Former Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt calls ex-Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava "very strong young woman" after she resigned

Former Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt recently voiced her thoughts about Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava resigning just days after Voigt announced her resignation.

In an exclusive to People Magazine on May 9, Voigt claimed to be unaware of Srivastava's decision but supported her, calling the ex-Miss Teen USA 2023 a "very, very strong young woman" whom she was incredibly proud of.

On May 6, Noelia Voigt took to social media to inform her followers that she was relinquishing her title of Miss USA 2023. She was crowned on September 30, 2023. On May 8, UmaSofia Srivastava announced her resignation.

---

Noelia Voigt called UmaSofia Srivastava's resignation "surprising"

Speaking to People Magazine on May 9, Noelia Voigt, 24, revealed that UmaSofia Srivastava's resignation was "surprising," adding that the two were "very, very close."

"I actually didn't know that she was going to do that. So it was surprising. We were at an event together last night, and we're both feeling incredibly optimistic about the future and what that holds for us individually and together," she added.

Noelia Voigt continued that the New Jersey teen aimed to work for the Department of Defense. Voight called Srivastava a "truly incredible human being" for being a role model for Gen Z and showing them it's okay to "step away from things that aren't good for you."

On May 8, UmaSofia Srivastava announced her resignation on Instagram, citing that her "personal values" no longer aligned with "the direction of the organization." According to the BBC, the 17-year-old was crowned on September 29, 2023, becoming the first Mexican-Indian American to hold the title.

“I look forward to the rest of the year as I finish 11th grade as part of the National Honor Society and start the college application process, knowing that my academic career has been defined by my hard work, and my hard work alone,” she added.

---

Noelia Voigt resigned from her title citing mental health reasons

According to People Magazine, Noelia Voigt relinquished her title of Miss USA 2023 on Monday, May 6, citing mental health reasons. The Utah native is the first Venezuelan-American woman to win the crown.

In a statement on Instagram on Monday, the former Miss USA 2023 called the resignation a tough decision but emphasized that it was important to take this step to protect her mental health.

"I realize this may come as a large shock to many. Never compromise your physical and mental well-being. Our health is our wealth. My journey as Miss USA has been incredibly meaningful, representing Utah with pride, and later the USA at Miss Universe. Sadly, I have made the very tough decision to resign from the title of Miss USA 2023," Noelia Voigt said.

She gave a shoutout to UmaSofia Srivastava for her love and support and reflected on the "lifelong friendships and connections" she gained from her time at the pageant.

Noelia Voigt also recalled that her favorite part of being Miss USA was working with Smile Train (a cleft-focused organization), advocating for anti-bullying, dating violence awareness and prevention, and immigration rights and reform.

Calling the pageant her "childhood dream," she hoped to inspire others to prioritize their mental health and advocate for themselves and others by using their voice.

Discussing her future after rescinding her title with People Magazine, Noelia Voigt ruminated about other avenues she wanted to explore, including having a TV show.

"There [are] so many things that I would love to explore. My background is in interior design. I think having a show would be really fun, exploring communications in TV. I just feel like the possibilities are kind of endless, and I'm in a point right now where I'm very exploratory of all those things, so we'll see."

---

Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava are the latest in line to resign from Miss USA. According to the BBC, Claudia Michelle, Miss USA's social media director, announced her exit three days before Voigt resigned.

Michelle cited alleged "workplace toxicity and bullying" as the reason for her departure, claiming that titleholders "should be heard and not silenced." She also revealed that she had been privy to Voigt's mental health decline after working with her.

When approached by USA Today, the former Miss USA 2023 denied these allegations, dubbing Michelle's remarks "false accusations" and arguing that the organization was "committed to fostering a safe, inclusive and supportive environment, and we take these allegations seriously."