North Carolina Central University student Carrie Everette won the title of Miss North Carolina this weekend. The Miss North Carolina Organization is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering young women to achieve their personal, professional, and educational goals.

Everett is a rising sophomore at North Carolina Central, majoring in vocal performance with a discipline in composition. She aspires to earn her doctorate degree in music. Everette hopes to become a professional musician. With the talent and education she’s obtained, she will travel to West Africa to do humanitarian work through music and arts education.

Everette, who previously held two other titles in the state of Washington, represented Johnston County in the Miss North Carolina pageant. Everette was crowned Miss Auburn in 2022 and Miss Lea Hill’s OT in 2019. During the pageant, Everette introduced her community service initiative, “We Need Equity to Build Communities,” whose objective is to break down systemic barriers in society and within the Miss America organization. For the talent portion of the pageant, Everette sang “And I am telling you I’m not going” from the hit musical Dreamgirls. In an interview with ABC 11 North Carolina, Everette shares what it took to get her to this moment.

“When I registered to compete this year, I only had $40 in my pocket,” Carrie Everett said. “That is the reality for many young women in this country. I believe in the Miss America Opportunity, what it has done, and what it continues to do for young women like me. With this title, I am empowered and ready to facilitate a new culture of equity within this brand.”

Everette will receive $20,000 and a car for a year, plus an additional $3,500 for other awards she won during the pageant. Everette is the fourth black woman to win the title in the pageant’s 87-year history. Deneen Graham was crowned in 1983; Alexandra Badgett was crowned in 2019–2020; and Karolyn Martin was crowned in 2022.

David Clegg, President and Chairman of the Miss North Carolina Organization Board of Directors, had this to say about Everett’s win: “The crowning of Carrie Everett marks another opportunity to present to the state the unique experience, talents, and civic commitment of this exceptional NCCU student.”

Everette will represent North Carolina in the Miss America pageant.