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08/06/2021
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Updated 7:22 PM; Today 6:43 PM By Mary Colurso
When she was crowned Miss Alabama in June 2019, Tiara Pennington never imagined she’d be making Zoom appearances, wearing a face mask and keeping her distance from fans.
Nor did the Helena native ever dream that she’d hold on to her title for an extra year while a deadly pandemic spread throughout the United States.
“This definitely has been a rollercoaster over the past two years,” Pennington says. “I learned to make the best of everything.”
Her tenure as Miss Alabama has been marked by illness and recovery, personal growth and determination, as Pennington used all the resources at her disposal -- and developed some new skills -- to honor her commitments and uphold her reign during COVID.
Throwing her hands into the air and giving up was never an option, she says -- Pennington is an achiever by nature -- and slacking off just isn’t her style.
“It definitely has been a huge challenge to do the job of Miss Alabama,” Pennington says during a phone interview with AL.com. “But after some time and some months in lockdown, I said, ‘I’ve got to get to work and can’t let Miss Alabama fade.’”
Her mission accomplished, Pennington will crown the next Miss Alabama on Saturday at the Alabama Theatre in downtown Birmingham. It’ll be a bittersweet moment, she admits, but Pennington says she’ll be happy for the next winner and ready to wish her well.
“It’s an honor of mine to be able to crown the next Miss Alabama,” she says. “Honestly, I’m so excited to greet Miss Alabama and welcome her to a wonderful sisterhood.”
For the next four days, however, the title remains hers. With that in mind, Pennington shared some thoughts with AL.com about her time as Miss Alabama -- the difficulties, the joys, the frustrations and the rewards, all of which were magnified during COVID.
“Fist bumps, elbows, air hugs,” Pennington says. “I thought: Man, we are living in a different world. But it worked out.”
At first, she says, her reign as Miss Alabama resembled a whirlwind, and that was pretty much according to plan. Pennington took a year off from school -- she attends the University of Alabama -- and made public appearances, did charity work, spoke to community groups, worked to motivate students and more.
She spread the word about her philanthropic cause, an organization called Psoriasis Take Action Alabama that’s linked to the National Psoriasis Foundation.
Pennington also traveled to Connecticut in December 2019 to represent her home state in the Miss America competition. She made the top seven -- Virginia’s Camille Schrier won -- and Pennington received some quality screen time during the event on NBC.
“I was busy, going, going, going,” Pennington says. “I even got to go on the Crimson Tide Cruise as a co-host, where I met the fabulous and famous football players for the Crimson Tide.”
Pennington, a political science and history major at the University of Alabama, was the first black woman to be named Miss University of Alabama. (She won the Miss Alabama crown while competing with that title.) She’s also the second Black woman to be named Miss Alabama, following in the footsteps of Kalyn Chapman James, Miss Alabama 1993.
Black History Month is important to Pennington, and in February 2020, she ramped up her efforts to spread the word about the opportunities, such as scholarship money, that the Miss Alabama and Miss America organizations can provide to women of color.
“We need more women of color seeing they can compete in this organization and have success in this organization,” Pennington says. She hopes to inspire Black girls and teens, encouraging them to follow in her footsteps by participating in programs such as Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen and Alabama’s Rising Stars. Both are precursors to Miss Alabama, and Pennington came up through the organization that way.
In March 2020, when coronavirus hit the United States, Pennington’s whirlwind as Miss Alabama slowed to a crawl. Her community outreach followed suit.
Which activities were safe? Which were not? Could Pennington still make in-person appearances and connect with the public? Could she hug little girls and shake hands with well-wishers? If so, what precautions did she need to take?
After doing some research, Pennington evolved into what she calls “virtual Miss Alabama,” moving her duties into the digital realm. She’d speak to various groups on Zoom, read books to schoolchildren and even perform online. (Pennington, a skillful opera singer, performed a vignette from “Nessun Dorma” for the talent portion of Miss Alabama. She also has a strong background in dance.)
In May 2020, she learned the Miss Alabama pageant would be canceled that year, along with the Miss America competition. This meant Pennington would hold onto her crown into 2021.
“Who would have ever thought I would serve for two years?” Pennington says. “Every Miss Alabama has to learn to adapt, but no one as ever learned to adapt to something like (the pandemic). I tried to brainstorm and be creative and take things as they come.”
In summer 2020, Pennington tested positive for COVID. So did her mother, Dedra Eastland Pennington. As Miss Alabama, Pennington announced their diagnoses on social media and urged others to take precautions to help stop the spread of the virus.
“This virus is extremely contagious because even with my family practicing all the CDC recommended guidelines, my mom and I still contracted the virus,” Pennington said in an Instagram post. “Please say home if you can and if you can’t, please wear a mask and wash your hands. This virus is dangerous, scary, real and unknown.”
Pennington says she experienced COVID symptoms, but her case was not a severe one.
“I did get sick; it definitely was not fun at all,” Pennington says. “I was thinking every day, being cooped up, of all the numbers of people who had COVID, knowing that I was going to be part of those numbers. I’d think about all of the lives lost during the pandemic, and think how lucky my mom and I are not to end up in the hospital.
“I was scared and terrified for my mother,” Pennington adds. “She does suffer from psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. She felt terrible. She didn’t feel like herself, even months after having the coronavirus. She still felt the effects.”
After she recovered from COVID, Pennington continued with her “virtual Miss Alabama” strategy. She was named health ambassador for the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office Division of Youth Services, for example, and performed many of her duties online. In that role, Pennington encouraged kids to stay active, get outside, make healthy food choices and follow CDC guidelines for masks and social distancing.
As the months went by, and 2020 transitioned into 2021, Pennington found herself doing double duty, balancing online appearances with in-person events. She also resumed her college studies, online and in-person.
“Every appearance I make, I try to be as safe as possible,” Pennington says. “There’s limited seating, people are spaced out and wearing masks. I definitely always try to be an example. We should protect others as well as ourselves and do our part to end the pandemic.”
One highlight of 2021, Pennington says, was performing a virtual concert in February for Wallace State Community College in Hanceville.
“It was fun, in a virtual setting over Zoom, and I could see people commenting in the comments box,” Pennington says. “I had to put together a set list and get the background right. Singing virtually is a whole other ballpark, because I had to become the technical crew and figure out the mikes and sound, and make sure the the Wi-Fi was OK the entire time. I had to have my plan mapped out.”
Pennington received a COVID vaccination in April, again posting about her experience on Instagram. “Words cannot express the relief that I felt today as I received my vaccine,” she wrote. “As I received the vaccine, I instantly thought about how far we’ve come since a year ago. Thankful that I get to experience the beginning of the end of this pandemic.”
She made her last appearance as Miss Alabama on June 5 in Gulf Shores, speaking to the Alabama Federation of Women’s Clubs. And, of course, Pennington will play a key role at the Miss Alabama pageant, Thursday-Saturday at the Alabama Theatre.
“I have loved every appearance this last two years,” she says. “I’m thankful I had this experience. I always wanted to be Miss Alabama. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Ask Pennington what advice she might have for the next Miss Alabama, and here’s what she has to say:
“Don’t take anything for granted and really learn that nothing is under your control. We have to learn how to adapt. We have to be that light in times of darkness and despair. We’re going to get through this together. Be a leader in challenging times. Try to have a journal with you, so you can remember everything. Try to have a stamped-out picture in your mind (of the events you’ll attend). Try to embrace it and remember: You’re only going to be Miss Alabama once in your life. Enjoy every moment and be thankful.”
If you go: Miss Alabama will hold preliminary events on April 10 and 11 at the Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. North in Birmingham. The finals are set for April 12 at the Alabama. All events start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $125 for a three-night package, $40 for each preliminary, $60 for the finals. To request tickets, email missalabama@missalabama.com or buy them at the Alabama’s box office, starting at 6 p.m. each night.
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