Miss Juneteenth pageant turning Tri-City girls into leaders for 24 years
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- Tri-Cities Miss Juneteenth scholarship program has operated since 2002.
- A new Miss Juneteenth will be crowned this weekend.
- Scholarship funds will be divided amongst the running candidates.
The Tri-Cities Miss Juneteenth scholarship program has been turning young girls in the Black community into leaders since 2002.
Elouise Sparks, founder and director of the program, has been preparing for this year’s upcoming Miss Juneteenth Pageant on Saturday, where the former Queen, Amina Oliver, will pass her crown to this year’s winner.
What is Juneteenth?
The Emancipation Proclamation declared all enslaved African Americans be free in 1863, though this freedom did not reach southern states until two years later. Juneteenth celebrates the Black community’s second and official liberation in 1865, as African Americans in the south were officially freed of enslavement. It has only been a recognized holiday since 2021, though members in the Black community have been celebrating for over 40 years, according to Sparks.
“By naming our pageant (Miss Juneteenth), our queen can go around the community and let people know what Juneteenth is and why it’s important for us to celebrate and remember it,” Sparks said.
Miss Juneteenth Pageant and Scholarship Fund
The pageant divides scholarship money among the winning contestant and the two runners-up, called princesses. Candidates spend several months advertising the pageant in attempt to raise money for the fund.
“We don’t get big name scholarship or money like a lot of other people do,” Sparks said. “All the money we get is boots on the ground.”
Each of the girls running in the pageant receive a book with ads that their friends, family and others in their community are able to buy which feeds into the program’s scholarship fund, Sparks said. The ads range anywhere from $5 to $100.
This year, enough money was raised for each of the five candidates to receive a portion of the fund, Sparks said. The Queen receives the largest sum, and the rest is trickled down among the runner ups.
Community service is instilled into each of the girls, ensuring they focus on giving back to the community rather than receiving.
“If there are any organizations or businesses that need help with something, we’ll tell them ‘Give us a call, and we’ll get our girls there,’” Sparks said.
Both Sparks and Oliver have put themselves in the spotlight to increase the program’s reach throughout the Tri-Cities, Sparks said.
Oliver said the pageant was a way to tap into a side of herself that she hadn’t seen before.
“I grew up around white people,” Oliver said. “It was really refreshing to be around other Black people and getting to know what that community was like. It definitely unlocked a different part of myself.”
Oliver graduated from Richland High School this year. She plans to continue her education at Boise State University studying political science.
“Having this role made me realize a lot of people need justice, and that’s what the world is in a deficit of right now,” Oliver said. “It makes me want to use my education to help other people in that way and make them feel heard.”
At the pageant, Oliver will retire from her role as Miss Juneteenth, passing it along to the next rising queen. Her two words of advice for the candidates and queen-to-be being: “Be yourself.”
This weekend will kickstart a week of Juneteenth activities. The pageant takes place at Chiawana High School at 6 p.m. with tickets available for purchase online for $10 and at the door for $15.
June 14: Family Skate Night
June 16: Adult Bowling
June 18: Adult Skating
June 19: Day of Service
June 20: Parade, Park, and 3X3 basketball tournament
June 21: Gospel Celebration
June 26: Juneteenth Journey of Freedom
This year’s Miss Juneteenth candidates:
Anaiah Charles
Charles, 18, is a recent graduate of Pasco High School. During her senior year, she was active in school activities, including the Pasco High Dance Team where she served as captain. Charles was also the senior class president. She enjoys reading, singing, dancing and drawing. She plans to attend Eastern Washington University in the fall to pursue a degree in biochemistry.
Keziah Mugisha
Mugisha, 16, is an upcoming senior at Kennewick High School. She is involved in several student organizations, including DECA, Full International Baccalaureate Program and mock trial. She is also a proud member of the New Beginning Christian Community Church, where she serves as the youth announcement clerk. After graduation, Mugisha plans to attend New York University Tisch School of the Arts to pursue a degree in television and film.
Jazmyn Thompson
Thompson, 17, is an upcoming senior at Kennewick High School. She enjoys ASL and ceramics and likes to spend her free time drawing, listening to music and expressing her creativity. After graduation, she plans to attend Columbia Basin College or a Historically Black College or University to pursue a degree in nursing. She hopes to build a future helping and caring for others.
Sharese Knox
Knox, 16, is an upcoming senior at Kennewick High School. She is a member of the drama club, GEAR UP, International Baccalaureate Program, concert and marching Band, color guard and both track and volleyball teams. Knox’s enjoys band, sports and participating in Drama Club activities. After graduation, she plans to attend Central Washington University, Salem College or Eastern Washington University to pursue a degree in Film Production.
Sequoia Miller
Miller, 17, is a recent graduate of Kennewick High School. During her senior year, she participated in yearbook club, where she enjoyed taking pictures of sports and club activities. She also works at CG Public House, assisting in catering events. Her hobbies include singing, painting, drawing and working with ceramics. Miller plans to attend Columbia Basin College in the fall to pursue a degree in dental hygiene.