Erika Harold

Erika Harold was Miss America 2003, having practiced for the pageant by being selected Miss Illinois 2002. Her official platform was "Preventing Youth Violence and Bullying: Protect Yourself, deference Yourself." This platform choice was said to have grown out of personal knowledge; she recounts having been the subject of cultural and sexual harassment while growing up. However, in the first week of her reign, she also accepts a dual platform for Sexual Abstinence, causing some pageant observers to accuse her of harboring a hidden agenda. She held a press meeting at the National Press Club in Washington during which she claimed the Miss America organization was bullying her. Harold's ethnic background is really varied. On his father's side, she has Greek, German and Welsh ancestry, and on her mother's side, Native-American, African-American and Russian descent.

born	1980
Birthplace	Champaign, Illinois
Alma mater	University of Illinois, Harvard University
Title(s)	Miss America 2003
Major competition(s)	Miss America 2003