Miss Idaho 2018

On August 16, Miss America 2018 Cara Mund released a letter detailing her mistreatment during her year of service. The Miss America Organization responded with a simple post on Instagram. Since then, several State Organizations responded with disappointment in the national leadership.

“Miss Idaho Organization Statement

Since 1949, the Miss Idaho Organization has supported the Miss America program and the values and opportunities it has afforded young women across the country. It has been the mission in our state to recognize potential, reward achievement and to promote and empower young women throughout Idaho by providing scholarship and development opportunities for those who compete in this program.

The letter released by our current Miss America, Cara Mund greatly saddens us. The fact that her year has been filled with behaviors in total contradiction to the goals and objectives of empowering women is unacceptable and we fully condemn this behavior. Our love goes out to Cara and we fully support her decision to make her voice heard.

We are a small, but proud pageant state filled with volunteers who love this program. We cannot, in good conscience, support leadership that not only allows this kind of behavior, but apparently, fully participates. Decisions made by current national leadership with little regard for the overall good of the program cause us to question and fear for the future of the Miss America Organization. Therefore, Idaho adds its support to the petition calling for the change in leadership at the national level.

As we prepare to send our Miss Idaho, Nina Forest, to Atlantic City, we want her to feel empowered in the knowledge that her state board, local directors, Miss Idaho sisters and volunteers fully support her. We will work tirelessly to make sure the direction that Miss America takes going forward includes leadership that recognizes true empowerment and that future participants never have to endure what Cara Mund has endured this year. We are hopeful that through a united front and mutual respect for one another, the Miss America Organization will see positive changes that result in a brighter future for all those who love this program.

We Stand With Cara.”