Caressa Cameron

Last updated
Caressa Cameron Jackson
Caressa Cameron.jpg
Caressa performing in the Cherry Blossom Festival parade
Born (1987-08-04) August 4, 1987 (age 36)
Alma mater Massaponax High School
Virginia Commonwealth University
Barbizon Modeling and Acting School
Title Miss Virginia 2009
Miss America 2010
TermJanuary 30, 2010 – January 15, 2011
Predecessor Katie Stam
Successor Teresa Scanlan
Spouse
Nathaniel Jackson Jr.
(m. 2012)
Children2
Website http://www.caressacameronlive.com

Caressa Venal Cameron-Jackson (born August 4, 1987) is an American beauty pageant titleholder and occasional singer who was Miss Virginia 2009 and Miss America 2010. She is the eighth African American Miss America titleholder, the first Black Miss Virginia to be crowned Miss America. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

The Virginia native is a graduate of Massaponax High School and Virginia Commonwealth University. [2] In 2002, Cameron graduated from Barbizon Modeling and Acting School in Virginia. [3]

Pageantry

Miss Virginia Teen USA 2005

Cameron placed second runner-up to Tori Hall at the Miss Virginia Teen USA 2005 pageant.[ citation needed ]

Miss Virginia USA 2006

She was second runner-up to Amber Copley at the Miss Virginia USA 2006 pageant.[ citation needed ]

Miss Virginia 2006-2008

She was placed second runner-up in the 2006 and 2007 Miss Virginia pageants. At the 2008 competition, Cameron was named first runner-up. Due to this placement, Cameron qualified to compete in the National Sweetheart 2008 pageant, where Miss Virginia later was named the fourth runner-up.[ citation needed ]

Miss Virginia 2009

Cameron was crowned Miss Virginia on June 28, 2009, winning on her fourth attempt. [4] [5]

Miss America 2010

On January 27, 2010, the performer won a $2,000 scholarship in succeeding the preliminary talent competition in vocal pop. [6]

On January 30, 2010, Cameron won the Miss America 2010 pageant held at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada. [1]

Miss America role

She traveled more than 250,000 miles during her year of service advocating for her personal platform, "Real Talk: AIDS in America" and spoke to over 80,000 students around the nation about healthy choices. For her efforts, Caressa was the recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award and a Congressional Honor. The titleholder performed during the Presidential Inauguration festivities in 2009, the 2010 White House Christmas Tree lighting, and more.

Personal life

Cameron married her high school sweetheart, Nathaniel Jackson Jr., on December 2, 2012. Cameron wore a Sareh Nouri wedding gown. [7] The couple welcomed their first child, Tres, on June 27, 2016. They welcomed their second child and first daughter, Cammie, on January 27, 2020. The family reside in Locust Grove, Virginia.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deidre Downs</span>

Deidre Downs Gunn is an American physician and former beauty pageant titleholder. Downs was Miss Alabama 2004 and later was crowned Miss America 2005.

Gretchen Lynn Polhemus-Jensen is an American actress, journalist and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 1989 and second runner-up to Miss Universe 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss Minnesota USA</span> Beauty pageant competition

The Miss Minnesota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss USA pageant. It is directed by Future Productions based in Savage, Minnesota since its inception in 1995, which also directs the state pageants for Colorado, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The Miss Nevada USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Nevada in the Miss USA pageant.

The Miss California Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss Teen USA pageant. It was formed in 1983. This pageant is part of the Miss USA Organization, owned by Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart.

The Miss Washington competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Washington in the Miss America pageant.

The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s. Four Miss Virginia winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America, including former national titleholder Caressa Cameron.

The Miss Nevada competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Nevada in the Miss America competition, and the name of the title held by that winner. The first Nevadan to compete at Miss America was Carol Lampe in 1949.

Lauren Elizabeth Barnette is an American model and beauty pageant contestant from Wise, Virginia who has competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant and competed for the Miss USA title in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Smith</span> American model, actress and TV host

Rachel Renee Smith is an American actress, TV host, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won the Miss USA 2007 pageant and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA 2002 pageant. She represented the United States at Miss Universe 2007 and placed 4th Runner-Up.

Amanda Kozak-Miliner is a pageant titleholder and educator from Warner Robins, Georgia who competed in the Miss America and Miss USA pageants. She is also the 2015 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

Miss National Sweetheart is a United States beauty pageant created in 1941 where runners-up from the Miss America state pageants are invited to Hoopeston, Illinois to compete for the title of Miss National Sweetheart, and the name of the title held by the winner of that pageant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystle Stewart</span> American model and beauty pageant titleholder

Crystle Danae Stewart is an American actress, tv host, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. Stewart's acting career began in 2011, when she played real estate agent Leslie Morris on the OWN/TBS comedy-drama television series For Better or Worse until 2017. In 2018 she appeared in Acrimony. From 2020 until 2023, Stewart was the national director of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. She was suspended from the position following allegations of favoritism, results rigging at Miss USA 2022 and sexual harassment at Miss USA 2021, and officially stepped down in August 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss California's Outstanding Teen</span>

The Miss California's Teen competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of California in the Miss America's Teen pageant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristen Dalton (Miss USA)</span> Miss USA 2009

Kristen Jeannine Dalton-Wolfe is an American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2009 and represented the United States at the Miss Universe 2009 pageant.

Miss America 2010, the 83rd Miss America pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada at the Theatre for the Performing Arts of Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on Saturday, January 30, 2010. Miss America 2009, Katie Stam from Indiana, crowned her successor, Caressa Cameron from Virginia, at the end of the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teresa Scanlan</span> Miss America 2011 winner (born 1993)

Teresa Michelle Scanlan is an American attorney and beauty pageant titleholder from Gering, Nebraska who was named Miss Nebraska 2010, subsequently winning Miss America 2011 at age 17 and becoming the youngest Miss America since Bette Cooper in 1937. She now works as a business litigation attorney at King & Spalding in Houston, Texas, and serves as a staff sergeant in the Wyoming Air National Guard, in the Force Support Squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Murray Smith</span>

Stephanie Murray Smith Waltrip is an American television personality, make-up artist, hairstylist, and beauty pageant titleholder from the United States who was crowned Miss South Carolina USA and placed in the Top 10 at Miss USA. In 2010, she competed on The Amazing Race 17 with then boyfriend Chad Waltrip and finished fifth. He proposed to her while on the Race. They were married later in 2010 after the Race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Kaeppeler</span> Miss America 2012

Laura Marie Kaeppeler is an American beauty pageant titleholder crowned Miss America 2012 on January 14, 2012, representing the state of Wisconsin. Kaeppeler was the first woman representing Wisconsin to win Miss America since Terry Meeuwsen won Miss America 1973. She was briefly on the board of directors for the Miss America Organization.

Marisa Paige Butler is an American beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned both Miss World America 2018 and Miss Earth USA 2021. As a national titleholder, Butler represented the United States at Miss World 2018, placing in the top thirty, and then represented the United States at Miss Earth 2021. Previously, Butler had been crowned Miss Maine USA 2016 and represented Maine at Miss USA 2016, where she was unplaced.

References

  1. 1 2 "Miss Virginia wins 2010 Miss America crown". USA Today. 2010-01-30.
  2. Gross, Edie. "Covering Caressa Cameron". www.fredericksburg.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
  3. "Barbizon Modeling and Acting School Alumni". barbizonmodeling.com.
  4. Young, Julie (July 6, 2009). "VCU student Caressa Cameron begins reign as Miss Virginia". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  5. Taylor, Duffie (2009-06-28). "Miss Arlington Caressa Cameron wins Miss Virginia". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
  6. "Miss Virginia Lighting Up Vegas Strip". NBC Universal, Inc. 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
  7. "Designer: Sareh Nouri". Archived from the original on July 11, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.

Video clips

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Miss America
2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Miss Virginia
2009
Succeeded by
Chinah Helmandollar