Iraqi-American Zenovia Jafar won the title of Miss Arab USA 2024 in the state of Arizona, USA. Zenovia moved to USA during the Iraq war.
Zenovia Jafar in an interview with Arab News after the competition on Sunday said, “My experience with Miss Arab USA has been one of the best experiences of my life. When I went in, I had no idea what was going to happen, but the most important thing is that when I went in, I can honestly say that winning was on my mind. I didn’t think about anything else.”
Zenovia Jafar added, “But when I reached this point, I realized that the friendships and connections I made with the people here are invaluable and far more important than winning. I genuinely wanted to connect with every individual I met, and I think that is what helped me win Miss Arab USA because I focused more on building real connections and doing the work that needed to be done.”
When asked about her goals, the Michigan resident said, “I am going to use my platform to raise awareness about people from underprivileged communities and those in need.”
“I am going to raise more money for charities. I came here to serve as Miss Arab USA and to use my voice to amplify the voices of those who are not heard around the world.”
Zenovia Jafar’s family moved to the United States after the Iraq war in the late 1990s, and she was very young at the time.
She said, “When we moved here, I remember one thing my mother told us: that we should never forget our roots and where we came from.”
Zenovia Jafar said, “You should always work outside your comfort zone.” (Photo: Arab News)
She mentioned, “My mother was committed to teaching us to read, write, and speak Arabic. And this is something for which I am very grateful to my mother because I can read Arabic, I can write Arabic, I can speak Arabic, and I can understand many Arabic dialects.
And I have never forgotten who I was and where my family came from. And I think that is something very important when you grow up away from home, you should stay connected to who you are. Because in the end, all you have are your roots.”
When asked if she had any advice for young Arab American women, Zenovia Jafar said, “I would say that as an Arab woman, it is very important to push your boundaries and always work outside your comfort zone because otherwise, you will never grow. Always strive to improve yourself.”