Miss Arab USA 2024 Winner Shares Her Journey
Zenovia Jafar, a proud Iraqi American, was ecstatic to be crowned the winner of the Miss Arab USA 2024 pageant in Arizona. Her journey to success was filled with determination and authenticity.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Jafar shared her experience saying, “My experience with Miss Arab USA is one of the best experiences of my life. When I walked in, I had no idea what was going to happen, if I was even going to win. But most importantly, when I walked in, I will honestly say that winning was the only thing on my mind. I didn’t think about anything else.”
She continued, “But once I actually got there, I realized the friendships and the connections I’ve made with the people here is priceless and it is far more important than winning … I genuinely wanted to connect with every single person that I met, and I think that’s what helped me win Miss Arab USA. Because I focused more on genuine connection and doing what I need to do. And I was committed to just being myself.”
Using Her Platform for a Greater Cause
When reflecting on her roots, Jafar shared, “When I moved here, I remember one thing that my mother told us is that we should never forget our roots and where we come from. My mother was committed to teaching us how to read and write and speak Arabic. And that is something that I am so grateful to my mother for because I can read Arabic, I can write Arabic, I can speak Arabic, I can understand many Arabic dialects.”
She added, “I never let go of who I was and where my family came from. And I think that’s something that is so important when you grow up away from home, is to stay connected to who you are. Because at the end of the day, all you have is your roots.”
Empowering Arab American Women
Offering advice to young Arab American women, Jafar emphasized the importance of pushing boundaries and stepping outside of comfort zones. She said, “As an Arab woman, it is very, very important to push your limits and always do things outside of your comfort zone because you will never grow as a person if you are stuck in your comfort zone. Always push yourself to be better.”