2027 NC pageant to be held in Winston-Salem
Walking through the Triad Business Expo on Saturday, Aug. 22, the group of queens representing Authentique Beauties pageant attracted attention and stopped every few feet for photo ops with attendees. In their elegant dress and wearing exquisite crowns, these ladies were the epitome of grace, elegance and charm.
Dr. Monica Jackson, the state pageant director for Authentique Beauties, said the reason the ladies were at the Expo was to build awareness of the organization. According to their website video, Authentique Beauties is more than a beauty contest. Founder Cherita Williams says, “It is about teaching that inner beauty is more important.” It’s also more than a one-shot pageant; they do activities with young girls that Williams says “help them to grow and to know that they can accomplish anything they put their minds to.” The pageant includes divisions for girls and boys (ages 0–29 for females, 0–17 for males), plus “Authentiquelly Golden” for sophisticated ladies ages 30 and up.
“This is our first year competing as a franchise in North Carolina against the other states,” said Dr. Jackson. “We actually took four ladies to compete and we won every division.” Representing the pageant along with Dr. Jackson, who is Mrs. Ultimate Elite Supreme 2026, were: LaShonda Redd, ambassador for Authentic Beauties; Mrs. Alease Wright, Mrs. Authentically Diamond 2026; and Jasmin Colter, Miss Authentic Beauties 2026.
“Next year, the national pageant will be in Dollywood, Tennessee,” said Dr. Jackson, “so we’re looking forward to that in June of 2027.” The queens were attending the Triad Business Expo to get the word out about next year’s competition. “Now for the state of North Carolina, we will actually host our pageant in January of 2027,” said Dr. Jackson. “So once everything, logistics, are ironed out, ladies from any age can come and compete in our pageant next year. The winners will actually go to the national competition in June.”
Competing requires a lot more than just walking a runway. “There’s an interview, there’s a fun fashion, there’s evening gown, and then there’s like public speaking, so you introduce yourself, tell what your platform is,” explained Dr. Jackson. “In this program you’re going to gain clarity, confidence and commitment. There is a mentoring component as well as a pageant at the end.
“My platform is jewels of purpose.” That’s the mentoring program, working with young girls. Jasmin’s platform is “asthma awareness,” responded Jasmin. Alease’s platform is “combating mental health by using volunteerism and the arts,” responded Alease.
“And our ambassador also has her own platform and program as well,” said Dr. Jackson. LaShonda described her platform: “I do clubs and the distinguished boys to men mentoring ages 7-13.”
The national website is www.authentiquebeautiesbrandllc.org, but there isn’t a North Carolina page yet. There is an Authentic Beauties North Carolina Facebook page. The queens also have their individual Facebook pages.
As mentioned earlier, this is more than a beauty contest; it’s also a mentoring program. Jasmin Colter, Miss Authentic Beauties 2026, has recently received some good news. “I just received notice this week that I will be doing an internship for the medical examiner’s office in Raleigh, North Carolina. I have received the offer to work when I graduate.” Jasmin is currently a senior at Fayetteville State University. “I want to be a crime scene investigator. And I would like to get my master’s in toxicology to be a forensic toxicologist.”
She will certainly be one of the prettiest crime scene investigators in North Carolina!
Alease Wright discussed how she hopes to use her platform. “This is a way that I can showcase the arts. I’m also an artist, a poet, a performing artist, and also I worked in the mental health field for 20 years. So,
combining both of them together was like perfect. I love helping in the community. And so, pageantry allowed for me to have a voice in the community.”
The pageant not only provides options for the participants; it opens up opportunities that they may not otherwise have considered. “When I was in college, I didn’t quite know what I wanted to do,” said Dr. Jackson. “I finished a biology degree and realized I didn’t want to go to medical school. … So I went back and got another degree. Then I was able to obtain a master’s and a doctorate.”
Looking at the queens, she continued. “But what would happen if you would have had mentors in place?
Jasmin is a college student, but she can help our middle school, our high school. Alease is an artist. She dances phenomenally and has her own group that she’s a part of. LaShonda is a school teacher. She has an after-school program. She has a summer school program.
“So, when people don’t know what they don’t know, this is a way for people to get connected, especially like with the Business Expo here today. There’s somebody here that can help these youth figure out what it is and make it happen.”
For more information on the North Carolina 2027 Authentique Beauties pageant, contact Dr. Monica Jackson, the state pageant director, at 336-391-3660, or email her at mcjackson36@hotmail.com.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCAZl0PJH1I
Photo and video by Judie Holcomb-Pack