An attorney, model, and Miss USA Winner, Cheslie Kryst has been admired and loved by many who know her. After a police investigation on Sunday morning, the police found that Kryst committed suicide by jumping in a high-rise building in Manhattan’s West Side. The community has not forgotten the legacy she has put during her time working as an attorney.
Born in Jackson, Michigan, Kryst received her Doctor of Law Degree at Wake Forest University School of Law. For a long time, Kryst has fought to improve the justice system in America. Kryst would provide free legal services to prisoners who were sentenced to unfair conditions. She worked alongside Brittany K. Barnett, another American attorney who focuses on amplifying voices in the justice system through their Buried Alive Project.
In Kryst’s family, her mother, April Simpkins, won Mrs. North Carolina in 2002. While pageantry provided an extraordinary opportunity to perform talents and gain confidence, Kryst found pageantry as a perfect platform to discuss domestic issues in the United States. When Kryst won Miss USA, she was one of the few women in the pageant who was represented as a woman of color. Seeing the previous Miss USA winners as women of color motivated her to continue fighting for positive change as she spoke about her future in the Miss USA Pageant.
Later, Kryst got involved in Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization that empowers women in economic independence by providing career resources and clothes to prepare for the next interview, She opened up a fashion blog called White Collar Glam which includes fashion inspiration for young women who are looking for a little bit of glam and inspiration for their business wear. Kryst is a strong believer in diverse and safe workplaces, leading to her commitment to the #MeToo and the #TimesUp movements.
Aside from working in law and beauty, Kryst worked as a news correspondent in “Extra” where she received two Daytime Emmy nominations. She interviewed many celebrities, including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Rihanna.
For the many who knew Kryst, hearing the news has left them heartbroken, wishing that there was more time spent with her. Her words continue to spread love and justice in today’s system as her persistence in the justice system and workplace equality invigorates effective social change in low economic communities today.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
