In a landmark event at the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson, Annette Addo-Yobo, representing Southlake, made history by being crowned Miss Texas 2024.
Addo-Yobo’s victory is especially significant as she becomes the first immigrant-born and the first Ghanaian to achieve this honor.
Addo-Yobo’s journey to this prestigious title is marked by resilience and determination. Born in Ghana and raised in Canada and the U.S., she pursued her education at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2020.
Despite the challenges posed by her citizenship status, which limited her opportunities as a teenager and college student, Addo-Yobo persevered. In 2022, she achieved U.S. citizenship, paving the way for her remarkable achievement.
Expressing her gratitude on Instagram, Addo-Yobo shared her excitement and humility at being named the 87th Miss Texas. “I am humbled, honored, and grateful to be the 87th Miss Texas,” she wrote. “I look forward to continuing to make history with the Texas community and the Miss Texas class.”
🇬🇭Ghana’s Annette Addo-Yobo Wins Miss Texas 2024
Addo-Yobo made history as the first Ghanaian to win the pageant at the Charles W. Eisemann Center in Richardson, Texas.
She received a $20,000 scholarship and will go on to represent Texas at the upcoming Miss America pageant.… pic.twitter.com/3dN3znbmzS
— The Accra Times (@theaccratimes) July 4, 2024
The title of Miss Texas 2024 comes with a $20,000 scholarship and the opportunity to represent Texas in the Miss America contest. Addo-Yobo, who previously held the title of Miss Dallas in 2023, used the pageant’s talent segment to highlight a cause close to her heart: autism awareness. Her spoken word performance emphasized her commitment to this issue, inspired by her younger brother Andrew, who was diagnosed on the autism spectrum at age four.
“I want to bring autism safety, awareness, and education to the frontlines of our programming and our legislation,” Addo-Yobo stated. “My younger brother Andrew had a large learning curve to overcome as an immigrant to this country.”
Addo-Yobo’s win has strengthened her resolve to use her platform, The SPARK Project, to address the systemic inequities faced by individuals with autism. “As a sibling to someone on the spectrum, I noticed the systemic inequities and lack of education and training very early,” she explained. “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.”
Her dedication to autism advocacy was evident earlier this year when she was the only volunteer advocate for Autism Speaks during a visit to Capitol Hill in March. Her efforts to raise autism awareness have been a consistent part of her advocacy work.
The final results of the 2024 Miss Texas competition are as follows:
– 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