A new Miss USA has been crowned—and this time, the crown comes with a history-making story of motherhood, purpose and possibility.

Justus Kelley, representing Virginia, was crowned Miss USA 2026 during the 75th Miss USA competition in Miami on Aug. 27. At 31, Kelley made history as the first mother, first married woman and first woman in her 30s to officially win the Miss USA title.

Kelley’s crowning comes three years after the Miss USA organization changed its eligibility requirements, opening the competition to married women and mothers and removing its previous age cap.

Professionally, Kelley is a senior philanthropic adviser with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and founder of Foster Footprints, an initiative supporting children and families impacted by the foster care system.

She and her husband are licensed foster parents, and she used her journey to the Miss USA stage to bring attention to an issue many children in foster care experience.

Kelley is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, initiated through the Tau Chapter at Indiana University, where she later served as chapter president. Her introduction to pageantry also has Divine Nine roots: Nearly a decade ago, she competed in an Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated Miss Black & Gold pageant.