The Story Behind the Crown: Miss Black D.C. USA tells all

By Kendra Bryant 

“I grew up thinking I was ugly, hideous, through college,” said Crystal Crowell, now the reigning Miss Black District of Columbia (D.C.) USA.

Crystal Crowell is crowned the 2025 Miss Black D.C. USA, after years of pageant experience and community service.

“I was always the new kid, often the only Black girl in the room. I was always the new kid, and most spaces were not diverse,” said Crowell. “I didn’t have anyone who looked like me doing this kind of work.”

Adopted as a child and raised by a military family, Crowell traveled the country before she could speak. Eventually, they settled in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area.

“Living in so many different places and being around so many people who also lived in so many different places helped me develop a big global perspective at a young age,” said Crowell. “I think that’s been a big factor in who I am today.”

Crowell didn’t enter her first pageant until her early 20s, a later start than most, but quickly made her mark. She won a state alternate title in 2020 and was preparing to compete at nationals when the pandemic hit.

“So we all know how the rest of the year went,” said Crowell. “I remember my winning photo shoot, people were just talking about the virus.”

Despite the brief pause, her passion only grew.

“I’ve been involved in service since college. I was a member of Alpha Phi Omega- National Service Fraternity, and I was later chapter president. I'm also a Sigma Gamma Rho,” said Crowell. “Pageantry was an opportunity to serve the community in a sort of different way.”

She later went on to win Queen Coleen for the Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade. But still, her battle with self-doubt continued.

“Pageantry isn’t just about how you look on the outside; it reveals who you are on the inside. It brings up a lot of trauma for contestants,” said Madris Hall, Crowell’s pageant coach. “That’s what I began working with, and that’s what I did with Crystal, figured out who she was.”

“There’s nothing you’re judged on in pageantry that you’re not judged on in everyday life. How well-spoken you are, your appearance, how well you can communicate, your poise and all those,” said Crowell. “And on the flip side, pageantry is not separate from real life. So if you're going through things or you're unhealing things, those are going to come up in pageantry."

Months of hard work went into the winning Miss Black D.C. USA. But the prize was about much more than just the crown.