Former Miss Teen USA contestant claims Raven-Symoné called pageant winner 'the Black girl'

Demetria Osei-TutuFri, September 4, 2026 at 5:48 PM UTC

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Gloria Sophia Almonte competed in Miss Teen USA 2001 where Raven-Symoné was a celebrity judge -Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited

Former Miss Teen USA contestant is sharing a story about Raven Symonè amid backlash to a remark the actress made about her Disney Channel character, Raven Baxter.

Gloria Sophia Almonte took to Threads on Wednesday, September 2, to talk about an encounter with Raven at the pageant competition when the Cheetah Girls alum was a celebrity judge. Gloria was 18 at the time when she competed in Miss Teen USA in 2001 and was first runner-up. Raven was 15 during her time as a judge.

Gloria chimed into the current conservation surrounding Raven with the emergence of a resurfaced clip of Raven on her Tea Time podcast with her wife Miranda Pearman-Maday with guest Kalen Allen from April. She questioned why Kalen thought of her character, Raven Baxter, as Black, which resulted in current online pushback.

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"My Raven Symone story makes so much d--- sense now 25 years later!" the former Miss New York said, as she talked about Raven being on the celebrity judging panel in the Miss Teen USA competition that happened on August 22, 2001.

"At the coronation party she was all over me saying how she didn't vote for the black girl (Miss Missouri the winner) she voted for me! And, her little brother loved me and wanted pics with me," Gloria continued.

Gloria posted about her alleged exchange with Raven on Threads -Credit:Gloria Almonte/Threads

"In that moment, my mind reeling from being on live TV and losing my dream and all the people, interviews, etc. Her comment just flew over my head and I didn't think anything of it," she added.

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Gloria reiterated that how during that time she was busy being introduced to reporters, agents, and photos. But now, looking back at what Raven said, she is struck by what the singer said.

Gloria was first runner-up at Miss Teen USA in 2001

Gloria concluded, "Now, I'm like. WTF you mean black girl? Her name is Marissa. Miss Missouri. You had all of our information in front of you prior to the telecast to know who you were getting ready to score and choose, etc. Mind you, I'm Puerto Rican. What is wrong with this woman?"

Marissa Whitley had cinched the victory at the 2021 competition.

The resurfaced interview from the Tea Time with Raven and Miranda in April with guest Kalen has circulated online. In the podcast episode, while conversing about blackness, Kalen had mentioned that Raven Baxter from Disney Channel's That's So Raven was "so f--king Black" and that she felt "Black as hell" to him.

Marissa Whitley won Miss Teen USA in 2021 -Credit:WireImage

Raven seemed to have a problem with that statement and pressed Kalen on why Raven felt Black to him. Kalen explained that it was his first time seeing a Black family on screen.

She then remarked "Take away the color. Make them green, and hear the words. What color are they?" This led to backlash and people disagreeing with Raven's line questioning as they felt her character was "undeniably" Black.

Raven has come under fire for past comments in resurfaced clips -Credit:Getty Images

The re-appearance of the moment in the podcast has also led to people posting other controversial moments from Raven's past like when she told Oprah in her 2014 interview that she is not "not an African American" but is "an American" and "a colorless person."

Another was her time as a co-host on The View in 2015, when she said in an episode that she wouldn't hire someone with a "ghetto" name. Raven told the panel, "I'm not about to hire you if your name is 'Watermelondrea.'"

The Mirror US reached out to Raven-Symoné's reps for comment.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”