Miss New York Nia Franklin Crowned Miss America

Miss America 2019 (Credit: YouTube)

There she is… Miss America 2019.

Miss New York, Nia Franklin, was crowned Miss America on Sunday night in Atlantic City, NJ.

“It took a lot of perseverance to get here,” Franklin said after her win. “I want to thank my beautiful family, my mom and my dad, who is a survivor of cancer.”

Franklin, 25, grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and has a master’s degree in music composition.

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She’s the first winner to be crowned since former Miss America Gretchen Carlson was named chair of the Miss America Organization earlier this year, and spearheaded a series of controversial changes, including the elimination of the swimsuit and evening gown competitions.

The changes, known as “Miss America 2.0” are meant to put more emphasis on each candidate’s personal style and less focus on their outward appearance, according to the Miss America website.

Franklin’s win came with a $50,000 scholarship. Miss Connecticut, Bridget Oei, was named first runner-up and received a $25,000 scholarship.