Miss Black Pasadena Laila Ward Among Tournament of Roses Royal Court Finalists

Fulfilling a lifelong dream that was put on hold for a year by the pandemic, Laila Ward, who was named Miss Black Pasadena 2021 earlier this year, is among 29 finalists vying to represent the city as part of the 2022 Tournament of Roses Royal Court.

Ward graduated from Polytechnic School in Pasadena last year and is now studying biomedical and biological sciences at USC on a pre-med track. She is also minoring in law and social justice and said she hopes to find a career path that combines the three topics.

As a lifelong Rose Parade fan and regular attendee, she said she was disappointed when the Tournament of Roses Royal Court tryouts were canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the organization extended eligibility for this year’s tryouts to young women who were eligible last year, and she was named as a finalist on Tuesday.

“And so even though I wasn’t able to run for the [2021] Rose Court, I found out about this pageant, Miss Black Pasadena, and it just started out as an interest to just go after something different,” Ward said. “But it also became something that was closer to my heart as I started pursuing it because I realized that this is what I was passionate about. I’m passionate about empowering Black girls, empowering the Black community in general in Pasadena, to be the best that we can be and to shine unapologetically as we are.”

Ward said she has gained valuable experience and learned a lot since being named Miss Black Pasadena in March.

“I think a lot of girls need to know that they are enough, they’re worth it, and that’s really what Miss Black Pasadena was for me. It was this community of girls, of sisterhood that enabled me to truly shine as I’ve always wanted to,” she said. “And I’ve been able to use this platform to do so much in terms of the community and just reach and represent so many amazing people. And to be that representation for, like, all Black girls, it means a lot. It’s a true honor.”

Growing up, Ward said she attended the Rose Parade regularly with her family.

“I never missed a year, so the Rose Parade has always been a part of my life,” she said.

“And my favorite has always been the girls…  the real-life princesses, who I thought were just so special. And then of course, when I got to meet them, their characters are just so amazing — so compassionate, down to Earth,” Ward added.

It was then she knew “ I just love this. I need to do this. So it’s always been my dream since I was like 7,” she said. “I’ve decorated the floats… it’s just something that I’ve always admired and looked up to. It’s been a tradition of my family for so long.”

Platforms such as Miss Black Pasadena and the Tournament of Roses Royal Court “are so important to highlight mainly underrepresented people and underrepresented voices, especially for people of color, girls of color,” according to Ward.

“It’s not even about the pageant. It’s not about beauty. It’s not about winning this crown. It’s not about being a queen, itself. I think we are all queens,” she said.

“This kind of enables us to grow in a way by doing public speaking, by serving our community, by being around other like-minded women… and just getting that positive empowerment is something that every girl needs,” Ward said. “So I’ve been so grateful to have this platform.”

More information on the Miss Black Pasadena pageant is available online at missblackpasadena.com.

More information on the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court can be found online at tournamentofroses.com/about/royal-court.

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Finalists Announced for Tournament of Roses Royal Court