Mia Boykin
On June 29, Annette Addo-Yobo of North Texas was crowned Miss Texas 2024, making her the first immigrant-born and Ghanian to win the title. Born in Ghana and raised in Canada and the United States, Addo-Yobo’s position as an immigrant meant she faced unique challenges in comparison to the other competitors.
Addo-Yobo completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Texas at Dallas in 2020, but she was still not a U.S. citizen at the time. According to a post on the “Miss Southlake” account, Addo-Yobo faced limitations due to her citizenship status, stating she “lost out on many opportunities as a teenager and college student.” It wasn’t until 2022 that she became a U.S. citizen.
Expressing her gratitude on Instagram, Addo-Yobo wrote, “I am humbled, honored, and grateful to be the 87th Miss Texas and hope to continue making history with the Texas community and the Miss Texas class.”
As the new Miss Texas, Addo-Yobo will receive $20,000 in scholarship funds and will represent the state in the Miss America contest in 2025. Before her current title, she held the position of Miss Dallas in 2023.
Addo-Yobo’s win could mean a lot for young Black girls in Texas, as representation of Black women in beauty pageants has historically led to more Black participation. Addo-Yobo comes from a long line of Black women who inspired the next generation. In 2019, all the major pageant titles were held by Black women, such as Zozibini Tunzi (Miss Universe 2019), or Chelsie Kryst (Miss USA 2019). This underscores the trickle-down effect of representation on younger girls, creating a more diverse space for them to compete.
Besides being beautiful and college-educated, Addo-Yobo also uses her platform to highlight a cause close to her heart: autism awareness. Her spoken word performance in the talent contest reflected her ongoing commitment to this issue, which stems from personal experience.
“I want to bring autism safety, awareness and education to the frontlines of our programming and our legislation,” Addo-Yobo explained. “My younger brother Andrew was diagnosed on the spectrum when he was age four. And as an immigrant to this country, he had a large learning curve to overcome.”
Her initiative, The SPARK Project, aims to address the structural inequities faced by individuals on the autism spectrum. Addo-Yobo elaborated on her mission in an Instagram post: “As a sibling to someone on the spectrum, I noticed the systemic inequities and lack of education and training very early. It is my mission to amplify the voices of the autistic community and ensure that legislators, decision-makers, and community members see us and fight for us.”
Addo-Yobo’s dedication to this cause extends beyond the pageant stage. Her Miss Southlake social media account documents her advocacy work, including a trip to Capitol Hill in March as a volunteer advocate for Autism Speaks.
As she embarks on her reign as Miss Texas 2024, Addo-Yobo appears poised to use her newfound platform to further her advocacy efforts and continue making history.
