For Tikesha Hearn, the crown represents far more than pageantry. It represents becoming.
There were seasons when she wasn’t standing beneath stage lights or being celebrated for her accomplishments. She was simply trying to survive—rebuilding, forgiving, healing and rediscovering who she was.
Today, as Mrs. Elite U.S. National 2026, Hearn sees her crown as evidence that the past does not have the authority to determine the future.
“The woman wearing this crown today is not the woman who began the journey,” she says. “She is softer in some places, stronger in others, more secure in who she is, and much less interested in proving herself.”
Her journey has taken many turns. Hearn is a U.S. Army veteran, former professional football player, author, speaker, coach, nonprofit leader and entrepreneur. Yet she believes every chapter prepared her for the next.
The Army taught her discipline and leadership. Football taught her how to get back up after being knocked down. Writing and speaking taught her vulnerability. And pageantry showed her that strength doesn’t require hardness.
“I can be strong and feminine, powerful and compassionate, accomplished and still teachable.”
That philosophy is deeply connected to FORGIVVE!, the platform Hearn created from her own experiences with betrayal, rejection, disappointment and broken relationships.
She discovered that forgiveness wasn’t about excusing what happened. It was about refusing to allow what happened to continue governing her life.
As others began asking how she found the strength to forgive and move forward, Hearn realized her healing could become a pathway to help others find freedom.
Her books, Forgiven and Hadassah Anointing, continue that message of healing, identity and transformation.
“What happened to you may be part of your story, but it does not get to name you,” she says. “You can remember without being imprisoned by the memory. You can have scars without continuing to bleed.”
Her vision now extends from personal healing to community transformation. As President and CEO of Hope in Hearts, and through ventures including Trash to Treasure Recycling Centers and In My Fatherz House, Hearn envisions creating sustainable housing, workforce opportunities and pathways forward for families and communities.
“I don’t want to simply build houses,” she says. “I want to help build pathways.”
And when her reign ends, Hearn wants to be remembered not simply for wearing the crown—but for using it.
“Titles have expiration dates. Purpose does not.”
Her desired legacy can be summed up in one powerful declaration:
She took what she survived and turned it into something that helped somebody else live.
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