In a moment of tense anticipation at the end of the 2024 Miss Texas pageant, University of Texas at Dallas alum Annette Addo-Yobo BS’20, who was Miss Southlake, and Chloe Burke, Miss North Texas, held hands waiting for the final announcement. After Burke’s name was called as first runner-up, Addo-Yobo could not believe she had become Miss Texas.
“It was a mix of excitement and being overwhelmed because I didn’t think I would be here,” Addo-Yobo said. “The realization of being Miss Texas didn’t hit me until two days later, because, in the moment, I actually don’t remember my crowning. It was just a surreal out-of-body experience.”
She is the first immigrant-born winner of the Miss Texas Scholarship pageant. Born in the West African nation of Ghana, Addo-Yobo lived in Canada and the United States with her family before becoming a U.S. citizen in 2022.
“That’s a big deal for me because my whole life I’ve been reminded of the fact that I’m an immigrant,” Addo-Yobo said. “I’ve lived in the U.S. for over 15 years, and I’ve always struggled with where I fit in because I was never American enough, but then I was never Canadian enough, either.”
Addo-Yobo said it has been difficult to be an immigrant in the U.S. in the current political climate when people from other nations are often blamed for the country’s problems.
“I would hope that my reign showcases otherwise,” she said. “In a state like Texas, where 17% of the population are immigrants, it is important to me to highlight that and change the narrative to talk about how hardworking immigrants are and their contributions to the country’s economy.”
Her platform for the 2024 pageant highlights autism awareness, in honor of her brother, Andrew. Her talent portion of the competition was a spoken-word performance, in which she talked about Andrew’s life, the difficulties caretakers face and the lack of understanding about autism spectrum disorder.
Addo-Yobo’s life has revolved around helping her brother adapt to a world that largely doesn’t understand autism. Misperceptions abound about the condition, she said, from the mistaken idea that it is a mental disease to the belief that all people with autism are the same. Her role as Miss Texas allows her to share information and encourage the creation of laws and programs to support those with autism and their families.
“It was a mix of excitement and being overwhelmed because I didn’t think I would be here. The realization of being Miss Texas didn’t hit me until two days later, because, in the moment, I actually don’t remember my crowning. It was just a surreal out-of-body experience.”
Annette Addo-Yobo BS’20
Since becoming Miss Texas, she has embraced a whirlwind of activity and travel leading up to the Miss America pageant in January. The responsibilities of Miss Texas require a seven-days-a-week commitment, which required her to leave her job as the director of leadership programs for the Dallas Regional Chamber. She will travel constantly from now until the Miss America pageant in January 2025.
“I have basically six months to travel the state. It’s like Galveston one day and San Antonio the next day and then maybe on to Amarillo and back to Corpus Christi,” she said. “I have so many appearances coming up, and I’ll be in three different states. And at the same time, I have to prepare for Miss America. But I’m so excited to be Miss Texas and to be that inspiration for young girls to look up to who want to become the next Miss Texas.”
Addo-Yobo said earning a Bachelor of Science from UT Dallas in psychology and child learning and development, and then a Master of Arts in clinical psychology at Sam Houston State University, has prepared her for this moment. She also is nearing completion of an MBA from Lamar University and will next pursue her plans for law school.