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Asian Avenue magazine to hold Miss
Asian American Colorado
Local Asian-American publication to put on inaugural
competition for young Asian-American woman
By Joe Nguyen, AsiaXpress.com
Jan. 17, 2008
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About
the 2008 Miss Asian American Colorado event
Information regarding the competition
Important dates
March 17 - Application deadline
March 24 - Announcement of candidates
May 1 - Sponsorship deadline
May 3 - Miss Asian American Colorado service day
May 31 - Miss Asian American Colorado event at the
Holiday Inn Select Denver
Eligibility requirements
• Candidates must be female residents of Colorado
who are at least 50 percent of Asian descent.
• Age: 18-25
• Single and never married or pregnant
• Candidates must be of good character with
no history of federal, state, or local convictions
(misdemeanors or felonies)
Application checklist
• Complete application attached
• $50 non-refundable application fee ($150
pageant fee for meals at practices, sashes, and
materials due at later date)
• Résumé (include academic achievements,
community service, organization involvement, and
work experience)
• Transcript from most recent attended institution
(can be unofficial, but most show student’s
GPA)
• 2 recent color photos – 1 headshot
(above shoulders) and 1 full-length (4x6 or larger,
can use e-mail)
• Letter of recommendation (optional) –
One recommendation from a recognized Asian organization
(student or community organization, Asian Chamber
of Commerce, church, etc.)
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DENVER – Asian Avenue magazine announced Jan. 10
through its Facebook group that it will hold the first
Miss Asian American Colorado event on May 31 at the Holiday
Inn Select Denver.
According to the event’s website, the competition
is meant to give young Asian-American women the opportunity
to develop friendships, as well as leadership, teamwork
and interpersonal skills. Organizers made a point to not
call this a pageant because the word creates a focus on
beauty.
"The whole point is that we wanted to be focused
on academics, leadership and service," Asian Avenue
magazine Executive Editor Annie Guo said. "And really
what (the contestants) have been doing to be role models
for the Asian community."
In addition, it is their goal to bring together different
Asian ethnic groups in the community, she added.
"We feel that for a lot of first-generation Asians,
it's harder for them to communicate with other Asians,"
Guo said. "But I feel like with (second-) and third-generation
Asian Americans, we're going to be the generation that
bridges that gap."
She said that while there are many Asian events in Denver
that are ethnic specific, few bring together the larger
Asian-American community.
"In a lot of ways, Asian Americans could be a lot
stronger if we did have one voice," she said. "But
right now we're just very divided. Especially in Denver,
there's not many events aside from the dragon boat festival
that kind of caters to all the Asian groups."
To be eligible, candidates must be female residents of
Colorado between the ages of 18-25 who are of at least
50 percent Asian decent. These women must be single and
have never been married or pregnant, and cannot have a
history of prior misdemeanors or felonies.
Guo said she is hoping for 20 entrants this year, and
no one will be cut unless they don't meet the prerequisites.
The contestants will be announced on March 24 and the
women will go on a service day on May 3.
"As of right now, the idea is to have three locations
where all 20 of these girls go to volunteer with each
other for a day," she said. "It would bring
back the whole service piece by doing more for the community
and trying to emphasize the importance of doing that and
not just physical appearance."
Competitors will be judged on five criteria: The preliminary
interview – based on academic achievement, leadership
and service (20 percent); introduction in cultural attire
(20 percent); talent (30 percent); evening gown (20 percent);
and an onstage interview (10 percent).
Taking a cue from other Miss Asian American competitions
around the country, the event will begin with the candidates
wearing cultural attire from the country of their ethnicities,
Guo said.
The talent portion of the program has been a cause of
concern for some of the women who have expressed interest
in participating, she added.
"When people think of talent, they think of performance
arts, like singing or dancing," she said. "But
we want people to showcase other talents and not think
that's the only type of talent that can be in the competition."
Guo said she has suggested poetry and spoken word as
different ways to showcase talent.
She said that the competitors will have have to write
a platform about a nonprofit organization or a service
project they are interested in. During the onstage interview,
they will be asked a question about their platform.
The winner of the contest will be crowned Miss Asian
American Colorado and will receive a $1,000 scholarship,
along with a trophy and various prizes. The first runner-up
will receive a $700 scholarship, and the second runner-up
will get $500.
In addition, there will be awards for Miss Talent, Miss
Popularity and Miss Asian American Activist.
"I think that makes a difference that a lot of pageants
don't really emphasize the other parts as we're trying
to do here," Guo said. "In the end, we're still
trying to promote being all-around good role models for
other people."
For more information about Miss Colorado Asian American,
visit its website at http://missasianamericanco.bravehost.com.
Joe Nguyen is the editor in chief
of AsiaXpress.com. Joe can be reached via e-mail at joe@asiaxpress.com.
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