Sunday night, Kára McCullough, Miss District of Columbia, took home the crown for Miss USA in a tough pageant against 50 other beautiful and accomplished women. The 25-year-old is breaking barriers in many ways—here are some things you probably didn’t know about her.
1. Kára was born in Naples, Italy.
She is one of seven Miss USA winners to be born outside of the country.
2. She is a seasoned traveler.
She has visited Sicily, Japan, North Korea (!), and Hawaii, because her dad was a United States Navy Chief Petty Officer.
3. She works as a scientist at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
4. Kára started a tutoring program called SE4K.
Her organization works to make kids in grades 6-11 excited about math and science.
5. She attend South Carolina State University.
She majored in Chemistry with a concentration in Radiochemistry.
6. Kára is a Capricorn.
This makes her loyal and ambitious.
7. She loves cooking.
Especially if it’s Italian cuisine or some classic soul food.
8. She won the ‘Miss South Carolina State University’ title at her college.
Her platform at the time focused on encouraging black women to pursue careers in STEM.
9. She spurred up some controversy for her acceptance speech.
She called herself an equalist, as opposed to a feminist, and said healthcare was a privilege, not a right.
10. She is the second consecutive Miss USA from the District of Columbia.
She inherited the title from Miss USA 2016 Deshauna Barber.
11. Kára wore her natural curls during the Miss USA Pageant.
Yay for representation.