By Linda Y. Brown

Watching beauty pageants on television is something Echoe Malone has enjoyed doing ever since she was a little girl. She listened intently as friends who have been in pageants described what it was like. But it wasn’t until about a year ago that she decided to give it a try for herself.

This September, Malone will compete as a finalist in the Official Colorado State Preliminary competition for the 2007 Miss Colorado Teen USA pageant to be held in Loveland, Colorado. Each year between 40 and 90 girls throughout the state compete for the title. If she wins, Malone will automatically go on to the Miss Teen USA Pageant in August 2007. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of the current 2006 Miss Colorado Teen USA, Blair Griffin, an African American from Morrison, Colorado, and freshman at the University of Colorado at Pueblo.

Malone, a 17-year-old senior and honor roll student at Thomas Jefferson High School, has everything it takes to be a winner. She’s a role model to her peers and younger siblings, and volunteers in her community at the Denver Black Arts Festival, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, and the Shades 2006 Conference, an organization whose goals are, “Educating women of color on the importance of embracing and applying self-care as a means of mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional empowerment.” It was through her involvement with Shades that Malone received the courage and support to step into her dream.

“My mentor, Natasha Dobson, co-chair of Shades introduced me to volunteerism and service to the Black community,” says Malone.
The fact that this is Malone’s first competition doesn’t make her nervous at all, neither does the fact that she wears braces, “And not the invisible kind either!” she stressed.

Malone plans to represent Colorado well if she wins, by being, “a concerned role model for girls who identify with me,” and being an ambassador as she travels around the state making appearances.
Malone encourages other African-American teens to not be shy when it comes to entering predominately white pageants.

“Being an African American creates diversification in a predominantly white pageant. It also says to our nation that we are confident to compete with mainstream Americans,” says Malone.

It’s no wonder Malone has such confidence. Her mother, and strongest supporter, Mariska Malone, says, “I teach Echoe, who has blue/green eyes, light brown skin and long brown hair to appreciate the richness of the Black culture and to understand the value of being Black.”

Malone is not only in the competition to represent teens, exhibit her intelligence and have “an excuse to get all glammed up,” she has plans for this to lead her into other endeavors.

“I want to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. and major in theater arts. After graduation, I want to pursue a career in acting in California, and use my experience in the Miss Colorado Teen USA pageant as a stepping-stone.”

So far Malone’s only difficulty has been in obtaining sponsorships. “Reaching out to people who don’t know you is difficult.” Yet Malone has been a trooper and has contributed $195 toward her entry fee of $895.

“This is really an important event for me. I want their support (the community) and to represent Colorado. We have a lot to offer in Colorado and I want people to see who we are.”

Malone’s determination and courage to pursue her dream of winning the state competition for poise and personality, and then on to the nationals, is best expressed in her favorite saying, ‘I’d rather run the race and lose than sit in the stands and wish I had competed.”

Editor's note: Malone is accepting donations in the form of money, services or items such as gowns, shoes, or other accessories, through Sept. 15. If you would like to make a monetary donation, you can make checks or money orders payable to: Future Productions, LLC for Echoe Malone’s Pageant Expense. Mail donations to: P.O. Box 7354, Denver, CO 80207. Sponsorship donations from businesses are tax deductibles as an advertising expense. Names of sponsors are listed on the state pageant program book and website under the name of Echoe Malone.

For more information visit www.futureproductions.net. For questions about the pageant contact the Executive State Directors, Denise Wallace Heitkamp & Craig Heitkamp at 952-897-1002 ext. 2, e-mail: info@futureproductions.net, or call Mariska Malone at 303-522-8169.