NOVEMBER 2011

fairest of them all
Kristen Danyal wins state title
By Joyce Wiswell
Kristen Danyal of Sterling
Heights trusts her gut. When
everyone was offering advice
in preparation for the Miss Michigan
USA pageant, she stayed polite – and
then did exactly what she wanted.
Her instincts were obviously right
on, as she won the state crown on October
1 at a pageant in Port Huron.
Though she was crowned Miss
Michigan Teen USA in 2008, Danyal
wasn’t sure she wanted to enter
this latest contest. She ended up deciding
to go for it just two weeks before
the pageant, which meant a giant
scramble to find the perfect dress.
She even flew to New York to look.
But nothing seemed right until
she decided to alter the gown a friend
wore to a wedding. Danyal had a
seamstress modify the hemline, add a
belt and make other changes – a task
completed just the night before the
pageant.
Even after she signed up for Miss
Michigan USA, the 21-year-old tried
to keep it a secret from friends and
family. But with four other Chaldeans
in the contest – Chanell Hana, Reem
Goria, Elin Shammas and Rasha
Yousif – word soon got out and the
unsolicited opinions came pouring in.
“People started coming up to me
and telling me what to do – smile
like this or walk like that,” she said.
“Everyone was giving me advice that
was getting away from who I really
am. I said, ‘I’m just going to do it like
I did it last time.’”
Those suggestions included
checking online to see the questions
the judges would be asking.
“I knew that if I knew what the
questions were I would have tried to
create an answer in my head beforehand
and then stumble when I tried
to repeat it,” Danyal said. “So I tried
to void everything and go in with a
very fresh mind.”
The strategy worked, and when
Danyal was asked the final question
– what are the most important values
parents can teach their children? –
she nailed it.
“I answered respect, because it is
the foundation of every value children
learn as they grow up. Treat
others as you want to be treated and
you’ll get very far in life.”
Besides nerves, her biggest challenge
at the pageant was keeping
from crying and ruining her makeup
when she made it to the top five.
“My tears were stuck in my eyes
so I just looked up to make sure the
tears didn’t roll down,” she said.
“And I tried to make myself laugh.”
When the big moment came,
hearing the names of the runners-up
grew increasingly surreal as she realized
she was winning, Danyal said. “I
kept thinking, ‘oh my God I’m still
here, I can’t believe I’m still here.’ I
finally realized where this title was
taking me – to Miss USA.”
That Donald Trump-produced
pageant takes place next summer,
most likely in Las Vegas. It’s a threeweek
process for the 50 contestants.
Meanwhile, Danyal has plenty to
keep her busy. She’s making pageant
appearances, especially those for
breast cancer awareness. She’s working
toward a marketing degree at
the University of Detroit Mercy and
works part time at Nordstrom in the
Somerset Mall. She hopes to one day
have a career as a wedding planner.
“I love chaos and I work well under
pressure,” she said.
But for now, Danyal is looking no
Kristen Danyal reacts
to hearing her name
called ... and walks
the runway in victory.
further than graduation in May and
prepping for the Miss USA pageant.
“I have a one in 50 chance,” she
said. “So I want to put into my head
that I can win it.”
Danyal said she was buoyed by her
fellow Chaldean contestants, two of
whom, Shammas and Yousif, made it
into the top 15. She appreciates the
support of her extended family – 25
to 30 people traveled to Port Huron
to cheer her on – and said she’s seen
nothing but enthusiasm from the
community.
“I love how supportive the community
has been. Everyone knows it
can be a really big competition between
Chaldeans, but everyone has
been so nice,” she said. “It has reaffirmed
my faith in human nature –
and in Chaldeans.”
Kristen Danyal is blogging about her
journey to Miss USA. Follow her at
MissMIUSA2012.BlogSpot.com and
on Twitter at RealMissMIUSA.
36 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2011