From China to Miss Michigan: Arianna Quan says America must embrace its diversity
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on June 20, 2016 at 5:20 AM, updated June 20, 2016 at 11:41 AM
MUSKEGON, MI – Being different used to make Arianna Quan uncomfortable.
A resident of Bloomfield Hills, the newly crowned Miss Michigan was born in Beijing, China where she lived for the first six years of her life before moving to Metro Detroit and becoming a naturalized citizen at 14.
The move wasn't always an easy one, however. Growing up, she was often the only Asian-American in many of her classes.
"All throughout my life it's been something that's been a little bit uncomfortable for me to talk about," she said. "Something that I've always been self-conscious about because I was so different from everyone else."
"I think it's innate in every teenager's upbringing that whatever makes you different is something that you should be ashamed about," she continued. "We all want to fit in, we all want to be embraced and for me, because I am very tall, because I was the only Asian-American in most of my classes, I just felt out of place."
Those teenage years are now in the past and Quan is a 23-year-old woman who will represent Michigan in the Miss America pageant held in Atlantic City, N.J. in September. She's still going against the grain, but now, it doesn't bother her so much. In fact, it's something she's proud of.
She loves archery, she speaks two languages and at Detroit's College for Creative Studies where she does her schooling she has been the only female in her Transportation Design class for the last two years.
She has hopes of becoming a lead designer at an automotive company where she can help galvanize a new generation of women in the male-dominated auto industry.
There she is, Miss Michigan 2016.
Her multicultural heritage is also a point of pride. As Miss Michigan, Quan will advocate for her platform, "Being American: Immigration & Citizenship Education," in an effort to help Americans realize the true diverse dream that is the United States of America.
"During this election year I realized how important it was for immigrants and naturalized citizens especially to speak out about their experiences in this country," she said. "We are so diverse and it's so important for all of us to embrace that. That's why my platform is what it is and hopefully going to Miss America in this election year I can raise awareness about what it means to be an American."
Her timing is pretty good, too. Since June is Immigrant Heritage Month and July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Both month-long initiatives should provide plenty of opportunities for Quan to speak on issues that have affected her directly.
Competing as Miss Wayne County, Quan beat out 32 other women from around the state to earn the title of Miss Michigan inside the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Muskegon on Saturday night.
She earned a $500 preliminary talent scholarship award for her original mix of a Glinka-Balakirev composition on the classical piano on Friday night. She has been playing the piano since she was 9 and considers it one of her true loves, even if she can only practice when she comes home from school.
"Pianos are pretty large and not easily accessible," she said. "So as soon as I get home from school, I'm practicing every single day for about 1 ½ hours at a time."
Quan also impressed the judges in a flashy yellow swimsuit and a unique, layered evening gown. As for preparing for Miss America, she said she's just going with the flow and trying "to be the best me I can be."
But she's proud to represent the state that has been her home for nearly two decades.
"I truly believe that there is some sort of divine timing in things," she said. "I truly was at peace this entire year preparing and knowing that if this job was meant for me, it wouldn't miss me. And so, I'm just really at peace with this whole process."
Arianna Quan quick facts (in her own words):
Favorite food: Pizza or bread sticks. "Anything that resembles some sort of carb with tomato and cheese," she said.
Favorite TV show: "Bob's Burgers" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
Favorite music: A little bit of everything: Country, metal (Metallica, Guns and Roses) and Classical.
Pets: Two dogs.
Place to visit: The Moon.
Person she would like to meet: Donald Trump. "What a character he is," she said. "I'm so fascinated by who is as a person and I would love to have a conversation with him."
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2016/06/from_china_to_miss_michigan_ar.html
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