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27/03/2018
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"I’m really thankful to be Miss America during this time. I see it as an opportunity — I have a say now in what I want the organization to be."
As told to Amanda Coyne
Mar 26, 2018
Cara Mund knew her time as Miss America would be unpredictable, but she never anticipated quite the storm she would have to weather within the organization she'd become the face of. In December, three months into her reign, executives and board members of the Miss America Organization, including then-CEO (and board chairman) Sam Haskell, resigned after emails emerged revealing they had called former Miss Americas vulgar names, mocked their weight, their sex lives, and wished one former titleholder dead. A group of former Miss Americas, some of whom were among those maligned in the emails, led the call for the leaders’ resignations; one of their own, Miss America 1989 and sexual harassment whistleblower Gretchen Carlson, has since assumed the organization’s top role.
Instead of retreating from the chaos in front of her, Mund saw a chance to rally young women around the ideals of Miss America. “At no time did I ever question ‘why is this happening to me?’” Mund explains in an interview with Cosmopolitan.com. “I knew that it was a huge opportunity to make a change and make a difference.”
GETTY IMAGES
It had been a dream of mine since I was six years old to be Miss North Dakota — and it took me four years to win the state title. For some reason, I just never dreamed big enough for Miss America; I think part of it was the fact that [North Dakota] had never won. And when I was preparing for the national pageant, there were so many people who focused on [telling me] I needed to change about myself to fit the Miss America mold. It was only when I got to Atlantic City that I realized that there is no mold.
CARA MUND/TWITTER
Still, on the night when I was crowned, it was such a surprise. Even today, it feels like I’m in this dream. There’s not a day when I fly into North Dakota when there isn’t someone who recognizes me as Miss America — and they thank me for the fact that I’ve helped put the state on the map. I’ve realized how many young girls look up [at me] and think, ‘Because she did it, I can do it too.’ For me, the title will only last a year, but my impact is going to last a lifetime.
Yes, [reading about the MAO board’s emails] was difficult. It came as a shock. And because it was so unexpected, my first instinct was to worry. But as days went on, I realized how powerful the response was. Through my entire life, I’ve always been underestimated; in the moment, it’s difficult when people don’t believe in your capabilities, but I am thankful for it now because I don’t think I would be here without them — when [the stories broke], I knew I had to rise to the occasion. I said to myself, ‘I know there’s a reason I’m Miss America. I know there’s a reason that the judges saw me capable for the job. This is my duty to uphold it.’ I think if I can get through the year as Miss America, I can get through anything!
We've empowered women to the point that they're willing to take back the organization.
So I’m really thankful to be Miss America during this time. I see it as an opportunity — I have a say now in what I want the organization to be. Here we are, advocating for equal rights, making sure that a woman doesn’t have to go into her workplace and be uncomfortable. We've empowered women to the point that they're willing to take back the organization; the volunteers from the local, state and national levels, people who have such a passion for Miss America — I knew there was no way were we going to [let it fall apart].
GETTY IMAGES
People have to remember that Miss America is a scholarship program! I always say one of the best investments you can make is in your education. In high school, [when I was] trying to choose a college, I knew my dream school was Brown. But I was so worried about how I was going to afford it. Through Miss America I've earned nearly $100,000 to fund my tuition.
Our focus right now is that we continue the pageant, and that we’re well-prepared [for this year's Miss America in September]. I’m new to this role, so I'm relying heavily on the former Miss Americas to make the changes they know need to be made. They have had experience with the old leadership; they know the changes that need to be made. I have faith in them and I think it holds a lot of validity that so many of them came together — women who were Miss America 30 years ago and are still just as dedicated to the organization as they were when they served their year of service. There still may be people who feel hesitant or don’t know what to expect, but let me tell you: Miss America is here to stay, and it’s going to be better than ever. Stronger than ever. And more relevant than ever too.
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