Victoria Oluwakotanmi becomes Miss Grand USA 2026 after original winner's reign terminated
Victoria Oluwakotanmi, 25, has been named Miss Grand USA 2026 after the organization terminated the reign of the original winner, Mekayla Li. Oluwakotanmi, who was the first runner-up in the August 10 pageant, will now represent the United States at Miss Grand International. A Nigerian-American from San Antonio, Texas, Oluwakotanmi's background includes service in the United States Navy Reserve, where she enlisted in March 2019 as a Logistics Specialist. She began her pageant journey with the Miss Black San Antonio competition in February 2020, winning the title with minimal preparation. Oluwakotanmi studied chemical engineering at Northwest Vista College. In 2018, she and her family established the Oluwakotanmi Promise, a scholarship and mentorship program honoring her late grandmother, which supports young people through education and mentorship. Her Nigerian heritage, with parents who immigrated to the US, is a significant part of her identity.
