Photo courtesy Miss Africa Arizona 2021
Women from Africa who are studying in the United States face many challenges, including inequity in educational opportunities and healthcare. The Miss Africa Arizona cultural education scholarship program helps ease some of those burdens so students can pursue their dreams of creating positive changes in policy and perception.
More than eight African countries will be represented in this year’s Miss Africa Arizona Pageant, including Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Liberia and Nigeria. The event takes place on Facebook Live from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, and will be co-hosted by NaTyshca Pickett, CEO of Arizona Coffea Media Business Firm and founder of Arizona Coffea Magazine, the first magazine run by black women in Arizona.
The pageant began in 2018 with the purpose of educating people about Africa’s rich cultural heritage while providing financial assistance for African women to pursue their studies in the U.S. The reigning queen is Shana Ofori, Miss Ghana 2020, a pre-med student who graduated summa cum laude from Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University and aspires to become a healthcare policymaker who works toward increasing healthcare equity.
Tickets for the virtual Miss Africa Arizona 2021 event cost $25 plus fees and can be purchased at missafricaarizona.org.
