UmaSofia Srivastava and Noelia Voigt made history by stepping down as the first Miss Teen USA and Miss USA after facing allegations of abuse during their tenure. They were unable to share the details due to nondisclosure agreements, but their mothers described the experience as "eight months of torture and abuse" under the leadership of Miss USA CEO Laylah Rose, who has denied the accusations. On August 2, 2023, they participated in a farewell at the Miss All-American competition, marking a new beginning in their lives while still believing in the importance of pageants.
Eight months after winning her title, Srivastava and Noelia Voigt became the first Miss Teen USA and Miss USA to step down in the organization's 72-year history.
Their mothers spoke up for them, sharing that the pageant queens had endured "eight months of torture and abuse" under the leadership of Miss USA CEO Laylah Rose - allegations that Rose has denied.
Voigt and Srivastava never got that chance - until last week. On August 2, they said goodbye to their pageant careers at the brand-new Miss All-American competition in Charleston, South Carolina.
In their first joint interview since the historic resignations, Voigt and Srivastava spoke to Business Insider about coping with the aftermath, what comes next, and why they still believe in pageants.
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