Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava resigned days after Miss USA Noelia Voigt gave up her crown.
In an Instagram post, Srivastava wrote that she was resigning her title just two days after Voight resigned for similar reasons. The couple posted nearly identical ads on Instagram, and Srivastava wrote that he feels his “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”
“After months of dealing with this decision, I have made the decision to relinquish the title of Miss Teen USA 2023,” she wrote.
“I am grateful for all the support from my family, my state directors, my queen sisters and the fans who have cheered me on since I won my state title.”
She added, “I will always fondly remember my time as Miss NJ Teen USA, and the experience of representing my state as a first generation Mexican-Indian American nationally was rewarding in itself.”
“After careful consideration, I decided to resign because I discovered that my personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization,” he continued. “However, I will continue my tireless advocacy for education and acceptance, with my multilingual children's book 'The White Jaguar' and with the organizations I have had the privilege of working with long before I began competing…”
She said she planned to enjoy finishing her 11th grade, looking forward to beginning the college application process and continuing to be a part of the National Honor Society. She added that she had a “new writing project” that should be published later this year.
While she wrote that “this was certainly not how I saw my reign coming to an end,” she concluded her post by thanking her followers who helped her on her path to victory. And she added: “At the end of the day, I am very lucky to have had the privilege of this experience, but if this is just a chapter, I know that the story of my life will be truly incredible.”
Voigt notably commented under the former Miss Teen USA’s post, saying, “I LOVE YOU! “I am so proud of you, my angel.”
On May 8, the Miss Teen USA account posted a photo of a victorious Srivastava the night she received her title, writing in the caption: “UmaSofia, we wish you all the best. Thank you for her service as Miss Teen USA.”
“We respect and support UmaSofia's decision to step down,” the organization added. “The well-being of our champions is a top priority. “We are currently reviewing plans to transition responsibilities to a successor and will soon announce the crowning of the new Miss Teen USA.”
According to the organization, Srivastava made history in 2023 when she was crowned the first Mexican-Indian Miss New Jersey Teen USA.
The high school student was a consummate winner, having written and illustrated her own children's book. In her high school, she was an active member of her mock trial and Model UN team and co-founded a diversity and inclusion campaign.
The announcement of the young pageant winner came immediately after Voight, former Miss United States 2023, resigned due to mental health issues. In her own post, Voigt wrote: “I realize this may come as a big surprise to many. Never compromise your physical and mental well-being.”
Voight thanked his followers and expressed his gratitude towards Srivastava.
