Dedra Eastland Pennington has seen a lot in her years involved in Alabama beauty pageants.

In 1986, Pennington placed third runner-up in the Miss Alabama pageant, her first time ever competing in the statewide pageant. For years, she would remain involved in the program, from being a local director to being an official judge, a role that often would involve her judging up to five regional pageants per year. She remembers watching Kalyn Chapman being crowned Miss Alabama in 1993, a moment made even more vivid due to her being the first black woman to be named Miss Alabama in the pageant’s history.

However, all those memories pale next to watching her daughter, Tiara, being named Miss Alabama earlier this month.

"There is nothing compared to seeing your own daughter crowned," Pennington said. "It was like an out-of-body experience."

Tiara, 20, has kept very busy in the weeks since, from doing interviews to making public appearances. Last week, she was called at the last minute to make an appearance at the Miss Mississippi pageant.

"I really love that every day is different," Tiara said. "I’m just trying to take it one day at a time."

The Helena native first got into pageants after being involved in dance for 10 years and wanting to find something different to do. While not initially wanting to push her into beauty pageants, Dedra felt her daughter would like being involved in the world she was a part of for so long.

"What I tell people all the time it is a mentorship program because there have been so many people who have played a part in who she is," Dedra said.

The last few years, Tiara has been noticed in the pageants she has done. In 2016, Pennington was crowned Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen and placed first runner-up at last year’s Miss Alabama competition. Most notably, she was crowned Miss University of Alabama late last year, becoming the first black woman to hold the title.

After Chapman, Tiara is the first black Miss Alabama in 26 years.

"It means a lot to me," she said. "I know there have been young women of color who definitely could’ve had this crown."

Dedra said she was not aware of Tiara being the first Miss University of Alabama until people began telling her. After Tiara won Miss University of Alabama, she was encouraged to hear people tell her how proud they were of her and how they were hoping she could win Miss America.

"I think it’s important to other women of color that this is an organization that is accepting," she said. "She has had nothing but a great year of working with them as well."

Being Miss Alabama has been a learning experience for Tiara.

"You should always look forward to something, whether it is meeting new people or finding areas you are not strong in," she said.

Tiara, who was previously studying political science at UA, will spend the next year away from school as she attends to her duties as Miss Alabama. In the lead-up to the Miss America competition, which is set to happen later this year, she said she will do everything she feels needs to be done to make a good impression on a national stage.

"I want to make sure I represent the state of Alabama as well as I possibly can," she said.

Reach Drew Taylor at drew.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.