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SALT LAKE CITY — Miss Utah USA Marissa Powell missed out on winning the Miss USA pageant on Saturday, but she hasn't missed out on much since.
A challenging moment during the question and answer period of the pageant has triggered a week of unprecedented media coverage for a third runner-up in a pageant.
Powell spoke with KSL-TV about her final interview question.
"Well first off I want to say that I don't think (unequal pay is) right at all," Powell said. "I think equal pay for equal work and that it's hard enough to make a living. It shouldn't be harder just because you're a woman."
Powell says she thinks about what she said at the pageant about ‘a hundred times a day right now', but that she's grateful for the lessons she has learned from the experience.
Well first off I want to say that I don't think (unequal pay is) right at all. I think equal pay for equal work and that it's hard enough to make a living. It shouldn't be harder just because you're a woman.
–Miss Utah USA Marissa Powell
"For myself, just being able to realize that it's OK to be human, it's OK to make mistakes," she said. "Get back up and keep pushing forward and I think that's a lesson that I can share with a lot of people which I'm really grateful for."
Powell is also excited for the winner, Miss USA Erin Brady.
"Erin is a beautiful, wonderful girl and she's going to have an amazing year so I'm excited for this to kinda die down a little bit and have her limelight and her reign ‘cause she's amazing and she's very deserving," Powell said.
Powell says she wants to continue to make music and do modeling and have a career in the entertainment industry.
"I love this entertainment business, this is fun for me being in front of the camera," Powell said. "I am really excited for it and I'm excited to see what my future holds."
