Parsippany Area Teen Crowned Miss Teen USA 2023

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Last week, the new Miss Teen USA was crowned, and she is from Morris County.

Last week, Miss New Jersey Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava was crowned Miss Teen USA 2023 after prevailing over 50 other competitors at the live-streamed pageant, which was held in Reno, Nevada.

The pageant was hosted by Justin Sylvester of E! News and featured judges such as actress Emily Shah, Mindy Mahy, founder of Kopu Water, Ruth Zakarian, comedian Kae Cazorla and model Tabitha Swatosh.

In March, Srivastava competed against 78 other young women for the title of Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2023 at the Hilton Parsippany Hotel. According to the organizers, this was her second time competing for that title; at the previous year's competition, she was named first runner-up at the age of 14.

Srivastava, from the Parsippany area, is a 16-year-old high school junior at the Academy of St. Elizabeth and the first Mexican Indian Miss New Jersey Teen USA.

Inspired by her heritage and her dad’s nickname for her, Little Jaguar, Srivastava wrote and illustrated her book, "The White Jaguar," to inspire people of all ages to embrace what makes them unique.

The four languages Srivastava grew up speaking are represented throughout the book: English, Spanish, Hindi, and French.

Srivastava said that she aspires to be a United Nations ambassador. She works with the Lotus Petal Foundation to provide a well-rounded education, good nutrition, and healthcare to disadvantaged children in India.

"She is very grateful for the opportunities afforded to her because of her education, which is why she has worked with the Lotus Petal Foundation to help underprivileged kids in India receive the education that every child deserves," her pageant biography said.

Alongside her other volunteering commitments, Srivastava also gathered more than 1,000 books for the Bridge of Books Foundation, which will be distributed to inner-city children in New Jersey.

Despite her busy schedule and involvement in her school, Srivastava also works as a volunteer canvasser for a political campaign in Morris County. Despite her inability to vote, she encourages children to campaign for causes they care about and to vote if they are able.

The Miss Teen USA pageant aired on the CW Network from 8 to 10 p.m. on September 29. Miss New York Teen USA Stephanie Skinner was named first runner-up, and Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA Maggie Ross was selected second runner-up.