Crystal Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Crystal Lee
|
|
|---|---|
Miss California's Outstanding Teen 2008
|
|
| Born |
San Francisco, California, U.S.
|
| Education | Stanford University (BA, MA) |
| Title | Miss Teen San Francisco 2008 Miss California's Outstanding Teen 2008 Miss Chinatown USA 2010 Miss San Francisco 2011 Miss South Counties 2012 Miss Silicon Valley 2013 Miss California 2013 |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Major competition(s) |
Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2009 (top 10) Miss America 2014 (first runner-up) |
Crystal Lee is a talented American who has achieved many things. She helped start a company called LifeSite in Silicon Valley. She was also the second-place winner in the Miss America 2014 pageant. Before that, she won titles like Miss California 2013 and Miss Chinatown USA 2010. Today, she is a host for the Golden State Warriors basketball team.
Contents
About Crystal Lee's Early Life
Crystal Lee was born in San Francisco, California. Her father is Chinese-American, and her mother is Taiwanese. She went to the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.
After high school, Crystal studied at Stanford University. In 2013, she earned two degrees there. She received a bachelor's degree in human biology and a master's degree in communication.
Crystal Lee at Miss America 2014
Crystal Lee was the first runner-up in the Miss America 2014 pageant. This means she came in second place. Her special project for the pageant was "Women in STEM." STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. She wanted to encourage more girls to study these subjects.
Crystal also won a $5,000 STEM scholarship. This money helps students pay for their education in science and math fields. She also received the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which recognizes young people for their achievements.
A Historic Moment on Stage
In the final part of the Miss America pageant, Crystal Lee and Miss New York Nina Davuluri were the last two contestants. The host, Lara Spencer, asked them how they felt. Nina Davuluri said that she and Crystal were "both so proud." She added that they were "making history right here, standing here as Asian-Americans."
Nina later described this moment as "very surreal." She said holding hands with Crystal Lee was a "historic moment." They were two Asian-Americans who could win the title. This showed a new symbol of hope and encouragement.
Crystal's Thoughts on the Pageant
When Crystal Lee talked about the final moments, she said she was focused on the results. She did not think about them being Asian at that exact moment. She knew that a Chinese-American had been in the top two before. However, an Indian-American had not, which might be why Nina mentioned it.
Crystal said she always thought of herself as both American and Asian. She believes our country is made of people from many backgrounds. She said that when someone's family arrived in the country does not make them more or less American. After the competition, she realized how important this moment was for all Asian Americans. She hopes to see a Chinese-American Miss America one day.
Responding to Negative Comments
After Nina Davuluri won Miss America 2014, some people posted mean comments online. These comments were unfair and based on prejudice. Some people questioned why Nina was chosen. They wrongly thought she was Muslim or Arab and linked her to terrorist groups.
Crystal Lee spoke out against these comments. In an interview, she said people should be "ashamed of themselves." She also said it was good that the media called out these ignorant people. She felt it showed our commitment to being accepting and understanding.
Video Clips
- Vote for Miss California 2013 Crystal Lee - Miss America Organization
- Miss America's runner-up is Miss Silicon Valley, a Stanford grad. Contra Costa Times, September 16, 2013.
- Groundbreaking Miss America Winner Miss New York Takes Home Pageant Crown - ABC News, September 16, 2013
