13-year-old crowned 2022 Miss Juneteenth of Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The message for the reigning 2022 Miss Juneteenth of Colorado Springs is "to be confident in your own skin."
Thirteen-year-old Talia Sharpe was crowned at the Juneteenth Pageant hosted by Mas Millenium Allstars, a 30-year-old dance and cheer team in Colorado Springs.
Sharpe says her mission is to help young girls of color to feel more confident and feel good about their skin color and hair texture.
"Love your hair it's one thing that is especially unique to you and it is just beautiful because not everyone has that- I get compliments every day that my hair is so pretty and they’re like can I touch it? And I’m like sure…but having curly hair or any kind of hair it is just beautiful because it is one of a kind, it is yours," said Sharpe.
Her message coincides with Colorado's Crown Act which prevents racial discrimination premised on a person’s natural hair type or race-based hairstyle.
Miss Juneteenth will be the Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival taking place Friday through Sunday at America the beautiful park.
The three-day event will be a celebration of the history of Juneteenth, Freedom Day, or present-day Black 4th of July, Black History, culture, music, community, and heritage. A plethora of artists, art forms, crafts, and more will be at the festival.
The Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival is free to the public and happening at America the Beautiful Park.
