Celebrating A Legend: The Life, Legacy, and Impact of Cheslie Corrinne Kryst

The Life, Legacy And Impact of Cheslie Corrinne Kryst

By Eddia Watts

This was the last article added into this month’s issue. This article has taken me so long to write because I am still in utter disbelief that I had to write it. I went through all the major stages of grief, but now I find myself stuck in just utter shock and disbelief. Almost three weeks later, and it still doesn’t feel real. I still cannot fathom what has taken place. The delay in the magazine, normally published on the 10th, is also dedicated to Cheslie, as I felt as though releasing it on the 10th, while her passing was still fresh on everyone's social media feeds, wouldn't be the proper way to respect her. Cheslie's memory deserves longer than a week on social media and then the collective moves on. Therefore, we are releasing this late in her memory.

Cheslie Kryst was the brightest among the brightest of pageant winners, one who I had--unknowingly to myself—made my own role model in life. From the outside looking in, she looked as if everything was in tip top shape as if nothing could get her down. Little did we all know, and was confirmed by her mother, the only thing that was down in Cheslie’s life was her. She was suffering with high functioning depression, a disorder in which someone can appear to have nothing ailing them, but the battle is all inside of them and with themselves. This would lead for her to do the unthinkable and depart us on January 30th, 2022. But I want to talk about how amazing she was and the truly impactful life she lived before this moment. We all must keep her legacy before her untimely passing alive, as Cheslie is more than just a poster child for suicide awareness, she was a woman who achieved goals and did absolutely everything she put her mind to. Now, as her legacy becomes one of suicide and depression awareness, let us notate the amazing accomplishments she achieved throughout her life leading up to that point. She deserves that.

Cheslie Kryst was an amazing woman, born Cheslie Corrinne Kryst on April 28th, 1991, in Jackson Mississippi. In a family that includes her mother and father and four siblings, she found her trust and love in family. She would go on during her time as Miss USA to discuss how close she was to her family; especially how close she was her mother. Often confused to be her sister, her mother seemed to be a very he inspiration for Cheslie, especially when it came to pageants.

Her mother competed as Mrs. North Carolina US when Cheslie was young in the early 200s. Cheslie watched as her mom transformed on the pageant stage and one day hoped to be able to emulate her. Cheslie bookmarked this interest in pageants and continued on her schooling.

With her interest in school high, she graduated from Fort Mill High School in 2009. Afterwards, she would go on to attend the University of South Carolina, then the Darla School of Business with a degree in marketing and human resource management. While there, she was also a D1 division track star and participated in mock trial. Her beginnings on this mock trial team would lead her to Wake Forest University School of Law in North Carolina. She graduated with a Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration in 2017. After graduating, Cheslie would go on the practice law as a licensed attorney in North and South Carolina. Working at Poyner Spruill LLP, Cheslie would reminisce years later about the trials and tribulations she faced while she practiced. In 2021, she would go on Tik-Tok to talk about how she was often judged while she was defending a client, even to one occasion in which another lawyer did not believe at first glance that Cheslie was a practicing lawyer herself. Instead this other party would go on to believe that Cheslie was the defendant on the case. The stress and small amounts of pay for hours and hours of work did not make much sense to continue on for Cheslie, and then the opportunity of a lifetime fell into her lap through her hard work and determination.

In 2018, after multiple tries at Miss North Carolina for the Miss America System and Miss North Carolina for the Miss USA system—as well as competing in her high school pageants--Cheslie went on to be crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2019. I took notice of her for multiple reasons: 1. My aunt was competing for Miss North Carolina USA that year, I had never watched another state pageant up to that point. 2. She wore this amazingly green Jovani gown that didn’t seem too expensive. Pageants always made me feel as though I had to spend an exorbitant amount of money on my gown 3. She wore her natural curly hair.

She won. After two previous tries in the Miss Universe Organization, she won. She would go on to Miss USA in May 2019 in Reno, Tahoe where I was also present. Even from the farthest row where I sat, she emanated this presence of confidence and security within herself that you just wanted to be a part of. Her performance was electric. It was her winning Miss USA 2019 and becoming the last piece to a trio of black women holding all three major pageant titles that catapulted her into the mainstream. Her amazing speaking abilities and captivating presence would then take her from the court room to the set of Extra. She would work as a correspondent interviewing the likes of Rihanna, Lady GaGa, Oprah, and more. She would make an indelible impact on the journalistic world.

A woman with dreams and goals and fears and aspirations, Cheslie is a strong reminder to check in with yourself and others as we go on our own separate journeys together. She worked incredibly hard to make an impact with her life when she felt as though she was ‘running out of time’ according to an article she wrote for Allure. She faced immense amounts of cyber-bullying and this tied in with her high functioning depression as well as over-working herself could have led to a mindset in which she would find herself taking her own life on January 30th, 2022. Shocking the entire world.

She was incredibly gifted in checking in with others and putting everyone else above her own needs according to her close family and friends. She was deflecting from the pain she felt herself and that is why her story needs to be told all of the time, not just for a week and then forgotten. It is now Effervescence's mission to make sure that we never forget Cheslie or her legacy. As a role model to so many you ng black women, Cheslie has made the disscusion around black culture and depression become a topic at the forefront of many's minds. We will ensure that we will continue to have these discussions in her honor.

Thank you Cheslie, Rest in Peace, Positivity, and Power Love.