When Sir’Quora Carroll competed in the Miss Ohio USA pageant Saturday, she thought she was definitely going to be announced as the runner-up.
“When they didn’t say my name, my heart fell in the pit of my stomach,” she said.
But to her surprise, her name was called for the big title — Miss Ohio USA.
The 23-year-old Canal Winchester resident was crowned Saturday at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts in Portsmouth. Carroll now will go on to compete in the Miss USA pageant, which will take place later this year, she said.
Carroll replaces University of Cincinnati student Nicole Wess, who won Miss Ohio in 2021. She is the first person of color to win the title since Sthephanie Marie Miranda won in 2020.
She said her win was a “complete shock” since this was the first pageant she ever competed in.
“It was a really tough competition,” she said. “But I give all glory to God because I felt called to the position. I am grateful and I am ready to serve Ohio.”
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Being an inspiration to others
Carroll was born and raised in Columbus, where she graduated from Groveport Madison High School in 2017. She then attended Ohio University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in business administration marketing last year.
Carroll currently works as a model for Cincinnati-based NV Models and Talent.
She said at the beginning of the year, she received a message from God, telling her she should enter the pageant. Carroll also wanted to bring representation to the competition as a young Black woman who refused to wear weaves, instead, showing off her natural curls.
She said she wants to be a role model for her eight siblings as well as Black youth and young adults in Greater Columbus.
“This opportunity felt as though this was something that I could do to inspire them to chase their dreams and to step out of their comfort zones because I honestly believe that’s how you grow,” she said.
Carroll hopes to eventually open her own modeling agency, where she can instill self-love and confidence in her models.
“It’s a cutthroat industry,” she said. “It’s just like entering into a pageant; you’re entering into a competition to be judged. But I want to inspire everyone to just love themselves because the moment that I did, I was able to step into my calling and I was able to step into who I was as a woman.”
Carroll will be going to Cancun, Mexico next month for the Miss USA orientation, where she will meet all of the other contestants.
“I’m definitely still trying to process being Miss Ohio, but I’m also really excited to represent the great state of Ohio,” she said.
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Micah Walker is the Dispatch trending reporter. Reach her at [email protected] or 740-251-7199. Follow her on Twitter @micah_walker701.
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