PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Peoria native Mariah Cooley is proudly wearing the crown and sash as the first ever Miss Black Peoria USA.
The Monarch is Coulee’s platform, representing the monarch butterfly, the state insect of Illinois.
“I chose the monarch butterfly because it represents a transition in life and growing into a new journey,” she said.
As Cooley embarks on her new journey, she encourages others in her community to do the same.
“Through the pageant, which is a fairly new endeavor for me, I want to empower all Illinoisans to explore not only turning their pain into purpose, but also advocacy, particularly around education and gun violence prevention,” Cooley said.
Gun violence is an issue close to home for Cooley, as her cousin was killed by gun violence in 2017.
“Gun violence is connected to a whole host of issues, including education, health care, housing and food insecurity,” Cooley said, “so when we address gun violence, we have to address all of the root causes and ensure that people have access to their everyday needs and don’t have to turn to violence to get their basic needs met.”
For Cooley, retaining the title of Miss Black Peoria USA means more than just smiling and waving.
“The pageant is more than a crown, but it’s an activity,” she said, “So I plan on using this crown and sash to go out into the community, host events, host rallies, speak at different events, and bring the community together and empower young people to pursue their dreams at any age and at any stage.”
In the fall, Ms. Cooley will compete for the title of Miss Black Illinois USA. To contact Ms. Cooley, click here.
