San Francisco, CA — On August 6, 2004 — The 20th Annual Miss Asian America Pageant, a celebration of Asian beauty, culture, and talent, unfolded at the historic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The event was a mesmerizing showcase of grace and cultural pride, featuring 23 accomplished young women who vied for the prestigious title. Kollyn Muangmaithong, a 22-year-old ballet dancer with the Oakland Ballet Academy from Walnut Creek, emerged as the radiant winner, crowned Miss Asian America. She was also awarded the title of Miss Talent.

Joining her court were Carolyn Michaelis, who earned the title of First Princess and Miss Asian California; Shana Dhillon, who secured the titles of Second Princess and Miss Asian San Francisco; Kara Birkenstock, named Third Princess and Miss Community Service; Masae Nakayama, recognized for Miss Scholastic Achievement; and Linda Phung, celebrated for Miss Congeniality. Additionally, Michele Chen earned the title of Miss Asian Teen.

The Miss Asian America Pageant 2004 continued its legacy of empowering Asian American women and promoting cultural awareness. The event in its 20th year, stood as a testament to founder Rose Chung’s vision, expressing her pride in its enduring success, stating, “I can’t believe that twenty years have passed by. I think we are now an institution, well respected. We have established a reputation of having high integrity and ethics in our pageant. That’s our strong point and that’s what we are most proud of.”

Mona Lee Locke, the 1987 queen, reflected on the pageant’s evolution. She remarked, “It has evolved somewhat. I am very proud of the pageant and what a great job Rose Chung has done. It focuses on the Asian culture, bringing out the importance of all the cultures and having people learning about the cultures.”

Locke also praised the platform the pageant provides for contestants to engage with important issues. “It focuses the girls to think about issues. Once they are in the Miss Asian America one, we at least know that they are going to have to think about why they are doing it. We know that they are going to have depth and have intelligence.”

The Miss Asian America Pageant 2004 continues to serve as a beacon for unity, diversity, and community involvement.