
Miss Kansas reveals more about stunning statement that her abuser was in the audience
CNN
Alexis Smith said onstage that her abuser was there the night she was crowned. It only reinforced her commitment to ending domestic violence, she said.
Being a pageant winner takes more than beauty and talent. The newly crowned Miss Kansas Alexis Smith showed that winning the title sometimes requires bravery, too. Smith stunned the judges during her final interview at the Miss Kansas competition last month when she said that her abuser was in the audience. It only reinforced the importance of her platform — “to eliminate unhealthy and abusive relationships.” When asked about her vision for her tenure as Miss Kansas, Smith maintained her composure in a sparkly azure dress. “Some of you out in this audience saw me very emotional, because my abuser is here today,” she said. “But that’s not going to stop me from being on this Miss Kansas stage and from representing as the next Miss Kansas,” she continued to applause and cheers. “Because I and my community deserve healthy relationships.”