For more than 30 years, boys and girls ages 7 to 18 have made a stamp on Juneteenth history in Milwaukee. They continue to move Black history forward as the winners of the Juneteenth scholarship pageant, and one previous winner cheered on a special someone this year.
12-year-old Madison Donald was Miss Juneteenth 2022. A year later, she is still pinching herself.
“Inside I was smiling so hard, and I almost cried.”
This year is another surreal moment as she watches her brother live the same experience.
Before winners were announced at this year’s scholarship pageant, TMJ4 reporter Symone Woolridge spoke with 8-year-old Mason Donald who lacked no confidence in his ability to take the crown.
“I have been practicing my jokes,” Mason said a week before the event.
Madison helped Mason prepare for the pageant. She said the win opened a lot of doors for her. They're the same doors she is holding open for her brother.
“If Juneteenth wasn't a thing, if that never happened, most of us wouldn't be here today and I think a lot of us should embrace that,” Madison said.
Every year, the holiday is celebrated in the Donald household. They've always known about the significance, but now Mason is eager to share more.
"Texas was the first holiday to celebrate Juneteenth," he said. "Abraham Lincoln said all the states are free."
The sibling's aunt and godmother, Sandra Hubbard, said the family often calls Madison the flower child, meaning a lot of people are drawn to her and Mason is known as the historian of the Donald family.
"He's driven by dates of anything he sees on TV, anything you're talking about, it sticks in his mind. He's driven by history. He loves that," Sandra said.
Both Madison and Mason speak Spanish. Madison is fluent in the language. She spends most of her time at the Milwaukee Public Library. You can often find her roaming the aisles, looking for movies in Spanish.
Madison is also learning Korean and sign language. She watches films as a way to learn other languages.
“Let’s say this DVD,” she said as she showed a movie at the library. “I look at the back of it and see if it goes in Spanish so I can have better comprehension.”
Madison is very active in the community. She works with the youth group at her church and donates food to shelters.
"To look at where it was in the past, it was different. There was not a voice and so to me, that's the progress. To me, that's the excitement. To see it through my niece and nephew," Sandra said.
Mason is one of four winners of the competition that will have year-round opportunities to network and do service around the community just like his sister.
The winners will also be featured in the Juneteenth Day Parade and Celebration on Monday, June 19, 2023. TMJ4 News will broadcast the parade live.
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