Muka Chisaka has expressed her joy to be selected to participate in the 19th edition of the Miss Africa USA pageant.
The event which is billed for Saturday 18th of March 2023 at Crown Plaza Hotel in Maryland would, according to the organizers, feature diverse African young women showcasing their talents as well as celebrating the beauty, and intelligence, among others of the African heritage.
Speaking exclusively with The African Press USA, Chisaka said it was a great honor for her to participate as a contestant in a program she describes as “the mother of African pageants in the diaspora”.
Muka Chisaka
The Zambian immigrant believes that the event will allow her and her fellow queens to redefine the proper image of African women.
“I think that is something that should be a great motivation, not just for me, but all of my sister queens and the other contestants. You know, we want to be able to show who we are beautiful inside and out, intelligent, you know, change agents in our community, which is what the pageant is all about. And it just helps to amplify the image of the young and ambitious African woman who’s here, you know, to use her voice and to use her energy to be a positive change influencer in this community”.
Chikasa maintained that her participation will furtherance the exposure of her Country’s enormous beauty and talents to the global space.
“Amplify Zambia in spaces where it can be strong and where it can help nations as well. It’s something that I think I want to do and want to see happen.”
Asked how she feels participating in the pageant as an immigrant, Chisaka captured her feelings this way: “As an immigrant, I feel honored because, I have found a diaspora global community here with Miss Africa USA pageantry, and it helps me feel connected to women who I can look up to and women who share the same kind of history and the same kind of background that I do. It’s very, very humbling to be able to learn from people like Lady Kate, Dr. Christine and other beautiful mentors and coaches that have been introduced to us to help prepare us for this journey. And so, again, I am just truly honored and truly humbled to be able to be a delegate for Zambia to be able to participate with my other sister queens, and to be able to feel this community outside of Africa that is still wanting to amplify the African womanhood”.
Muka Chisaka
On why she chose to participate in the program, she paid glowing tribute to her parents and friends for their supportive roles which have continued to encourage her in the process towards the grand finale of the program,
“I chose to participate in this pageant because, my platform is around public health and mental health and I have a personal story when it comes to mental health and development. Africans haven’t had such a large gross awareness when it comes to mental health. And you know, depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability. And one thing that my family and my friends were extremely supportive of is because they understand how this competition is helping me overcome challenges with my mental health. So, me stepping forward and competence, me being able to represent my country and my family. My family and my friends were very supportive and they have been extremely supportive through this process”.
While calling on the global communities to identify with the ideals of the program, she decried the infrastructural decay of the African continent which she sadly attributed to the devastating effect of slavery, exploitation, ignorance, paucity of information on growth and development as well as the will power of leaders to advance the course of even development and distribution of resources.
“Once you come across any of the contestants, once you come across anyone that’s involved with this organization, just ask how you can help, ask how you can be supportive, how you can come up and how you can be involved in helping to amplify this organization that has been created to amplify Africa as a whole”, Chisaka concluded.
