Miss USA 2017 will be crowned in Las Vegas on May 14, and Spencerport’s Hannah Lopa – crowned Miss New York in January – will be there competing. In fact, Hannah has been in Las Vegas this past week preparing for and participating in the competition which got underway May 4.
“It’s a nearly two-week competition,” she explains, “I’m most looking forward to building lasting connections with other contestants as we embark on this once-in-a-lifetime journey. Only one woman can win so it’s important to me to make friends and soak up every moment while I can.”
Hannah’s journey to Miss New York and Miss USA has been one of persistence. She competed for the Miss New York title seven times in nine years before winning the title in 2017. “I was elated to finally bring the title of Miss New York USA back to Rochester,” she says. “I feel that all of my years competing, combined with the personal growth and learning in between, have prepared me very well for this roll.”
It has been a busy four months for Hannah, who says she is very involved in a number of causes and organizations including the USO. Her experiences with the USO have been an honor and a privilege, she says, and included the opportunity to travel to Austin for Operation That’s My Dress.
“I got to meet most of the other women competing for the title of Miss USA at the event,” she says. “Sharing that experience with them while helping to impact the lives of military families meant so much to me. I will have the opportunity to participate in my fourth USO event during Fleet Week at the end of May and I can’t wait.”
Hannah is the daughter of Deborah and Thomas Lopa. “The Rochester community has been incredibly supportive since I won the title,” she says of her hometown community. “My family has been supportive, win or lose, all my life. It’s great to be able to use the title to bring the Rochester community together. I have taken advantage of this notoriety to team up with the Willow Center for Domestic Violence to raise awareness about domestic violence because of the abusive relationship that I endured.”
As Miss New York, Hannah says she has also been involved in local organizations such as Best Buddies of Rochester in addition to the Willow Center. “I am so fortunate to come from such a diverse, tolerant and accepting city like Rochester,” she says. “I had the opportunity to be a guest at the Princess Palooza event at the Museum of Play, leading STEM-based activities to show girls they can be smart and pretty. Any opportunity that I have to be a leader in my community, any opportunity I have to make an impact, no matter how seemingly small, I will take it.”
If she is crowned Miss USA, Hannah says it would be a dream come true.
“To be Miss USA would mean nearly a decade of blood, sweat and tears paying off for a lifelong dream to come to fruition,” she explains. Hannah would use the national-level title to bring awareness to domestic violence, she says.
“As an advocate for victims of domestic violence, I will continue to lead by example and show other women that they can overcome abuse and rebuild their lives,” she says. “They are not alone and they can regain self-esteem and live an empowered and safe life.”
Hannah works as a sports journalist and reporter for beIN Sports. She typically covers motorcycle racing across America – specifically the MotoAmerica road racing series.
“Working in motorsports for the last three years inspired me to learn to ride a motorcycle and I enjoy doing that in my spare time as well as snowboarding, hot yoga and dancing,” Hannah says. She has danced for the Rochester Rhinos and Rochester Lancers soccer teams.
She also worked at Disney World in Orlando as a character performer. “There, I worked closely with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to create lasting connections and happy memories for families of terminally ill children.”
The Miss USA Competition airs live on FOX, Sunday, May 14 at 7 p.m. from the Mandalay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas
