As a current resident of the nation's capital, I understand firsthand how living in Washington, D.C. can make you feel patriotic. Someone else who is familiar with this sensation is Miss D.C. in the Miss America pageant. Competing in the Miss America 2017 pageant for Washington, D.C. is Cierra Jackson and she's definitely worth knowing. Considering that Jackson already won the Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit scholarship during the first night of preliminary competition, she could be poised to win the whole shebang. So here's what you need to know about Miss D.C. before Miss America airs on ABC at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11.
The district doesn't get much respect when it comes to state rights, even though it houses all of the nation's decision makers, but Miss America has always supported the nation's capital with the first-ever Miss America being Miss D.C. in the 1920s. And even without state rights, Washington, D.C. is a pretty great place to feel super American and Jackson's platform is representative of this national pride.
Jackson grew up in a military family and so, according to her website, her focus as Miss America would be "to ensure each military hero, family member, and child receives the needed emotional support through the challenges and triumphs of military life." She'd accomplish that worthwhile goal in conjunction with the National Military Family Association. She understands that a soldier's entire family can be impacted by the effects of combat as Jackson spoke with People magazine about how several members of her family, including her father, suffer from PTSD. Her personal story of growing up as a daughter of someone in the military was even shared by First Lady Michelle Obama on Instagram as part of her Joining Forces campaign with Second Lady Jill Biden.
Although Jackson's experience with the military is different from her Miss USA counterpart, Deshauna Barber (Barber actively served in the U.S. Army Reserve), it's still interesting that they share this passion. And not to put too much pressure on Jackson or anything, but Barber did happen to win Miss USA in June. And if you thought Jackson's ties with the White House end with the First Lady, you'd be wrong since she was a communications intern for the White House under Barack Obama's administration. With her bachelor's degree in political science with a concentration in American institutions and processes from Spelman College, she was the only intern to be selected to work for the Chief of Staff's office. Clearly, Jackson is approved by the Obamas to be Miss America.
No matter what happens in the Miss America pageant, Jackson has some big plans, writing on her About page that in the future she plans to get a master's degree in journalism or environmental science, take music classes at Juilliard, and go to a prestigious law school. So it should come as no surprise that she wants to run for office one day and based on these credentials, who wouldn't want to vote for her? Plus, her final lines on her About page are sure to inspire since she wrote, "She realizes that though many believe racism, sexism, classism, and other issues do not exist, our environment tells us otherwise. Miss Jackson avidly works to be the change she wants to see in the world as well as a voice for those who do not know these issues exist and cannot speak for themselves."
Even though I am a native New Jerseyan, where Miss America usually takes place and will be held in 2016, I am feeling particularly proud of Miss D.C. And just like she may earn votes one day in political office, she's sure to earn some votes for Miss America.
Images: The Miss America Organization; Giphy
