On June 11, 2026, Miss Juneteenth America Founder and Pageant Director Suntrease Williams-Maynard, Queen Erin Hammond, and Queen Tammy Maku were interviewed in Mobile, Alabama, for a Today Show Jenna & Sheinelle segment that aired on Juneteenth, June 19, 2026.
The feature gave Miss Juneteenth America a national opportunity to share the meaning of Juneteenth, the impact of its scholarship pageantry program, and the voices of the young women it serves.
The interviews were filmed on the campus of Bishop State Community College and featured Miss Juneteenth America Founder and Pageant Director Suntrease Williams-Maynard, Queen Erin Hammond, Junior Miss Juneteenth America 2026, and Queen Tammy Maku, Teen Miss Juneteenth America 2026.
Together, they highlighted scholarship, leadership, service, cultural pride, education, and the enduring legacy of Juneteenth.
What Was the 2026 Miss Juneteenth America Jenna & Sheinelle Feature About?
The Today Show Jenna & Sheinelle feature, recorded on June 11 and aired on Juneteenth, June 19, introduced viewers to the Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program and the people helping carry its mission forward.
During the feature, the organization shared how Miss Juneteenth America creates opportunities for young women to grow through education, leadership, mentorship, scholarship, service, cultural awareness, and community involvement.
The appearance also gave Queen Erin and Queen Tammy an opportunity to speak about what Juneteenth means to them, how their pageant experiences shaped their confidence and leadership, and why preserving Black history remains important for the next generation.
For Founder and Pageant Director Suntrease Williams-Maynard, the national platform represented something larger than personal recognition. It was an opportunity to direct attention toward the young women the program serves and the value of creating meaningful educational and leadership opportunities.
Suntrease Williams-Maynard: Using a National Platform to Create Opportunity
For Suntrease Williams-Maynard, the Jenna & Sheinelle feature was a moment of gratitude, reflection, and responsibility.
As a native of Farmville, Virginia, she reflected on how her own experiences shaped her understanding of education and opportunity. Having witnessed both the possibilities education can create and the impact of opportunities being denied, she has carried those lessons into her work with Miss Juneteenth America.
That perspective continues to influence her commitment to helping young women gain access to encouragement, resources, exposure, and opportunities that can shape their futures.
Williams-Maynard described the Today Show feature not simply as an achievement, but as a responsibility to serve.
The national broadcast created an opportunity to introduce viewers to the Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program and to help more people understand the work being done through scholarship, leadership, service, cultural pride, and Juneteenth education.
Her reflection also emphasized that every platform should create space for others.
Rather than placing herself at the center of the moment, she viewed the opportunity as a way to shine a light on the young women who participate in the program and encourage future generations to recognize what may be possible for them.
Sharing the Miss Juneteenth America Story From Bishop State Community College
The Jenna & Sheinelle interviews were recorded at Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Alabama, on June 11, 2026.
For Miss Juneteenth America, the location carried special meaning.
Williams-Maynard expressed appreciation to Bishop State President Olivier Charles and his team for hosting the interviews and for the institution’s continued support of the program.
She also reflected on the significance of sharing the Miss Juneteenth America story from the campus of a historic Black community college.
The setting reinforced the connection between education, history, community institutions, and the development of future leaders.
For the program, Bishop State served as more than a backdrop for a national television feature. It represented the kind of institution that helps preserve history, create educational opportunities, and prepare future generations to lead.
Queen Erin Hammond: Sharing Juneteenth With a National Audience
Queen Erin Hammond participated in the Today Show Jenna & Sheinelle interview as Junior Miss Juneteenth America 2026.
During the appearance, Erin discussed the Juneteenth scholarship pageant and the significance of Juneteenth with a national audience.
The opportunity allowed her to represent Miss Juneteenth America as an ambassador for the organization’s mission and values while promoting education, cultural awareness, and community engagement.
For Erin, one of the most meaningful parts of the experience was knowing the interview would allow her to speak about Juneteenth with viewers across the country when the segment aired on Juneteenth.
The experience also strengthened her confidence as a communicator.
Erin reflected on the importance of being prepared, authentic, and confident when representing an organization publicly. She also recognized the responsibility that comes with being a positive role model and using her influence to encourage others.
Her appearance demonstrated how young leaders can help preserve history by learning it, speaking about it, and helping others understand why it continues to matter.
Queen Tammy Maku: Passing the Baton of Excellence
Queen Tammy Maku participated in the Today Show Jenna & Sheinelle interview as Teen Miss Juneteenth America 2026.
During the interview, Tammy shared her journey into pageantry, reflected on what becoming Teen Miss Juneteenth America meant to her, and spoke about the influence her sister had on her decision to compete.
She also introduced her platform, Passing the Baton of Excellence, which encourages the next generation to learn about their history, embrace their culture, pursue leadership opportunities, and recognize the responsibility of carrying important stories forward.
For Tammy, the experience represented the fulfillment of something she had once watched from a distance.
She remembered seeing her sister compete and hearing that one day she might become Miss Juneteenth herself. Participating in a national television interview during her own reign gave her an opportunity to reflect on how far she had come and on the people who helped make that journey possible.
That reflection strengthened her desire to encourage other young people to pursue their own goals while remaining connected to the history and sacrifices of those who came before them.
How Pageantry Helped Shape Queen Tammy’s Leadership
Tammy also used the Jenna & Sheinelle interview to discuss the ways pageantry contributed to her personal growth.
She reflected on mentorship, scholarship opportunities, confidence, sisterhood, and the exposure that encouraged her to learn more about historically Black colleges and universities.
Her message to other young women was centered on possibility.
She encouraged them to step beyond their comfort zones, explore leadership opportunities, learn about their history, and consider experiences that can help them build confidence and meaningful relationships.
For Tammy, leadership is not only about holding a crown or speaking before an audience.
It is about using personal experiences to educate, encourage, and open doors for others.
The Jenna & Sheinelle feature helped her see that sharing her own story could have an impact beyond herself.
Celebrating Juneteenth Through Community and Culture
In addition to the interview, Queen Tammy participated in a Juneteenth second line parade.
The experience gave her another opportunity to connect with the community while celebrating the culture, history, and traditions surrounding Juneteenth.
Her reflections also included moments of cultural engagement, from participating in the parade to decorating umbrellas and receiving Opal Lee Barbie dolls.
These experiences reinforced the idea that Juneteenth can be honored in many ways: through education, storytelling, community gathering, music, movement, art, and public celebration.
For Tammy, those moments made the national feature feel connected to the people and traditions the holiday represents.
Why the Juneteenth Air Date Mattered
The Jenna & Sheinelle segment aired on June 19, 2026, placing the Miss Juneteenth America story before a national audience on Juneteenth itself.
That timing gave the feature added relevance to the organization’s mission and the history it works to preserve and share.
For Miss Juneteenth America, the national broadcast created an opportunity to help more people understand who the organization serves, what it stands for, and why its work matters.
The feature helped communicate that the organization is centered on:
- Juneteenth education
- Scholarship
- Leadership development
- Community service
- Cultural awareness
- Mentorship
- Confidence and personal growth
- Preserving and sharing Black history
It also allowed viewers to hear directly from the young women representing the program.
That matters because the strongest understanding of the organization comes not only from describing its mission, but from hearing how participants experience that mission through their own growth, leadership, and service.
Honoring the People Who Made the Moment Possible
Miss Juneteenth America extends sincere appreciation to the Today Show and the Jenna & Sheinelle team for providing a national platform to share the organization’s story and the significance of Juneteenth.
The program also recognizes Bishop State Community College, President Olivier Charles, and the Bishop State team for hosting the June 11 interviews and for their continued support.
Queen Erin expressed gratitude to the Miss Juneteenth America organization, the Today Show team, her family, mentors, and community members for the encouragement and guidance that helped prepare her for the experience.
Queen Tammy also expressed appreciation to the Today Show for giving her an opportunity to share her story and encourage young people.
For Founder and Pageant Director Suntrease Williams-Maynard, the moment was also deeply connected to the influence of her grandmother, whose example of faith, service, humility, and perseverance continues to guide her leadership.
Faith, Service, and Responsibility
Williams-Maynard’s reflection on the Jenna & Sheinelle feature was rooted in gratitude to God and a belief that opportunities come with responsibility.
The principle, “To whom much is given, much is required,” continues to shape how she approaches the work of Miss Juneteenth America.
For her, a larger platform means a greater opportunity to serve.
That mindset influences the organization’s commitment to creating pathways for young women, strengthening educational opportunities, and helping future leaders recognize that their voices and contributions matter.
The June 19 broadcast was meaningful not simply because of the size of the audience, but because of what that audience made possible: greater awareness, broader understanding, and another opportunity to invite people into the mission.
Looking Toward the Next Generation
The Jenna & Sheinelle feature reflected a shared theme across the founder’s, Erin’s, and Tammy’s experiences: leadership carries forward.
Williams-Maynard spoke about creating opportunities for the young women coming behind her.
Erin reflected on using her voice responsibly as a positive role model.
Tammy described her platform as Passing the Baton of Excellence, emphasizing the importance of learning from previous generations and preparing the next generation to lead.
Together, those perspectives show how Miss Juneteenth America connects history with future leadership.
The program honors the past while creating opportunities for young women to understand their history, strengthen their voices, develop confidence, and become active participants in their communities.
More Than a Pageant. A Living Chapter of American History.
The 2026 Miss Juneteenth America Today Show Jenna & Sheinelle feature reflected the heart of the program:
More Than a Pageant. A Living Chapter of American History.
Recorded at Bishop State Community College in Mobile on June 11 and aired nationally on Juneteenth, June 19, the feature created an opportunity to share the meaning of Juneteenth through the voices of those helping carry its story forward.
For Suntrease Williams-Maynard, Queen Erin Hammond, and Queen Tammy Maku, the moment represented gratitude, responsibility, growth, and purpose.
As registration opens for the Class of 2027, that story continues with another generation of young women invited to learn, lead, serve, and carry the legacy of Juneteenth forward.
