Cedar Rapids woman reacts to winning Miss Iowa USA

By Phil Reed, KCRG-TV9 | Posted: Mon 6:14 PM, Oct 09, 2017

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) -- An eastern Iowa radio DJ is the state's new Miss Iowa USA. Jenny Valliere works for Z-102.9, a pop radio station in Cedar Rapids. She's competed in the Miss Iowa USA pageant for the past 8 years.

In the past, Valliere even came as close as getting third place in the competition. Last night's event featured an evening gown and a swimsuit competition, as well as a Q and A segment.

Valliere says this year she decided to open up about her childhood past, dealing with the effects of parental substance abuse.

She says, "That was something I was holding back from the judges every year leading up to this year. I thought you had to be this perfect figure to be Miss Iowa USA or to be a pageant title holder and I realized that's not what people relate to someone they can identify with. Someone who is going through the same types of things as they are."

Valliere is the first Korean American to win Miss Iowa USA. She's competing for Miss USA next.

http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Cedar-Rapids-woman-reacts-to-winning-Miss-Iowa-USA-450143693.html