Cheslie Krystwill be remembered for her legacy of advocacy on and off the pageant stage.On Sunday, it wasconfirmedthat the Miss USA 2019 titleholder died of an apparent suicide. She was 30.
“In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie,” her family said in a statement. “Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined.”
“Cheslie embodied love and served others, whether through her work as an attorney fighting for social justice, as Miss USA and as a host onExtra. But most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague — we know her impact will live on,” the family added.
Cheslie Kryst.Bruce Glikas/WireImage
Commitment to Education
Born in Jackson, Michigan, on April 28, 1991, Kryst graduated from the Honors College and the University of South Carolina.
She went on to graduate from both the Darla Moore School of Business and Wake Forest University School of Law. Opening up about the decision to continue her studies in a2021 essay forAllure, Kryst wrote, “Why stop at two degrees when you can have three?”
Cheslie Kryst.John Lamparski/Getty Images
Pageant Roots
Pageantry ran in Kryst’s blood, as her mother April Simpkins was named Mrs. North Carolina in 2002.
“I remember watching her win and going to appearances with her during her reign,” Krystwrotein a 2019 blog post for the North Carolina Bar Association. “Her title provided her with a platform to advocate for issues that were important to her and people listened.”
At the time, her mother was just the second Black woman to hold the title, according toThe Charlotte Observer.
The experience awakened Kryst’s own desire to compete.
“It was a time in my life when I didn’t know who I was and wasn’t confident in myself. I was that little weird kid who had a unibrow and didn’t have any friends,” she said in 2019, per Associated Press. “I thought I want to be just like her.”
“I can’t say pageants make you beautiful. I think they make you more confident in the person that you are,” she added.
Cheslie Kryst, Miss North Carolina USA 2019, is crowned Miss USA 2019.The Miss Universe Organization
The Importance of Persistence
Her own road tothe Miss USA crown wasn’t easy.
Instead of getting deterred, Kryst set her sights on the Miss USA crown. Even though she come up short in 2016 and 2017, she decided to try one last time.
“I had one year left until I reached the age limit for the Miss USA system,” she wrote in the blog post. “I decided I’d rather compete my final year and lose than wonder for the rest of my life what could have been.”
Sure enough, on her fifth attempt, Kryst won the Miss North Carolina USA pageant, before going on to be crowned Miss USA in 2019 at the age of 28, making her the oldest woman to win the pageant.
(L-R) Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris, Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, Miss USA Cheslie Kryst and Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin.Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
Breaking Barriers
Despite their excitement, Kryst admitted at the time that other people’s view of their success could be disappointing.
“People will comment on our social media and be like, ‘Why are we talking about your race? You guys are just four, amazing women’” she said in aGood Morning Americainterview. “And I’m like, ‘Yes, we are four amazing women, but there was a time when we literally could not win!’ "
Using Her Voice
In a 2021 essay forAllure, Kryst reflected on speaking her mind about important issues — even if that meant ruffling a few feathers.
“Women who compete in pageants are supposed to have a middle-of-the-road opinion — if any — so as not to offend,” she wrote, noting that her opinions “were enough to make a traditional pageant fan clutch their pearls.”
“I talked candidly about my views on the legalization of marijuana, the Trump Administration’s immigration policies, anti-abortion laws, the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and the successes and failures of criminal justice reform,” she added, going on to note her support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
She continued: “I wasn’t searching to collect more awards or recognition during my reign. Rather, I fed the passion that made waking up each morning feel worthwhile: speaking out against injustice.”
Cheslie Kryst.Dia Dipasupil/WireImage
Kryst — who worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the nonprofit Dress for Success — also ran a fashion blog calledWhite Collar Glam, which she started after graduating from law school, per theObserver.
“I think women are critiqued more often than men and there’s more room for error when it comes to picking out what we want to wear to the office,” Kryst told the newspaper. “There’s a lot of questions that have to be answered, and I was glad to start that with my blog.”
“We stood there for 30 minutes after practicing for months and all you said was wear a skirt next time?” she later told reporters. “It was very frustrating. Don’t tell females to wear different clothes while you give the men substantive feedback on their legal arguments.”
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After her pageant win, Kryst also worked forExtraas a correspondent — and out of all her assignments, there was one that really stood out.
“InterviewingOprahis like — you have reached the mountaintop,” she told theObserver. “She is so nice. I asked her for feedback and tips and pointers after the interview, and she was really cool.”
“Our hearts are broken. Cheslie was not just a vital part of our show, she was a beloved part of ourExtrafamily and touched the entire staff,” they added.
Cheslie Kryst and Taylor Swift.Instagram
Meanwhile, theMiss Universeorganization remembered Kryst’s “kind” spirit.
“The Miss Universe and Miss USA Organizations are devastated to learn about the loss of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst,” theywrotein a statement posted on social media.
“She was one of the brightest, warmest, and most kind people we have ever had the privilege of knowing, and she lit up every room she entered. Our entire community mourns her loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time,” they continued.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go tosuicidepreventionlifeline.org.
source: people.com
