Erika Harold

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Erika Harold was Miss America 2003 and was the Miss Illinois 2002. Her platform is "Preventing Youth Violence and Bullying: Protect Yourself, Respect Yourself." Her platform is said to have grown out of personal experience; she claims to have been the subject of racial and sexual harassment^[1] while growing up.

Erika is of Greek, German and Welsh (father) and Native-American, African-American and Russian (mother) descent. (Sources: American Medical Association & Newsmax.com articles) In the first week of her reign, she controversially also adopted a dual platform for Sexual Abstinence, causing some pageant observers to accuse her of harboring a hidden agenda. She held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington during which she claimed the Miss American organization was bullying her. [1]

Harold was born in Urbana, Illinois. She attended University High School and Urbana High School in Urbana, and later graduated from the University of Illinois as a Phi Beta Kappa honoree. In the fall of 2004, she entered Harvard University's Law School.

Harold was a delegate at the 2004 Republican National Convention. Harold is an active member of the Christian Fellowship at Harvard Law School.

[edit] References

1. ^ Salon: Miss America's stealth virginity campaign

Preceded by Katie Harman

Miss America 2003

Succeeded by Ericka Dunlap