Washington, D.C.: Coming in as a proud moment for Pakistan, Pakistani-American Jessica Wilson of Maryland (and Rawalpindi) was crowned Miss Pakistan USA 2021, while Faria Chaudhry of Tennessee (and Lahore) was crowned Mrs. Pakistan USA 2021 at the pageant which took place on August 29, 2021 in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Wilson was also awarded Miss Perfect and Miss Darling of the Press. Chaudhry was also awarded as Mrs. Perfect, Mrs. People’s Choice and Mrs. Photogenic.
Apart from Wilson and Chaudhry, the following titles were awarded: Yuman Khan – Miss Popularity, Areeba Nasir Zaman – Mrs. Popularity, Iqra – Mrs. Charitable and Mrs. Intelligent, Bismaa Khan – Miss People’s Choice, Maryam Beg – Miss Talent, Miss Intelligent & Miss Charitable and Sofi Jay – Mrs. Darling of the Press at the pageant.
Speaking about the pageant in a television interview, Chaudhry said, “We need pageants and organizations that really highlight what Pakistani-American women are doing. A lot of these women that are here are very powerful and strong leaders that are involved in nonprofit organizations and it’s really a great way to highlight all the empowering work that Pakistani women are doing.”
Meanwhile in another television interview, Wilson said, “Over the past year and a half, I’ve been advocating for the underrepresentation of women of color in engineering and I wanted to take part in this competition, so I can extend my outreach to Pakistani women and young girls and encourage them to pursue a career in engineering.”
Cricketer Younus Khan and Dave Cameron, former president of the West Indies Cricket Board were the chief guests at the pageant. A total of 14 contestants from 10 states participated in two different pageants — Miss Pakistan USA and Mrs. Pakistan USA. Winners of both categories will have the opportunity to represent the Pakistani-American community by attending many community events, concerts and other special events across the country. They will also have the chance to participate in media interviews, photoshoots, music video shoots, acting and much more.
Wilson shared her victory story on Instagram with a series of pictures from the beauty pageant where she can be seen with her sash and crown. “Born as the third daughter in a time and culture where having a son was more valued, there was pressure on my parents for having all daughters. Even though my parents never posed any disappointment regarding that, I always felt the pressure of proving my worth to society. I could never give an answer to people whenever they asked me why I’m so driven. It wasn’t until I worked on my mental health to realize that a lot of my decisions were based on seeking outside validation because I felt that no matter how much I achieve, I’m still not enough. While I struggled to find my true identity and always strived for perfection, I realized that there is no one I need to prove my worth to. I’m so proud of the woman I’ve become and wouldn’t wish to be anyone else than who I truly am. I’m grateful to my parents for always believing in me and providing me with equal opportunity. I hope that my story diminishes the narrative in Pakistani society that only sons can be independent and provide for their family. If given an equal opportunity to Pakistani women, they’re capable of accomplishing so much more than we can imagine. We just need to believe in them and encourage them to pursue their ambitions.” she wrote.
Chaudhry shared her victory story on Instagram with a series of pictures from the beauty pageant where she can be seen with her sash and crown. “Thank you to everyone for your immense support. It is an absolute honor to be able to represent Pakistani American women. Now more than ever, we need to encourage women’s empowerment and challenge the status quo. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate strength and heritage.” she wrote.
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About Miss and Mrs. Pakistan USA
Miss and Mrs. Pakistan U.S.A. is a beauty pageant for Pakistani women worldwide. The Miss Pakistan U.S.A. pageant seeks to promote qualities which emphasize the beauty, intelligence, culture, and heritage Pakistani women embody. Although the pageant is based in North America it welcomes women from around the world who possess strong goals, a positive vision and an unwavering determination to promote Pakistani culture and values.