Miss Teen USA to Keep Crown Despite Racist Tweets

*This current Miss Teen USA will keep her title after her use of the N-word in a series of tweets just three years ago recently came to light.

Shortly after Karlie Hay of Tomball, Texas was crowned Saturday in Las Vegas, tweets containing the N-word surfaced from an account belonging to the 18-year-old.

A screenshot of four tweets from 2013 and 2014 showing Hay using the racial slur went viral, with many social media users calling on organizers to snatch her crown.

View below:

The Miss Universe Organization, which owns the teen pageant, denounced her tweets but said Hay would keep her title and the organization would support “her continued growth.”

“The language Karlie Hay used is unacceptable at any age and in no way reflects the values of the Miss Universe Organization,” officials said in the statement obtained by KTRK. Hay “was in a different place in her life and made a serious mistake she regrets and for which she sincerely apologizes.”

In a series of tweets, Hay admitted to using language she is “not proud of” and that “there is no excuse for.”

Read her full explanation below:

Several years ago, I had many personal struggles and found myself in a place that is not representative of who I am as a person. I admit that I have used language publicly in the past which I am not proud of and that there is no excuse for. Through hard work, education and thanks in large part to the sisterhood that I have come to know through pageants, I am proud to say that I am today a better person. I am honored to hold this title and I will use this platform to promote the values of The Miss Universe Organization, and my own, that recognize the confidence, beauty and perseverance of all women.

A photo posted by Miss Texas Teen USA 2016 (@karlie_hay) on Jul 31, 2016 at 12:07am PDT

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