Meet Stacey Cooper and Oralia Cooper, the parents of Miss USA 2024 Alma Cooper. Alma has stated that on several occasions she is of Afro-Latina heritage. Now learn more about Alma’s parents in this article below.
Here we bring you details about their age, job, and other children in this article below.
Who Are Miss USA 2024 Alma Cooper Parents?
Alma Cooper, crowned Miss USA 2024, is the daughter of Stacey Cooper and Oralia Cooper. Alma, who attended Okemos High School, finished in the top 5% of her class at West Point and went on to serve as a military intelligence officer and second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Before the current title, she was crowned Miss Michigan in April and is the first active duty military officer to win for the Mitten state.
In her acceptance speech of Miss Michigan, Alma appreciated her upbringing and family for her triumph in the pageant. “As the daughter of a migrant worker, a proud Afro-Latina woman, and an officer in the United States Army, I am living the American dream,” she stated during the pageant’s Q&A session.
She also penned an essay why she wanted the honor and the opportunity to compete for Miss USA. The part of the essay read, “Service comes in many forms and my only limitations are the ones I accept. This has been my guiding credo, an unshakeable belief that has fueled my path as an Afro-Latina woman from a predominantly white, rural Midwestern town, to compete as the first active-duty Army officer in Miss Michigan USA.”
Cooper expressed in her letter her desire to inspire other girls of color with her victory. She added, “Other contestants may be drawn to pageants for their glitz and glamour, but I see the stage as an opportunity to represent the many girls of color who often go unseen and unheard, and to inspire others to free themselves from circumstances and perceptions about who they are.”
Alma also received the highly competitive Knight-Hennessy Scholar award at Stanford University. She graduated from Okemos High School in 2019 after playing varsity volleyball there. Once she is done at Stanford, She will be a Second Lieutenant in the Military Intelligence Branch of the Army.
To win the title, Alma defeated 51 other competitors in July 2024, including Miss Kentucky Connor Perry, the first runner-up, and Miss Oklahoma Danika Christopherson, the second runner-up.
Alma shared that her life was defined by her upbringing as a nerd and her time as an officer in the U.S. Army. She encouraged young girls “to be multi-passionate, to be a math nerd, to be a nerd in the classroom, and then serve your country as an army officer to earn a scholarship,” adding, “If you can see me, you can be me.”
“My story and my message is that I’m here to serve. And I know that regardless of any circumstances, regardless of tumultuous times, I’m eager to serve and willing to lead as Miss USA 2024,” Alma added.
Meet Stacey Cooper, Alma Cooper Father
Stacey Cooper is the dad of Miss USA 2024 Alma Cooper. Stacey is now retired from the US Army after serving for 24 years. He was serving as a major before his retirement.
“I think she just got a chance to see someone commit to something that’s bigger than themselves,” Stacey shared of his daughter competing on pageantry.
Born in July 1969, Stacey is 55 years of age.
Meet Oralia Cooper, Alma Cooper Mother
Following Alma Cooper’s win, she revealed that her mother Oralia Cooper was impacted by food insecurity.
“I know she is not alone in that in this country, one in five children is food insecure. And I want to make a difference,” Alma told PEOPLE. “That’s what truly has propelled me to work in the field of food insecurity, health, and nutrition.”
As a child, Alma observed her peers participating in the community and decided to do the same. Combating food insecurity is one of her primary interests because of her mother. “11.9% of Michiganders actually experience food insecurity. One of the things I’m extremely looking forward to is setting up food drives in my State. And getting out in the community, being boots on the ground for this issue,” Alma said.
Oralia immigrated to the US at the age of six and spent her childhood working as a migrant agricultural worker. She attended Saginaw Valley State University to obtain a Master’s in Educational Administration after completing her undergraduate studies at Idaho State University.
Oralia is currently employed as a school administrator. According to her LinkedIn, she is serving as a Investor Education Coordinator at the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Before that, she worked as a department analyst at the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).
In October 2024, Oralia reached 56 years old. She has a twin sister named Idalia Casiano. Oralia also competed in pageants and she was present when Alma was crowned the winner.
“I just could not believe it. And when they said her name Alma Cooper it was just unreal,” Oralia said.
Related FAQs
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Are Alma Cooper Parents Still Married?
Yes, Alma Cooper’s parents are still happily married although it is unclear when they tied the knots.
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How Many Kids Do Alma Cooper Parents Have?
Yes, Alma Cooper’s parents also have another daughter named Brooke Palomo-Cooper. Brooke turned 27 in February 2024.
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Where Do Alma Cooper Parents Live?
Alma Cooper’s parents reside in Mason, Michigan.
