When the Miss America pageant was broadcast Sunday night, viewers were given a new pageant experience. In the event Miss America Organization leaders called “Miss America 2.0,” contestants no longer competed in a swimsuit portion, and instead wore business suits.

A number of other changes were evident, one of the most notable being made by Miss Michigan.

After the opening number, contestants announce themselves, typically with cute and corny phrases like, “From the state known for the potato, I’m Miss Idaho.” Miss Michigan Emily Sioma made a groundbreaking decision to rock the boat in the otherwise upbeat and positive opening number. Her opening line?

“From the state with 84 percent of the U.S. freshwater but none for its residents to drink, I am Miss Michigan Emily Sioma.”

In the days following the pageant, Sioma’s introduction has gotten equal or higher coverage than the winner of the pageant, Miss New York Nia Imani Franklin.

During her journey to Miss America — which includes a year as Miss Stateline Michigan, based in Edwardsburg — Sioma committed to a platform surrounding another controversial topic: support for survivors of sexual assault. A survivor herself, Sioma has carried this platform throughout her title run, before the #metoo movement and the scandalous Larry Nassar case at Michigan State University.

During practices for the pageant, Sioma wore a Black Lives Matter T-shirt, representing another issue and segment of the population in her home state.

In an interview with MSNBC following the pageant, Sioma shared the thought process behind her controversial opening statement:

“I think people have a stereotype that women in the Miss America Organization are the ones sitting in the cars in the parades just waving,” she said. “But there’s an opportunity for us to bring what we do the other 364 days that we’re not on television competing for the title of Miss America, that we’re servant leaders in our communities, raising the voices of others and using the opportunity that we have to represent not just the great things, but also the hardships that the communities we represent are facing.”

Whether or not you agree with Sioma’s politics, it’s difficult to not admire her moxie. This young woman is clearly focused more on making a difference regarding issues that matter to her than she is with looking pretty under a spotlight, as pageant queens are often accused.

This titleholder has taken the opportunity she has been given as a role model and representative of her state to not only promote tourism and boast about industry, but to offer a voice for those struggling to make theirs heard.

Sioma has tactfully and gracefully stood up for her beliefs in a way that resonated enough that people are still talking about it days later, but that was not offensive or harmful to others. She used her 10 seconds on national television to make an impact — and an impact she made.

What better example can we ask for when representing our home state?