Grand Finals of the Miss Africa USA Pageant to be Held June 29th

Silver Spring, MD, May 08, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Despite being orphaned, escaping war-torn African countries or witnessing unspeakable horrors in their native homeland, many of the young women competing in the Miss Africa USA Pageant are taking their experiences and turning them into their life’s mission.

Held on June 29, 2013 at 6 p.m. at The Fillmore Silver Spring (MD), the grand finals and coronation of the next Miss Africa USA will be witnessed by a host of celebrities, African Ambassadors, community leaders, Africans and friends of Africa. The pageant is held in association with Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Nigeria and the Embassy of Botswana.

“The Miss Africa USA Pageant enables African girls in America to shine a spotlight on Africa, tell their stories to the world, inspire one another, build self esteem and feel beautiful inside and out,” said Lady Kate Atabong Njeuma, the founder of the pageant. “A new generation of women leaders are being groomed to impact their communities in Africa, the United States and the entire world,” she added.

The 2013 finalists range in age from 19 to 30 and they each represent a different African nation (see full list below). There are 23 delegates and each has adopted a platform to benefit a community in need in Africa and/or the United States. The humanitarian platforms address a number of topics, including breast cancer awareness, disease prevention, education, famine/hunger, female genital mutilation, maternal mortality, landmine victims, orphans, literacy, sickle cell disease awareness and more.

Some of the finalists have started their own nonprofit organizations to begin addressing these issues. In addition to their humanitarian platforms, the young women will also be judged on the following: knowledge of current affairs, originality, creativity, stage presence, personal style, beauty, elegance and talent. The majority of the finalists are college students or recent graduates pursuing advanced degrees in North America.

Ghyslaine “Gigi” Tchouaga is the reigning queen. She is a self-proclaimed Pan-Africanist, who has been raising awareness about the millions of people dying of starvation in Somalia. A native Cameroonian, Queen Gigi is also working to change health care conditions and educating young girls in her native country. In addition to finishing her Public Health Degree at the University of Baltimore, she will continue working on these issues after relinquishing her crown to the new queen on June 29, 2013.

The pageant began in 2005 as a small state event in Atlanta, Ga., and has blossomed into a phenomenon with hundreds of African young women vying to participate from across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The 2013 pageant is open to the general public and tickets can be purchased online at www.missafricaunitedstates.com or http://fillmoresilverspring.com/. Also, the public can cast their vote for their favorite delegate at http://www.missafricaunitedstates.com/2013finalists/. Vending and sponsorship opportunities are available.