Mrs. Lowona Crawford is the Chief Executive Officer of the Miss Empire USA Pageant. A fifteen year veteran in professional pageantry, she brings not only knowledge, but also personal experience.

 

Growing up in a talented family, Lowona’s mother was a TV and movie actress. Seeing her young daughter’s gifts, she soon had her acting in TV commercials and participating in fashion shows as well. In high school, she became the very first Black History Queen of Riverside, CA. Mrs. Crawford went on to graduate from Cal State San Bernadino with a degree in business. During this time, she also studied fashion. After marrying, she traveled abroad, opening and operating multiple formalwear stores in both Japan and the United States, dressing high ranking military and local public officials as well as their families for formal occasions. Taking note of her stylishness and panache, these luminaries requested that Lowona produce fashion shows throughout Okinawa. Working with other professionals in her field, she hosted productions while simultaneously drawing on her confident expertise, overflowing enthusiasm, and larger than life personality to promote the art of pageantry.

 

Though she was enamored of the travel and glamorous lifestyle, she found she most valued the satisfaction of giving back to her local communities. Upon returning to her home state of California after seven years abroad, she decided to focus on family. When her middle child, Rikayah, had confidence issues in high school, a neighbor suggested to Mrs. Crawford that she enter her in a local pageant. She witnessed her child’s self esteem blossom and grow as she won the crown and title. It was that moment that Lowona saw the virtues of being an advocate of the importance of aiding other young ladies with their self esteem. She toured the state, encouraging young women to respect themselves and others as well as to be ambitious in achieving their career and life’s aspirations. Her reputation as a dynamic entrepreneur spread.

 

Commencing in 2009, Mrs. Crawford, with Rikayah at her side as an assistant, she produced her first city pageants in three cities. Entitled the Tri-Valley Pageants, their success and the positive after effects of the coordinated spectacles produced requests from surrounding cities to share her special brand of aptitude in transforming girls into successful young ladies. Together, the two ladies mentored and coached several young ladies who arose to the titles of Miss California as well as Miss USA state and national titleholders. Three cities soon became fifteen cities.

 

In 2014, Lowona Crawford enthusiastically embraced the title of State Director with the introduction of the Miss California Regional State Pageant. Featuring fourteen elite contestants in its inaugural year, the competition soon grew to spotlight over forty eager contestants each year. 

 

With the success of her new venture, Mrs. Crawford attained a reputation for being one of the premier pageant producers in Southern California and was soon entertaining suggestions that she expand her endeavor once again, only this time from statewide to a national level competition.

 

In the summer of 2019, the Miss California Regional State Pageant relaunched with a new name and new, far-reaching goal of taking pageants to a national level. Now known as the Miss Empire USA Pageant, the competition of poise, grace, ability, and self-confidence will host its first national pageant in July of 2021. Dozens of state titleholders representing multiple age and life status categories will compete in a challenging six phase multi-day competition. While the ability to create winners on stage is a starting point, Lowona’s true goal is for the Miss Empire USA Pageant to create a platform for women of all races, ages, and body types to grow inside and out by furnishing delegates with abilities that will give them a competitive edge to succeed wherever they may choose to go in life while recognizing their endless opportunities.

 

Mrs. Crawford feels extremely blessed to have the support of her wonderful husband, Marvin, a retired master gunnery sergeant in the United States Marine Corp. In over thirty years of happy marriage, they celebrate three children, two of the best grandsons in the world, a host of extended family, and many supportive and enthusiastic friends who fill her world.