Miss America 2022 Emma Broyles from Anchorage handed the crown to Grace Stanke, Wisconsin last Thursday. Broyles was a national sensation after becoming the first Alaskan and first Korean American Miss America.
Broyles, a week after she finished her tenure, said that she was excited to return to college next year and that the crown is in good hands.
Listen:
This transcript has been lightly edited to improve clarity.
Emma Broyles It’s funny, because Grace was actually my friend before I won Miss America. Together, we had been to Miss America’s Outstanding Teen and represented the same states that won Miss America. I have known her since I was 15 years old. It was great to be able to pass on that title to someone I trust will do the job right. It’s funny, because you’re speaking to me right now and I have no makeup. Since the night I was crowned Miss America, I don’t believe I’ve put on any makeup. I have done a complete 180-degree turn from the pageant world and am now back to being Emma.
Wesley early:As Miss America I am sure your focus was not only on Alaska but also to being a representative of the entire country.
Emma Broyles – I really did. I was frequently asked where I was from and what state I represented every time I participated in an event. People are thrilled to find out that I am from Alaska. It was hilarious because, as Alaskans are well aware, there are a lot of stories about people you meet. One such story is about their great aunt’s cousin, who went on a 2005 cruise to Alaska. It was great to hear the stories of all these people I met over the year and how they are connected to Alaska. It’s amazing. It was amazing to be able both to represent Alaska and America. But, I felt like I was representing my roots through everything I did throughout my year.
Wesley early: When we met at the Service High pep assembly this year, you noted that you wanted to do more than wear a crown. Discuss the advocacy you believe is important, particularly for children with intellectual disabilities.
Emma BroylesYeah. I was able to do a lot more work with Special Olympics International. My brother has Down syndrome. He has been a special athlete since childhood. It’s been great to be able work with Special Olympics. I’m continuing my ambassadorship with them for another one-and-a-half years now that I’m no longer Miss America. I will, in fact, be going to Arizona to work with them at the Super Bowl. I will also be doing media for them on Radio Row. This is something I am incredibly excited about. Beyond that, it was important to me that I could do Special Olympics, as well as mental health advocacy. It was a privilege to be able share my story about ADHD and OCD, how they have affected me, and how I became who I am today. I’m currently attending medical school to become an MD. It’s been a privilege to represent different communities in the work I did as Miss America.
Wesley early:I also saw another aspect to your advocacy that involved helping Alaska Native children in St. Mary’s, a Western Alaska village. Could you please describe this experience and the other efforts that you made to use your platform to help Alaska?
Emma Broyles That was a great experience. I have never been to a rural area in Alaska despite having lived in Alaska all my life. It’s not clear if anyone has been to St. Mary’s but they provide two small Bush planes. Every day, you have to run the course. We got there and there is no cell phone service. Actually, my GCI was sufficient to have at least one bar of service. All the other people I was travelling with had access to larger networks in the Lower 48. This made me very happy. We had no Wi-Fi, barely any service. There weren’t any restaurants. We went grocery shopping. It was a truly memorable experience. It was a wonderful experience that made me appreciate our state and all it has to offer. It was so welcoming. We were welcomed with open arms. As they tried on their glasses, I was able to meet so many children. It was so unusual for them to have visitors in town. We drove through the truck, and there weren’t many cars. Many people use snowmachines to get around. It was quite cool to see them all wave as we drove through town in our truck. It was a wonderful experience that gave me a greater appreciation for the state and all it has to offer. It was a great honor to be able provide the glasses to these young people. Many of them were not able to afford to travel to Anchorage for proper health care. It was an amazing experience. Glasses USA chose St. Mary’s, chose Alaska, and worked closely with our school board in order to ensure that Alaskans could benefit from their efforts.
Wesley early: Do you see yourself as a role model for young girls after Miss America?
Emma Broyles: Indeed. After I complete my undergraduate degree, I will be attending Arizona State. But I have always longed to be part of the WWAMI Program. Being an Alaskan resident, I will then go to medical school at Washington University. This will allow me to return to Alaska for two years to work in rural communities. Then, I will likely be a practicing dermatologist in Alaska. It’s something I have always wished to do, and it is something I can share my knowledge with the community that has given me so much. I hope to be able continue that work throughout my life. I will sit on numerous boards, assist the community in any way I can, and show young girls, Alaskan girls especially, that you can do anything you want. It doesn’t matter from where you are. You can still be great no matter where you are from.
