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A Goodwill Visit From Filipina Miss America
Honolulu teacher in S.F. to dispel title's myths
Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer Thursday, November 9, 2000
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San Francisco -- Miss America does not look like the sort of person who eats
four link sausages, a strawberry waffle and a mountain of whipped cream for
breakfast, but that's what she did yesterday in San Francisco.
It was nothing less than astonishing.
``You can eat whatever you want, in moderation,'' proclaimed Miss America, sitting
inside a Union Square coffee shop before a plate that looked less moderate than
most.
Miss America, otherwise known as 24-year-old Angela Perez Baraquio, ate her
waffle midway through a national goodwill tour, its purpose to lament that nobody
understands Miss America.
For years, Miss America has dressed in swimsuits and then complained that Miss
America is more than dressing in swimsuits. People tend to forget the other
things after the annual TV show is over, Baraquio said, which is what the goodwill
tours are for. Likewise for all the smiles, tears and straight teeth that go
with the job.
``We do a lot more than smile,'' said Baraquio, the former Miss Hawaii, smiling.
It was only last month that Baraquio won the title, becoming the first Filipina
American to carry the roses down the runway. Since then, she has traveled more
than 20,000 miles to explain that Miss America is relevant to people who don't
think so.
Her appearances are preceded by a pleading letter from her Miss America handlers.
``Consider meeting with Miss America (for) five minutes,'' said the letter.
``Our hope is that by meeting face to face with influential individuals, we
can dispel misperceptions.''
She dispelled a whole bunch of misconceptions before the arrival of the whipped
cream and sausages, which dispelled even more. Baraquio, the eighth of 10 children,
is a grammar school gym teacher from Honolulu. She entered the pageant on a
double dare from two of her students, who said they would try out for the school
basketball team only if she would try for the rhinestone crown.
She stands for something because, under contest rules, Miss America must pick
something to stand for. What Baraquio stands for is teaching respect to schoolchildren
and increasing the pay for schoolteachers from the $25,000 or so that she earns
in Honolulu, which is inadequate for the needs of royalty or even schoolteachers.
``I'm living paycheck to paycheck,'' said Miss America, with much congeniality.
Some things about Miss America, however, transcend the ages. She is required
to travel with a chaperone; she weeps when she becomes homesick, and she carries
her crown in a velvet-lined wooden box.
``People expect you to have it, but I don't like to wear it,'' she said. Instead,
she wears a modest lapel pin in the shape of the fabled crown, with rhinestones
of more temperate size and number.
Between five-minute interviews, Miss America rides in the back of her long limousine
and fusses with her hair, trying to decide whether to wear it up or down for
the next influential individual.
``My hair gets poofy if I wear it down,'' she said. ``I'm going to wear my hair
back now, because I want it calm instead of poofy.''
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