Miss Juneteenth Arizona took place Friday in Chandler with Sascha Reveron being crowned the 2023 pageant winner. It's a pageant filled with beauty, talent and historical meaning.
"Freedom - that's what it was about before it became a holiday," said LaVon Woods, project manager for South Chandler Self Help Foundation.
Woods started the event in 2000, paving the way for young Black girls to participate in something they never thought they could.
"It teaches how to carry yourself like a lady. You know, it helps you focus in on what it is you want to do because all of us need to have goals," said Woods.
The pageant took a lengthy hiatus before starting back up last year with the crowning of Shaundrea Norman. She is now ready to pass along her duties to the next winner.
"It's a really positive outlook, especially on young African American women, because us in pageantry are so overlooked. I'm glad that I can be a representation and a role model for those young girls," said Shaundrea Norman, 2022 Miss Juneteenth Arizona.
A total of nine high schoolers competed for the title.
"Basically my platform, mental health. I just want to show kids, my colleagues, that they're not alone," said one contestant.
"Where I could share my passion with others because my platform is getting women of color into political positions," said Sascha Reveron.
Once stepping into the stage, they each shined in their own way. It took a lot of work and guidance from Coach Shequan Palmer.
"Pageantry is overlooked in the Black community and so, what I really wanted to do was make that known... this is a thing, we can do it," said Palmer.
The girls have been meeting up every Saturday since early April to get ready for the big night.
"I wanted to be involved in this pageant because I wanted to be a leader in my community. I wanted to be an ambassador," said another contestant.
Sascha Reveron will be making one of her first stops as Miss Juneteenth Arizona at the Tempe History Museum on Saturday from 11:00 - 3:00 p.m. She will be reading to children during the 10th annual Juneteenth Celebration there.
