Cheslie Kryst (1991–2022), former Miss USA and “Extra” correspondent
31.01.2022 - 19:03
/ legacy.com
Cheslie Kryst was an attorney and TV correspondent named Miss USA in 2019.Kryst began competing in pageants as a teen, and she won Miss North Carolina in 2019. At the time, she was working as an attorney at Poyner Spruill LLP, having graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law. She did pro bono work for people who were unjustly incarcerated, including for minor drug crimes.
When Kryst won Miss USA, she was in a history-making group of pageant winners. In 2019, for the first time ever, all five of the major pageants – including Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss America, and Miss Teen USA – were won by Black women. Kryst was also notable for winning while competing with her hair worn in her natural curls, and she became the longest-reigning Miss USA when the 2020 pageant was postponed from May to November due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After her win, Kryst became a New York correspondent for “Extra,” with two Daytime Emmy Awards nominations for her work. Kryst was also the founder of the fashion blog White Collar Glam.“Although more women are competing with natural hair nowadays, there still aren’t many. So, I was a little bit worried and anxious about doing it, but I thought, ‘I want to do it as the most real and authentic me,’ and that’s really what my hair represents.” —from a 2019 interview for Refinery 29We are devastated to learn about the loss of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst.
She was one of the brightest, warmest, and most kind people we have ever had the privilege of knowing. Our entire community mourns her loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with her family right now. pic.twitter.com/fuJHXeMnHaDevastating.
So tragic. Cheslie Kryst interviewed us just 2 wks ago. She was so beautiful, charming & engaging.