Amaya Staton

Name: Amaya Ann Staton

Age: 17

Nationality: African American

Sponsor: Lorain County Urban League

Parents: Saunjula and Tarrence Staton

High school: Amherst Steele High School

Future plans: I plan on studying psychology at the college level while furthering my career in basketball.

Costume: The piece that I am wearing was inspired by the pagne fabric worn by traditional Congolese women. Pagne was used to originally symbolize a person’s wealth, but later became a form of artistic expression. The deep blue signifies togetherness and harmony. The yellow symbolizes the beauty and the preciousness in the world.

The deep blue and yellow were chosen because over the years they have served as a guide for my life when facing difficult situations. Favorite family tradition: Dressing in our Sunday best on Easter and attending church. Favorite native dish: macaroni and cheese When I was younger, I felt like I didn’t have that fairy tale that most girls had because there was never really a princess who shared my race. I believe that, by becoming a Princess, I can be someone who young girls can look at and think, “Wow, if she’s a princess, then I can be one, too.”

I feel that owning up to my African American nationality enables me to become more intertwined in my culture and the beauty that it has. Incorporating certain traditions and customs that have grown and progressed through generations makes me want to share the infinite love and pleasure that I received from my race to my friends and the world around me.

Amaya Staton