Hawaii’s Savannah Gankiewicz was crowned the new Miss USA 2023 on Wednesday following shocking firings and allegations that the pageant’s CEO did not take an incident of sexual harassment seriously and created a toxic work environment.
Gankiewicz, 28, formally accepted the role at a special coronation and celebration in Waikiki, Hawaii News Now Reported. She replaced former Miss USA Noelia Voigt, who announced her resignation on May 6.
“I feel like this was the right decision for my community and for my state,” she told the news station.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green, who crowned Gankiewicz at the ceremony, wrote in Instagram that she “exemplifies the spirit of Miss USA” and “she will continue to be a symbol of resilience and hope for Hawaii throughout her reign.”
The Miss USA organization was embroiled in controversy after Voigt relinquished her title. The 24-year-old said in a Instagram Statement that she needed to focus on her mental health, but internet sleuths said she had left a hidden message in her post: “I am silenced” written in the first letter of each sentence.
Days after her public statement, NBC News obtained a copy of Voigt’s resignation letter, in which she accused the organization of creating a toxic work environment and failing to address a sexual harassment incident she raised.
“There is a toxic work environment within the Miss USA organization that is, at best, mismanagement and, at worst, bullying and harassment,” she wrote. “This started right after winning the Miss USA 2023 title.”
Voigt went on to say that Miss USA CEO and President Laylah Rose consistently failed to communicate and that when she did, Rose was “often cold and unnecessarily aggressive.”
The former Miss USA winner accused Rose of threatening to take away Voigt’s salary “for things that were never discussed with me” and of badmouthing her to others in the organization.
His letter also detailed an alleged incident of sexual harassment at a Christmas event in Florida. Voigt wrote that after she was left alone in a car with a man, he allegedly made inappropriate comments “about her desire to begin a relationship with me.”
Voigt said he told Rose about the incident, and Rose said, “We can’t stop people from saying things to you in public appearances; unfortunately, it’s part of the role you play as a public figure.”
In a statement, Rose said in part that she takes the allegations seriously and that “the well-being of all individuals associated with Miss USA is my top priority.”
Following Voigt’s resignation, Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, 17, announced that she too was stepping down because her “personal values are no longer fully aligned with the direction of the organization.”
Miss USA’s social media manager, Claudia Michelle, also resigned, telling NBC News that Rose was inconsistent with her communications and that the organization’s management was unprofessional.
Gankiewicz briefly addressed some of the allegations on Wednesday, telling Hawaii News Now that she sympathizes with the former incumbents but “has accepted this as a job and a responsibility to really help make a positive impact on this organization that I truly believe in.” .
“Miss USA has been incredible for me. I believe in Laylah Rose,” she said. “She has been very gracious throughout this process when she took on this leadership last year. So I really believe that and I know she’s going to do great things.”
Gankiewicz will hold the title until August, when her successor will be crowned at the next Miss USA pageant.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
