Seattleite wins $5,000 in Miss Chinatown USA pageant

Last updated 2-5-09 at 2:27 p.m.

By Rebecca Ip
Seattle Chinese Post

Angela Chu, a University of Washington student, won first runner-up in the Miss Chinatown USA pageant on Saturday, Jan. 31, beating out 13 other contestants. The pageant was held at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco.

Competing in pageants has been an up-and-down experience for Chu. In 2007, she vied for but did not win a title in the Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce’s local pageant. Suana Chin, pageant co-chair of the Miss Seattle Chinatown pageant, said that Chu’s triumph in 2009 proves that hard work, courage, and endurance can lead one to the crown.

In San Francisco, Chu competed in different categories — talent, poise, and intelligence — through performances and interviews. The majority of the contestants’ ages ranged from 21 to 26, many of whom are college graduates or students.

Several members of Chu’s family traveled to San Francisco to support her. For the pageant, Chu said her mother bought her many beautiful clothes. Her family members are business owners in Seattle. Her parents, Laura and Woody Chu, own Peking House Restaurant, and her uncle, Sonny Wong, was the former owner of China Gate.

Chu was trained by dance instructor Lee Hengda for her talent show. When asked what her parents taught her regarding Chinese culture, Chu said that they taught her to respect the elderly and emphasized the importance of ensuring that this concept spreads to the younger generations.

Chin said the audience and judges liked Chu’s answer.

In Chinese, Chu’s mother said, “I was very satisfied with my daughter’s performance because after she answered her question, there was a very big applause. I am excited but not that surprised because it was well deserved. She performed very well compared to her performance two years ago in the local pageant. She’s improved so much in the last two years.”

Ni Jiang, a Seattleite and the winner of the national title of Miss Chinatown USA last year, was overjoyed when she heard the announcement that Chu, another Seattleite, placed second. Ni was there to crown the new queen, Cindy Wu, from Texas.

Chu will receive $5,000 in scholarships, cash, and other prizes. (end)

This story appears in the Seattle Chinese Post’s Feb. 7 edition. It was translated from Chinese to English by NWAW staff.

Rebecca Ip can be reached at rebecca@nwasianweekly.com.

Photo Credit: Angela Chu (right) with aunt Kim Tso

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