Miss Asian America Explained

Type:Beauty Pageant
Headquarters:United States
Miss Asian Global Pageant
Formation:August 1, 1987
Website:https://www.missasianglobal.com/

Miss Asian Global Pageant (founded August 1, 1987)[1] was initiated as a part of the Asian Heritage Celebration for the County of Santa Clara in 1987, the pageant's top titleholders include the former First Lady of the State of Washington, Mona Lee Locke, wife of Gary Locke[2] and Fala Chen, the 2013 winner of the Huading Award for Best Female Drama Actress.

Background

A 2010 book by cultural anthropologist Afia A. Ofori-Mensa studied the relationships among race, gender, and U.S. national identity using the Miss Asian Global Pageant. She found that "panethnic pageants like Miss Asian Global" which came of age in the 1980s plays an important role in the constitution of national identity "through ideal femininity, in both embodied and rhetorical ways." For the Asian American community, the Miss Asian Global Pageant is the "only cultural institution annually endowing one woman and her racialized, gendered, and classed body, the power to represent an entire nation."[3] The pageant remains one of the few national events that allow for a frontal display of non-mainstream ethnic culture for the American public where contestants wear cultural clothing and reinvigorate heritage ties through community-based projects, service learning, and presentations in their heritage language.[4]

Cultural integration and the introduction of neoliberal values have also been examined through the prism of the Miss Asian Global Pageant extensively by women's studies scholars. Professor Nhi T. Lieu, in studying Miss Asian Global pointed to the pageant's role in promoting capitalism and neoliberal values presented within traditional contexts such as the utilization of the Vietnamese women's garment known as the ao dai. Lieu adds that the role of technology in beauty pageants also enabled the introduction of modernity and consumer goods to many Asian American households in attendance at pageant events.[5]

In reviewing the Cold War legacy and its relationship with Asian American communities in the United States, Ofori-Mensa argues that the Asian American community was able to "utilize pageants strategically, by insisting on the centrality of people of color to U.S. national identity, and by re-imagining the nation as a transnational space where people of color are not systematically excluded."[3]

Titleholders

YearMiss Asian GlobalMiss Asian AmericaMiss Asian TeenMiss Asian of CaliforniaMiss Asian San FranciscoList of Miss Asian Global runners-up
First PrincessSecond PrincessThird Princess
2023Kylie Chang
( China · Cupertino)
Erin Kwon
Irvine)
Felicia Tang
( China · San Francisco)
Vanessa Mai
( China · San Francisco)
Felicia Tang
( China · San Francisco)
My Tien Angela Van
(· Orlando)
Skye Yasuda
Waipahu)
2022Lisa Yan
( China · San Francisco)
Angella Lee
(· Los Angeles)
Makenna Ma
( China · San Jose)
Ada Jin
( China-Manchuria · Sunnyvale)
Jackie Teer
(· San Francisco)
Claire Ong
( China & · Seattle)
Emily Smith
( Japan & United Kingdom · Mililani)
Jade Lun
( China · Honolulu)
2021colspan="8"
2020Olivia Wong
( China · Vancouver)
Vy Vo
Anaheim)
Daisy Chung
( China · Los Angeles)
Tara Nash
( Hong Kong & Ireland · San Mateo)
Lan Ho
(· Chicago)
Daisy Chung
( China · Los Angeles)
Tara Nash
( Hong Kong & Ireland · San Mateo)
2019Stephanie Kim
(· San Francisco)
Melanie Wardhana
(& China · San Francisco)
Rachel Xu
( China · Fremont)
Josie Li
(· San Francisco)
Rachel Xu
( China · Fremont)
Josie Li
(· San Francisco)
Sidney Siu
( China · Hercules)
2018Uchka Jimsee
( Mongolia · San Francisco)
Sophia Ng (Dethroned)
( China · San Francisco)----Darae Jun (Assumed)
(· Berkeley)
Darae Jun
(· Berkeley)
Kimberly Tom
( China · Foster City)
Darae Jun (Assumed)
(· Berkeley)
Aileen Bui
Nha Trang)
Kimberly Tom
( China · Foster City)
2017Trisha Bantigue
(& China · San Francisco)
Savannah Pham
(& Cambodia · Murrieta)
Kate Melanie Lam
( China · San Bruno)
Alexis Yup
(· San Francisco)
Kate Melanie Lam
( China · San Bruno)
Alexis Yup
(· San Francisco)
Ernestine Siu
( China · Oakland)
2016Gina Su
( Hong Kong & · Rolling Hills)
Jessica Lim
( Hong Kong · San Francisco)
Ally Gong
( China · Palo Alto)
Angela Huang
( China · San Ramon)
Kristine Hara
(· San Francisco)
Joanne Leung
( Hong Kong · Montreal)
Angela Huang
( China · San Ramon)
Kristine Hara
(· San Francisco)
2015Pamela Lagera
Fresno)
Stephanie Lin
(· Silicon Valley)
Malia Kurashima Carlson
(· Oakland)
Jennie Li
( China · San Jose)
Malia Kurashima Carlson
(· Oakland)
Jennie Li
( China · San Jose)
Puja Oza
(· Los Angeles)
2014Emma Marriott
( China & · Stanford)
Jennifer Chung
( China & Germany · San Jose)
Maggie Schoenholtz
( Thailand · Palo Alto)
Arienne Calingo
Los Angeles)
May Ling Phyu
( Myanmar & China · Fremont)
Catherine Ho
( China & · Las Vegas)
Jeni Nguyen
Greenville)
Sunaina Singh
(· Chicago)
2013colspan="8"
2012Susie Lee
(· San Francisco)
Emily Tang
( China · Davis)
April Kim
Irvine)
Emily Tang
( China · Davis)
April Kim
Irvine)
Jasmine Lee
( China & · San Francisco)
2011colspan="8"
YearMiss Asian AmericaMiss Asian TeenMiss Asian of CaliforniaMiss Asian San FranciscoList of Miss Asian America runners-up
First PrincessSecond PrincessThird Princess
2010Sarah Liu
( China · Fremont
Amanda Lee
( China · Davis)
Amanda Lee
( China · Davis)
Nancy Kwong
( China · Los Angeles)
Brijal Vadgama
Lincoln)
2009Amy Chanthaphavong
(& · New York)
Victoria Pham
Fremont)
Kristine Law
( China · Fremont)
Victoria Pham
Fremont)
Kristine Law
( China · Fremont)
Carolyn Fung
( China · San Jose)
2008Louisa Liu
( China · Sunnyvale)
Mary Saleh
( Afghanistan, Turkey
& · Cupertino)
Lisa Ma
(& China
· San Francisco)
Mary Saleh
( Afghanistan, Turkey
& · Cupertino)
Nina Kasuga
Gilbert)
Stephanie Karlik
( Portugal,
& Ireland · Las Vegas)
2007Louise Wu
( China · Fremont)
Tiffani Frances Mah
( China
· San Francisco)
Amy Chu
( China · Oakland)
Tiffani Frances Mah
( China · San Francisco)
Ayushka Sing Gharib
Artesia
Amy Chu
( China · Oakland)
2006Jennifer Field
(English, Irish
& German · San Jose)
Jessica Feng
( China · Los Angeles)
Claire Yuan
( China · Daly City)
Jessica Feng
( China · Los Angeles)
Katie N. Au
( China & Hawaiian · Seattle)
Monica You
( Cambodia & · Mira Loma)
2005Kollyn Muangmaithong
( Thailand & China · Walnut Creek)
Michele Chen
San Jose)
Carolyn Michaelis
( Germany,
& Netherlands · San Jose)
Shana Dhillon
Fremont)
Carolyn Michaelis
( Germany,
& Netherlands · San Jose)
Shana Dhillon
Fremont)
Kara Birkenstock
( Thailand & · Culver City)
2004Buachampoo "Sai" Varee
( Thailand · Los Angeles)
Kim Choy
( China · San Francisco)
Jennifer Lee
( China · San Francisco)
Kim Choy
( China · San Francisco)
Annie Tang
( China · Garden Grove)
Virginia Nguyen
Newark)
2003Charlene M. Wang
( China · Hercules)
Anu Gill
Davis)
Annie Chang
Foster City)
Anu Gill
Davis)
Annie Chang
Foster City)
Sue Yang
( Hmong · West Sacramento)
2002Fala Chen
( China · Duluth)
Pooja Jain
Fremont)
Violet Nguyen
(· San Jose)
Chun Hui Chen
( China · Honolulu)
Joy Thao Phuong Nguyen
Fort Worth)
Pooja Jain
Fremont)
2001Caroline Nguyen
()
Wilma Morales
()
Andra Cheung
()
Jamie Choi
()
Wilma Morales
()
Meeyoung Kim
()
2000colspan="7"
1999Amy Truong
(· Oakland)
Amrapali Ambegaokar
Walnut)
Shelene Atanacio
(Los Angeles)
Ha Thai
( China &
· San Francisco)
1998Quyen Hoang Tran
Sunnyvale)
Minita J. Gandhi
Danville)
Laura S. Ngo
(· San Jose)
Minita J. Gandhi
Danville)
Denby Annette Kwai Foong Dung
Honolulu)
Laura S. Ngo
(· San Jose)
1997Erin Jung
(· Sacramento)
Elyzabeth Pham
(· La Jolla)
Stacey Chinn
(· San Francisco)
Tammy Nguyen
(· Chicago)
1996Esther Hwang
Emeryville)
Cheryl Nunes
( China, Portugal,
& · Beverly Hills)
Ying Hu
( China · Los Altos Hills)
Cheryl Nunes
( China, Portugal,
& · Beverly Hills)
Mimi Jung
( China · Puyallup)
Debra Ichimura
Honolulu)
1995Gwendoline Yeo
( Singapore · San Francisco)
Elizabeth Wong
( China · San Francisco)
Jennifer Chin
( China · Woodside)
Amanda Quan
Sunnyvale)
Shung-Yan Ng
( China · Bellevue)
1994Jane Park
Granada Hills)
Zarin Maneck Dastur
(· Los Angeles)
Marie Villatuya
So. San Francisco)
Zarin Maneck Dastur
(· Los Angeles)
Marie Villatuya
So. San Francisco)
Liang Ni
( China · Honolulu)
1993colspan="7"
1992Ashley Yamada
Honolulu)
Julie Esguerra
(& China · Laguna Hills)
Shiyena Chun
Honolulu)
Julie Esguerra
(& China · Laguna Hills)
Sylvia Gee
( China · Sacramento)
1991Christie Hirota
(& · San Francisco)
Annie Deng
( China · Cerritos)
Thao Diep
(& China · Santa Clara)
Annie Deng
( China · Cerritos)
Thao Diep
(& China · Santa Clara)
Wendy Tagomori
Pearl City)
YearMiss Asian of CaliforniaMiss Asian San FranciscoList of Miss Asian of California runners-up
First PrincessSecond PrincessThird PrincessFourth Princess
1990Cindy Chung
Santa Clara)
Ellen Chu
( China · San Francisco)
Sandy Wang
( China · Los Angeles)
Jamie Chou
( China · Sacramento)
Pia Rius Vitalis
Danville)
1989Theresa Park
Sausalito)
Angela Chang
(· San Francisco)
Leah Sarmiento
Union City
Joyce Chang
( China · Long Beach)
Mika Tomoyo Yee
(· San Diego)
1988Stacy Yamashita
So. San Francisco)
Cindy Tsao
( China · Sunnyvale)
Cheryl Lee
( China · Foster City)
Rachelle Gaspar
Daly City)----Lisa Chen
( China · Montebello
Karin Co
( China · Burbank
1987Delia Ma
()
Jennifer Deperio
()
Unknown
()
Unknown
()
1986Mona Lee Locke
( China · Lafayette)
Nancy Yong
( China · San Francisco)
Jane Matsumoto Holybee
Davis
Donna Morrill
(
Ireland & · Union City
1985Jeanette Chan
()
Michelle Knolle
()
Aleili Orzal
()
Lisa Johnson
()

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). United States Patent and Trademark Office. February 2, 2011. USPTO. December 29, 2013.
  2. News: McLaughlin. Kathleen. First Chinese-American ambassador to China, much liked, steps down early.. 29 December 2013. Christian Science Monitor.. 20 November 2013.
  3. Book: Ofori-Mensa, Afia A.. Beauty, Bodies, and Boundaries Pageants, Race and U.S. National Identity. 2010. University of Michigan. Ann Arbor.
  4. News: Adams. William Lee. Pageants' New Look.. 29 December 2013. Newsweek. 22 November 2004.
  5. Lieu. Nhi T.. Beauty Queens Behaving Badly.. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies. 2013. 34. 1. 25–57. 10.5250/fronjwomestud.34.1.0025. 142595184.