E!: Do you think the pageant made the right decision in eliminating the swimsuit competition?
EB: I absolutely think so. The fact that we eliminated the swimsuit competition allowed for us to put more emphasis on things that these women have to say. So now we’ve got the social impact portion of competition, which is an incredible thing. It’s basically like a short kind of TED Talk, about 60 seconds. And each young woman gets the opportunity to speak about their social impact initiative. Mine is the Special Olympics, and that was a really special moment to stand up there on the stage and speak about why it’s so important and what it means to my family. Giving women an outlet in which they can speak about the things they’re passionate about and to speak about the things that that make them who they are is incredibly important because ultimately, it doesn’t matter what a girl looks like in a swimsuit. It doesn’t matter what a girl looks like period, right? You know, focusing on outward appearance is going to get us absolutely nowhere.
E!: How are you going to celebrate?
EB: Well, last night, I got to sleep in this insane suite. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. There were desserts, there was Coke. You know, I’m a Coke gal. I really like Coca Cola. It was it was incredible being surrounded by my family. The thing that I’m most excited for is getting to go home and celebrate the fact that Alaska has finally taken a victory. I’m especially excited to go home and celebrate with my family and friends who couldn’t be there in person. But, you know, there’s kind of a long flight ahead.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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