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Deshauna Barber
Barber as Miss USA 2016
Born (1989-12-06) December 6, 1989 (age 34)
Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Alma mater Virginia State University ( BS)
University of Maryland University College ( MS)
Norwich University
Occupations
  • Beauty pageant titleholder
  • motivational speaker
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Spouse
Marvin Echols III
​
( m. 2023)​
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title Miss District of Columbia USA 2016
Miss USA 2016
Hair colorBlack[ citation needed]
Eye colorBrown[ citation needed]
Major
competition(s)		 Miss USA 2016
(Winner)
Miss Universe 2016
(Top 9)
Military career
AllegianceUnited States
Branch United States Army Reserve
Years of serviceSince 2011
RankCaptain
Unit988th Quartermaster Detachment [1]

Deshauna Barber (born December 6, 1989) is an American beauty pageant titleholder, motivational speaker, and captain in the United States Army Reserve. [2] On June 5, 2016, she was crowned Miss USA 2016 by the outgoing titleholder Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma. [3] She represented the United States at the Miss Universe 2016 pageant and finished as a Top 9 finalist.

Early life and education

Barber tours the motor pool at the Army Reserve Center Fort Totten, 2016

Barber was born on December 6, 1989, in Columbus, Georgia, to Darren Barber and Cordelia Barber, both military veterans. She was a military brat, moving due to her father's 20-year military career in the Green Berets to North Carolina, Nebraska, Minnesota, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. [4] Barber joined the United States Army Reserve at age 17. [5] She attended Virginia State University and graduated with a degree in business management. [6] She is a member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. [7]

Prior to becoming Miss USA, Barber was commissioned in 2011 and was assigned as a quartermaster officer. She became a logistics commander in the U.S. Army Reserve as a captain, [8] and worked as an IT analyst for the United States Department of Commerce. [9] [2] [10] She earned her master's degree in management information systems and services from University of Maryland University College. [4] Barber is a member of the Pershing Angels. [11] [12] In May 2022, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Leadership from Norwich University. [13]

Pageantry

Barber throws out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium

Barber was crowned Miss District of Columbia USA 2016 on December 19, 2015, by outgoing titleholder Lizzy Olsen. Prior to winning this pageant she had placed in the semi-finalists of the Miss Virginia USA 2010 and Miss District of Columbia USA 2015 pageants and held the Miss Virginia International 2011 title. [11] [14] [15]

On June 5, 2016, Barber competed in the Miss USA 2016 pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada. She went on to win the competition, beating out first runner-up Chelsea Hardin of Hawaii and second runner-up Emanii Davis from Georgia. She was crowned by outgoing Miss USA, Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma. She was the third Miss District of Columbia USA to win the Miss USA title and the first in fourteen years and also the first African American to win the Miss USA title since Crystle Stewart in 2008. [4] She is the ninth African American to win the competition since its founding. Barber was additionally the first member of the military to win the Miss USA title and declared her intentions to promote veterans issues during her reign. [3] [16] [17] Barber represented the US at Miss Universe 2016 in Manila where she placed in the top nine. [18] During the national costume competition, she wore a superhero-inspired metallic silver costume complete with a helmet and an eagle-crested shield, which stood for women's empowerment. [19] However the wings of her costume failed to open when she was onstage, [20] [21] leaving her sheepishly smiling and tugging on the strings for a while. [22] [23]

After completing her reign, Barber later crowned Kára McCullough, also of the District of Columbia, as her successor at the Miss USA 2017 competition on May 14, 2017, held in Las Vegas. [24] [25] [26]

As of 2020, she is the CEO of Service Women's Action Network (SWAN), an advocacy NGO on women soldiers and veterans. Barber teaches at Howard University. [27] and is also a motivational speaker, focusing on bullying, sexual abuse, and loss, having presented at Google and the Georgetown University [28] and University of Maryland commencement exercises. [29]

Personal life

In October 2020, Barber began dating Marvin Echols III. The couple became engaged in December 2022, and later married in December 2023. [30] [31]

References

  1. ^ "Barber Profile". U.S. Army Reserve. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Chen, Joyce (June 5, 2016). "2016 Miss USA: Miss District of Columbia Deshauna Barber Wins the Crown". US Weekly.
  3. ^ a b Kelly, Cara (June 6, 2016). "Miss District of Columbia absolutely nailed her interview question before winning Miss USA". USA Today. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Heil, Emily (June 6, 2016). "Who is Deshauna Barber, the Miss D.C. who won the Miss USA crown?". Washington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  5. ^ Yahr, Emily (June 5, 2016). "Miss D.C., a 26-year-old IT analyst and Army officer, wins the Miss USA pageant". Washington Post.
  6. ^ Korsgaard, Sean (June 3, 2016). "VSU grad competes for Miss USA crown". The Progress-Index.
  7. ^ Jones, Maya A. (June 10, 2016). "Deshauna Barber is more than Miss USA, she's #BlackGirlMagic". Andscape. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  8. ^ "Meet Miss USA: Army Captain DeShauna Barber | Military Spouse". May 17, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  9. ^ "Miss USA". MUO. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  10. ^ "Army Officer Deshauna Barber Has Been Crowned Miss USA". Time. June 6, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Trojan Beauty". Virginia State University Trojan Warrior Battalion: 18. March 2011.
  12. ^ "Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated". Archived from the original on September 3, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2016..
  13. ^ "Norwich University awards three honorary degrees during Commencement". www.norwich.edu. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  14. ^ "Miss Virginia International™ 2011". Miss International Pageant Contestant Details. Miss International. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  15. ^ "2010 Miss Contestants". Miss Virginia USA.
  16. ^ "Exclusive: Miss USA 2016 Deshauna Barber Visits 'GMA'". ABC News. June 7, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  17. ^ Heil, Emily (June 8, 2016). "Miss USA Deshauna Barber is an undecided voter — and a Ben's Chili Bowl 'addict". Washington Post. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  18. ^ "Miss Universe 2017, in pictures". The Telegraph. January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  19. ^ "12 standout national costumes at Miss Universe 2016 preliminary round". Lifestyle. January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  20. ^ "Miss U bets in national costumes: The best, most creative, most hilarious". Lifestyle Inquirer. January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  21. ^ "Miss Universe national costume show: Spectacular, outlandish, challenging". CNN Philippines. January 27, 2017. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  22. ^ "'Wardrobe malfunction' fails to stop 'superhero' Miss USA from showcasing costume". GMA News Online. January 29, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  23. ^ "National Costume of Miss USA Deshauna Barber". Beauty Pageant Updates. January 28, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  24. ^ "Miss DC Wins Miss USA, But Not Everyone Is Happy". Romper.com. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
  25. ^ Cox, Lauren (May 14, 2017). "Kara McCullough: Everything You Need To Know About Miss USA 2017". hollywoodlife.com. Hollywood Life. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  26. ^ Sciarretto, Amy (May 14, 2017). "Miss D.C. Kara McCullough Wore Her Naturally Curly Hair For Miss USA 2017 & Fans Are Here For It". bustle.com. Bustle.
  27. ^ "SWAN announces new CEO, Deshauna Barber | Service Women's Action Network". January 13, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  28. ^ "Deshauna Barber | The Harry Walker Agency". Harry Walker Agency. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  29. ^ "Miss USA 2016 and UMUC Graduate Deshauna Barber '15 Speaks at Winter Commencement". alumni.umgc.edu. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  30. ^ "Deshauna Barber and Marvin Echols III's Wedding Website". www.zola.com. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  31. ^ Hanlon, Sarah (December 14, 2023). "Exclusive: Former Miss USA Deshauna Barber is Married! Inside Her Intimate Miami Wedding". The Knot.

External links

Media related to Deshauna Barber at Wikimedia Commons

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Lizzy Olsen
 Miss District of Columbia USA
2016 		Succeeded by
Jasmine Jones
Preceded by Miss USA
2016 		Succeeded by
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