Miss USA 2016, Deshauna Barber, represents Chinese Laundry at ATL Von Maur

Fifty lucky people, including me, stood in line to meet Miss USA Deshauna Barber on the second floor of the Von Maur Department Store in Perimeter Mall today. Each received a Chinese Laundry gift bag filled with perfume and novelties.

"She doesn't look anything like her picture," said a grandmother waiting to meet her, saying her promotional photograph made her look a few shades lighter. Barber is a beautiful, M&M chocolate brown.

Photo by Tomi Johnson

A poised and talkative Barber will represent the United States at the Miss Universe Pageant later this year. Barber says she is happy with the new organization she represents which was formerly run by Donald Trump. 

"Confidently Beautiful" is the motto of the pageant, and Barber, 26, does represent. Born in Columbus, Ga., Barber represented the District of Columbia in the 2016 pageant. According to the Miss USA homepage, Barber has a BS degree in Business Management from Virginia State University and a MS degree in Computer Information Systems from the University of Maryland.
 

Chinese Laundry is the official footwear of the Miss USA Pageant.

Before becoming Miss USA, Barber worked as an IT Analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2011, Deshauna commissioned as a Quartermaster Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and is currently a Logistics Commander for the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit at Rockville, Maryland. 

"We will be watching you at the Miss Universe Pageant," I told her.  Stay tuned.