Miss Unity Contestants “Dare to be Powerful”

From left to right: Chulese Brown, Gwen Pobee, Ijeoma Okoro, Ruka Ayele, Naomi Wilson, Cyan McDonald, Tofunmi Oluwabusi, Modupe Sanyalou, and Simone Flynn.

(Ashley Ankapong/BlackExplosionNews)

Lights, talent, and wonderful gowns.

Nyumburu crowned junior information science major Naomi Wilson for the 46th Miss Unity Pageant on Sunday. 

This year’s pageant consisted of nine contestants, with the theme for this year’s pageant being “Dare to be Powerful,” as the contestants lived by that statement through their talent and platform. The pageant was founded in 1981 as “Miss Black Homecoming.”

Junior public health science major Gwen Pobee said she chose to compete in the pageant to step out of her comfort zone and to recharge her talent of singing.

“I wanted to get my fear conquered,” said Pobee. “I haven't sung in public since I was in the 5th grade.”

Sophomore cell biology and genetics major Cyan McDonald, who was placed second, said the pageant helped her manage her time better.

“I am a student and I am involved in different things so adding the pageant to that was a lot,” said McDonald. “but I was still able to be successful in everything I'm doing.”

“I just had to listen to it and find out what story to tell,” said Sophomore cell biology and genetics major Cyan McDonald about her choreography to Bellyache (marian hill remix) by Billie Eilish.

Junior public health science major Ijeoma Okoro reciting an original spoken word to Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror.

“Rihanna is my favorite artist… It was a song I was confident about.” says junior public health science major Modupe Sanyaolu on her cover of Rihanna’s “Stay.”

Junior information science major Ruka Ayele wears a traditional oromo gown for the evening gown portion.

The Miss Unity emcees were senior hearing and speech sciences major Sierra Hall and alumnus and sports journalist Kelsey Nicole Nelson.

UMD STEPP performing during the interlude.

Junior architecture major AaNiah Sanders poses with her photo taken last year when she won Miss Unity 2022.

The 2023 Miss Unity escorts line up on stage as they are being introduced to the crowd.