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State titleholders call for Miss USA to be released from NDA following sudden resignation

Posted at 1:03 PM, May 08, 2024
and last updated 2024-05-08 16:30:17-04

SALT LAKE CITY — Days after Miss USA 2023 and former Utah representative Noelia Voigt announced her sudden resignation with a cryptic message, other Miss USA 2023 State Titleholders are also speaking out.

In a joint statement posted Wednesday, the "majority of the members of the Miss USA class of 2023" called for the Miss USA Organization to release Voigt from the confidentiality NDA clause of her contract.

"So that she is free to speak on her experiences and time as Miss USA," the joint statement reads in part.

Additionally, the titleholders expressed their support for Voigt's decision to resign, saying, "Prioritizing one's mental health is of the utmost importance, and we stand behind her."

The joint statement comes days after Voigt released a statement resigning from her position as Miss USA, citing her mental health.

After posting her statement, social media users were quick to point out that the first letter of each sentence in Voigt's statement spelled out the phrase "I AM SILENCED."

Denise White, a crisis manager who says she has been consulting Voight and others within the organization, confirmed the hidden message left within the statement.

"The goal is to give Noelia her voice back," the joint statement from State Titleholders reads in part. "We are asking for full transparency for contestants in the class of 2024 and beyond."

State Titleholders who released the statement requested a response from the organization "within 24 hours."

On Wednesday, Miss Teen USA 2023, UmaSofia Srivastava, from New Jersey, also announced she would be stepping down from her position.

"After careful consideration, I've decided to resign as I find that my personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization," her statement reads in part.

In the comments of her resignation statement, Voigt responded, showing support by saying "I LOVE YOU! So proud of you my angel."