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Miss Black California USA

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“I work so hard because I realize that when I succeed, it’s not just for me and my family, but for my community, my race and everyone who believes in me and supports me.”


Tara Dale Sanders, 24, was born in La Jolla, California and grew up in Carlsbad, a small town by the ocean. She is the child of an interracial marriage, however, identifies herself as African American and is a true American success story.


Though her parents divorced when she was three years old, both remained strongly supportive and involved with their youngest child and only daughter. By age 13, she was very pretty, very intelligent with a strong work ethic, a stellar personality, and an interest in community involvement and beauty pageants. It, however, was only a preview of things to come.


By age 18, Tara had developed poise, maturity, focus and determination beyond her years; exceeding even her parents’ high expectations. In addition to being bilingual and an “all honors” student for five years, she achieved: The National Honor Roll, Who’s Who Among American High School Students, 2001 Girls State Delegate, Pennysaver Academic Award and Golden Ankh Award.

An accomplished public speaker and vocalist, she was in the Carlsbad High School Music Program for four years, two of those with the highly regarded Chamber Singers. She performed free concerts and walked dogs for senior citizens while volunteering at the Womens Resource Center, and conducted the largest canned food drive in their history.


During this time she had also become a strikingly beautiful young woman with several pageant titles including, Miss Teen All America San Diego, and Miss Teen Southern California. Then, in 2002, Tara Sanders made history of her own. In April, competing against 253 other girls, she was crowned Miss Teenage California, becoming just the second African American winner in the pageants 23 year history. Five months later, in August, at the Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas she was crowned Miss Teen of the Nation, the first African American winner in seventeen years. At 5’2” she is also the shortest winner of either title.


She then attended the University of Redlands where she financed her own education and continued to distinguish herself. She has been designated a presidential Scholar, named to the National Honor Scholar Society and was one of only 60 freshmen invited to a leadership conference. She joined two support groups that provide food and build houses for the homeless and she tutored at a local middle school. In 2006 she received her Bachelors Degree in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology. She is currently a graduate student at Chico State University pursuing a masters degree in higher education and working as a student advisor. Tara is involved in research to improve the cultural climate of black students. After completing her masters degree she plans to pursue a doctorate.

TARA DALE SANDERS