Newly crowned Miss Kansas called out her abuser who showed up in the audience as she was chosen to represent the Sunflower State at next year’s Miss America pageant.
Alexis Smith, 25, promised to “eliminate unhealthy and abusive” relationships as the new brand ambassador for Miss Kansas after winning the competition at Pratt Community College on June 8.
“My vision as the next Miss Kansas is to eliminate unhealthy and abusive relationships,” Smith said on stage, which was shared to her X account. “Some of you out in this audience saw me very emotional because my abuser is here today.”
“But that’s not going to stop me from being on this Miss Kansas stage and from representing as the next Miss Kansas because I, and my community, deserve healthy relationships.”
The crowd erupted into a firey barrage of applause and cheers over the pageant winner’s courage to call out her abuser publicly.
Smith, a full-time cardiothoracic ICU nurse, further shed light on her speech after winning the title.
“On the night of Miss Kansas, my journey took an unexpected turn when someone I have been healing from tried to disrupt my peace,” Smith later wrote in a Facebook post.
“Instead of falling into silence, I chose to live out my vision for a better world. I took back the power — not just for myself, but for my dreams and everyone watching and listening.”
She revealed the call-out wasn’t about “shunning others” but was an example for others to turn “pain into purpose and channeling it in a way that unifies and uplifts.”
Smith’s bravery also earned praise from hundreds across social media.
“Thank you so much for speaking your truth!!!! You are inspiring and I hope my daughter can meet you and learns to stand in her power like you are doing,” one Facebook user commented.
“I could not love this anymore. You ARE an inspiration Miss Alexis Smith & Thank You for standing strong & true to yourself,” wrote another user.
Smith also received recognition from the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which said her “bravery and advocacy are truly inspiring.”
The Wichita native, who was representing Butler County in the pageant, later revealed that “every single woman” in her family has been “impacted by domestic violence.”
“At the age of 14, I got in my first relationship, but it was also an abusive relationship that I was in until about 2018, 2019,” Smith told KSNW. “It’s something that I’m still experiencing and dealing with today.”
The reigning Miss Kansas said she used the platform, “which truly focuses on empowering women,” to share her struggles and be an “advocate” for others.
“And me, being a woman who needed that empowerment all my life, being a bystander to domestic violence, a victim, a survivor, and now an advocate as well as a young woman who is educationally driven, I have the opportunity not only to share my story on such a large scale but also go back to school.”
Smith prevailed over 26 others to earn a spot at next year’s Miss America pageant, which is set to take place in January.
Her platform is run on “Respect Reclaimed: Advocating for Healthy Relationship,” according to KSNW.