MEET THE MISS AFRICA ARIZONA 2021 CONTESTANTS

missafricaarizona

Miss Tanzania 🇹🇿 Arizona 2021: Cecilia Mpawe

Miss Tanzania 🇹🇿 Arizona 2021: Cecilia Mpawenimana (@ceciliaqueennz )
Special thanks to all who supported her in her journey to Miss Africa Arizona.

Some Interesting Facts About Her:

Cecile was born in Tanzania, but raised in Burundi. Tanzania is the place that created her. Tanzania is a place full of excitement, a place full of adventure, green and so beautiful. A mother land that gives you peace and joy when you enter. A place to go to escape your everyday problems. Tanzania is home to two
renowned tourism destinations - Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, and wildlife-rich national parks such as the Serengeti.

Her platform is about providing those with alcoholic parents a place to really express how they feel. She wants to create an anonymous page/website where they can talk and she can respond and give them feedback on how She has dealt with it.

For her, representing Africa itself it’s an empowering thing because not that many people can say they were born in Africa and be proud to be from a unique place.

#missafrica #missafricaaz #missafricaarizona
#missafricaarizona2021
#misstanzaniaarizona
#misstanzaniaarizona2021
#africanculture
#africanqueens👑

Photo Credit: @mosijelani_bestvoyimages & @adinkrafotos

Miss Sierre leone 🇸🇱 Arizona 2021: Nafishatu

Miss Sierre leone 🇸🇱 Arizona 2021: Nafishatu Isha Turay (@nafishatu)
Special thanks to all who supported her in her journey to Miss Africa Arizona.

Some Interesting Facts About Her:

Isha was born in the beautiful Freetown, Sierra Leone. By the grace of God, she came to the United States at the age of eight and is now twenty-four years old. She attends Phoenix College and is studying to become a Psychologist Trauma Therapist, with the hopes of one day opening up her own clinics here in the United States; as well as in various places around the world. She describes herself as a God fearing woman with a jovial spirit. A selfless woman with a big heart that loves beyond the imagination.

She works as a BHT at a rehabilitation home where she help to make a difference in the lives of people who have struggled with drugs and alcohol all their lives. Going hiking, eating, reading, watching documentaries, doing volunteer work in and outside of her community, and traveling are a few hobbies of hers. What she is most passionate about in this world, is serving God and helping others. Her dream is to not only be the voice of others but to set an example for others. Be it God’s will, she hopes to one day own five to ten foundations that contribute to feeding the poor, educating children who don’t have the chance to go to school, most importantly and dear to my heart, helping young girls/women that are forced into early marriage; also known as Child Marriage.

#missafrica #missafricaaz #missafricaarizona
#missafricaarizona2021
#misssierraleonearizona
#misssierraleonearizona2021
#africanculture
#africanqueens👑

Photo Credit: @mosijelani_bestvoyimages & @adinkrafotos

Miss Nigeria 🇳🇬 Arizona 2021: Eunice Orji (@

Miss Nigeria 🇳🇬 Arizona 2021: Eunice Orji (@eunicee_45)
Special thanks to all who supported her in her journey to Miss Africa Arizona.

Some Interesting Facts About Her:

Eunice is currently working for Microsoft Advertising but is also a certified dental assistant. With her large background in childcare and her passion for dental care, she hopes to one day continue her education in the dental field and become a pediatric dental hygienist. Eunice has dedicated more than half her life to taking care of young children in her community. From babysitting as early as 10 years old, to volunteering as a Sunday school teacher at her church with her sisters, volunteering as a summer basketball camp coach to elementary school kids, and even working as a preschool teacher for the last two years while she was in dental school.
Eunice is a very energetic, fun, loving, and outgoing young woman. She can stand on her own but she also thrives in a group setting and works hard to bring people out of their comfort zone. She was a college athlete at Mesa Community College where she was an asset to the Women’s Track and Field throwing events. She is also starting up her own makeup business by the name of Eunique Cosmetics which she plans to start in Spring 2021 and can be described as makeup that primarily focuses on the needs of black women.

As Miss Nigeria 2021, Eunice is pushing scholastic success as her platform which focuses of the lack of school supplies and teaching materials needed in the classroom for the success of both students and the teachers. Her hope is to supply as many children and teachers she can reach with the help of her community.

#missafrica #missafricaaz #missafricaarizona
#missafricaarizona2021
#missnigeriaarizona
#missnigeriaarizona2021
#africanculture
#africanqueens👑

Photo Credit: @mosijelani_bestvoyimages & @adinkrafotos

Miss Liberia 🇱🇷 Arizona 2021: Aisha Kamara (

Miss Liberia 🇱🇷 Arizona 2021: Aisha Kamara (@iamtheaisha)
Special thanks to all who supported her in her journey to Miss Africa Arizona.

Some Interesting Facts About Her:

Aisha is a descendant of the Mandingo tribe, was born in bong county Liberia but grew up in the Buduburam refugee camp, Ghana due to the 1998 civil war in Liberia, the second of its kind. Nine years ago, she relocated to the United States with her mother. Aisha has lived and went to high school in Glendale AZ where she eventually went on to complete her undergraduate degree at the prestige University of Arizona (UA) in Tucson AZ last spring. She is currently a full time student at the Grand Canyon University(GCU) where she is pursuing her Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MSCMHC) with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Her platform is pronounced fornin’ foundation which is a community based non profit organization geared towards promoting education in rural parts of Liberia. This cooperation was established on December 25, 2019 in hopes to cater to the underprivileged youth of indigenous Liberia.

#missafrica #missafricaaz #missafricaarizona
#missafricaarizona2021
#missliberiaarizona
#missliberiaarizona2021
#africanculture
#africanqueens👑

Photo Credit: @mosijelani_bestvoyimages & @adinkrafotos

Miss DR Congo 🇨🇩Arizona 2021: Shekinah Tshia

Miss DR Congo 🇨🇩Arizona 2021: Shekinah Tshianyi (@shek18shek)
Special thanks to all who supported her in her journey to Miss Africa Arizona.

Some Interesting Facts About Her:

Shekinah is 24 years old and has been in the USA for about 7 years now. She moved around and went to so many different places when she was a young child. Besides Congo, she went to Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, and now the USA. Relocating as a young child was not easy, but she’s learnt to adapt quite easily. She is currently a student at U of A completing a MA program and starting a BSN program this June. Her hobbies include playing sports like soccer, basketball, netball, volleyball, track, watching movies and learning new things such as languages. She speaks Swahili, English, Lingala and Chichewa, currently learning Burmese. She enjoys helping people as much as she can and has participated in a lot of different volunteering services that included volunteering to work with disables children, the arthritis foundation, animal care and many more.

#missafrica #missafricaaz #missafricaarizona
#missafricaarizona2021
#missdrcongoarizona
#missdrcongoarizona2021
#africanculture
#africanqueens👑

Photo Credit: @mosijelani_bestvoyimages & @adinkrafotos

Miss Burundi 🇧🇮 Arizona 2021: Peace Karorero

Miss Burundi 🇧🇮 Arizona 2021: Peace Karorero
Special thanks to all who supported her in her journey to Miss Africa Arizona.

Some Interesting Facts About Her:

Peace is an aspiring physician who hopes to expand health equity in the U.S. and abroad. She is passionate about helping others in any way she can: emotionally, academically, spiritually, etc. Some of her passions include serving children, women, and other marginalized populations. She is currently a Hospice volunteer and has volunteered her time serving the Burundian community both in Arizona and Burundi working with organizations such as BAHO (Burundi-Arizona Heritage Organization) for several events and BFI (Burundi Friends International) for a summer workshop in 2019. Peace has had the privilege to travel to 10 countries in 3 years where she was able to learn a lot about herself and people from different cultures. Peace aims to be used by God to spread her seeds of Peace everywhere she goes, primarily Burundi where she hopes she can serve her people and implement positive, lasting change. This is why Peace wants to use her platform to not only support the health and education of Burundi’s youth but to also encourage them to nourish their talents.

#missafrica #missafricaaz #missafricaarizona
#missafricaarizona2021
#missburundiarizona
#missburundiarizona2021
#africanculture
#africanqueens👑

Photo Credit: @mosijelani_bestvoyimages & @adinkrafotos

And it’s a wrap .... the 4th annual Miss Africa

And it’s a wrap .... the 4th annual Miss Africa Arizona was a success. Words cannot express enough our gratitude 🙏 to all our sponsors and the entire Arizona community for the support.
Our delegates were phenomenal, passionate and dedicated. Our delegates did a great job in representing their countries and pride. Special thanks to all who supported them.

Here are the results
Best in Interview with the Judges-Miss Burundi 🇧🇮
Best In Evening Gown -Miss Sierra Leone 🇸🇱
Best In Traditional outfit-DR Congo 🇨🇩
Best in Parade of Nations - Miss Burundi 🇧🇮
Best Talent - Miss Liberia 🇱🇷
Best Ambassador to her Country-Dr Congo 🇨🇩
Community Advocate Award -Miss Tanzania 🇹🇿
Photogenic— Miss Liberia 🇱🇷
People Choice Award — Miss Liberia 🇱🇷
Miss Congeniality— Miss Sierra Leone 🇸🇱
Directors Award —- Miss Sierra Leone 🇸🇱
Most inspirational Platform— Miss Nigeria 🇳🇬

2nd Runner up — Miss Sierra Leone 🇸🇱
1st Runner up — Miss Burundi 🇧🇮
Miss Africa Arizona 2021– Miss Liberia 🇱🇷

Photo credit @adinkrafotos

Official Statement 🔊🔊🔊 Dear Miss Africa

Official Statement 🔊🔊🔊

Dear Miss Africa Arizona Supporters, Delegates and Persons of Interest:

We acknowledge that there is much frustration with the results of the 2021 Miss Africa Arizona Scholarship Program Event that took place on March 27, 2021. It is understandable that one can become displeased with a set of outcomes that do not align with one’s expectation. We would like to assure you the GK Folks Foundation, a Non Profit committed to empowering Africans and other minority groups, has not and will not engage in any activity that contradicts our mission and values.

We would like to address the following:
Judging process
Voting
Awards

Judging Process
The Miss Africa Scholarship Program is NOT a beauty pageant. Miss Africa Arizona, like it’s sister programs (Miss Africa Utah, Idaho and Nevada ) is a Cultural Scholarship Program that focuses on promoting African culture and giving people of African descent a voice and a way to promote their platform and give back to the community.

Scoring: delegates accrue points from the first day of rehearsal which typically begins several months prior to the grand finale. The grand finale presentation is only a portion of any one of the delegate’s overall score. Here is a breakdown and judging criteria of the various segments of the grand finale:

Platform Presentation
Traditional Outfit Presentation
Parade of Nations Presentation
Talent Presentation
Evening Gown Presentation

Photo by @adinkrafotos

Official Statement continues 🔊🔊🔊 Platform

Official Statement continues 🔊🔊🔊
Platform Presentation
Traditional Outfit Presentation
Parade of Nations Presentation
Talent Presentation
Evening Gown Presentation

Platform Presentation
The judges would use the following three areas to judge the delegates
• The passion she has for her platform
• Her ability to articulate knowledge of her country and culture
• The amount of time she spends preparing for this pageant, including community sponsorship
to help her in her journey
Other factors considered include a well thought-out sustainable platform
Traditional Outfit Presentation
In this category, the judges look for how authentic the contestants' national costumes are and how well the costume represents the contestant’s country.

Parade of Nations Presentation
In this category, the contestants are asked to use the colors of their country’s flag to design an outfit. The judges look for creativity on how well they portray their respective country’s flag colors and the history behind the colors.
Talent Presentation
In this category, the judges look at the contestant’s ability to show appreciation and exhibit some expertise using their talent. In other words, their talent needs to to be a reflection of their abilities, their strengths and their personalities.

Evening Gown Presentation
In this category, the judges look at how well the contestant carries herself, her elegance, her stage presence and charm, her confidence and how she exudes grace and poise etc. This is a great way for the contestants to showcase their style, elegance and individuality.

Other important criteria that factors into who ultimately wins are scored leading up to the night of the main event. This criteria includes
Points for attending all rehearsals
Points for how well the contestant performs during the judges interview

There are also points for how dedicated each contestant is, whether or not they meet deadlines, how actively engaged they are, how enthusiastic they are and how they promote themselves and their platform.

The delegates are given the opportunity to request their judges scores and feedback.

Photo by @adinkrafotos

Official Statement Continues🔊🔊🔊
Voting🗳
The voting process is independent of the judges scores. The voting process is ONLY a way to encourage the delegates to get their communities involved to support them. It also helps the delegates that wins raise additional funds for their scholarship or platform as whoever wins the votes, gets the People’s Choice Award On stage and receives 50 % of the funds raised. The other 50% goes into the scholarship fund and helps with the organization of the event. So it is very possible that the contestants that win this award wouldn’t necessarily win the overall pageant because the voting has nothing to do with the judges scores.

Awards
The majority of the awards such as Best in Talent, Best in Evening Gown, Best in Parade of Nations outfits, Best inTraditional outfits are strictly awarded based on the tabulation of judges direct scores. The rest, aside from Miss Photogenic, are determined from the delegates’ interview with the judges.

The Most Photogenic award is defined as "beauty behind the lens of a camera”. The award goes to the contestant who is an attractive subject for photography or has features that look well in a photograph. The Most Photogenic award is always determined by the official pageant photographer. The photographer picks the delegate whom he believes best fits the category. This does NOT
add to the judges scores but merely serves as a recognition of delegates’ participation in a photoshoot.

Each contestant is made aware of how points are calculated during the orientation process. They participate in the Scholarship program fully aware of the entire process..

As an organization, we love and welcome feedback from the community and will work hard to implement any feedback.

Please bear in mind that we do not appreciate any form of misinformation. Defaming the organization’s name with unwarranted statements is not the approach to resolving questions or concerns. If you have any unresolved questions and concerns, feel free to contact the organization at contact@gkfolks.org

We value you and appreciate your continued support.

Warm regards,
GK Folks Foundation(Miss Africa Arizona Team)

Miss Africa Arizona 2021 is Miss Liberia @iamtheai

Miss Africa Arizona 2021 is Miss Liberia @iamtheaisha 🇱🇷 Arizona 2021. Congratulations 🎊 to you. We are excited for your reign.

Photo by @mosijelani_bestvoyimages

Judges interview is on going .. we can’t wait🎉🎉🎉🎉 these ladies are ready. Are you ?

It’s happening tomorrow people 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
We can’t wait. Come experience Authentic Africa culture and see this awesome group perform. @movementsofgoddesses
Movements of Goddesses
Their mission is to inspire Men and Women, Girls and Boys, to stand in our power, finding our divine strength through multiple mental, physical and spiritual exercises that enhance our consciousness and awaken our minds.

See you tomorrow. Don’t forget to get your tickets now. There will be no tickets sales at the door.
For tickets visit www.missafricaarizona.org

We can’t wait to see you all on Saturday. We exp

We can’t wait to see you all on Saturday. We experience authentic Africa culture and talent. We are excited to have @moabi_moafrika be one of our performing artist for the evening.

Moabi Kotu. is an independent recording artist originally from Soweto South Africa currently based out of Phoenix Arizona.

Kotu’s Music is rooted in African traditional music, it’s fused with Jazz, Afrobeat, Funk, Soul, Reggae, Gospel, and Rock as he draw inspiration from music across the globe.

He believe is preserving his African culture , customs, heritage , traditions, stories and songs even in distant lands.He loves sharing the South African spirit of Ubuntu, a collaborative effort to solve issues facing humanity.

Grab your tickets now at www.missafricaarizona.org

Special thanks to our sponsor @adinkrafotos we app

Special thanks to our sponsor @adinkrafotos we appreciate the support. Reach out to them for all your photographer needs.

See you all in two days. Don’t forget to grab your 🎫 tickets online at www.missafricaarizona.org.

limited tickets available for social distancing.

We are just 3days away ... we can’t wait. Don’

We are just 3days away ... we can’t wait. Don’t forget to get your 🎫. We have limited tickets available for social distancing.

We are excited to be graced with the presence of this wonderful artist

Born in Saginaw, MI, @truthbtold Truth B. Told is an award-winning writer/spoken word artist who has wowed audiences from Ford Theater in Hollywood to the Alvin Ailey Theater in Manhattan & Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Truth has been featured on BET's Black History Moment series and Dove/Twitter's #SpeakBeautiful campaign as well as MTV, VH1, and PBS, and has even written a successful pitch for a company on ABC’s Shark Tank. Truth also runs Culture PHX, a community-focused company which gained national headlines for its work with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty to empower young women.

Grab your tickets now.@www.missafricaarizona.org

3 days away ... 🎉🎉🎉🎉. Don’t forget t

3 days away ... 🎉🎉🎉🎉. Don’t forget to get your tickets 🎫. We have limited tickets available for social distancing.

We are excited to be graced with the presence of this wonderful artist

@katerinavillegas is an independent recording artist with two Billboard Dance Club hits "Dangerous Love" and "Hey Mami." She uses music to help others find joy and healing, speaking to daily struggles people face. "Seasons Change" speaks to navigating through the year 2020, while "Until We Meet Again" is for coping with grief. Her latest single "Woman" is all about empowerment.

Katerina is currently a Doctor of Psychology student, and as a former Miss Oregon USA 2020, she served as a global ambassador in a tour of Uganda celebrating culture, tourism, speaking to youth about mental health, cleaning waste in the Katanga Slums, and reading to the Mubaku Village children.
Grab your tickets now.@www.missafricaarizona.org

And the countdown begins .. we are just 4 days awa

And the countdown begins .. we are just 4 days away ... we can’t wait. Don’t forget to get your tickets 🎫. We have limited tickets available for social distancing.

We are excited to be graced with the presence of this wonderful artist

@solutheartist is a Phoenix based singer-songwriter-producer-composer-model-actress-dancer and business professional. Her music blends earthy vocals with rhythmic moody synths and percussive grooves. What you will be hearing, she produced herself, what you will be seeing, she choreographed herself, and she hopes what you feel is a sense of empowerment. With a message of authenticity, self-love, self-discovery, and bridge-building, she strives to create a world in which people continue to find their true selves both within and without.

Grab your tickets now.@www.missafricaarizona.org

With Miss Africa Arizona happening this weekend...

With Miss Africa Arizona happening this weekend... Saturday at 7:00pm.
We excited 🎉🎉🎉🎉to announce one of our host for the evening @imaameadjoa

Jane is into Construction Management in Salt Lake City and aspires to become a General Contractor. She serves as the PR Director for GK Folks Foundation. She enjoys hiking, spending time with family and traveling. Jane resides in Kaysville, Utah.

Come enjoy African culture at its fullest.

Tickets are limited. Grab yours now at www.missafricaarizona.org.
Or you can join us on our Facebook page live.

With Miss Africa Arizona happening this weekend...

With Miss Africa Arizona happening this weekend... Saturday at 7:00pm.
We excited 🎉🎉🎉🎉to announce one of our host for the evening @natyshca_pickett

NaTyshca is a Freelance Journalist with close to 15 years experience. She is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Arizona Coffea Magazine, the first Black women-run magazine in the state of Arizona that promotes the Black community, and changes the narrative of how the Black community is seen in the media.

She is the CEO and Founder of Arizona Coffea Media Business Firm, where she helps entrepreneurs leverage the media to grow their business. She is also a published children's book author and an advocate for parents of children with special needs.

NaTyshca is a Board Member with the Arizona Association of Black Journalists, a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated.

Come enjoy African culture at its fullest.

Tickets are limited. Grab yours now at www.missafricaarizona.org.
Or you can join us on our Facebook page live.

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Who will be CROWNED ?

MISS AFRICA ARIZONA

Nations Represented

This year’s Pageant features contestants from eight African countries

Countries Participating

Create your own visited countries map or check out the JavaScript Charts.