26 Miss District of Columbia USA 2018 competing in Northwest

Kára Deidra McCullough was born in Naples, Italy to Artensel E. McCullough Sr. and Betty Ann Parker and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. Kara was runner-up to Miss District of Columbia USA 2015 Lizzy Olsen and Miss District of Columbia USA 2016 Deshauna Barber.

On December 17, 2016, Kara won Miss District of Columbia USA 2017 at The Westin DC Downtown in Northwest, Washington, D.C., USA. The respective first, second, third and fourth runners-up were Ryann Richardson, Bilikisu Adeyemi, Bryce Armstrong and Cordelia Cranshaw.

On May 14, 2017, Kara represented Washington, D.C. at Miss USA 2017, competed against 50 other candidates at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Paradise, Nevada, USA and won the title. After her coronation, Richardson took over as the new Miss District of Columbia USA 2017.

Miss District of Columbia USA 2018 contestants

On December 16, 2017, Richardson will crown her successor at Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel in Northwest. It is the 63rd edition of the beauty pageant that selects Washington, D.C.’s candidate for Miss USA, which selects the Miss Universe candidate of the U.S.

There are 26 women competing for the Miss District of Columbia USA 2018 crown. Here are the candidates:

1. Alexandria McDowell
2. Alexis Davis
3. Alexis Lete
4. Alice Adu Gyamfi
5. Ashlee White
6. Bilikisu Adeyemi
7. Bryce Amrstrong
8. Chelsie Stevens
9. Cordelia Cranshaw
10. Courtney Ballenger
11. Destani Huffman-Jefferson
12. Fig O’Reilly
13. Jade Kenny
14. Karen Kagha
15. Lledon Stokes
16. Malaika Khafra
17. Maura Deegan
18. Mia Simms
19. Midori Amae
20. Samira Howard
21. Shannon Lynch
22. Shawna Melvin
23. Sydney Hawkins
24. Tara Ward
25. Tiah Andrea Hodges
26. Vinielle Acha-Morfaw

Currently, Washington, D.C. has 21 Miss USA placements including the coronations of Barbara Joan “Bobbi” Johnson in 1964, Shauntay Renae Hinton in 2002, Barber in 2016 and Kara in 2017. After Barber was crowned Miss USA 2016, Kara declined to take over as the new Miss District of Columbia 2016.

Representing the U.S., Johnson finished in the Top 15 at Miss Universe 1964, Hinton was unplaced at Miss Universe 2002 and Barber finished in the Top 9 at Miss Universe 2016. On November 26, 2017, Kara represented the U.S. at Miss Universe 2017, competed against 91 other candidates at The AXIS in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA and finished in the Top 10.