Annette Addo-Yobo of North Texas has been crowned Miss Texas 2024. The beauty pageant took place Saturday night at the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.
Here’s what makes the new Miss Texas stand out.
Making History
Annette Addo-Yobo became the first immigrant-born and first Ghanaian to win the title of Miss Texas. Born in Ghana and raised in Canada and the U.S., she studied at the University of Texas at Dallas, earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2020. She faced many challenges due to her citizenship status and only received U.S. citizenship in 2022.
Addo-Yobo expressed her gratitude and excitement on Instagram. She said she hopes to “continue making history with the Texas community and the Miss Texas class.”
By winning Miss Texas 2024, Addo-Yobo will receive $20,000 in scholarship money and will represent Texas in the Miss America contest. She competed as Miss Southlake this year and previously held the title of Miss Dallas in 2023.
SPARK-ing Autism Awareness
During the pageant’s talent contest, Addo-Yobo performed a spoken word piece to promote autism awareness, a cause close to her heart. Her younger brother Andrew was diagnosed on the spectrum at age four. This inspired her commitment to The SPARK Project, which addresses the structural inequities faced by the autistic community.
“As a sibling to someone on the spectrum, I noticed the systemic inequities and lack of education and training very early,” she shared on Instagram. “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 has already brought autism awareness to Capitol Hill as a volunteer advocate for Autism Speaks.
Miss Texas 2024 Finalists
The final winners of the 2024 Miss Texas competition are:
- Miss Texas: Miss Southlake, Annette Addo-Yobo
- 1st Runner-Up: Miss Space City, Chloe Burke
- 2nd Runner-Up: Miss Southeast Texas, Anyssa Mujica
- 3rd Runner-Up: Miss Plano, Sadie Schiermeyer
- 4th Runner-Up: Miss Burleson, Nicole Wingard
How do you think Annette Addo-Yobo’s groundbreaking win as the first immigrant-born Miss Texas will inspire other young women facing similar challenges? Please share your views.
