Reigning Mrs. Universe Juanita Brown Ingram received a proclamation signed by Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly on Friday that recognizes her accomplishments and contributions to the community.
Ingram, a native of Chattanooga, won the title of Mrs. Universe representing Singapore, the country in which she resides, at the pageant's 2022-23 ceremony in Miami Beach, Florida, becoming the first Black woman to hold the title.
The pageant, presented by the Ms. World Corp., which is not affiliated with the Miss World or Miss Universe organizations, brings women from a variety of countries together to share their passions and promote their platforms on an international stage, according to the organization's website.
Professionally, Ingram has worked as an attorney, filmmaker, author, fashion philanthropist and actress, according to her website. She received her bachelor's degree from Tennessee State University and master's and law degrees from the University of Memphis.
At the proclamation ceremony at Olivet Baptist Church, of which Ingram still is a member despite living in Singapore, Bishop Kevin Adams Sr. presented Ingram the proclamation from the city of Chattanooga. Adams said in his remarks that Ingram's successes and ability to balance her personal and professional enterprises are an inspiration, not just to other women, but to the entire community.
Staff Photo by Sam Still / Mrs. Universe Juanita Brown Ingram stands with her proclamation from the city of Chattanooga at Olivet Baptist Church on Friday.
"Coming from Chattanooga and traveling all over the world and being the first ... African American woman to go out and win Mrs. Universe just sent echoes throughout the whole world of what a young woman can do, what she can accomplish," Adams said in an interview after the ceremony.
In her remarks at the ceremony, Ingram thanked her family and friends and spoke about her inspirations for competing in pageantry. She said the biblical story of Esther, in which Esther stands before the king and is crowned as queen, showed her that pageantry has purpose and power.
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In pageantry, Ingram sees an opportunity to inspire other young women to pursue their dreams and to stick with them despite any challenges. She said that while giving a talk before students at a middle school in Long Island, New York, a young girl said, "You look like me," which, to Ingram, made all her work worth it.
"I think that representation matters," Ingram said in an interview after the ceremony. "Having someone that looks like them matters in this day and age."
Even though Ingram and her family reside in Singapore for her husband's job, she said Chattanooga is still home. She said she speaks highly of Chattanooga to those she meets around the world and tells them it is "the most beautiful place in the world."
When asked how she manages to stay connected to Chattanooga, Ingram said technology helps her close the distance between friends and family in the States. Additionally, she said she stays connected to the community through her nonprofit organization Dress for Success Chattanooga, which provides disadvantaged women with professional clothing and styling, interview coaching and ongoing support to assist them in rejoining the workforce.
Speaking on her experience as an expatriate, she said living abroad has helped her navigate change and understand other people better.
"It does allow you to appreciate other cultures and other people and to see how similar we are," she said. "We are more alike than we are different in this world."
The international journey of Ingram, her family and other Black expatriates is the subject of the documentary series, "The Expats: International Ingrams," created by Purpose Productions, the production company of which Ingram is founder and CEO. She said a special is in development that will chronicle her year as Mrs. Universe.
Contact Sam Still at sstill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6579.