Caressa Cameron


Caressa Venal Cameron-Jackson is an American beauty pageant titleholder and occasional singer who was Miss Virginia 2009 and Miss America 2010. She is the eighth African American Miss America titleholder, the first African-American Miss Virginia to be crowned Miss America.

Early life and education

Cameron is a graduate of Massaponax High School and Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2002, Cameron graduated from Barbizon Modeling and Acting School in Virginia.

Pageantry

Miss Virginia Teen USA 2005

Cameron placed second runner-up to Tori Hall at the Miss Virginia Teen USA 2005 pageant.

Miss Virginia USA 2006

She was second runner-up to Amber Copley at the Miss Virginia USA 2006 pageant.

Miss Virginia 2006-2008

She was placed second runner-up in the 2006 and 2007 Miss Virginia pageants. At the 2008 competition, she was named first runner-up. Due to this placement, she qualified to compete in the National Sweetheart 2008 pageant, where she later was named the fourth runner-up.

Miss Virginia 2009

Cameron was crowned Miss Virginia on June 28, 2009, winning on her fourth attempt.

Miss America 2010

On January 27, 2010, she won a $2,000 scholarship in winning the preliminary talent competition in vocal pop.
On January 30, 2010, Cameron won the Miss America 2010 pageant held at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Miss America role

Caressa traveled over 250,000 miles during her year of service championing her personal platform, "Real Talk: AIDS in America" and spoke to over 80,000 students across the country about healthy choices. For her efforts, Caressa was the recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award and a Congressional Honor. Cameron performed during the 2009 Presidential Inauguration festivities, the 2010 White House Christmas Tree lighting and more.

Personal life

Cameron wed her high school sweetheart, Nathaniel Jackson Jr., on December 2, 2012. Cameron wore a Sareh Nouri wedding gown. They welcomed their first child, Tres, on June 27, 2016. They reside in Locust Grove, Virginia where she is the owner and lead event designer at - Weddings and Events. Cameron is also a singer, and was featured in Lifepoint Worship's 2017 album "Mountain/Valley on the songs and .

Video clips