "pageant girls." According to the Miss Texas website, she commonly shares "her experiences across cultural and economic lines," and displays "the qualities and skills" obtained through her time in pageants.

Utah: Dexonna Talbot

Dexonna Talbot hails from the city of Spanish Fork, and is majoring in ballet performance at The University of Utah. Her dancing skills have previously brought her to study in Prague, and landed her an audition on "So You Think You Can Dance." 

When not dancing, studying, or competing in pageants, Talbot works on her social-impact initiative, called Servesteem. The program encourages all acts of service — no matter how big or small — to help "strengthen one's own self-esteem," according to the Miss Utah website.

Vermont: Jillian Fisher

Jillian Fisher is pursuing a degree in animal science at the University of Vermont. Her ultimate goal is to become a veterinarian and have her own practice within her home state.

According to the Miss Vermont website, she's particularly passionate about cows, and has spent time working at a dairy barn to deliver more than 30 calves.

During the pageant, however, Fisher is shifting her focus to help combat opioid addiction through her social-impact initiative called Fighting Addiction. It was inspired by her family's connection to the drug crisis, and helps educate people on the resources available to them within the state.

Virginia: Camille Schrier

Camille Schrier shocked viewers of the 2019 Miss Virginia pageant when she completed a science experiment during the talent portion.

The display made perfect sense, as Schrier has worked as a biochemist since graduating from Virginia Tech. She's now aiming to become a Doctor of Pharmacy through her studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Her newest goal, however, is to use her Miss America platform to promote her social-impact initiative: Mind Your Meds: Drug Safety and Abuse Prevention from Pediatrics to Geriatrics.

Washington: Abbie Kondel

Abbie Kondel has a go-to trick for stealing the show during pageants: tap dancing. She's been dancing since she was 3 years old, and now studies the art at Brigham Young University.

During the Miss America pageant, however, she'll be focusing on making change through her social-impact initiative, Be Smart, Don't Start. The platform will allow her to speak out against drug addiction, which has affected members of her family.

"You can see how people's lives and later generations are affected by their choices," Kondel previously told the Columbian. "You can see how addiction has affected my family."

West Virginia: Toriane Graal

Toriane Graal won her state's 75th annual pageant this year, and beat out 10 other contestants in the process. She previously studied accounting at West Virginia University, and represented Team USA at the 2019 Grand Prix of baton twirling in France.

She's now looking to take home the national title too by sharing her social-impact initiative, called Let's Be CLEAR: Children's Leukemia Education, Awareness, Resilience.

Wisconsin: Alyssa Bohm

Alyssa Bohm is no stranger to the stage — she worked for her father as a magician's assistant starting at 2 years old, according to The Journal Times. 

She's since become a special education teacher, and plans to carry her academic skills over to the Miss America pageant through her social-impact initiative: Enhancing opportunities for individuals with special needs. She was inspired by her aunt, who has a learning disability.

Her work doesn't stop there. Bohm also serves on the board of directors for Special Olympics Wisconsin, and was previously a co-adviser for a special needs cheerleading team.

Wyoming: Jordan Hardman

Jordan Hardman is studying family and consumer sciences at the University of Wyoming. She aspires to become a pediatric physician assistant.  

Hardman first got involved in pageants when she was 9 years old. 

"My mom wanted to get into something after my parents divorced," Hardman told SweetwaterNOW. "I was hooked after the first one." 

When Hardman was 14, she told her mother she dreamed of becoming Miss Wyoming one day. 

"She has been beside me with that dream ever since," Hardman told the site. 

• Read more:
• THEN AND NOW: How the Miss America pageant has changed over the years

37 photos of Miss America winners being crowned through the years

The very first Miss America contest took place in 1921 — here's what that first pageant was like

25 celebrities that you didn't realize competed in beauty pageants 

10 of the biggest beauty pageant scandals of all time

• The Miss America pageant has been held since 1921. 
• Some of the competitors' most eye-catching looks include glittering gowns, rhinestone-studded costumes, and even bodysuits. 
• Miss Minnesota 2007 wore a captivating emerald gown in the 2008 Miss America pageant.
• Miss Kansas 1996 appeared in the Miss America 1997 pageant wearing a metallic swimsuit with a cape.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The annual Miss America pageant has been around since 1921 and it's since become a cultural phenomenon known for its over-the-top glamour and unforgettable fashions.

From fairytale-style ball gowns to vibrant dance outfits, here are some of the most showstopping looks in Miss America history. 

Miss Oregon turned heads in a glittering gown during the Miss America 2019 pageant.

During the first night of the preliminaries, Miss Oregon 2018 Taylor Ballard wore a peachy evening gown that was complete with a fully bedazzled halter top. 

In 2018, Nia Franklin strutted across the Miss America stage in a chic gown.

Nia Franklin of New York was crowned Miss America 2019 while wearing this striking white gown. 

The mermaid-style dress featured a voluminous shoulder strap and a hint of a train.

Miss Pennsylvania wore a flame-red gown to compete in the 2018 Miss America pageant.

Miss Pennsylvania 2017 Katie Schreckengast turned heads in a crimson ball gown during the 2018 Miss America pageant.

The dress was accessorized with a delicate belt and glittering earrings. 

In 2013, Miss New York Nina Davuluri blew judges away during the talent portion of the competition.

Nina Davuluri of New York performed a classical Bollywood Fusion dance in a glittering, ensemble complete with gold accents.

She went on to win the entire competition, becoming Miss America 2014.

Laura Kaeppeler of Wisconsin competed for the 2012 crown in a dramatically embellished gown.

Laura Kaeppeler swapped her Miss Wisconsin title for the 2012 Miss America crown after stunning in this red ensemble with a swirl of sparkling beadwork and rhinestones. 

Alyse Eady of Arkansas donned a red jumpsuit in the 2011 Miss America pageant.

Alyse Eady entertained viewers with an unexpected show of ventriloquism in the 2011 pageant while wearing a shimmering crimson jumpsuit. 

She ended up being the first runner-up for the Miss America crown that year.

Miss Virginia danced in a sparkling black ensemble during the 2011 Miss America pageant.

Caitlin Uze, who won the Miss Virginia title in 2010, performed a lively dance onstage while decked out in a short dress, glittery arm coverings, black tights, and low-heeled shoes. 

In the 2010 Miss America pageant, Miss New York turned heads in a plum gown.

During the evening-gown portion of the competition, Alyse Zwick of New York wore a one-shoulder, frill-covered plum dress that was accented with crystals. 

Katie Stam of Indiana accepted the 2009 Miss America crown in an ivory dress.

The sparkling sequins and delicate lace of Katie Stam's white gown paired perfectly with her large drop earrings and new crown.  

While competing for the 2008 crown, Miss Illinois Ashley Hatfield sang for judges in an enchanting white gown.

The pageant queen serenaded the judges during the preliminary competition for the 2008 Miss America contest in this beaded gown.

Ashley Hatfield's ensemble included a flowing cape that pooled on the floor. 

Miss Minnesota wore a captivating green gown in the 2008 Miss America pageant.

Jennifer Hudspeth of Minnesota looked as if she were draped in liquid emerald while competing in this floor-length gown.

Hudspeth accented the dress with simple drop earrings and clear, strappy heels. 

Kirsten Haglund turned up the tulle in this blue gown while competing for the 2008 Miss America crown.

Kirsten Haglund of Michigan performed in a light-blue, rhinestone-studded gown that was complete with a tail of shimmering tulle.

She went on to win the 2008 Miss America crown. 

Miss Oklahoma wore a slinky evening gown while being crowned 2007's Miss America.

Lauren Nelson of Oklahoma wowed in a glittering, floor-length gown that she paired with an elaborate necklace for more sparkle. 

Miss District of Columbia danced in a showstopping red outfit during the 2007 Miss America pageant.

Kate Michael of Washington, DC entertained judges by dancing in a fiery red ensemble during the preliminary competition for the 2007 Miss America Pageant. 

Miss Hawaii turned up the heat in a feathered headdress and skirt while competing for the 2007 title.

Pilialoha Gaison of Hawaii performed a Tahitian dance during the preliminary competition for the 2007 Miss America pageant.

Her outfit featured a massive feathered headdress and an equally fantastical red and white skirt. 

Miss New York made an entrance in a velvet dress during the 2006 Miss America pageant.

Miss New York 2005 Kandice Pelletier introduced herself during the 2006 Miss America pageant while wearing a slinky, dark-red velvet dress that featured a plunge neckline. 

Miss Virgin Islands wore a semi-sheer floral dress to compete for the 2006 crown.

Miss Virgin Islands 2005 Allison Bourne-Vanneck played the drums on stage while wearing a nearly sheer dress bedecked with colorful flowers.

She accentuated the fun look with a fabric armband and a high ponytail.  

Miss Idaho flew through the air in a colorful tutu in the 2006 competition.

Miss Idaho 2005 Tracey Renee Brown danced in a colorful tutu and beaded bodice during the preliminary competition for the 2006 Miss America pageant.

The outfit featured layers of tulle, embellished shoulder straps, and a feathered hat. 

Angela Perez Baraquio was crowned Miss America 2001 in a red gown with a high slit.

Angela Perez Baraquio of Honolulu, Hawaii, walked through confetti and accepted her crown while wearing this scarlet-red gown with a slit. 

She was the first Asian-American woman to Miss America. 

Miss Kansas appeared in the 1997 Miss America pageant wearing a metallic swimsuit.

Miss Kansas 1996 Tara Dawn Holland showed off in a gleaming one-piece swimsuit decorated with geometric gold patterns on a matte black background. It even had a glittering cape. 

She went on to win the Miss America 1997 title. 

Vanessa Williams wore a sequined gown while competing for the title of Miss America 1984.

Miss New York 1983 Vanessa Williams showed off her singing chops in this sequined gown — and she went on to become the first African-American woman to be named Miss America.

Wiliams was later forced to give up her title after nude photos of her surfaced in Penthouse magazine. The photos had been shot while she worked as a photographer's assistant.

32 years later, Sam Haskell, then-CEO of Miss America, apologized to Williams onstage at the 2016 pageant on behalf of the organization.

Miss Oklahoma won the 1981 title in a rhinestone-drenched evening dress.

Susan Powell of Oklahoma took home the 1981 Miss America title after competing in a long-sleeved white gown that was covered with sheer, rhinestone-dotted fabric from top to toe. 

Miss Mississippi accepted the 1980 Miss America crown in a one-shoulder evening gown.

Cheryl Prewitt of Mississippi competed in a sweeping floor-length gown decorated with a subtle floral pattern. She accessorized with simple stud earrings. 

Miss New York competed in a simple yet stunning gown for the 1976 Miss America pageant.

Tawny Elaine Godin of Saratoga Springs, New York, wore an elegant gown with flowing pleats and a dipped neckline before being crowned Miss America 1976. 

Yolande Betbeze of Alabama took home the 1951 Miss America crown in an ivory ball gown.

The late Yolande Betbeze of Mobile, Alabama, was crowned Miss America 1951 while wearing a gleaming white ball gown with a full skirt. 

Venus Ramey performed in a two-piece ensemble during the 1944 Miss America pageant.

Representing Washington, DC, the late Venus Ramey wore a floor-length skirt and belly-baring top during the talent portion of the 1944 Miss America Pageant. 

She went on to win the title of Miss America 1944.

Read more:

• 22 showstopping looks from the Miss Universe pageant over the years
• 25 celebrities that you didn't realize competed in beauty pageants
• 14 celebrities who've called out designers for refusing to dress them
• Meet the 51 women competing to be Miss America 2020

• Since the Miss America competition started in 1921, candidates have walked the stage in fabulous evening gowns. 
• The contest has gone through some changes over the years, including the elimination of the swimsuit and evening gown portions of the pageant. 
• From plunging necklines to classic silhouettes, here's a look at the winning gowns Miss America contestants have worn through the years. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Over the years, the winning gowns from Miss America have featured everything from plunging necklines to classic mermaid silhouettes.

The Miss America competition first started as a bathing suit contest in 1921 and has since seen many changes, including the removal of the swimsuit and evening gown portions.

Ahead of this year's Miss America pageant on Thursday, here's a look back at the gowns winning contestants have worn over the years. 

The first-ever Miss America pageant winner was Margaret Gorman from Washington, DC, in 1921.

Margaret Gorman was only 16 years old when she won what was originally known as the "Inter-City Beauty" contest. Her title was changed to "Miss America" in 1922.

She accepted her crown in a '20s-style flapper dress.

Mary Katherine Campbell took home the Miss America title in both 1922 and 1923.

Mary Katherine Campbell is the only Miss America contestant to have won two consecutive years in a row. She posed in a regal robe after winning the title. 

Ruth Malcomson represented Philadelphia in the 1924 Miss America pageant.

The 18-year-old was wearing a knee-length satin dress with short heels during her crowning.

Fay Lanphier was crowned Miss America in 1925.

Prior to earning the Miss America title, Fay Lanphier was named Miss California in 1924.

Lanphier accepted her crown wearing a short, button-up dress with low, closed-toe heels.

In 1926, Norma Smallwood became the first woman of Native American heritage to win the Miss America pageant.

Norma Smallwood represented Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the pageant. She wore a mid-length flowy dress with her hair pinned up. 

Lois Delander took home the Miss America crown in 1927.

Delander wore a sequined fringe dress that was typical of the 1920s flapper style.

The Miss America contest took a six-year hiatus following the crowning of Delander. The pageant was temporarily discontinued after 1927 as a result of bad press surrounding the event, as well as growing pressures from religious and women's groups.

Marian Bergeron was crowned Miss America in 1933 after the pageant was briefly revived.

Marian Bergeron wore a regal robe with puffy sleeves over her white gown when she was awarded the Miss America title.

The contest returned for good in 1935, and Henriette Leaver was crowned Miss America.

Henriette Leaver sported a black one-piece bathing suit when she was crowned Miss America.

Rose Veronica Coyle was the second Miss Philadelphia to win the Miss America title in 1936.

Rose Veronica Coyle wore a white one-piece swimsuit with strappy heels when she was crowned as the winner.

Bette Cooper represented Bertrand Island, New Jersey, when she was crowned as the 1937 winner.

Bette Cooper originally entered the Miss America pageant as a dare but ended up winning the title.

She wore a velvet gown to accept her crown. 

Marilyn Meseke was crowned the pageant winner in 1938.

Marilyn Meseke donned a silk romper at the time of the pageant.

Patricia Donnelly wore a swimsuit to accept the 1939 Miss America title.

Donnelly wore the satin swimsuit with sling-back heels.

Frances Burke was representing Philadelphia when she won the Miss America contest in 1940.

Burke was crowned wearing a simple, black bathing suit. 

Rosemary LaPlanche had won Miss California two years in a row prior to winning Miss America in 1941.

Rosemary LaPlanche was the first runner-up in the 1940 Miss America pageant. In 1941, she claimed her crown wearing a black bathing suit paired with black heels.

Jo-Carroll Dennison won the Miss America title in 1942.

Jo-Carroll Dennison posed in a black one-piece swimsuit when she took home the title.

Jean Bartel won the title of Miss America in 1943.

Bartel also wore a black one-piece swimsuit during her crowning.

Venus Ramey was the first contestant with red hair to win Miss America in 1944.

Venus Ramey represented the District of Columbia before she was named Miss America in 1944. She also wore a black V-cut swimsuit during her crowning.

In 1945, Bess Myerson became the first and only Jewish woman to be named Miss America.

Myerson was also the first Miss America to receive a scholarship as part of her victory.

Myerson took home the crown in white, modest swimwear.

Marilyn Buferd won the title of Miss America in 1946.

Buferd donned a white bathing suit with white heels during her crowning moment.

Barbara Jo Walker earned the Miss America title in 1947 and was the last to be crowned in her bathing suit.

Barbara Jo Walker wore a two-piece swimsuit that featured flowers on the front. 

In 1948, BeBe Shopp was the first Miss America winner to be crowned in an evening gown.

Shopp wore a long, flowy evening dress during the 1948 Miss America pageant.

Jacque Mercer was representing Arizona when she won the Miss America title in 1949.

Mercer opted to wear a bathing suit during her Miss America crowning.

Yolande Betbeze refused to pose in a bathing suit after winning the Miss America title in 1951.

There was technically no Miss America 1950. The Miss America title became post-dated by three months in 1950, meaning the 1950 winner, Yolande Betbeze, was crowned Miss America 1951. 

Betbeze wore a long, white gown when she was crowned. Her refusal to pose in a swimsuit during the contest resulted in swimwear sponsors creating their own pageant, Miss USA. 

Colleen Hutchins became the first Miss Utah to win the crown at the 1952 Miss America competition.

Hutchins wore a long, white evening gown with embellishments near the top that made it a simple, yet elegant choice.

Evelyn Ay was the first and only Miss Pennsylvania to be crowned Miss America.

Ay wore a white Cinderella-like ball gown during her Miss America crowning.

Lee Meriwether won the 1955 Miss America title and was the first to be crowned on national television.

Meriwether opted for a more fitted strapless dress during her crowning moment. 

Sharon Ritchie was crowned Miss America 1956.

Ritchie donned a white ball gown for her crowning moment at the 1956 Miss America pageant.

Miss America 1957 Marian McKnight became the first Miss South Carolina to take the crown.

McKnight wore a stunning white ruffled dress that had a long tail attached to the back.

Marilyn Van Derbur was crowned Miss America 1958.

Marilyn Van Derbur wore a white ball gown with gloves during her crowning moment. Gloves were common at the Miss America pageant throughout the 1950s. 

Mary Ann Mobley was the first representative from Mississippi to win the Miss America crown.

Miss America 1959 Marie Ann Mobley looked chic during her crowning as she wore a white ball gown with white gloves.

Lynda Mead was crowned Miss America 1960, making her the second winner in a row from Mississippi.

Mead paired her white gown and gloves with a silver rhinestone bracelet and earrings.

Nancy Fleming won Miss America 1961.

Fleming competed in the pageant as Miss Michigan before she claimed the Miss America title. She wore a simple white gown with gloves during her crowning moment.

Maria Fletcher was representing North Carolina during Miss America 1962.

Fletcher was a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall in New York City before she was crowned Miss America.

She chose to wear a strapless ball gown that was simple, yet classy.

Jacquelyn Mayer represented Ohio in the 1963 Miss America pageant.

Mayer opted for a white spaghetti strap dress with floral designs. She paired the look with white gloves.

Donna Axum was the first Miss Arkansas to win the title of Miss America.

Miss America 1964 Donna Axum was 22 years old when she took home the pageant title. She posed with her crown in a black long-sleeved dress. 

Miss America 1965 Vonda Van Dyke performed as a ventriloquist for the talent portion of the competition.

Van Dyke wore a long white dress that featured embellishments at the top. 

Deborah Bryant was crowned Miss America 1966, which was also when the pageant first aired on TV in color.

Bryant wore a classy white satin dress with satin gloves to match during her moment of victory.

Jane Jayroe earned the title of Miss America 1967.

Jayroe also took home the crown for Miss Oklahoma in 1966. She wore a long white dress that had a high neckline with a keyhole cutout in the front.

Debra Barnes was crowned Miss America 1968.

Barnes previously won Miss Kansas before earning the title as Miss America 1968. Barnes took home the crown in a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline. 

Judith Ford represented Illinois in the 1969 Miss America pageant.

Ford took home the crown wearing a long white dress with gold detailing on the straps.

Pamela Eldred of Detroit, Michigan, was crowned as the winner of the 1970 Miss America contest.

Pamela Eldred accepted her crown in a beautiful sequined dress.

Phyllis George was Miss America 1971.

George accepted her crown in a sparkly halter-style dress with a loose-fitting skirt.

Miss America 1973 Terry Meeuwsen won both the talent and swimsuit competitions.

Meeuwsen looked like she was ready to walk down the aisle in this long-sleeved white gown. The flower detail throughout the dress matches the subtle Miss America crown perfectly. 

Miss America 1983 winner Debra Maffett was crowned Miss California first in 1982.

Maffett opted for a more dramatic dress with puffed sleeves.

Miss America 1984 Vanessa Williams was the first African American ever crowned.

Williams made history in a pink halter-style gown embellished with crystals. The standout detail was the puffed sleeve that matches the tulle detail at the bottom of the dress.

Sharlene Wells was crowned Miss America 1985.

Wells is wearing a mint gown covered in crystal embroidery. The gown is complete with crystal sleeves. 

Susan Akin, who was named Miss America 1986, participated in more than 110 pageants in her lifetime.

Akin took home the Miss America crown in a white floor-length gown with furry straps to match.

Gretchen Carlson represented Miss Minnesota at the 1989 Miss America pageant.

Carlson won the Miss America pageant in a sparkly blue gown. The white beaded feather-like detail across the V-neck really stands out. 

Kimberly Aiken, who was named Miss America 1994, was the first African American woman to be crowned Miss South Carolina.

Aiken kept it demure in this black evening gown packed with different design features. The criss-cross front, sheer sleeves, and thigh-high slit all work together flawlessly.

After winning Miss America 1996, Shawntel Smith went on to join the organization's board.

Smith took home the Miss America crown in a white halter dress with beaded details across her chest. 

Miss America 1997 Tara Dawn Holland represented Kansas at the pageant.

Holland's winning gown featured sheer sleeves. 

Kate Shindle represented Illinois in the Miss America 1998 pageant.

If you look closely, you'll notice the criss-cross detail and embroidered leaves going down the front of Shindle's gown. 

Nicole Johnson, who was crowned Miss America 1999, first started competing in pageants in Florida.

Johnson went with a classic black halter dress for her crowning moment. 

Heather French was the first woman from Kentucky to win Miss America.

Heather French won Miss America 2000 in an ombré blue maxi dress with a sweetheart neckline.

Angela Perez Baraquio was the first Asian American woman to ever win Miss America.

Angela Perez Baraquio won the 2001 Miss America crown in a fiery red halter dress with a thigh-high slit.

Miss America 2002 Katie Harman was the first and only contestant from Oregon to win.

Katie Harman wore a classic floor-length black dress that'll never go out of style for her crowning Miss America moment.

Erika Harold represented Illinois at the Miss America 2003 pageant.

Erika Harold won Miss America in a silver gown with fringe and an off-the-shoulder sleeve to match the tiers on her dress.

Ericka Dunlap was the first African American to be crowned Miss Florida. She went on to win Miss America 2004.

Dunlap embodied the Florida sunshine in this strapless yellow gown with crystals on the waist. 

Deidre Downs represented Alabama at the 2005 Miss America pageant.

Deidre Downs stunned in a two-piece dress. The detail in the high-neck top is perfectly offset by the simplicity of the white maxi skirt.

Jennifer Berry was the fifth Miss America from Oklahoma to win the competition.

Berry wore a low-cut halter-style dress complete with lots of sparkles. 

Lauren Nelson was the second consecutive Miss America from Oklahoma.

For her crowning moment, Lauren Nelson wore a black gown with a French lace bodice and beaded bottom.

Kirsten Haglund represented Michigan at the Miss America 2008 pageant.

Kirsten Haglund won Miss America in a nude dress with crystal embellishments.

Katie Stam, who was crowned 2009 Miss America, started competing in pageants at the age of 15.

Katie Stam took home the Miss America crown in an off-shoulder lace gown with a thigh-high slit. 

Caressa Cameron won the preliminary talent competition for her singing.

Caressa Cameron won the 2010 Miss America title wearing a skin-tight one-shoulder yellow dress with a rhinestone top. 

Teresa Scanlan was 17 years old when she won the title of Miss America 2011.

Teresa Scanlan won Miss America in a one-shoulder white dress adorned with more than 2,000 beads and crystals, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Laura Kaeppeler was the first Miss Wisconsin to win since Terry Anne Meeuwsen in 1973.

Laura Kaeppeler won Miss America in a black V-neck gown with embroidered lace details. 

Mallory Hytes Hagan was the fourth Miss New York to win Miss America.

Mallory Hytes Hagan's black earrings and bracelet stood out against the simple white one-shoulder dress she wore to win Miss America 2013.

Nina Davuluri was the first contestant of Indian descent to win Miss America.

Nina Davuluri won the title of Miss America 2013 in a bright yellow evening gown that she described as "the more sexy version" of Belle's dress in "Beauty and the Beast," according to the LA Times.

Kira Kazantsev was the third consecutive Miss America winner from New York.

For her crowning moment, Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev wore a long-sleeved white gown.

Betty Cantrell was the first Miss Georgia to win Miss America since 1953.

Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell wore a two-piece ensemble for the competition. The mermaid skirt hugged Cantrell in all the right places and the blue and silver rhinestones are a nice addition.

Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields started competing in pageants as a teenager.

Savvy Shields wore a sweetheart-style black mermaid gown that was an elevated version of a classic little black dress. 

Cara Mund was the first Miss Nebraska to be crowned Miss America.

Miss America 2018 Cara Mund looked flawless in a black gown that stood out thanks to the long, sheer train and rhinestone-embellished neckline.

Nia Franklin represented New York at Miss America 2019.

Nia Franklin wore a white mermaid gown with a one-shoulder frilled sleeve.

• Read more:
• THEN AND NOW: How the Miss America pageant has changed over the years
• 37 photos of Miss America winners being crowned through the years
• 26 showstopping looks from the Miss America pageant over the years
• The 2019 titleholders of Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss America are all women of color

• The Miss America 2020 competition took place Thursday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
• Miss Virginia, Camille Schrier, was named Miss America 2020.
• It's the second year of Miss America 2.0, a revamped version of the competition that eliminated the swimsuit and evening gown portions of the competition.
• Many viewers tuning into the competition took to Twitter to express criticism of the revamped competition, which included quick, on-air eliminations and interview questions that focused more on the ideals of Miss America 2.0 than the candidates themselves.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

On Thursday night, Camille Schrier, Miss Virginia, was crowned Miss America 2020 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Schrier's win makes her the second Miss America titleholder under Miss America 2.0, a rebranded version of the nearly 100-year-old competition hosted by the Miss America Organization. The Miss America 2019 competition, held in 2018, was the first year the contest did not include a swimsuit or evening gown portion. 

Many viewers tuning into the competition took to Twitter to express criticism of the revamped competition

While many fans seemed to understand and respect the organization's choice to update some parts of the competition in an effort to be more inclusive and progressive, many viewers of Thursday's Miss America 2020 finale criticized the pageant's new format, which seemed to rush through several rounds and quickly eliminate candidates on-air.

One Twitter user wrote of Miss America 2020: "okay I understand no swimsuit, but can we go back to more of the traditional Miss America competition?? like we haven't seen any of the women competing and it's cut to top 7."

Another user compared the Miss America finale's live elimination and feedback format to a game show, writing in a tweet:"What is happening right now? Why are the judges giving feedback on the responses? What in the 'America's Got Talent' is going on here? I don't like it. All the hard work of these girls and they're getting eliminated like that?! This is awful."

"These women worked hard and deserve to be celebrated,"Cara Mund, who was crowned Miss America 2018, wrote about the seemingly abrupt eliminations of the Miss America 2020 finale.

Some viewers seemed to miss elements of the old competition, despite the Miss America Organization's reasons for revamping the competition's format.

"Okay so who else is bored by this new Miss America 2.0?"one Twitter user wrote."So now we don't even have women compete before we start narrowing it down? It's also like a less elegant version of a local level pageant."

The same Twitter user continued, writing in a response to the original tweet: "I'm all for empowerment, but this one has become all about who's gonna be the most politically correct candidate."

Other viewers seemed to criticize the show's poor lighting for parts of the competition — most notably a baton performance by Miss Missouri, Simone Esters, that several Twitter users pointed out did not have proper lighting.

Another user commented on the show's poor lighting of Esters' baton performance: "So sad they gave her such terrible lighting. She still killed the baton twirling. You go girl!"

Despite a number of viewers sharing their dissatisfaction with the rebranded competition, many fans did recognize positive aspects of the new format

For example, viewers took to Twitter to applaud candidates' social impact platforms.

"I will say that the best part of 2.0 is the focus on the social impact initiative. Honestly, the only part I've really enjoyed so far,"one Twitter user wrote Thursday night.

In addition, viewers were quick to express their amazement at the science experiment demonstrated by Schrier, the newly crowned Miss America. 

"A woman in science became our 2020 Miss America and I've never been more ecstatic,"one user wrote in a tweet Thursday night. "A scientist advocating in opiate addiction as well, this is AMAZING."

Representatives for the Miss America Organization did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

• Read more:
• THEN AND NOW: How the Miss America pageant has changed over the years
• 37 photos of Miss America winners being crowned through the years
• The very first Miss America contest took place in 1921 — here's what that first pageant was like

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A podiatrist explains heel spurs, the medical condition Trump said earned him a medical deferment from Vietnam

• The Miss America competition was full of sparkles, gowns, and even an explosion on Thursday night. 
• But that's just what happened on TV. There was also plenty that occurred behind-the-scenes. 
• Kelly Rowland, who was one of the judges, shared a sweet moment with two pint-sized pageant queens on the red carpet while talking to Insider. 
• And fellow judge Karamo Brown did a quick costume change before the show aired. 
• There were also plenty of details from the contestants' gowns that you might have missed during the quick introduction round. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

You may have seen the beautiful gowns, the explosive science experiment, and one very sparkly crown. 

But there's plenty that went on behind-the-scenes of the Miss America competition, which was held at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Thursday night. 

From nachos and costume changes to the clean-up crew and Kelly Rowland's sweet red carpet moment, here's everything you missed. 

The Miss America competition was held at the Mohegan Sun Arena inside the Mohegan Sun Casino.

Walking into the arena, I felt like I was in Madison Square Garden, but instead of New York Knicks jerseys, everyone was wearing sparkling gowns and cocktail dresses. 

The stadium had refreshment stands selling classic pre-game snacks like nachos, beer, and hot dogs. 

There were even multiple tables full of merchandise for major Miss America fans.

Among the items for sale were tote bags, sweatpants, and a $30 Miss America crop top. 

Karamo Brown wore a baby-pink suit on the red carpet, but switched to a navy one for the show.

Brown shimmered in the metallic pink suit as he talked to press with fellow judges Kelly Rowland and "Superstore" actress Lauren Ash on the red carpet. 

He then switched to a slick navy jacket for the actual show, which he also wore to the press conference after the winner was announced. 

Miss South Carolina Morgan Nichols stood out in a sea of gowns with her T-shirt and dramatic skirt.

While viewers at home no doubt noticed Nichols' statement shirt, which was emblazoned with the word "Stronger" on the front, they may have missed the pink ball gown skirt she was wearing as well.  

Miss New York Lauren Molella looked like a winter queen with her fur trim.

While many of her fellow Miss America contestants opted for sparkles, Miss New York looked straight out of a holiday film with the fur detail on her white gown. 

Miss New Jersey Jade Glab's red dress got a dose of drama thanks to fabric that was attached to her matching bejeweled bracelets.

Glab walked down the Miss America stage with extra flair after she was named among the top 15 contestants at the beginning of the finals. 

Many of the contestants' families were holding signs with their headshots during the show. Others held pictures of the girls glued onto popsicle sticks.

I was sat behind Miss Missouri Simone Esters' family, who proudly held up signs that had a picture of her on one side. On the other side of each sign was a letter that, together, spelled out 'Simone.'

A number of attendees were also wearing pins, T-shirts, or jackets that celebrated their favorite contestants. The mother of Miss Virginia Camille Schrier, who was crowned the new Miss America, was wearing a lab coat that read "Miss Virginia Mama." 

Rowland had a sweet moment with two young fans on the red carpet, who both later appeared on the national broadcast.

The two girls were standing at the beginning of the red carpet when Rowland walked by and, as she was talking to Insider, one of them screamed her name. 

After finishing her answer, Rowland graciously asked to be excused so that she could hug the two girls and take pictures with them. 

"I have to go see this little girl over there!" she said before walking over to them. 

A man in a yellow jacket was on hand to make sure Rowland's hair stayed perfect during the show.

I spotted him brushing Rowland's locks during various commercial breaks, reaching over for touch-ups as she sat in her seat at the judges' table. 

The lighting for Miss Missouri's talent portion was even worse than it appeared on television.

Miss Missouri Simone Esters put on an incredible show with her twirling batons, but the audience could barely see it because of how poor the lighting was. 

I strained my eyes every time Esters threw the batons in the air, only really knowing if she had caught them once people in seats closer to the stage began to cheer.

Karamo commented on the poor lighting during the show, telling Esters that she was able to shine through it. 

Miss Virginia Camille Schrier, who was later crowned Miss America, demonstrated a scientific experiment during her talent portion, but fans at home may have missed her sparkling black pants.

Schrier, a biochemist, poured potassium iodine into flasks containing a combination of hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and food coloring to show what she said was a "catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide." 

The potassium iodine reacted with the mixtures, causing colorful streams of foam to shoot up into the sky before falling to the floor. 

Nearly 10 crew members were on hand to clean up the experiment as the show went to commercial break.

A few of the crew members carefully picked up a tarp that was covering the table, carrying the foam backstage. 

The remaining crew members then picked up a larger tarp that had been placed on the ground to catch any spillage during Schrier's experiment. 

The contestants shared a sweet moment with their families before the top seven was cut to five.

Schrier happily pointed at someone in the crowd, while Miss Georgia Victoria Hill waved and Miss Oklahoma Addison Price blew a kiss. 

• Read more:
• Miss America Camille Schrier stands by her controversial comment about why she believes contestants shouldn't be married or have children
• The 27 best looks the Miss America contestants wore in the pageant
• Photos show the emotional moment Miss Virginia Camille Schrier was crowned the winner of Miss America 2020
• Miss America judge Karamo Brown disagreed with the finalists after they said the winner should be single and without children

• I went to Miss America for the first time ever, and found the competition to be a cross between a reality show and a job interview. 
• The rebranded Miss America 2.0 was held at the Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Thursday night. 
• I loved seeing the families covered in gear celebrating their favorite contestant, and the audience was full of women in gorgeous gowns and pageant sashes. 
• However, the onstage elimination rounds were coming so fast that I felt like I barely knew the actual contestants. 
• New features like the judges' critiques after the talent portion, plus their decision to eliminate each girl one by one to build up suspense felt like they belonged on an episode of "American Idol." 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

For most of my life, the only thing I knew about the world of pageants came from watching "Miss Congeniality." 

I imagined that they were competitions full of glitz and sparkle, of dazzling tiaras, questions about the perfect date (April 25!), and plenty of dreams for "world peace." 

But after extensively covering Miss Universe this year, I knew that pageants in the 21st century were learning how to combine glamour with politics. 

So when I was given the chance to attend this year's Miss America pageant, I was intrigued to see just what the competition would be like after last year's major rebranding eliminated both the swimsuit and evening gown rounds. 

What I found was a show that felt like a cross between "American Idol" and a job interview, with the atmosphere of a basketball game at Madison Square Garden — nachos included. 

I boarded the Northeast Regional train from Penn Station in Manhattan early Thursday afternoon.

The train took me to New London, Connecticut, which is about 20 minutes away from where Miss America was being held in Uncasville, Connecticut. 

This year marked the second time that the Miss America competition wasn't held in Atlantic City, where it first originated in 1921 in an effort to keep tourists around after Labor Day weekend.

Minus a brief stint in Las Vegas from 2005 to 2012, Miss America had always been held in the coastal New Jersey town. But this year the competition not only changed locations, it also switched networks from ABC to NBC, and moved from its traditional Sunday night in September to the Thursday night before Christmas in December. 

After a two-and-a-half hour journey, I arrived in New London around 4:30 p.m. — just as the sun had begun to set.

I couldn't help but feel excited as I stepped off the train and saw a sky the color of lavender as the sun began to sink into the Thames River.

After a quick dash to my hotel to drop off my bag and change into a dress, I headed to the Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Uncasville.

The minute I stepped inside, I was hit with so many flashing neon lights that I had to remind myself I wasn't in Vegas. 

For a second I feared I wasn't in the right place. But as I began walking deeper into the casino, I started seeing huge groups of families. Some were dressed from head to toe in gear that celebrated their favorite Miss America contestant, while others carried signs with a contestant's picture or phrases like "There she twirls." 

The casino was also packed with pageant queens of all ages, dressed to the nines in glittering gowns and the sashes that they had won in various state pageants from all across the country. I hadn't seen this many beautiful dresses since watching last year's Oscars red carpet. 

I then made my way toward Miss America's red carpet, which had been rolled out right in front of the arena where the competition was going to be held.

The area was crammed with press, along with families and pageant queens hoping to get a glimpse of the contestants and celebrity judges. 

At one point a line of former Miss Americas from various decades walked down the carpet, including a glamorous woman with perfectly coiffed white hair wearing a tweed baby-pink suit that looked straight out of Jackie Kennedy's closet. 

Then the celebrity judges — "Queer Eye" star Karamo Brown, Kelly Rowland, and "Superstore" actress Lauren Ash — walked the red carpet.

I got the chance to speak with Rowland, who told me she believes that there is a place for politics on the Miss America stage. 

"I think that it would be a part of Miss America's duty or job to definitely address different things that mean a lot to her," she said. "And I know a lot of those things do have to do with politics, so I would be disappointed if it wasn't."  

While Rowland was chatting, a little girl wearing a tiara and sash who had been standing at the beginning of the red carpet screamed "Kelly!" to get her attention. 

"I have to go see this little girl over there!" Rowland told me after finishing her answer, walking over to give the girl a hug and take some pictures.

Then I walked into the Mohegan Sun Arena, where I was immediately greeted with a refreshments stand.

I couldn't help but feel like I was in Madison Square Garden back in Manhattan — minus the New York Knicks and Rangers jerseys. 

I did a lap of the arena to see what was on offer, finding that the stadium's refreshment stands were mostly selling the classic pre-game snacks of nachos, beer, and hot dogs. 

I also came across two huge tables selling Miss America merchandise.

There were $10 tote bags for sale, along with sweatpants, a tank top with the competition's modern tiara logo, and a $30 "Miss America 2.0" crop top. 

With just a few minutes before the competition was set to begin, I grabbed a slice of pizza before heading in.

I hadn't eaten for seven hours, and for some (erroneous) reason thought I couldn't bring food into the arena.

One of the fellow reporters I had befriended on the red carpet remarked that I "shotgunned" this slice of pizza. 

As I walked into the arena, the 51 Miss America contestants were already standing or seated in their designated spots for the introductory segment.

Meanwhile, the energy at the stadium was on par with any MSG game I'd ever been to. Groups broke out in chants, screaming the name of their favorite contestant, while others stomped their feet or drummed their chairs. 

Miss Connecticut Jillian Duffy, the hometown favorite, unsurprisingly had the biggest cheer squad, including two friends who stood up and screamed every time she appeared on stage. I have never seen two more impressive hype girls. 

I was seated behind Miss Missouri Simone Esters' family members, who each held a sign that had her picture on one side.

On the other side of each sign was a letter that, all together, spelled out "Simone." 

Esters' proud relatives stood up and waved their signs every time she appeared onstage. It was hard not to get wrapped up in their pride and joy for Esters, along with their sadness when she was cut just before the top two were named. 

The introductions were grouped by the contestants' majors and chosen professions.

As almost every girl listed off what she studied in school or what she did for work, along with her chosen philanthropy, it was clear that the competition was going to keep the focus away from any of its old school pageantry. 

Miss America eliminated the swimsuit and evening gown rounds of the competition after former Fox News host (and Miss America 1989) Gretchen Carlson became board chairwoman of the organization in January 2018. Carlson took the reins just a few weeks after emails from then-CEO Sam Haskell and various leaders within the Miss America Organization — in which they fat-shamed contestants, called them c----, and even wished for a past winner's death — were leaked in an expose by HuffPost. 

Carlson stepped down in June amid heavy criticism from various state pageant organizations for her decision to eliminate the swimsuit competition, as well as accusations of bullying from Miss America 2018 Cara Mund. Nineteen former Miss America winners had called for her resignation in an open letter. 

After the 51 contestants were introduced, the top 15 were immediately named.

Thanks to both "Miss Congeniality" and my recent coverage of Miss Universe, I knew that this quick elimination was standard for pageant competitions.

But I was surprised to find that the top 15 never reappeared together on stage. Instead, they were quickly cut to a top seven.

The contestants had to wait backstage to find out if they had made it through the next elimination round, which the audience watched from a screen above the stage. 

After spending all year training for this moment, it felt unfair to me that the contestants who made it to the top 15 wouldn't get a chance to go through even one round before being cut again. 

Mund appeared to share my frustration. 

After each of the top seven answered three questions from the judges — which ranged from the political to the personal — two more girls were eliminated.

An hour of the competition had passed, and I still felt like I barely knew the women onstage. 

I was excited for the talent portion to come along, but could barely see Miss Missouri's incredible baton twirling display.

The stage was so dark that I was only sure that Esters had caught her batons (which she did every time) once the people who were seated closer to the stage began to cheer.

Even Karamo had to call out the lighting during the broadcast, telling Esters: "Simone, the lighting was not that great on you, but you know what? You still shined great, honey." 

But Miss Virginia's science experiment really did look as cool as it did on television.

The colorful streams of foam shot up toward the ceiling after Schrier, a biochemist, combined potassium iodine with hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and food coloring. 

I was surprised, though, when the judges offered critiques following the contestants' question and talent rounds.

This appeared to be a new addition to Miss America 2.0, but I found it made the competition feel like a reality show.

Their critiques seemed out of place, and some viewers at home agreed: 

I was even more confused when the judges began eliminating the contestants one by one.

After the top seven were called out, every following elimination round went down like an episode of "American Idol." The women would all hold hands as the judges read out each contestants' name, building up the suspense before revealing if she had made it to the next round. 

Much like with the judges' critiques, I thought the way the elimination rounds were handled felt more fit for a reality show. While Miss America 2.0 had done away with much of the pageantry, it had replaced the glittering gowns and swimsuit round with the kind of TV tropes that, to me, felt out of place in the rebranded competition.

As Schrier was named the new Miss America and the confetti began raining down the stage, I wondered what the future held for the competition.

Schrier, who openly talked about her struggles with an eating disorder during the competition, later revealed during a press conference that she would never have tried out for Miss America if the swimsuit round hadn't been eliminated. 

It was wonderful to see a scientist win the competition and for women in STEM to be so celebrated on national TV. Schrier is also proof that the elimination of the swimsuit round has made Miss America more appealing to women who didn't grow up in the world of pageants. 

But it was clear throughout the show that Miss America 2.0 is still trying to find the balance between being a fun televised event and a serious competition. I would have loved to see more of the contestants' talents onstage, or a display of costumes that each woman designed to represent her state — an event for Miss Universe that contestants have turned into a way to speak out on social issues affecting their countries. 

After the press conference, I made my way back to the casino to check out Miss America's official after-party.

The after-party was held in Mohegan's Vista Lounge, which was made up of jagged walls that glowed and made the entire bar look like a psychedelic igloo.

Walking up the stairs to the bar, I noticed that a star-filled purple sky had been projected onto the ceiling — complete with a dancing Santa Claus.

The overall bar was incredibly cool, and it was fun to see contestants kick off their heels (literally) and dance with their families after a year of hard work. 

After a glass of prosecco and some passionate dancing to Whitney Houston, it was time to call it a night. 

Seven hours after the night began, I was finally in bed.

Overall, it was incredible to watch firsthand how much work goes into just one of these competitions. 

One of the best parts of getting to attend Miss America was seeing these women's families. From their handwritten signs to their custom T-shirts, the pride that these people felt for their daughter/sister/cousin/niece/best friend filled the atmosphere throughout the night and was beyond touching to witness. 

It will be interesting to see where the revamped Miss America — and pageants in general — go next. The swimsuit round remains in Miss USA and Miss Universe, along with many state pageants, but it's clear that these competitions are only going to get more political as they continue. 

Whatever happens, I'll be watching. 

• Read more:
• 13 things you didn't see on TV during the Miss America pageant
• Miss America Camille Schrier stands by her controversial comment about why she believes contestants shouldn't be married or have children
• Miss America judge Karamo Brown disagreed with the finalists after they said the winner should be single and without children
• People watching the revamped Miss America competition were thoroughly unimpressed