- Cara Mund right there getting crowned Miss America almost a year ago.
Cara's reign took a turn last weekend when she posted a five-page letter
accusing the organization, in particular chair Gretchen Carlson, of bullying and
silencing her. Now Gretchen denies these claims, and Cara joins us now from New
York. Good morning, Cara.
- Hi, good morning. Thank you for having me.
- Yes, thanks for
coming on let's talk about your letter with some of these accusations: the lack
of respect, and the bullying. Can you get a little more specific of exactly what
happened?
- Yeah so this letter was actually sent to my sisters, the former
Miss Americas. And as my year is coming to an end
I knew that I wasn't gonna be able to pass the crown on to the next girl,
knowing what she's gonna have to go through. Knowing what I went through. I do
talk a lot about what happened within the letter. It was it was a five-page,
detailed letter. And, you know I've been really grateful for the support I had it
took a lot of courage to send it to my sisters and I was scared when I when it
was leaked. But now I know that I'm just hoping that the right thing is done so
that the new girl coming in has an experience that lives up to that dream
that she has.
- I've heard other interviews that you've done and... I do, I give you
tremendous credit for the courage that you showed. But, if you're gonna publicly
accuse someone and subsequently slander them, an entire organization, can you get
into more specifics about what you're hoping the next Miss America isn't gonna
have to deal with?
- Yeah well as stated, I mean this letter went to the sisters and
then it went public. I have proof of everything that was in the letter and
actually concerns I started having back in January. I went to staff members. I was
told things like I'm sorry we can't change it, this is the leadership. I
remember saying at one point, like you have a voice too. And they said, I know
but I can't do anything different. Staff was scared. We've actually had five staff
resignations. Two members of the board resigned based on poor governance. And
you know, as Miss America I serve as, you know, a face and a voice. And, Miss
America starts at the local level, the state level. And those are all volunteers.
And up to this point we've had 32 states ask for immediate removal.
We've had a petition with over 21,000 signatures. I've had 22 former Miss
America's just say that we want to make it better for the next girl. So if you
want to look in detail of, you know, some of the instances, it's in the letter. But,
you know, we're just looking right now. Instead of hashing out the past and
going back through, you know, what I'd been through. How we can change it with
the short amount of time to make sure that it's better for the next girl.
- Was there a moment for you where you just thought, enough is enough. I can't deal
with this any longer. Was there a moment where you've just said, all right
now I've had it.
- Yeah, you know at the beginning of the year we had already had
a leadership change during my year. And I knew it was going to be tough
circumstances but I was ready for the challenge. And as you know we went
through January, February, March and I started voicing concerns. I started
thinking that it was me. That was the issue. And so I was doing everything I
could to make sure that I was the best Miss America. And by the time I hit the
summer I ended up contacting two different board members on two different
instances, asking for help. And I soon realized that it wasn't me. It wasn't the
actions. There's nothing I could do to make it better. Instead, it was just kind
of the leadership. And, you know, what can we do at this point to make sure that
someone else doesn't have that experience.
- It's so interesting, Cara,
because with Gretchen Carlson taking over the new board, it was supposed to be
sort of a whole new administration: pro-women,
pro your girls, pro your team. And so, and I know that you don't want to talk specifics here,
but it seems like it's not what the board came in to do. Have you spoken to
Gretchen since all this came out?
- Yeah. It's actually when the letter was
released, Gretchen went and did a People exclusive interview that afternoon. I
still hadn't been contacted. The organization released a statement saying
that my claims were false and that I hadn't gone previously before to discuss
the issues which I have documentation that I did. I have documentation that
everything is in fact true. And then I ended up getting reached out. I got a
call from her that night at midnight, but I had an event the next day. Since then, I
mean, to go publicly and to say that my claims aren't true, I have asked that
everything be in written communication. Just to make sure that if there is any
miscommunication, having things in writing I
would prefer. I still haven't necessarily had that opportunity. I've been asked to
be on calls one-on-one with her and our CEO. Or I guess two on one if you want to
call it that. So again just put in these vulnerable
positions. Like I said, I'm more than willing to discuss this. I'm more than
willing to connect. I've been trying to, you know, say these concerns since the
end of January. But now I just feel like if I'm going to be publicly brought out
saying that I'm not telling the truth, there needs to be something in writing.
- Ms. Mund, some of the claims from the organization is that you were bad at
social media and that you weren't credible enough to do big interviews. Is
that some of the things that were bothering you and and got at you?
- No, not necessarily. It was just a buildup of one thing after another.
I mean completely removing my identity. Calling me the wrong name. I mean that
happened in front of all of the 51 girls that are vying for my job. At that point
I've been in the job for 11 months. And, you know, it's... I understand that as an
organization they can pick who they want to serve as the face. But at the same
time they can't pick and determine how they can treat their employees if it's
done so in a poor manner.
- It must be very frustrating to be the face of an
organization and not allowed to use your voice for it at all. Especially with such
an, you know, an accomplishment. Is this an organization that you think does have a
chance of getting it right? Because for so long it seems like it hasn't. Do you
think this is something that the Miss America pageant should continue?
- Oh absolutely. Absolutely. My dream growing up was to be
Miss America. Actually not even that. It was my state title. And I hadn't, I came
from a state that had never had a Miss America. But I dreamed big enough that I
could do it and I worked hard. And you know because Miss America doors of
opportunity did open for me, that I'm very grateful for, you know, to have a
support system of other women. I mean we're proving right now that Miss
America is more relevant than ever because we want to make that change.
It gave me scholarship opportunities. I got to pursue a degree at Brown
University. I'll be going to law school after this. I mean the organization is
remarkable and the opportunities it can give women. The skills it can give
them. You know, I don't know if I would have had that courage. I mean after the
letter went out I didn't know what to do and I kept
being told, you've been prepared for this. This is why you're Miss America. And so
to give those opportunities to the next girls. I know are fifty-one contestants
are going to Atlantic City soon and they're so excited, and they should be!
Because this organization can move mountains. We just need to make a few
changes. And I think to also honor, you know, what our volunteers are saying.
These are individuals at the grassroots. I wouldn't be Miss America if it wasn't
for them.
- Well Cara good luck crowning the new Miss America. And as far as
calling you the wrong name, by the way, I've been here eight years. My name is Kit.
They call me Kim sometimes and...I just move on, okay?
So good luck with everything, Cara.
- Congratulations on your honesty, yeah.
- Thank you