WILLIAMSBURG — A new Junior Miss Juneteenth Virginia has been crowned and 13-year-old Constiana Johnson hails from the Historic Triangle.
The Miss Juneteenth Virginia pageant is designed to empower youth through mentorship, cultural awareness, and leadership. The organization works to honor the legacy of Juneteenth while showcasing the vital role that the state played.
Johnson, who began competing in pageants at the age of 10, was crowned as Williamsburg’s first Little Miss Juneteenth. Winning that title fueled her fire to continue with the pageant.
“The competition starts as a mentorship program,” Johnson explained. “It really promotes African American cultural awareness and historical education. After we go through eight weeks of training, we begin to rehearse the actual pageant piece.”
With mentorship as a key aspect of the program, Johnson wanted to work on a key skill: confidence.
“It takes a lot of training and confidence to be able to speak in front of a bunch of people, especially the judges, because you don’t want to get in front of the judges and stutter. That can end up causing you to lose points,” Johnson explained.
Johnson did not win the 2024 pageant, but decided to re-enter this year.
“To watch her growth from last year to this year, it was an amazing experience. Constiana is already a competitive dancer, so she’s not a stranger to the stage. But with being in competitive dance, you don’t have to worry about public speaking because you speak with your movements. When she did it last year, I noticed that her public speaking was a weak spot for her, where she was very shy and she would stay away from that. When she wanted to come back and do it again this year, her growth and her confidence just absolutely amazed me,” Domiana Lee, Johnson’s mother, said.
When the final night of the 2025 pageant arrived, Johnson was confident she would take the title.
“I felt so much excitement when I was crowned, because I really wanted to win that title. It gives me a chance to now be a big inspiration to other young black women,” Johnson said.
As she begins her year-long reign, Johnson will make appearances at various events around Hampton Roads. She will then head to the national competition with hopes of winning Junior Miss Juneteenth of the U.S. in October.
“For nationals, I have to study a bunch of facts about Juneteenth and make sure that I have those in mind, because I can be asked those questions by the judges at any point during the week,” Johnson said.
Taking the crown would mean a lot to her.
“Winning that title would not only allow me to be a big inspiration, but also letting others know that you can do whatever you put your mind to. Even if you don’t win, you will always have a crown,” Johnson said.
While attending events, many little girls have approached Johnson, already asking for advice in their own lives.
“No matter what happens in life, nothing is really bad as long as you don’t make it seem bad. You always will have a crown on your head, and somebody will always see that crown in you.”
For more information on the national pageant, visit missjuneteenthusa.org.