Who Won Miss Alabama? Who is Sara Milliken?

Who Won Miss Alabama?

Sara Milliken won Miss Alabama. Sara won the National American Miss pageant, fulfilling a dream she had for eight years. This makes her the first woman from Atmore to win the title. After winning, Sara faced negative comments online about her appearance. Some people questioned if she looked right for a beauty pageant.

Sara responded on Instagram, saying these comments can deeply hurt people, even though she tries not to let them get to her. She said she will keep going despite the criticism. Sara wants to use her title to help her community and prepare for national competitions. She encourages others to focus on their own strengths and not be discouraged by hurtful words.

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Who is Sara Milliken?

She is 23 years old and from Atmore, near Florida. Sara Milliken is the recently crowned Miss Alabama 2024. She's a plus-size model from Alabama who faced online criticism for her appearance after winning the pageant. Despite the negativity, Sara decided to speak out against her trolls, reminding them of the harm their words can cause.

She stressed the importance of kindness and compassion online. Sara had participated in the Miss Alabama competition twice before finally winning in 2024, fulfilling a dream she had pursued for eight years since responding to an open call from the organizers.

Beyond her pageant success, Sara is known for her advocacy work, including championing mental health awareness and fostering intergenerational friendships through initiatives like The Buddy System. Despite facing cyberbullying, Sara remains resilient and encourages others to pursue their dreams regardless of appearance or background.

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Miss Alabama Beauty Pageant

The Miss Alabama competition picks who will represent Alabama at the Miss America Competition each year. Alabama has had three Miss America winners: Deidre Downs in 2005, Heather Whitestone in 1995 (she was the first deaf woman to win), and Yolande Betbeze in 1951.

Betbeze made headlines for refusing to pose in a swimsuit, which caused the swimsuit sponsor, Catalina Swimwear, to withdraw their support and led to the creation of the Miss USA pageant.

In 2023, Brianna Burrell from Mobile became Miss Alabama. She won the title on July 1 at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Brianna then competed in the Miss America 2024 competition held at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida, in January 2024. She even won a Preliminary Evening Gown Award during the competition.