She became Miss America 2003 on September 21 , 2002 ( as Miss Illinois 2002 ) . Her official platform was " Preventing Youth Violence and Bullying : Protect Yourself , Respect Yourself . " Her platform choice grew out of personal experience ; she recounted having been the subject of racial and sexual harassment while growing up . In a May 2 , 2003 speech , Harold said when she turned to teachers and school administrators , her concerns were dismissed . As part of her platform , she became a national spokesperson for Fight Crime : Invest in Kids , a national advocacy group
Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003
Erika Harold