Six local state title holders will travel to Universal Miss National in Texas

In March, six area pageant title holders competed at the Universal Miss Southeast Regional, bringing home state titles. The group will now represent Alabama on the Universal Miss National stage in June to compete for the national title.

Universal Miss is a national pageant for girls and women of all ages. Their motto “Embrace You” spreads a positive message on and off stage.

The goal of Universal Miss is to stage the most professional and fair competitions allowing contestants to be judged for who they are and the competition they bring to the stage. The organization stresses the importance of differences and the the importance of loving yourself.

Following are those who participated in the Universal Miss Southeast Regional competition and will travel in June to the national competition in Allen, Texas.

Trinité Halaya Bryant

Trinite’ Halaya Bryant, the reigning 2025 Miss Alabama Universal Jr. Miss. is the daughter of Timothy and Tawona Ryce.  She is an Andalusia native and junior at Guardian Angel Christian Academy.

“It is an honor to hold this esteemed title, which has already presented numerous opportunities during my tenure. My experience with pageants began in the seventh grade and I have developed a passion for them due to the opportunities they provide, such as interacting with like-minded individuals and serving as a positive role model for young girls in my community.”

In her free time, Trinité enjoys spending time with family and friends, creating TikTok dance videos, and shopping.

“I am also a proud pet owner of a goldendoodle named Bentley. I am excited to announce the launch of my new platform, “Trin’s Treasures,” which aims to collect miscellaneous items such as clothing and hygiene essentials for domestic violence victims.

“Over the past year, I have competed in various levels of pageantry and have also ventured into modeling. Notably, I was crowned the 2025 Southeast Regional Model of the Year through the Universal Miss pageant organization. I am grateful for this title and the opportunities it will bring.”

“I look forward to the national comptition, which promises to be an unforgettable experience. I look forward to forming new connections and strengthening bonds with my fellow pageant participants. The Universal Miss experience will undoubtedly be a memorable one, and I am thankful for this incredible opportunity. I kindly request that you keep us and our families in your thoughts and prayers as we travel to Texas to represent the State of Alabama.”

Keaton Magnolia Shepard

Keaton Magnolia Shepard was named  2025 Miss Crimson State Universal Baby.

Keaton is the 2-year-old daughter of Cody and Allison Shepard. Keaton is thrilled to take her pageant journey to the next level by competing on the UM national stage for the first time.

We have formed lasting friendships, but we are eager to meet new people and showcase Keaton’s confidence and poise at such a young age. Keaton Magnolia is launching her platforms to raise awareness in honor of her late best friend, Everly Reign Andrews, who tragically passed away in a car accident at the age of four. Within this tragedy, “Keaton’s Keepsake” was born. We aim to utilize this platform to raise awareness for car seat safety and support families who have experienced similar situations.

As a tribute to her best friend, “Keaton’s Keepsake” was established. We would also like to introduce our second platform, “Kick it with Keaton.” Keaton enjoys making friends wherever she goes, and we hope this platform will be a lifelong endeavor.

Whether through playdates, community events, or donations to children’s hospitals, Keaton will utilize this platform, and we invite you to join us in spreading kindness throughout her journey.

Amahni Nicole Cheatham

The 2025 Miss Universal Teen is Miss Amahni Nicole Cheatham of Greenville.

Amahni is the 13-year-old daughter of Patrice Cheatham and Stanley Boone. She currently is in the seventh grade at Greenville Middle School where she is an honor roll student and co-captain of her cheer squad. She enjoys watching K-dramas and anime, sound TikTok videos with her sisters, and playing volleyball.

Amahni plans to travel the world learning about different languages and cultures, which is why she plans to further her education after graduating High School by attending Harvard University majoring in Linguistics.

Amahni began her pageantry journey just two years ago and has since fell in love with the positive impact it has had on her life, boosting her self confidence and making new friends.

She is currently launching her platform “Mahni’s Mission” which aims to inspire others to spread love and kindness through acts of service, charity, and simply being present to those around you.

“We must first be the change we expect to see in others, and in doing that we can all make our world a little brighter,” Amahni said.

Ella Rae Miles

Ella Rae Miles is the daughter of Lee and Rachel Miles.

Ella Rae is looking forward to meeting all the new sister queens and making new friends, she said. “The true victory in a beauty pageant is not about the title, but the growth and transformation that comes with the journey.”

Through her platform, “Coloring with Ella Rae,” she provides coloring books to pediatric patient’s at Andalusia Health.

From a child’s perspective, anything from a  simple outpatient labs and x-rays to being admitted into the hospital is a very frightening time. Receiving something as simple as a coloring book puts both the child’s mind at ease, as well as the parent.

“Another goal that I want to strive for during my reign is how to be a successful title holder. It all starts with being a leader. A true leader isn’t just the one who wears the crown, it’s the one who creates the path for others to follow,” she said.

Ellowyn Ammons

Ellowyn Ammons is the daughter of Jeffrey and Danielle Ammons.

Ellowyn is excited to learn from her pageant friends who are experienced in self confidence, poise, and how to handle success and failure with grace. She is also looking forward to meeting new girls at the pageant and forming bonds and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Through her platform, “Ellowyn’s Emerald Heart Project,” she is partnering with the Wounded Warriors Project to host a 5K to support her local community and veterans nationwide.  “Our hope is that this event will raise awareness and end the stigma for veterans who struggle with mental health issues and assist them in integrating back to day-to-day life after serving. Ellowyn comes from a long line of veterans, including her father who served overseas to help protect our country, so this platform is one that she and her family holds near to their hearts.”

A few goals for Ellowyn’s reign are to become more involved in our local community and support any needs that we can. We want Ellowyn to set an example for future titleholders to care about and support their communities needs whatever they may be. We want Ellowyn to be a role model even outside of our pageant community to show other little girls that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to and to embrace their diversity and uniqueness.

Camani Nyzia Crittenden

Camani Nyzia Crittenden, a native of River Falls, is the daughter of Kimanisha (Barando) Trawick and Pierre Crittenden. She is an eighth-grade student at Red Level High School where she participates in multiple sports and activities while maintaining honor student status.

“I am deeply honored to hold the title of Miss East Coast Universal Miss, your reigning queen of 2025, which provides me with a platform to celebrate my individuality.

“My journey in the pageantry world commenced at in the second grade and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My mission is to excel at Universal Miss and diligently fulfill any tasks that come my way. I am honored to serve and will approach my duties with compassion.”

“I am delighted to announce the launch of my platform, “Camani Cares.” Through this initiative, I engage in various activities, such as reading at daycares and working with infant and toddler students within the community.

Camani said she looks  forward to representing Alabama at the national competition.

“We look forward to socializing with our pageant sisters and we appreciate your support and encouragement. The Universal Miss pageant system provides a platform for individuals to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin. I am privileged to represent the great State of Alabama. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Universal Miss Pageant System and look forward to forming new connections with the other queens. I kindly request that you continue to send prayers for these young ladies as they embark on this extraordinary journey.

“I will leave you with my favorite quote, ‘Real queens fix each other’s crowns, and they don’t tell the world it was crooked,’ which emphasizes the importance of women supporting and uplifting each other, rather than exposing each other’s flaws,” Camani said.