Last year was really bad because I literally had to plan out 30-minute intervals of what I was doing each and every day to balance working, my master’s degree and my command position in the military, so time management is the biggest thing that you can have to be successful.”īarber spent five months prepping for the Miss USA pageant.
“I’m really big on time management, and I think that’s another discipline the military taught me,” Barber said. At the same time, she was in school to earn her master’s degree in computer information systems. One of the most hectic times came last year, when Barber was crowned Miss District of Columbia in December. Department of Commerce, continued to compete while in school, working and balancing her command position in the military. I really didn’t get a chance to get in touch with that girly girl side, so competing in pageants helped me get in touch with that glamorous side I always wanted that wasn’t really in my childhood.”īarber, who now works as an IT analyst for the U.S. “I think I fell in love with it mostly because of the fact that both my mother and father were in the Army, my household didn’t have many girly girl activities like painting our nails, dressing up and doing our hair. “It became a serious one-year hobby,” Barber said. Three months later, she entered her first pageant. She had never watched a pageant, and what she did know about them came from the 2000 comedy Miss Congeniality, featuring Sandra Bullock.īarber and the woman met up again at Starbucks the next day, where she was greeted by a “foot-tall stack of pageant books.” Barber was eventually convinced that this is something she could pursue. Barber’s knowledge of competitions and pageants were limited. Years ago, she was approached by a woman in Target, where Barber worked, who asked if Barber would be interested in competing in a pageant. What’s even more interesting is Barber’s background, which doesn’t include pageants until she was 19 years old. I wouldn’t say I blacked out but even the top 15, top 10, top 5, top 3, onstage question, crowning all of it seems like I wasn’t even awake - like I was watching this happen but I wasn’t actually there when it was happening.
As soon as I was called in the top 15, everything became a blur after that. “I still sit here and I can’t even believe I’m Miss USA. “It still hasn’t registered,” Barber told The Undefeated on Thursday. Here stood Barber, the child of military parents - an Army Reserve officer herself, a graduate of Virginia State University, a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., and now, the first military member and the ninth African-American woman to be crowned Miss USA. Miss District of Columbia USA 2016 Deshauna Barber (C) reacts with the other contestants after being crowned Miss USA 2016 during the 2016 Miss USA pageant at T-Mobile Arena on June 5, 2016, in Las Vegas. The tears refused to subside as she took her first walk. The tears flowed as she was handed flowers, given her sash and as the crown was placed atop her head. The tears of joy flowed down Barber’s cheeks as she stood in front of the cheering crowd. The pause lasted nearly 10 heart-pounding seconds before Terrence J uttered the words Barber couldn’t believe she was hearing. Just humble yourself and make sure you understand if the name isn’t yours, that you’ve accomplished enough just being here.” “I kept saying to myself that no matter what happens when he says this next state or next sentence, you’re beautiful and you’ve done everything you could to be here. Barber took the opportunity to give herself a pep talk. All went silent except for the dramatic music that heightened the intense curiosity in the room. With bowed heads and closed eyes, they waited - for what felt like an hour-and-a-half, Barber said - to hear host Terrence J announce who would be crowned Miss USA. The two women locked hands with each other and shared words of encouragement, followed by a warm embrace.
”īarber, 26, stood tall, facing Hardin in her shimmering, floor-length custom Sherri Hill gown. The announcement: “Now, one of you is about to become our new Miss USA. The women held hands - poised and graceful on the outside, a bundle of nerves on the inside - as they took measured steps to the center of the stage. After Miss Georgia USA, Emanii Davis, was announced second runner-up, the Miss USA pageant dwindled to two contestants: Barber and Miss Hawaii USA, Chelsea Hardin. Deshauna Barber, Miss District of Columbia USA, stood smiling among the crowd of thousands in attendance.
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