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Former Miss America Angela Perez Baraquio Grey presented the Colloquy Speaker Series May 30, celebrating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.

Grey was crowned Miss America in 2001, as Miss Hawaii. She made history by becoming the first and only Asian-American to hold the position. Grey was also the first teacher to earn the title, as an elementary school physical education teacher. During her year as Miss America, her platform was 鈥淐haracter Education.鈥�

Grey grew up in Hawaii. Her family moved to America from the Philippines in 1970. 鈥淟ike so many others, they were trying to achieve the American dream,鈥� she said.

Thinking back to her childhood, Grey remembered feeling excluded because she was different. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 long before I began to look for way to make a space for myself in the world that was mine alone,鈥� she remembered. 鈥淓ventually I was able to come to terms and embrace my multiple identities鈥攁s an American, a Filipina, a Catholic girl raised in Hawaii, and the eighth of 10 children who was often referred to by number rather than name.鈥�

She consciously recognized that she didn鈥檛 look like the women in the Miss America pageant, or even other women in magazines and on television. 鈥淏ut time, maturity, and faith helped me see that my physical difference didn鈥檛 make me less attractive or less of a person鈥攊t made me special,鈥� she said.

At age 18, she entered her first beauty pageant. After 6 years, she took what she saw as her last chance: the Miss Oahu pageant. She placed first runner-up and she came to a realization. 鈥淚 knew then that my goal wasn鈥檛 just to win the title or a new identity,鈥� Grey recalled, 鈥渂ut it was to win the platform from which I could show myself as a role model.鈥�

Grey briefly explained the rules one must abide by to compete in the Miss America pageant, including the since-abolished seventh rule: 鈥淐ontestant must be in good health and of the white race.鈥� Though the rule was repealed in 1970, Grey reflected on all the beautiful women who had previously been excluded.

鈥淚鈥檓 proud to have in some small way helped to broaden the American ideal of what beauty can be,鈥� she said.

As Grey reflected on her journey both as an Asian-American and a Christian, she recalled something her mother told her: 鈥淎ngie, if you obey God and you do His will, your life will be better than a fairytale.鈥� Even after earning the crown, Grey continued to hold to her values, making sure to attend church every week while on the road.

鈥淚 encourage every single one of you here today to seek your own place in the world and follow your hearts and God鈥檚 will into a life of wonder that can ultimately be better than a fairytale,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y life has thus far been a journey of faith, family, dreaming big, heartbreak, grand success, doubt, joy, and ultimately making peace with the story no matter how the plot has twisted.鈥�

In encouraging the audience to stay dedicated to their dreams and faith in God, she closed with the following statement: 鈥淥ne person can make a difference, but together as a collective whole we can change the world.鈥�