Pageant 360 Inspires Young Women

Fashioned in jeans and T-shirts, the contestants of Pageant 360--young women between ages 14 and 17-- presented how they hoped to make the world a more beautiful place; helping those with special needs, advocating animal welfare, caring for the homeless and ending world hunger. The pageant, recently held in Agoura Hills, was focused on inner beauty rather than physical appearance.

“Pageant 360 is about encouraging women to be who they truly are,” said founder Carly Hartman, 22, who created the event to help women gain self-confidence and be world changers. Participants are judged on their intellect, poise and confidence with one participant chosen to receive a $500 scholarship.

Hartman, along with a team of experienced mentors, help the girls gain self-confidence through Go Impact workshops where they address issues facing females in a world often focused on physical appearance. They tackle issues such as weight, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem which can interfere with concentrating on one’s talents and accomplishments.

The Pageant showcases the workshop participants’ talents in group and individual performances in front of an audience. Master of Ceremony for the pageant, Miss Universe Canada Finalist 2017 Shanelle Connell, encouraged the girls on stage as they answered questions about their goals and aspirations.

Darah Mendez, 16, from Los Angeles whose platform was to end world hunger and homelessness won the $500 scholarship. Other pageant participants included Angel Torres, 17, from Fillmore, Angelyse Wyatt, 14, from Santa Barbara, and Tamarah Mendez, 15, from Los Angeles.

Pageant 360, which has been sponsored for the last three years by the City of Agoura Hills Cultural Arts Council, will be expanding to all states as well as internationally. “Pageant 360 is about the whole girl. It’s a different kind of pageant to empower all women to believe in themselves and see that they are beautiful, valuable, and have a purpose,” says Hartman.

Jaime Goldstein, cultural event coordinator for Agoura Hills, says the city has an ongoing effort to sponsor programs that address social issues impacting women in the community. “We want to bring an awareness to these issues and help educate women of all ages on how they can empower themselves.” For more programs the city offers, visit 91301.org.