The night before shopping for her daughter’s Miss Teen USA dress, UmaSofia Srivastava’s mother had a vivid dream: 16-year-old Uma was wearing a purple gown — and a crown.
That dream came true. Uma won Miss Teen USA 2023 in a purple dress, crown in place. But no one foresaw what would happen next.
Just eight months later, Uma and Miss USA Noelia Voigt made history — and not in the way they had hoped. They became the first winners in the 72-year history of their pageants to resign from their titles.
Bound by strict nondisclosure agreements, the two couldn’t publicly explain everything. But their mothers spoke out, describing “eight months of torture and abuse” under Miss USA CEO Laylah Rose — allegations Rose has denied.
Traditionally, titleholders get to take one last “farewell walk” before crowning their successors. Neither Voigt nor Srivastava got that moment — until August 2, 2024, at the inaugural Miss All-American pageant in Charleston, South Carolina.
A New Stage
The night before that long-delayed walk, Voigt, 25, and Srivastava, 18, sat together at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center, watching rehearsals for the new competition. Outside, the nearby Embassy Suites was buzzing with contestants, parents, and last-minute emergencies — including someone asking where to drop off a box of tampons.
This time, they were there not as contestants but as national ambassadors. They took part in traditions they’d missed during their Miss USA reigns — including a sashing ceremony, giving each contestant a ribbon with her hometown printed on it.
“It’s such a stark contrast from before,” Voigt said. “There were so many moments where Uma and I looked at each other and said, ‘Wow, this is what it should be.’”
The Miss All-American pageant is run by Paula Miles, a former Miss USA state director of 45 years who left the organization in 2024, citing Rose’s leadership. Her son Ryan called that final year “the worst of our professional life.”
Instead of leaving pageants behind, the Miles family revived the defunct Miss Teen All-American competition — which once launched Halle Berry’s career — and added new titles: Miss All-American and Miss All-American Junior.
When they invited Voigt and Srivastava to join, the decision was instant.
“They knew we didn’t get the ending we deserved,” Voigt said.
Srivastava agreed: “This has been a safe place for all of us to heal from a dream that didn’t quite work out, and create something that does.”
What Went Wrong
During their time as Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, both women say they were left in the shadows. Their mothers allege Rose refused to book appearances and even impersonated them on official social media.
Voigt’s mother described Rose’s communication as “so abusive, so aggressive” that her daughter would shake when she saw a message from her.
In her resignation letter, Voigt wrote about the “detrimental mental and emotional toll” the job took, revealing she’d been prescribed anti-anxiety medication for the first time in her life.
“It wasn’t random,” Voigt said. “It was a direct result of the situation we were in. I had to put on a facade to represent the organization, but I didn’t agree with what was going on.”
Rose denied the accusations, calling them “false” in a statement to ABC News in May 2024. The Miss Universe Organization — which oversees Miss USA — did not investigate.
Srivastava says the aftermath was painful, especially as some people tried to “weaponize” Voigt’s mental health and label them as “difficult.” But both have continued to work with organizations they love, proving those claims wrong.
Still, they hoped stepping down would spark bigger change.
“We thought it would have more of an impact,” Srivastava said. “It stopped some girls from competing, but it didn’t end the problem.”
Voigt was blunt: “If nothing changes, things will stay the same — or get worse. We were just the first to go through it. The truth comes out eventually.”
Healing and Moving Forward
In Charleston, the women took part in a mental health panel for contestants. Srivastava opened up about her past struggles with bullying, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm — the first time she’d shared that in a pageant setting.
“It was so well-received,” she said. “Pageant girls are so much more than the gowns. We have ideas, hearts, and minds — everything Jo March talked about in Little Women.”
Many contestants thanked them afterward for their openness.
Voigt credits pageantry for giving her the courage to speak up: “I was so shy when I started at 16. I’m grateful for my journey — and that we can close this chapter with grace.”
Now, both are pursuing new dreams: Voigt plans to enter nursing school, while Srivastava will attend NYU to study marketing and music business.
Full Circle
For their farewell walk at Miss All-American, they returned to the gowns that started it all: Voigt in the sparkling gold dress from her Miss USA win, Srivastava in the purple gown from her mother’s dream.
As the crowd stood and their parents wiped away tears, they closed the door on their pageant careers.
“I didn’t lose a crown,” Voigt said that night. “I reclaimed my voice.”