Miss Teen USA Abdicates Throne 2 Days After Miss USA's Resignation
Two days after Miss USA resigned from her post, her counterpart at Miss Teen USA has announced she is also stepping aside.
On Wednesday, UmaSofia Srivastava took to Instagram to say she would be leaving her role following “months of grappling with this decision.”
“After careful consideration, I have decided to resign as I find that my personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization,” she wrote.
Srivastava, who represented the state of New Jersey and was crowned last September, added, “I am grateful for all the support from my family, my state directors, my sister queens, and the fans who have cheered me on since I won my state title.”
“I will always look back on my time as Miss NJ Teen USA fondly, and the experience of representing my state as a first generation, Mexican-Indian American at the national level was fulfilling in itself.”
Srivastava went on to note she will continue her “relentless advocacy for education and acceptance,” saying, “This work has always been my TRUE purpose.”
The high school junior finished, “Most importantly, thank you to those who support me for who I am and have always been, not for who I’ve momentarily become.”
Miss Teen USA addressed Srivastava’s resignation in a statement, saying, “We respect and support UmaSofia’s decision to step down from her duties. The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority.”
Her departure comes in the wake of Miss USA Noelia Voigt’s abrupt abdication.
On Monday, the former Miss Utah announced she was stepping aside to focus on her mental health.
While Voigt’s statement seemed uncontroversial at first glance, pageant fans were quick to notice how the first letters of the first 11 sentences spelled out, “I am silenced,” leading to wider speculation about her departure.