Gainesville pageant contestant Paris Richardson added another title to her resume on Saturday after being crowned Miss Florida 2025.
The Miss Gainesville 2025 winner and recent University of Florida graduate participated in the annual pageant and scholarship competition alongside 37 other candidates at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
According to MissFlorida.org, Richardson’s first-place finish is the first for a Miss Gainesville representative since 1952, and the second time ever since the competition began in 1935.
She took home over $24,000 in scholarship earnings and will compete for the national title of Miss America at the Miss America Competition Sept. 2-7 in Orlando.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity to be the next Miss Florida, and I am so thankful for the Miss Gainesville and Miss Ocala organization for giving me the tools and preparation that I needed to walk confidently across the stage,” Richardson said in a press release.
According to LinkedIn, Richardson graduated from Jacksonville’s Jean Ribault High School in 2023 and earned a bachelor’s degree in public health from UF in 2023, followed by a master’s in healthcare administration in 2025.
At UF, Richardson was named Miss University of Florida and served as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, UF Cheerleading and Florida Blue Key. She also studied the trust and well-being of African American women in reproductive care settings as a research assistant for a National Institute of Health grant-funded study.
During Saturday’s competition, Richardson earned over $24,000 after showcasing her acrobatic dance talent and community service initiative, C.R.O.W.N. of Health (COH), which she started in high school. COH focuses on bridging the gap between doctors and patients to advance health equity one community at a time.
As Miss Florida, Richardson will embark on a year of service across the state, promoting COH as a Miss America Opportunity ambassador in preparation for the Miss America competition.
According to a release, the Miss America Opportunity, founded in 1921, advocates for women’s education and empowerment by awarding millions of dollars through scholarship competitions.