Miss Illinois 2022 winner announced

Monica Nia Jones from Chicago has been named Miss Illinois 2022. Miss Windy City won the title on June 11, 2022, at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center following five days of interviews, performances and rehearsals. She was chosen from a group of 26 candidates from across the state to succeed Miss Illinois 2020/2021 Isabelle Hanson. She will represent her state at the Miss America competition in December. In addition to the title and crown, Miss Illinois will win a minimum $10,000 scholarship as well as numerous in-kind awards.

Jones works as Junior Sales Associates at Christian Louboutin, the famous french brand of shoes after the graduating of Bachelor in Business at the Arizona State University. She was captain of the Devilettes dance team and president of the Black Business Student Association.

A role model for Jones is Michelle Obama. She admires Obama’s courage when facing the media, and believes it is a message everyone can apply in their own lives. “No matter what profession you go into, there will always be a group of people looking at you and judging you,” Jones said. “She shows that the way that people view you is not made by the media but by how you handle yourself in a situation.”

Jones served as Miss Chicago in 2021, placed second runner-up and won the best overall talent award at the Miss Illinois Competition in 2020. Her talent is violin.

The 2022 Miss Illinois’ court includes

1st runner-up – McKenna Vereeke (Miss River Valley)

2nd runner-up – Breana Bagley (Miss Southern Illinois)

3rd runner-up – Ariyana White (Miss Lake County)

4th runner-up – Juliana Fray (Miss Quincy)