To fund the dreams, Sparks hopes to nurture in the young women. The top three contestants in the Miss Juneteenth pageant are awarded scholarships, with a gentle nudge toward historically Black colleges and universities. The queen from 2019, Jalani Green, just finished her first semester at Prairie View A&M University with a 4.0 GPA, according to Sparks.
In a Jan. 3 public hearing on HB 1016, the pageant was mentioned as one of the many beloved Juneteenth celebrations around the state. At the hearing, primary sponsor Morgan validated a concern she heard from the Black community: The bill does not address the larger issues of racial inequity.
HB 1016 does not
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