Finally, A Pageant That Makes Women Feel Good About Themselves
The quest for the crown takes a heartfelt approach.
Beauty pageants and their contestants don't have the best reputations. Viewers may not always get to see the competition get ugly, but the aftermath of pageants isn't always pretty. Two women sought to change that by developing a pageant of their own. The Miss Naturally Crowned pageant invites women from all walks of life to do more than strut across the stage in bikinis. These contestants are career-minded beauties who share a passion for uplifting others and pride in their natural, textured hair. This is everything you need to know about the organization that's adding more meaning to the world of beauty pageants. 👑
Two South Carolina natives were in search of a way to fund their joint beauty boutique. Little did they know that their beauty pageant venture would turn into so much more than a seed money side project
Jessica Boyd and Maureen Ochola launched the Miss Naturally Crowned Carolina Pageant in 2013 as a simple fundraising venture, but instead discovered something that existing beauty pageants lacked: diversity.
Participants in the pageant range from the ages of 19 to 30 and all have natural, textured hair
"As a black woman with kinky natural hair, who has loved pageants since girlhood, I never saw myself having a chance for a crown in the traditional pageants after returning to my natural roots," Chanelle Johnsons, the first Miss Naturally Crowned Queen told Teen Vogue, "I didn't see myself in any of the contestants."
The pageant focuses on more than just curls, afros and locs. The contestants learn to be better business people along with lessons on self-acceptance
The contestants are mothers, military veterans, teachers and more. The application process for the pageant requires that the women submit academic transcripts and a business plan for a company or non-profit they'd love to start. The co-founders wanted to create an environment that was less about competition and more about personal growth.
Naturally Crowned Carolina Pageant has recently rebranded to Naturally Crowned Pageant and plans to expand nationally
The overall goal of the pageant is to build confident, successful women who uplift each other. We'd wear that crown any day.