Miss Michigan brilliantly calls attention to the Flint water crisis

She didn't win, but she did steal the show.
Miss Michigan brilliantly calls attention to the Flint water crisis
Emily Sioma, Miss Michigan 2018,  brought attention to the Flint Water Crisis in the best way possible. Credit: Getty Images

This year's Miss America pageant crown went to Miss New York, but Miss Michigan 2018, Emily Sioma, made a splash of her own.

During introductions, Emily Sioma approached the mic confidently and used her moment to bring awareness to the water crisis happening within her state.

"From the state with 84 percent of the U.S. fresh water but none for its residents to drink, I am Miss Michigan, Emily Sioma," she said, unwaveringly.

Flint, a city less than two hours away from Sioma's hometown of Grass Lakes, is still in the midst of a water crisis that began in 2014 when residents of the city "raised concerns over reported rashes, hair loss and other problems from using the tap water." While steps have been made to rectify the health crisis, the city is still struggling to make substantial progress towards providing clean drinking water for its residents.

Sioma highlighting the problems in Flint stood out among the other introductions, many which included their schools and majors. Fans of the pageant watching from home took notice at Sioma's declaration, and celebrated her taking the time to shine a light on the crisis.

While she may not have won the competition, she definitely stole the show.

Topics Activism

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
How to watch Michigan vs. UCLA online for free
Eric Dailey Jr. of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a basket

How to watch Michigan vs. Duke online for free
Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines shoots a free throw

How to watch Michigan vs. Illinois online for free
Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines shoots a free throw

Verizon outage may have impacted 911 calls
The Verizon logo on a building.

'Pokémon Pokopia': How to get the Suck ability to move water around
Ditto in Pokemon Pokopia

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone


You can track Artemis II in real time as Orion flies to the moon
Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman piloting the Orion spacecraft

What's new to streaming this week? (April 3, 2026)
A composite of images from film and TV streaming this week.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!