The Miss Kansas pageant took an emotional and daring turn when Alexis Smith, the newly crowned winner, used her victory speech to confront her abuser, who was surprisingly in the audience.
A scene from the 2024 Miss Kansas pageant is making the rounds on social media, featuring a powerful onstage revelation.
Alexis Smith of Butler County was crowned Miss Kansas on June 8, beating 25 other contestants. According to ABC affiliate KAKE, Smith is the only third black woman to win the title.
The 25-year-old winner decided to take a public stand against abusive relationships after she won the pageant on June 8 because her own abuser was in the audience.
During the interview portion of the contest, which Smith posted on social media, she stated unequivocally that her goal as Miss Kansas would be to “eliminate unhealthy and abusive relationships.”
In the clip, Smith stood teary on stage moments after being crowned the winner, and she told the audience a personal story that left them stunned.
“My vision as the next Miss Kansas is to eliminate unhealthy and abusive relationships,” she began. Her voice trembled slightly as she continued, “Some of you out in this audience saw me very emotional because my abuser is here today.”
Smith added, “But that’s not going to stop me from being on this Miss Kansas stage and representing as the next Miss Kansas.”
“I and my community deserve healthy relationships. We deserve a domestic [violence]-free life.”
The auditorium erupted into cheers as Smith, a registered nurse and advocate for healthy relationships, bravely confronted her past.
She refused to let her abuser’s presence diminish her achievements. Instead, she used the platform to empower herself.
On July 16, a clip of the moment was shared on Smith’s official X account, which went viral.
Alongside the clip read the words, “Respect Reclaimed!” — a reference to her community service platform — and the message, “Our time is now for healthy relationships.”
While Alexis Smith did not identify the abuser in the audience, she has spoken out about overcoming abuse, making her advocacy even more impactful.
