Miss USA Partners with Still She Rose

September 1, 2026 - Made possible through STILL SHE ROSE® initiative support, we proudly were invited to facilitate wellness and mental health initiatives during the August 2026 Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageant in Miami.

The Still She Rose initiative fosters transparency, conversation and hands-on activities to provide wellness and reflection before, during and after women's activities such as pageants.

Two activities integrated by Still She Rose during Miss USA and Miss Teen USA included yoga on the lawn and a wellness breakfast. During the busy and oftentimes stressful pageant week, these moments allow candidates to relax, set goals beyond the crown, and embrace connections.

Yoga on the Lawn: Led by 2025 Miss USA Audrey Eckert and Still She Rose Ambassador Whitley Marshall, the Still She Rose initiative hosted yoga on the lawn at the host hotel in Miami. All Miss USA and Miss Teen USA state delegates took a morning breather to reflect on this special moment during the national pageant week. Thanks to Vyral Public Relations, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA candidates were outfitted in yoga attire by POPFLEX. With the glow of the rising sun and the calming feel of the grass on their feet, the event was a soothing kick off to rehearsal weekend for all the state candidates and national titleholders.

Yoga Photography by The Media Block

Wellness Breakfast: Led by Miss USA Head of Titleholder Relations Elise Banks-Lovely, the Still She Rose initiative sponsored a wellness breakfast in the final hours before Miss USA state candidates took the stage in Miami. The guest speakers included Miss USA 1989 Gretchen Polhemus, Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez, Miss USA 2025 Audrey Eckert, and mother of the late 2019 Miss USA Cheslie Kryst - April Simpkins. All candidates received resources to address mental health and wellness including a copy of the book "By the Time You Read This" and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reading materials. The moment allowed the candidates to connect in unity, as they recognized common struggles during pageant competition and the days that follow.

Wellness Breakfast Photography by S92 Photography

Activities such as these events in Miami are made possible through the generous funding of small and larger contributors to the B4ACUSA Foundation throughout the year.

To inquire about engagement activities in any pageant or women's organization, contact INFO@B4ACUSA.ORG or visit this online form.

ABOUT STILL SHE ROSE®

Launched in May 2022 following the tragic death of Cheslie Kryst, Still She Rose is a wellness program for leaders, women and teens in the pageant industry. Funded by the B4ACUSA Foundation, Still She Rose program initiatives are open to all pageant community members and include wellness ambassadors from a variety of pageant organizations. ​The ROSE is symbolic of the spirit that grows within each of us when proper care and attention is applied. ​Together, we can encourage wellness through self-care, positive body image, renewed self-esteem and affirmation of one's identity beyond pageantry. We aim to engage in a conversation of support, honesty, reflection and awareness, in order to promote wellness as the foundation of the pageant industry. ​ Because each of us can say, She Struggled; and Still She Rose. Visit Instagram @stillsheroseorg