Oxford Woman Wins Crown at Miss Plus America Pageant

By Katherine Deck
Hottytoddy.com intern
kedeck@go.olemiss.edu

Oxford native Shannon Thweatt recently was crowned Miss Plus America.
Photo provided

Since Shannon Thweatt was crowned Miss Plus American last month she has been very busy visiting local schools and attending community events to share her message of self-love and acceptance.

“It definitely keeps me busy,” she said. “It has opened doors and given me the opportunity to help others.”

Thweatt, an Oxford native, had the opportunity to compete in the Miss Plus America Pageant in South Carolina on Sept. 14 where she met a group of women who supported and empowered each other. She said was extremely nervous to compete in this fierce competition, but she was pleasantly surprised to find herself at ease quickly after arriving at the pageant.

Thweatt said she had a surreal experience and never expected for herself to win the Miss Plus America Pageant. She formed a strong bond with the ladies in the pageant as they formed a sister circle.

She has kept in contact with many of the women she met in the pageant and built friendships with them.

“I have competed in other pageants that were great, but I never felt a sisterhood like this,” she said.

While winning the crown was an honor for Thweatt, she said seeing all of the women dressed up to represent their cultures was “very special.”

Her favorite event was her state costume, where she represented Mississippi, dressed as a southern belle.

“I never truly expected to win, my goal was to go there to be my very best self and to help other people,” she said. “The biggest lesson I would like to tell people is that no matter if you win or lose, is to always be humble and kind.”

Thweatt is the local director of the Tri-Lakes Annual Pageant for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and all of the money raised goes straight to St. Jude. Shannon uses her platform to help others and she said she chose St. Jude because the hospital is helping to save lives.

“There is power in pageantry,” she said.