Becoming
Miss Chinatown
Photo: Caroline Gutman
"Most of my colleagues don't even know I do this."
—Jasmine Lee, a software engineer
and Miss Chinatown USA 2018
Photo: Caroline Gutman
The Miss Chinatown USA pageant, one of the oldest of its kind, has been held every Chinese New Year in San Francisco since 1958. Contestants—who must be between the ages of 18 and 26, single, and have a father with Chinese ancestry—come from all over the country.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
They’re responsible for nearly every part of their performance, including finding a sponsor, picking an outfit, and showing a talent. Contestants spend months preparing for the big event.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
The two weeks leading up to the pageant are the most intense, with back-to-back press conferences, rehearsals, community association visits, and galas.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
On the day of the pageant, the show starts with the 12 finalists performing together onstage.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
That’s followed by an individual showcase where each person shows off her talent.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
Many contestants choose to highlight Chinese culture. This year’s performances included ribbon dancing, kung fu, guzheng (zither), and traditional Chinese dance.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
There’s also a swimsuit competition.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
Unlike many other pageants, the judges’ scoring is kept under wraps. That’s because contestants’ backgrounds—such as academic, professional, and community involvement—are also evaluated.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
The finalist with the top score takes the crown of Miss Chinatown USA.
Runners-up get the titles of Second, Third, and Fourth Princesses.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
This year’s winner was 18-year-old Katherine Wu of San Francisco, who performed a traditional dance and played the guzheng. She’s also a trained archer and hopes to qualify for the 2020 Olympics.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
In addition to winning $10,000, she will spend the next year representing the Chinese-American community at events, before heading off to college at Rice University.
Photo: Caroline Gutman
And unbeknownst to her classmates, she will likely continue to moonlight as a pageant queen.
Photo: Caroline Gutman