When Angela Perez Baraquio won Miss America 2001

Posted by Norman on April 9, 2020
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

(C) Winner of 80th annual Miss America pageant, 24 year-old Angela Perez Baraquio of Honolulu, surrounded by other contestants, being fitted with her crown by Miss America 2000, Heather French. (Photo by Laura Farr/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images)

It is a fact that the Filipino is a certified global citizen – not only in terms of having OFWs, interracial marriages and immigrants in all parts of the world, but also in conquering beauty pageants well beyond its own national competitions. There were several ladies with Filipino heritage who came out on top and represented their home countries like Canada (Riza Santos and Renette Cruz), Belgium (Angeline Flor Pua), Australia (Nina Robertson), Austria (Melanie Mader), Sweden (Cloie Syquia Skarne), Guam (Alixes Scott), Japan (Kumi Miyamae), Italy (Mara Morelli), Denmark (Maya Celeste Padillo Olesen) and Malaysia (Scarlett Megan Liew Zi Ling) to name some.

Back in 2001, Angela Perez Baraquio achieved three distinctions – being the first Asian American, first Filipino American and first teacher to win the Miss America crown. She represented the state of Hawaii and is the eighth child of an immigrant couple from the Province of Pangasinan here in the Philippines.

According to her bio, “Baraquio graduated from Moanalua High School in June 1994 magna cum laude. Upon graduation, she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she graduated in May 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with an emphasis in speech.

Baraquio earned her master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Hawaii in December 2004. During her year as Miss America in 2001, Baraquio’s platform was character education.“

“From August 1999 to June 2000, Baraquio was a faculty member at Holy Family Catholic Academy in the Salt Lake subdivision of Honolulu. She taught physical education, was athletic director and coached basketball, volleyball and track. Baraquio was also choir director of the historic St. Augustine Church in Waikiki.

In 2015 Baraquio was appointed principal of St. Anthony of Padua School in Gardena, California.

Baraquio has worked as a celebrity spokesperson for First Hawaiian Bank, First Hawaiian Center, and the Four Seasons hotel in Hawaii.

Currently, Baraquio and her family live in Anaheim, California.”

Have a meaningful Maundy Thursday, dear readers!

LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 14: Miss America 2001 Angela Baraquio attends the Salute to Heroes Service Gala to benefit the National Foundation for Military Family Support at The Majestic Downtown on March 14, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Unique Nicole/FilmMagic)

15 comments on “When Angela Perez Baraquio won Miss America 2001”

  1. Ganda niya. Mas maganda dun sa tinatawag nilang Oxana Federova of the Philippines na nanalo sa Miss Earth. Chweh!

  2. I love Angela’s crowning moment! She looks so down-to-earth. And it felt like the candidates were also rooting for her.

  3. The 100th birthday of Miss America will be held by the end of the year or early 2021. So she might return for the centennial celebration of Miss America competition. Aside from 2001 pageant, 2014 pageant was also dominated by Asian-Americans.

    • Yes because she represented the US in Miss Supranational. The list is long, and it deserves a separate blog entry.

  7. I remember Angela.. that was a nice surprise, with her doing hula and then bagging the crown.

    Miss Kentucky looked just like Kelly Clarkson!

  9. Well, that’s a nice-y song. “There she is. Ms. America. The queen of femininity, your ideal…”.

    Mr. Tinio, how is “Honey” coming along (I hope you still remember)? 🙂

    The cash prize of the titlist must exceed in value those of the Runners-up combined! Anubayen…

    In California, it is (i)Ng. In Singapore & Malaysia, it is (u)Ng. Why, dear fellow commentators?

    We want, also, updates on Kylah Sanchez, inaugural Miss Cosmos Philippines, Admin. TIA.

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