SEARCH ON FOR MISS ASIA USA: MARIANA HOVHANISYAN IS MISS ARMENIA
By Fred Ortega, News-Press and Leader
Tammy Abbott / News-Press
Glendale News Press, CA
March 27 2006
Fashion show on Sunday kicks off annual pageant, which again will be
at the Alex Theatre.
Photo: The Miss Asia USA Fashion Show was held Sunday at the Ambassador
Auditorium in Pasadena. Mariana Hovhannisyan, 18, a Glendale resident,
is Miss Armenia.
Marina Hovhannisyan is proud of her Armenian heritage, and she hopes
to further understand the Armenian culture through her participation
in the Miss Asia USA pageant.
“I love my country and my people, and I am very proud of being
Armenian,” said Hovhannisyan, 18, of Glendale, one of 30 contestants
in this year’s pageant, which will be held April 29 at the Alex
Theatre. “I want the American people to get to know my culture, the
people and the history of Armenia, and I hope to help accomplish that
through my involvement in Miss Asia USA.”
Hovhannisyan, who came to Glendale from Armenia five years ago,
participated in a fashion show and press junket Sunday along with
the rest of the Miss Asia USA participants at Maranatha High School
on the Ambassador Auditorium campus in Pasadena.
“It is my first pageant and I am very nervous, but I am also getting to
meet people from different nationalities, getting to know the girls,”
said Hovhannisyan, this year’s Miss Armenia. “I also like the part
of dressing up, and walking in front of all these people. It makes
you feel special.”
The contest is open to single women ages 18 to 28 whose ancestry
is at least 25% descended from one of the 58 countries of Asia and
Asia Minor. In addition to coming from the traditionally recognized
East Asian countries like China, Japan, and Korea, contestants
also represent nations as diverse as Yemen, Israel, Russia, Ukraine
and India.
This will be the third year the event is held at the Alex Theatre.
The contest, which will be hosted by KABC-TV Channel 7 sports anchor
Rob Fukuzaki and Showbiz India TV anchorwoman Reshma Dordi, will also
be broadcast in late summer or early fall on Charter video on-demand
and on the ImagineAsian TV network, potentially reaching more than
six million viewers.
It is natural that the pageant be held in Glendale, said Councilman
Dave Weaver, who is in charge of the event’s logistics.
“At least half of the population of Glendale is of Asian or Asia
Minor stock,” Weaver said. “There are more than 10,000 Filipinos,
12,000 Koreans and 70,000 Armenians in the city.”
Despite these numbers and the prevalence of Asian culture in American
society, many Americans are still in the dark about the diversity
and true nature of Asians, said last year’s Miss Asia USA Jenn Chu.
“People in the United States don’t pay attention to Asian culture,”
said Chu, who lives in Calabasas and participated in 2005 as Miss
Korea. “People mix up Korean and Chinese, Indian and Indonesian. So it
is important to showcase these differences through events such as Miss
Asia USA. Also, people who are only a quarter Asian can participate,
so they get to experience even that little bit of Asian culture
they have.”
The pageant also welcomes multiple entrants representing the same
country. For instance, Krystle Lacap of Beaumont is one of three Miss
Philippines in this year’s event.
“It is a great opportunity, full of new experiences,” said Lacap, 21.
“Getting to know the different girls and their backgrounds has been
great. It is great to become involved and showcase some of the many
cultures in the U.S.”
For more information on the Miss Asia USA pageant, visit
http://www.glendalenew spress.com/front/story/41645p-62323c.html