Supporting women of color, the Miss Black USA Organization, the first and largest pageant to do so, has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships. The pageant prioritizes empowering women to own their power and celebrate unique talents, traits, and beauty. Ashley Wells had been waiting for this opportunity to participate and the wait is over as Wells was crowned 2023 Miss Black Washington USA.
Beginning her journey as a Ph.D. student in American Studies and Culture at Washington State University last year, Wells’ research revolves around Black American Women and mental health disparities. In addition to being a Graduate Assistant for WSU’s Multicultural Student Services, Wells also served as Senator of the Graduate and Professional Student Association within the institution.
When asked how it feels to be Miss Black Washington USA and a Washington State University student, Wells responded, “being Miss Black Washington USA and a WSU student is a great combination of experiences. I am originally from New York and have lived on the East coast my entire life. So, to be able to make an impact specifically on Black Women in Washington has been so exciting.”
Now earning the crown and title, Wells’ platform revolves around her nonprofit work as she is the co-founder of The Prosp(a)ity Project, a 501(c)3 organization that is dedicated to improving the economic mobility of college-educated Black women.
“We do this primarily through our 35*2 Free Initiative which provides retroactive scholarships to women combined with a year-long program of financial literacy training,” said Wells. “I want to stress the importance of financial literacy and educational options to the black community as a whole.”