As the Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program celebrates five years of service, one relationship stands out as an example of how consistent community support can grow into lasting partnership.
WKRG is the Official Media Partner of the Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program, marking a meaningful milestone in a relationship built over several years of interviews, event coverage, community engagement, and shared commitment to highlighting education, leadership, excellence, and the legacy of Juneteenth.
For Founder and Pageant Director Suntrease Williams-Maynard, the partnership reflects an important lesson from the program’s first five years: meaningful impact is strengthened by meaningful relationships.
Why Is WKRG the Official Media Partner of Miss Juneteenth America?
The partnership between WKRG and Miss Juneteenth America developed through years of shared experiences and continued support.
It began with Shamonee Baker, who represented WKRG as the program’s first Red Carpet Correspondent and Second Line Parade Hostess.
Her involvement helped introduce the Miss Juneteenth America mission to new audiences while bringing energy and professionalism to the program’s events.
In the years that followed, Simone Sharod and Christina Harris also supported the organization through continued engagement and media visibility.
Each interview, feature, event appearance, and opportunity to highlight the program’s scholars, queens, and community contributed to a relationship that eventually grew into an official media partnership.
A Partnership Built Over Time
For Williams-Maynard, one of the most meaningful parts of the WKRG relationship is that it was not created from a single event or one-time collaboration.
It developed gradually.
Years of shared experiences helped build trust between WKRG and Miss Juneteenth America while giving the program more opportunities to communicate its mission publicly.
Those moments included coverage that helped audiences learn more about:
- Miss Juneteenth America queens and participants
- Juneteenth education and cultural awareness
- Scholarship opportunities
- Leadership development
- Community engagement
- Program milestones and events
- The young women representing the program
Over time, that visibility helped more people understand that Miss Juneteenth America is centered on more than a pageant experience.
It is a scholarship and leadership program designed to create opportunities for young women while preserving and sharing the legacy of Juneteenth.
Recognizing Shamonee Baker’s Early Role
Williams-Maynard specifically reflected on the role Shamonee Baker played in the early development of the relationship with WKRG.
As the program’s first Red Carpet Correspondent and Second Line Parade Hostess representing WKRG, Baker helped amplify the Miss Juneteenth America mission during an important stage of its growth.
Her enthusiasm and professionalism contributed to the visibility of the program and helped connect its work with broader audiences.
That early support became part of the foundation for a relationship that continued to develop in the years ahead.
Continued Support From Simone Sharod and Christina Harris
The relationship with WKRG continued through the involvement of Simone Sharod and Christina Harris.
Their engagement helped strengthen the connection between the station and Miss Juneteenth America while creating additional opportunities for the organization to share its story.
Williams-Maynard expressed appreciation for the continued support of individuals across the WKRG team who have helped highlight the program and the young women it serves.
Each contribution became part of a larger relationship built around visibility, community, and shared purpose.
Why Media Partnerships Matter for Miss Juneteenth America
Media visibility can help a community organization become easier to understand and more accessible to the people it hopes to serve.
For Miss Juneteenth America, WKRG coverage has helped the program introduce its mission to new audiences while highlighting the accomplishments, experiences, and voices of its participants.
A strong media partnership can help communities learn:
- What the organization does
- Who the program serves
- Why Juneteenth education matters
- How young women participate
- What leadership and scholarship opportunities are available
- How community members can support the mission
For Williams-Maynard, those opportunities have helped expand awareness while keeping the focus on the scholars, queens, and young women at the center of the program.
Celebrating Five Years of Shared Purpose
The official media partnership comes as Miss Juneteenth America reflects on five years of service.
Williams-Maynard described the milestone as a reminder that meaningful work is rarely accomplished by one person or organization alone.
Volunteers, sponsors, families, community partners, supporters, and media partners have all contributed to the program’s growth.
That collective support has helped create opportunities that extend beyond individual events.
When organizations work together around a shared purpose, the impact can continue through the people they serve, the communities they strengthen, and the future leaders they help encourage.tive participants in their communities.
More Than Media Coverage
For Miss Juneteenth America, the WKRG relationship represents more than television interviews or event coverage.
It reflects what can happen when organizations consistently invest in one another’s work and recognize a common purpose.
The partnership gives Miss Juneteenth America an established media relationship as the program continues to grow, expand its reach, and create new opportunities for young women.
It also gives WKRG an ongoing role in helping share the stories, achievements, and community contributions connected to the program.
For Williams-Maynard, that shared commitment is what makes the partnership especially meaningful.
Appreciation to the WKRG Team
The Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program extends sincere appreciation to the entire WKRG team for its continued support and belief in the organization’s vision.
Williams-Maynard also recognizes Shamonee Baker, Simone Sharod, and Christina Harris for the roles they have played in strengthening the relationship over time.
Their involvement, along with the support of the broader WKRG team, has helped bring greater visibility to Miss Juneteenth America and the young women who represent its mission.
The partnership reflects years of relationship-building, shared experiences, and a continuing commitment to uplifting the community.
Looking Ahead Together
Five years of Miss Juneteenth America have been shaped by purpose, perseverance, progress, and partnership.
As the program continues to grow, the official media partnership with WKRG provides another foundation for sharing its work with the community.
Williams-Maynard expressed gratitude for what has already been built and optimism about what the partnership can support in the future.
The goal remains the same: create meaningful opportunities for young women, strengthen communities, preserve the legacy of Juneteenth, and help the next generation develop as confident and engaged leaders.
More Than a Pageant. A Living Chapter of American History.
The WKRG and Miss Juneteenth America partnership reflects the heart of the program:
More Than a Pageant. A Living Chapter of American History.
Every interview, story, event, and shared opportunity helps another audience learn about the young women, history, and mission behind Miss Juneteenth America.
What began through individual moments of support has grown into an official media partnership grounded in relationship and shared purpose.
As Miss Juneteenth America moves into its next chapter, WKRG will continue walking alongside the program as it shares the stories of the young women and communities it is honored to serve.
