Cheslie Corrinne Kryst (born April 28, 1991) is an American television
presenter and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA
2019. As Miss USA, she represented the United States at the Miss
Universe 2019 competition and finished in the top ten. Previously, she
had been crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2019, becoming the third
woman from North Carolina to win Miss USA. Outside of pageantry, Kryst
is a licensed attorney and has served as a correspondent for Extra
since October 2019.With her win, 2019 became the first year that all
four major United States-based pageants were won by black women; other
titleholders were Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa (as Miss Universe
2019), Nia Franklin (as Miss America 2019) and Kaliegh Garris (as Miss
Teen USA 2019).Kryst was born on April 28, 1991, in Jackson, Michigan,
to a Polish American father and an African American mother. She has
four brothers, Asa, Chandler, Jet and Brooklyn, and a sister, Page.
Her mother, April Simpkins, competed in pageantry and was crowned Mrs.
North Carolina US when Kryst was a child. Kryst grew up in Charlotte,
North Carolina, but moved with her family to Rock Hill, South Carolina
to attend Northwestern High School. The family later moved to Fort
Mill, South Carolina and Kryst transferred to Fort Mill High School,
graduating in 2009; both cities are suburbs in the Charlotte
metropolitan area.After graduating from high school, Kryst moved to
Columbia, South Carolina to attend the Honors College at the
University of South Carolina. She graduated from the Darla Moore
School of Business with a degree in marketing and human resource
management in 2013, where she was also a member of the Alpha Lambda
Delta honor society, Gamecocks women's track and field team, and mock
trial.
presenter and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA
2019. As Miss USA, she represented the United States at the Miss
Universe 2019 competition and finished in the top ten. Previously, she
had been crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2019, becoming the third
woman from North Carolina to win Miss USA. Outside of pageantry, Kryst
is a licensed attorney and has served as a correspondent for Extra
since October 2019.With her win, 2019 became the first year that all
four major United States-based pageants were won by black women; other
titleholders were Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa (as Miss Universe
2019), Nia Franklin (as Miss America 2019) and Kaliegh Garris (as Miss
Teen USA 2019).Kryst was born on April 28, 1991, in Jackson, Michigan,
to a Polish American father and an African American mother. She has
four brothers, Asa, Chandler, Jet and Brooklyn, and a sister, Page.
Her mother, April Simpkins, competed in pageantry and was crowned Mrs.
North Carolina US when Kryst was a child. Kryst grew up in Charlotte,
North Carolina, but moved with her family to Rock Hill, South Carolina
to attend Northwestern High School. The family later moved to Fort
Mill, South Carolina and Kryst transferred to Fort Mill High School,
graduating in 2009; both cities are suburbs in the Charlotte
metropolitan area.After graduating from high school, Kryst moved to
Columbia, South Carolina to attend the Honors College at the
University of South Carolina. She graduated from the Darla Moore
School of Business with a degree in marketing and human resource
management in 2013, where she was also a member of the Alpha Lambda
Delta honor society, Gamecocks women's track and field team, and mock
trial.
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