Spelman College crowned its 42nd Miss Spelman Pageant winner on Sunday. Junior student Taylor Mills was selected among six other contestants during the pageant, which took place at Spelman’s Sisters Chapel on April 12.

Mills is now Spelman’s ambassador and acts as a representative of the HBCU’s core values of academic excellence, ethical leadership and commitment to positive social change.

Taylor Mills was crowned Miss Spelman pageant winner

“I’m very grateful. I’m very honored. I did this not only for myself but for my institution, and I am excited to get to work and to showcase who we are as the number one HBCU,” she told Channel 2 Action News.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Spelman College (@spelman_college)

Miss Spelman’s message of authenticity

Mills has been campaigning on social media with videos focusing on relatable content and an overall message of authenticity. She also performed an African dance performance as part of her campaign to be crowned.

“Her dance performance struck a cord with many, illustrating the strength and grace that she possesses as a leader,” the HBCU said in a press release.

Mills campaigned with the motto “Authentically Blue” online. The HBCU noted her social media presence. It echoes the success this year’s campaign had beyond the school’s community. Several pageant videos went viral on TikTok.

“Her social media persona is a true reflection of who she is—real, relatable, and raw,” Spelman College wrote. “As she first made it onto the Spelman campus, her content immediately resonated with students, and her journey since then has only deepened her roots within the sisterhood of Spelman.”

Mills hopes her new role can help inspire others to be themselves while showing diversity among Spelman women.

“By authentically showcasing my journey and celebrating all sides of a Spelman Woman—be it academic, artistic, or personal—I hope to inspire others to embrace their full selves,” she wrote on Instagram. “Spelman women are not a monolith, and its time for us to fully celebrate the dynamic layers that make us who we are.”

HBCU pageant

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week