​Porsha Renae Hall’s Journey to Represent Ohio at Miss for America Strong

Published: Jul 22, 2026 - 6:03 p.m.

By Marra Ingram

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WCTU CLEVELAND 13 — For newly crowned Miss Ohio for America Strong Porsha Renae Hall, earning the state title was never the finish line. It was the beginning of a much larger journey. Hall is now preparing to represent Ohio on the national stage, approaching the opportunity with the same mindset that helped her earn the crown. One word guides everything she hopes to accomplish throughout her reign: intentional. When the competition reached its final moments, Hall stood onstage hoping she would not hear her name announced too soon. "They call the first runner-up placement first, so I was praying they wouldn't call my name," Hall recalled. "When they finally announced me, I just felt an overwhelming amount of peace and pride." Instead of allowing the pressure of the competition to overwhelm her, Hall focused on showing the judges who she truly was. "My goal was simply to be authentic, have fun and trust that God would place me where I was meant to be," she said. That faith has become the foundation of Hall's journey, both in pageantry and in her personal life. Although Hall was raised in Sheffield Lake, her family has deep connections to Cleveland, and Northeast Ohio played an important role in shaping the woman she is today. Her childhood included visits to the Cleveland Metroparks, trips to Playhouse Square and time spent attending arts and entertainment events downtown with her family. Now, she is preparing to return to one of her hometown traditions wearing the Miss Ohio for America Strong crown. Hall will be featured in Sheffield Lake's Community Days Parade, an event she grew up watching and once participated in as a young ballerina with Kristen's Dance Studio. "It's really a full-circle moment," Hall said. "The first time I was in that parade, I was just a little girl dancing. Now I get to come back representing my community as Miss Ohio for America Strong." Hall's pageant journey officially began in 2019 when she entered her first competition, Miss Ohio USA. However, her interest in pageantry started much earlier. She knew from a young age that she wanted to compete, but she waited until adulthood, when she could financially support the dream herself. "I always knew I wanted to compete," she said. "I just had to wait until I could make it happen myself." Since entering the pageant world, Hall has used each competition as an opportunity to strengthen her confidence, communication skills and stage presence. Pageantry has also helped her grow her modeling career and expand her work as a content creator. More importantly, it has given her a platform to speak about endometriosis, a condition she has experienced since she was 16 years old. By sharing her own health journey, Hall hopes to encourage other women, particularly Black women, to advocate for themselves when seeking medical care. "I want women to know they're more than capable of speaking up for themselves," Hall said. "Sometimes our pain is dismissed, and I've experienced that firsthand." Hall hopes her transparency will help other women feel less alone and more confident when communicating with medical professionals. "If my story helps someone else feel seen or heard, then it's worth sharing," she said. Accepting the Miss Ohio for America Strong title also means embracing the mission of the organization. Miss for America Strong supports Victoria's Voice, a foundation dedicated to addiction awareness, prevention and helping families affected by substance use. Because addiction has affected members of Hall's own family, the organization's mission immediately felt personal. "I'm representing Ohio, but I'm also representing families who have experienced addiction and reminding them they aren't alone," Hall said. She also hopes to bring attention to forms of addiction that may not always receive the same level of public discussion, including unhealthy relationships with gaming and technology. As she takes on the responsibilities of her title, Hall believes her intention is what helps her stand out. She approaches every appearance, conversation and opportunity with a clear sense of purpose. "Every room I walk into, I want to be the best version of myself," she said. "I believe God walks with me through every conversation, every opportunity and every stage I step onto." That mindset has helped Hall build relationships with brands and connect with audiences through her work as a model and content creator. She said her priority is always authenticity. "I want people to feel my authenticity," Hall said. "That's always been more important to me than trying to impress anyone." Hall also wants people to understand that pageantry is about more than gowns, makeup and crowns. To her, it is a platform where women can demonstrate their confidence, leadership, discipline and commitment to causes that matter to them. "It gives women the opportunity to showcase their excellence," she said. "It takes courage to stand on a stage and allow people to evaluate you." While contestants are judged onstage, Hall believes the lessons learned through pageantry continue long after a competition ends. The experience can help women improve their communication skills, develop resilience, form meaningful relationships and gain the confidence to enter new spaces. "I encourage any woman who's ever thought about competing to try it," she said. "It truly changes your life." Behind Hall's fierce modeling presence and polished image is a woman she describes as goofy, corny and an "introverted extrovert." "I think people are surprised that I'm actually really goofy," Hall said. She credits her sense of humor to her parents, joking that one is corny and the other is naturally funny. Outside of pageantry, Hall enjoys roller skating, spending time in nature with her family and her partner, Eric, and watching some of her favorite childhood shows. Revisiting those childhood favorites helps Hall reconnect with her inner child and slow down during moments when she finds herself overthinking. That balance will be important as she prepares for nationals, although Hall believes her preparation began long before she received the Miss Ohio crown. Since starting pageantry in 2019, Hall has spent years developing her interview skills, strengthening her stage presence and learning how to communicate her thoughts with confidence. She has also grown more comfortable embracing every part of her identity, including her love for all things pink. Hall is now continuing that work with her coaches, maintaining her fitness routine and refining her performance ahead of the national competition. Representing Ohio nationally carries additional meaning for Hall as a Black woman who grew up in a predominantly white community. She hopes her presence inspires other Black women to pursue pageantry and shows young girls that they belong in spaces where they may not always see themselves represented. Hall said bringing the national crown back to Ohio would be a historic and powerful achievement. She hopes it would demonstrate that women from different backgrounds can continue to be celebrated and championed within pageantry. She also recognizes the responsibility that comes with standing before young girls who may be searching for the same representation she once needed. "I want little girls to see themselves when they look at me," Hall said. "Growing up in a predominantly white community, there weren't a bunch of chocolate chips walking around. I was one of the only chocolate chips." Now, Hall has the opportunity to become the image she wanted to see when she was younger. "It's nice to be the representation that I once needed growing up," she said. "I want her to see her." When her reign comes to an end, Hall hopes she will be remembered not only for the title she held, but also for the way she treated people while wearing it. "First and foremost, I always want them to remember that I was kind to anyone I talked to," she said. She hopes her legacy will reflect Black elegance and excellence, intentional leadership and a commitment to helping women advocate for themselves. For now, Hall's attention remains fixed on the next milestone: representing Ohio at nationals. She is not simply pursuing another crown. She is carrying her faith, her family, her community, her advocacy and the hopes of every young girl who sees a part of herself reflected in Hall's journey. Readers can follow Porsha Renae Hall's road to nationals through the Miss Ohio for America Strong titleholder page and her personal social media page, Porsha Renae Hall. -------------------- At Cleveland 13 News, we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable reporting. If you spot an error, omission, or have information that may need updating, please email us at tips@cleveland13news.com. As a community-driven news network, we appreciate the help of our readers in ensuring the integrity of our reporting.