*When it comes to scholarship, merit and beauty little Black girls have taken it to a new level. This past weekend EURweb associate Rocky Harris got the chance to chat with judges, contestants and more at the 25th Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant.
On Aug. 12, folks came to the Nate Holden Theatre in Los Angeles to watch their daughters, nieces and sisters compete for the chance to take home first prize. According to LittleMissAfricanAmerican.org, for the past 25 years, dozens of girls between the ages of 6-12 years of age have participated in this program. Hundreds of scholarships have been awarded, and lasting memories have been created for these young Academic and intellectual princesses.
While some of them come from strong supportive families, the majority of them come from under-served, single parent homes. The pageant provides an early introduction to the arts and training in public speaking, while promoting individual creativity and stimulating a heightened cultural understanding.
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While there, one of the pagaent’s co-founders, Penny Johnson Jerald, discussed how the pageant came to be.
“Lisa (Ruffin) and I went to school together and she first told me about this and I thought I want to do a pageant. Why are we teaching girls about how to look good? They’re just beautiful. But then she explained to me that there was an educational program, and that it was under the umbrella of pageantry. So it’s not just beauty on the outside, it’s beauty on the inside and the beauty that you hold in your mind,” Jerald said.
The Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant is a non-profit, educational program that caters to young girls 6-12 years old. This the event celebrates 25 years. And make sure you check out our exclusive red carpet coverage.
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