The Miss America Pageant was cancelled in the year 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition resumed this year, with Emma Broyles winning the pageant. She represented Alaska in the competition after winning its crown in June. 

The 20-year-old became the first-ever Miss America to be representing Alaska. In the recent past, she had opened up about her ADHD disorder and the need for setting personal boundaries.

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In a social media post, Broyles said, “I am real. I have flaws.”

Broyles is a student at Arizona State University and is currently pursuing biomedical sciences. During the time of the competition as well, she was working toward becoming a dermatologist. 

The model competed in her first-ever pageant at the age of 15, back in 2017. In the competition, she earned the Miss Anchorage’s Outstanding Teen title, from her hometown. She continued to win this pageant four consecutive times, before moving to Arizona for her graduation. 

 Emma Broyles encourages young girls and women to participate in the Miss America Program and said, “ it is the largest provider of scholarships to young women.”

She added, “Aside from earning college scholarships, young women in the Miss America program have the opportunity to develop strong public speaking and interviewing skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

“Since I competed in my first local competition over four years ago, I have earned thousands of dollars in scholarships, become friends with some of the most accomplished young women in the country, and gained some once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”

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What makes Broyle stand out is that she advocates the autonomy of women, and the need to speak up when met with unwelcome advances by men.

“I know in my heart that as a woman, I am never going to let somebody treat me like, because women should never be treated like objects,” Broyles said.

“Women can be angry! We cannot be content with things that are happening.”

Broyle cleared the pageant round after talking about her involvement in the Special Olympics. She started volunteering at the age of 12, when her brother with down syndrome participated in the competition. 

“As a sibling of an individual with an intellectual disability and Special Olympics athlete, I have witnessed the positive impact Special Olympics has on the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, their families, and communities,” Broyles said in an interview.