She’s putting on for wives all over the world!
At 45 years of age, this HBCU alum has just been crowned Mrs. Universe 2022, Black Enterprise reports.
Juanita Brown Ingram is a wife, mother of two children, and a Tennessee State University alumna. While at TSU, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in accounting and pledged Alpha Chi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She received her master’s degree in business administration and law degree from the University of Memphis before going on to become a professor of business law. She’s currently a licensed U.S attorney living in Singapore with her family.
Juanita Brown Ingram is the recipient of the 2021 NAACP Ruby Hurley Image Award; she’s a filmmaker and actress. In 2018, she founded the women-led production company, “Purpose Productions Inc.,” with the aim to empower women and youth through film! Later, she launched “Purpose Streaming,” a streaming platform created for BIPOC-centric content in 2021.
Ingram is no stranger to pageantry. According to Essence, she was the first African-American woman to compete and earn the title of Mrs. Indiana United States 2007, Ms. World International 2012, Mrs. UK Universe 2013, Mrs. Great Britain World 2011, and Mrs. UK International 2014 (placing top 3 at nationals). After recently being crowned by the Ms. World Corporation, Ingram is adding Mrs. Universe 2022 to her list of lifetime achievements. Out of 75 contestants, Juanita came out on top! “It is very surreal and a tremendous blessing,” Brown Ingram said in an interview with Fox Chattanooga. “I have wanted this title for quite some time,” she added. The Mrs. Universe pageant is the third major international pageant but is different from the usual “Miss” competitions; Mrs. Universe require applicants to submit a valid copy of their marriage licenses in order to become a contestant.
Newly crowned, Juanita took to Instagram to share the monumental moment: “This moment will go down in history! Your 2022 Mrs. Universe. Looking forward to an amazing year ahead!” She went on to thank her glam squad because pageantry takes a village!
The beauty queen told Essence,“I am honored to win this title and grateful to my husband, children, family, friends and pageant coach, Kyle Ean Haggerty, for believing in me and supporting me. Pageantry with purpose is powerful. Currently, I am working on a new special series titled ‘Beyond Beauty’ that will be released in late November. It will showcase the Ms/Mrs. pageant genre as well as the confidence-building and positive aspects of pageantry.”
As if her production company doesn’t already prove it, Ingram is one to spread women empowerment. In the same Essence interview, she stated, “…To all the young ladies who are interested in doing [pageants] I say go for it, prepare and just be your absolute best self.”
In her role as Mrs. Universe 2022, Brown Ingram plans to continue putting on for her platform Dress for Success, a global charity that helps women achieve greatness in their lives and the workplace by providing professional clothing, valuable resources, and continuous empowerment. She’s already been a tremendous asset to Dress for Success; while living in London, she started a chapter, and she and her friends helped launch the organization’s new office in her hometown, Chattanooga, TN. Because of queens like Ingram, Pamela Uba, Zozibini Tunzi, Nia Franklin, Kaliegh Garris, and Cheslie Kryst, little Black girls will feel seen and be inspired! The Black woman magic never ceases to amaze on the pageant stage.
Juanita Brown Ingram has proven that she’s a pageant queen and powerhouse. We see you, and congrats are in order! Watch the recap below:
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