Meet Alijah-Joye Major, a 6-year-old African American girl from Jackson, Mississippi, who has represented her state to compete against representatives from all 50 states for the title of Miss America Elementary First Grade.

Since she was just 6 months old, Alijah has been participating in beauty pageants. Her journey in the world of pageantry has taken her to various places, including Dallas, Nashville, and recently Little Rock, Arkansas.

Her mother, Joye Major, lovingly referred to as “mom-ager,” has been her biggest supporter and manager in all her pageant endeavors. One time after seeing an ad at a mall about a pageant, her mother immediately backed her up.

The young beauty queen expressed her joy and gratitude for her mother’s support. She said, “My favorite part was when my mom held a big sign up for me. It made me so happy,” according to WJTV.

Alijah’s hard work paid off when she was crowned as Miss Mississippi Elementary First Grade in November 2022. She was the only contestant from Mississippi in her age group to score in the top 10.

However, her journey was not without criticism and negative comments from other people.

“People see you putting makeup on your 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. You’re making them grow up, but I can assure you, Alijah is your normal first grader. When she’s not at a pageant, she does not have makeup on,” her mother said.

Outside her pageant journey, Alijah is a student at Casey Elementary Performing Arts School. Alijah also appeared in commercials for the Jackson Public School District (JPS) in Mississippi, showcasing her talents beyond the pageant stage.