Nina Davuluri Ignores Racists Tweets: ‘I’m Living My Own American Dream’

Indian-American Nina Davuluri has been crowned Miss America 2013, and the racist reactions to her groundbreaking win don’t seem to bother her much.

The 24-year-old New York native explained that she has received tons more positive feedback than negative reactions.

"For one negative tweet, I received dozens of positive tweets and support from not only Indians, but the American people across the country and ... the world for that matter," she said, according to CNN. "It's been such an honor."

Davuluri embraces being the first Indian American Miss America. She explained that Miss America is “the girl next door,” but that she has evolved. She’s not who she was 10 years ago, and the Miss America 10 years from now will be different too, Davuluri said.

"I wanted to be the first Indian Miss America, to be that symbol of a new face for the organization," she said Wednesday. "And to let younger girls know that regardless of race, their socioeconomic status, their religion that anyone can become not only Miss America, but anything.

She wasn’t surprised when there was a racist backlash; she ran on the platform of “celebrating diversity through cultural competence” and plans to attack stereotypes during her reign.

She’s proud of her heritage, she said during an appearance on “Good Morning America,” and was the first contestant to do a Bollywood performance. "It's the first time Bollywood has ever been performed on the Miss America stage, and it's such an honor for myself, my family and the Indian community, as well,” Davuluri said.

For the people who aren’t sure if she’s “American enough,” The Guardian quoted Davuluri as saying she considers herself first and foremost American, but that she is proud of her Indian heritage, which is the place where both her parents were born.