This former ballerina traded pointe shoes for tiaras, but first she had to overcome a violent childhood trauma. Rachelle di Stasio – the newly crowned Miss New York – will be moving to Reno, Nevada next month to claim the title of Miss USA 2023after defeating 184 contestants in her state’s beauty pageants.

The 26-year-old, who was accepted to the famous school American Ballet Theater School as a teenager, she switched to modeling after a first-degree sprain in her right leg. It was a tough decision, but saying goodbye to ballet catapulted her runway career, leading to representation by Wilhelmina and now Elite Model Management NYC.

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However, she soon discovered that her true calling, the beauty pageant life, combined all her passions.

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“Pageants for me are a combination of everything I love to do – being on stage, dancing, a combination of photo shoots and communicating with others. It’s literally all my passions rolled into one,” Rachelle di Stasio, who was born in Nashville but has called New York home for the past 12 years, told The Post.

Miss New York

Perhaps most importantly, the pageant world gave her an opportunity to share her story of survival. She revealed that she “survived” a sexual assault at the age of 4. In fact, Rachelle di Stasio, who works with the non-profit Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, also known as RAINN, is determined to help other victims.

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Miss New York

“I am ready for my voice to be heard, for my story to be known and to be a part of something beautiful. I was able to use my voice and strength to get to where I am today and I want to let other women know that their past doesn’t affect their self-worth or who they are,” she added.

Miss New York