Miss American Samoa Epifania Petelo is Contestant #3 at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. 11 contestants are vying for the crown this year.
The first judged category is the pre pageant interview day after tomorrow and Epifania has picked politics as her topic.
She has told media in PNG that one of most significant issues she believes that women are facing in American Samoa and Pacific wide is the lack of women representation in all aspects (government, organizations, etc).
“Women are less likely than men to be in leadership positions,” she says.
“It’s such a big issue that we have to enter a pageant such as Miss Pacific Islands for our voices to matter and be heard. I believe that having gender equality benefits the country, because the more diverse the pool, the more talented our leaders will be.”
Accompanying Miss American Samoa to the regional pageant are the President of MASI Simeafou Imo, who will be sitting in as the board member for American Samoa on the Miss Pacific Islands Board, her mother, Akata Petelo, her brother Petelo and an uncle Luani Matafeo.
Another contestant with roots in American Samoa is
You can vote for Miss American Samoa on the Miss Pacific Islands Facebook page.
