Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii was crowned Miss USA 2023, more than a week after the previous titleholder resigned for mental health reasons.

Born and raised on the island of Maui, Gankiewicz is a model who leads a female empowerment nonprofit organization. Gankiewicz, who was the first runner-up at the pageant last September, accepted the title on Wednesday during a special coronation attended by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, Hawaii News Now reported. She will hold the title until August.

MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION SLAMS ‘FALSE RIGGING ALLEGATIONS’ AFTER MISS USA CROWNED WINNER: ‘ABSURD’

Miss USA 2024 is scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug. 4.

Gankiewicz told KHON-TV she received backlash for deciding to take on the remainder of the title’s term. “But I wanted people to know that I’ve taken this title because I feel like it is a responsibility and an opportunity to make a positive change from within, and I can only do that from inside the organization and not standing out,” she said.

Gankiewicz replaces former Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt, a former Miss Utah who stepped aside May 6, citing her mental health. In a statement, Voigt thanked her fans and wrote, “Never compromise your physical and mental well-being.”

Miss Teen USA, UmaSofia Srivastava, also resigned her title within days of Voigt’s resignation, dealing a shock to the Miss Universe Organization, which runs both pageants.

Srivastava, the former Miss New Jersey Teen USA, wrote in a statement that her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”

Velvet, which showcases nearly a dozen queer-centric organizations that proliferate SF’s nightlife scene, will take over The Midway this upcoming Saturday.

A point we can’t harp on enough is that San Francisco remains the queer mecca of the world. For a litany of reasons, San Francisco stays a bastion for LGBTQIA+ legislation, queer escapism (both before and after the sun goes down), burgeoning creativity, etc.; as the saying goes, “as California goes, so goes the nation”; one could line-edit that to read “as [San Francisco] goes, so goes California… [and then the nation.]”

And among those goings, if you will, is the queer renaissance San Francisco is presently in the midst of — representing a nexus of the larger trend of large metros across the nation seeing a surge of new LBGTQIA+ residents and, by proxy, an increase in hosted queer events.

Electroluxx‘s hosted Velvet party is, ostensibly, the zenith of that nexus, bringing together eleven Bay Area-based queer nightlife organizations this year inorder to throw one hell of a party. Some might sing it’s revolutionary, even; they wouldn’t be wrong in that tune.

“This is revolutionary,” says Comfort and Joy organizer Josh Smith in an email to Underscore, highlighting the intrinsic comradery between the event’s collaborators in crafting Velvet. “Velvet is not just bringing together a couple of promoters, this is 11 organizations coming together in an industry that is often known for being very competitive. Seeing these groups unite and set aside the individual for the collective is quite powerful. It also speaks to the ability of electronic dance music to bring people together.”

The first-of-its-kind partnership, which is now in its second iteration, will feature the following esteemed groups and nightlight entertainers, each helping fill the five-stage venue: Comfort & Joy, Electroluxx, Polyglamorous, Recess, GlamCocks!, BAAAHS, Bad Asstronauts, Mystopia, Something Queer, Gender Blender, Camp Beaverton, Provocateur, and iconic San Francisco Drag Queen Juanita MORE! 

Electroluxx co-founder Brett Mendenhall notes that Velvet is a “core expression of the queer community in San Francisco,” adding that it’s an opportunity for folks from a variety of groups to come together and celebrate under one roof — “it’s a place where we can dance together, create together, and connect together.”

Much like last year, attendees can expect to be bathed in breathtaking laser and light shows. Though organizers of the event have been clear about saying that said beams of light won’t be directed at crowds. “I always tell event organizers and lighting crew that they should never point beams down toward a crowd, because that’s how you cause eyesight damage and temporary partial blindness, it’s so dangerous,” co-creator of Velvet Elliott C. Nathan tells us in conversation.

Other onsight niceties include a silent disco, cuddle puddle, face painting, bracelet making, a 360-action photo booth, and some other unique surprises; Madam Zola’s Fortune Cafe will be open throughout the party’s duration, serving up tacos, pizza, and other hand-food-friendly fares. 

Velvet organizers say that the artist Chickpea, in tandem with the Comfort & Joy team, is crafting a “visual art spectacle that is guaranteed to amaze.” Multi-discipline artist Scott Levkoff of Mondo events will install “surreal and trippy decorations throughout the main hallway,” all of which will be lit by 3D Mapped Projections by famed projection artist Stefan who became known for his craft doing projections for The Fun Gallery in the 1980s where he projected at events featuring the work of Keith Haring and Basquiat as well as projection installations for famed Studio 54.

In the main room, High Beam Lasers is set to debut their newest light show technologies and types of equipment, helping create a euphoric dance experience (that, again, includes safe crowd scanning lasers). 

“I can’t wait to walk through the venue that night and see the huge amalgamation of art, music, and experience,” tells Mark O’brien of Polyglamorous — the esteemed Burning Man camp and among Velvet’s collaborators for 2024 — about the party’s expected grandeur. “It’s a huge stew of hard work and talent that each of the groups contributes, to make this over-the-top, multifaceted kaleidoscope of a party.”

Velvet, too, is much more than merely a creative showcase where warm bodies can mingle underneath the piercing glow of lasers — it’s as much a place to build and foster community. And

“I love it when the creators of VELVET reach out to me about DJing their party,” says iconoclastic and infamous finger-wagging San Francisco drag queen Juanita MORE!, adding tangentially that receiving nudes is a “great way to get my attention and start a good conversation” before waxing about her upcoming Pride party. “This event will allow me to see many friends I probably won’t see again until my annual party on Pride Sunday ––which is celebrating its 20th year, by the way! I hope to see you shaking your groove thing on the dancefloor.”

Similarly, this “amazing night” is vying to become a staple in San Francisco’s queer community, made more symbolic and important by the collective of bipeds responsible for putting it on.

“I love getting to build together with so many energetic, creative, and fun people. This is our second round of this collaboration and I hope it becomes a famous tradition and celebration in the city. ” artist and Electroluxx co-founder Elliott C Nathan tells in an email. “It’s going to be an amazing night and I hope it sparks the beginning of even grander collaborations.”

// For more information on Velvet, including its organizers and performers, visit the Instagram page dedicated to the party; tickets, which are selling fast, can be purchased here; those who find themselves struggling to meet the admission ticket price are encouraged to reach out to collaborators via an Instagram direct message; a portion of the proceeds collected from Velvet will go towards two local LGBTQIA+ focused charities and will be announced on our social media channels following the event.

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