Difference between revisions of "Hannah Neeleman"

Revision as of 14:07, 15 September 2023

Hannah Neeleman as she won the 2023 Mrs. America title

Hannah Wright Neeleman was crowned Mrs. America in August 2023. Her response to the judge's question, “When have you felt the most empowered?” went viral on social media: “I have felt this feeling seven times now as I bring these sacred souls to the earth. After I hold that newborn baby in my arms, the feeling of motherhood and bringing them to the earth is the most empowering feeling I have ever felt.”[1]

Neeleman competed in the 2023 Mrs. America pageant as Mrs. South Dakota. Although she lives on a farm in Kamas, Utah, South Dakota, which has an open contestant policy, allows anyone to compete from their state.

She is the mother of seven children and lives with her family on Ballerina Farm, a farm-to-table agriculture business where they sell beef, pork, as well as sourdough accessories and other kitchen products worldwide. She posts pictures and videos of their life to her 6.2 million followers on Instagram. "Her videos feature her making homemade bread and mozzarella cheese, decorating bright and intricate cakes, arranging flowers and tending to livestock, all while her children pop in and out of her videos helping her."[2] Her husband, Daniel Neeleman, is also on Instagram as @HogFathering. He’s amassed 293,000 followers.

Daniel and Hannah Neeleman and their seven children

Neeleman attended Brigham Young University's theater ballet program at age 16. She was accepted at Juilliard School where she graduated in dance. She and her husband, Daniel, lived abroad in São Paulo, Brazil, for four years while he worked and she danced. She learned Portuguese and fell in love with Brazilian cuisine and agriculture. “While most of his co-workers in Brazil would head to the beach on the weekends, we found ourselves venturing inland, marveling at the country’s productive farming community.”[3]

In 2017 they moved back to Utah started Ballerina Farm.

She had been crowned twice before returning to Utah. In 2008 she was Miss Springville (Utah, where she was raised), and in 2010 she was crowned Miss New York City. Back in Utah she was crowned Mrs. Utah in 2021.