A new Miss Missouri was crowned Saturday at the Missouri Military Academy gymtorium in mid-Missouri’s Mexico. Jackson Jennifer Davis, in her 5th year competing in the scholarship Pageant, is the winner.
Jennifer Davis Miss Missouri Center
Davis’ platform was United We Stand Divided We Fall – “Diversity Matters”.
“So I come from a very, very diverse background” said Davis. “I’m Chinese, Hawaiian, German and African American. So I know what it feels like to be the only girl that looks like me in a crowd, the only girl that looks like me at school.”
Davis says her family provided inspiration for her cause.
“My brother, who is my absolute best friend, is gay. He gets stared at on the street just because of the way he was born. And that infuriates me, honestly. So this is something that is so personal to me, something that I have lived my entire life promoting and just being who I am and loving every moment of that. I want others to do that for everyone as well.”
Davis, who was first runner up in last year’s competition, will now compete in the Miss America Pageant. Heleena Haberer of Springfield was crowned Miss Missouri Outstanding Teen Friday night.
Aimee Higgins of Missourinet affiliate KXEO contributed to this story