Today, we want to introduce you to a woman from Metro Detroit who is a representative for women in the United States. She was just named Miss Voluptuous America, making her the first American woman to get this title.
Her name is Amanda Sweet from Warren, Michigan, and she joined “Live In The D” with co-host Tati Amare to talk about her pageant experience and her community work.
Founded in the United Kingdom, the Miss Voluptuous contest is an international pageant system. In just four years, they were able to introduce this pageant from Europe to the United States.
Sweet found out about the contest while she was looking for plus-sized opportunities online. She applied the day before the deadline and two days later got an email saying, “Wow, we’re so excited about your application.” The rest is history.
As part of her pageant victory, Sweet has highlighted her “Party With A Purpose” platform for philanthropic endeavors. She chose to combine her passions for community involvement, party planning, and community development by launching “Party with a Purpose.” The community clothing swap she organizes is also a major project of hers in which everyone participates by bringing their old clothes and exchanging them for new ones, with the leftovers being donated to the community.
In conjunction with Michigan Fashion Week, Sweet will organize her next clothing swap on June 11 at Batch Brewing Co. There will be a sustainable fashion show, DJs, food, and more during the event.
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Sweet is both Filipino and Jewish. It’s crucial to her that she raises the awareness of both groups because of her strong links to both of them. She explained that, as a half-Filipino woman, it’s critical for her to express herself in a way that other people aren’t used to seeing.
Sweet will also be present at the Warren Public Library’s Filipino Unity Day on May 21st, where you can learn about the culture and enjoy performances, cultural foods, and music.
Watch the video above for the full interview.