Justus Kelley Made Miss USA History By Becoming The Queen Black Women Have Always Been: Unapologetically Herself

We are hearing it more and more: life does not end at 30. And for many women, that is when things are just getting good.

We are rewriting the rules, changing the timelines, and deciding for ourselves what comes next in our lives. We are changing careers, having children when we want, getting married when we want, and going after any and all opportunities that may not have been available to women before us.

Now, we can add winning Miss USA to the list. Meet Justus Kelley.

The 31-year-old made history last night, August 27, snatching the title of Miss USA 2026. Representing Virginia, she is the first married woman, first mother, and first woman over 30 to win the national title.

Don’t you love seeing Black women change the game?

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