Monroe, LA - On Monday Morning the Miss Louisiana Organization hosted a press conference inaugurating its 61st year of competition in Monroe.
Mayor Friday Ellis welcomed the contestants and thanked the organization for choosing to make Monroe it's home. When asked what it means to have the event back in Monroe
Ellis stated, "It's wonderful, I'm overjoyed for them to call Monroe home is very special for us here in the City of Monroe. To have their family and their supporters [come] and to be able to perform here we are just very proud of this."
Corporate sponsors told what the organization means to them and their business. Long term sponsor Louisiana blue Cross Blue Shield (formerly Vantage Health Plan) representative Jon Baccarini said in regards to the organization, "It brings out the best in every one."
Lisa Miller represented the University of Louisiana Monroe discussing the housing partnership between the university and the Miss Louisiana organization. Miller stated, "As years went by we decided we don't need to just be the place where they just stay when they come to the pageant we need to be a full fledged sponsor, and that's when we began to house Miss Louisiana."
Miller continued saying, "This is a great sponsorship opportunity for us because our mission so closely aligns with the pageant's mission. we are about changing lives on they bayou and this organization is also about changing lives."
As for Miss Louisiana 2023 executive director, Dewana Little says it's going to be hard to let Mackenzie Scroggs go as she has reigned with kindness and humility.
When asked about her favorite memory from this past year Scroggs said, "It's so hard to pick just one of the memories or experiences I got to have this year. Definitely going into the schools like I said I have been able to go into about 25 schools, but one of my favorites Northwestern State University, my home college, actually hosts the Louisiana Special Olympics and for the past few years I've been able to go so it was a full circle moment to go as Miss Louisiana. I made one of my best friends over there, and we got to run the whole Northwestern track together in my crown, banner, and heels, and it was my favorite experience because of him."
The 2024 Miss Louisiana will be crowed at the Jack Howard Theatre on Saturday, June 15th at 8pm. Preliminaries will be held on Thursday and Friday at 7pm. The event will be broadcasted live on KNOE or can be streamed online at misslouisianalive.com
Tickets are also available on ticket master at www.ticketmaster.com/miss-louisiana-pageant-tickets
