| Taryn Delanie Smith | |||||||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 3 January 1997 | ||||||||||||||
| Alma Mater: | St. John's University | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation: | Beauty pageant competitor, TikToker | ||||||||||||||
| Years Active: | 2017-present | ||||||||||||||
| Module: |
| ||||||||||||||
Taryn Delanie Smith (born 3 January 1997)[1] is an American beauty pageant titleholder and TikToker. She was crowned Miss New York 2022, and was named first runner-up in the Miss America 2023 competition.[2]
Smith was raised in Seattle, Washington, where she experienced housing insecurity as a child.[3]
She attended St. John's University, where she earned a Bachelor's in communication studies and a Master's in International Communication & Intercultural Studies.[4] [5] She worked as a receptionist at a call center to finance her education.
Smith was first inspired to participate in pageants during a talent show in high school, when one of her teachers suggested she compete for Miss America. She began competing at age 17, and placed as a runner-up for the Miss Washington title in 2017.[6]
Smith was named Miss New York 2022. She was the first Black Miss New York to be crowned while wearing her natural hair.[7] For her advocacy work in the role, Smith focused on initiatives to assist those experiencing homelessness. She was the first runner-up in the Miss America competition in December 2022.
Smith began posting on TikTok in 2021. In March 2023 Smith posted a video where she played Denise, a receptionist in Heaven, which quickly went viral.[8] She continued to focus on sketches about Denise and her job. she had gained 1.2 million followers.
Smith lives in New York City.