A new Miss USA was crowned on Monday night.
According to People Magazine, Miss Mississippi USA Asya Branch won the competition, initially, postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, in Graceland, Memphis.
Branch, 22, is also the first Black woman to have ever won the Miss Mississippi USA title, however, the newly-crowned debutante is also a walking conundrum.
According to The Daily Beast, Branch graduated from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), is an avid supporter of Americans’ right to bear arms and even sang the national anthem at a President Donald Trump rally in 2018 before participating in a roundtable discussion about criminal justice reform with the leader.
During the competition, the vicenarian expressed interesting viewpoints on gun control and the state of the nation. The reigning Miss USA’s politics and brand are surprisingly different for a Black winner and Mississippi resident, given the state’s troubling past with race.
Miss USA’s stance on the 2nd Amendment left no questions about where she stood on Americans possessing guns.
“I think it’s important that we not ban guns, because obviously, people will find a way to get what they want anyways, but I think it’s our Second Amendment right, and we just need more safety surrounding that,” she said.
Branch went on to elaborate on how firearms were an integral part of her childhood.
“As someone who grew up in a home with guns, I learned at an early age how to load, how to fire, and gun safety,” she explained. “And I think that education should be available to everyone.” She went on to say that she believes people should have to go through training and pass safety tests before they’re allowed a permit for a gun.
When asked about the “polarized” state of America and what could be done, Branch’s position was equally perplexing.
“I think this is an issue of trust,” the reigning champion responded. “We’ve lost trust in the systems that seem to keep our country running, from the media to business to our government."
“And it’s all about restoring that trust and coming together and working together to heal and trust in these systems. If we want to continue to be the greatest nation, we’re going to have to set a better example,” she concluded.
In 2018, Branch wrote about singing the national anthem for the president in a now-deleted Instagram post.
“Incredible honor to sing the national anthem tonight in Southaven for the President Trump rally,” she wrote in the post according to The Daily Beast.
In November of the same year, Branch was captured in a photo at a roundtable discussion with Jared Kushner and President Trump surrounding criminal justice reform.
Miss Mississippi @asyadanielle among the participants of tonight's roundtable with @realDonaldTrump on the Jared Kushner-pushed criminal justice reform bill pic.twitter.com/M0313T0kjp
— Nikki Schwab (@NikkiSchwab) November 27, 2018
The graceful winner is also passionate about offering support to children of incarcerated parents. It’s an issue that’s close to Branch’s heart, according to the Miss USA website.
“As a child of an incarcerated father, I understand the struggles and pains that the children of incarcerated parents experience. There were no resources nor advocates available for me when I first faced this difficult, life-altering circumstance,” she reflected.
“I want to be a voice and a role model for the children who find themselves, by no fault of their own, in the similar scenario as I did. I want to help them understand their situation and rise above it to be empowered to reach their dreams and aspirations," she said.
During her reign as Miss USA, Branch will move to New York City later this year.
