Miss Diwali

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Miss Diwali Miss Diwali 2026, Athina Ramphal
Official local preliminary to Miss Maryland

Excited for our next Miss Diwali Pageant! Contact us today if you or someone you know is interested!
09/09/2026

Excited for our next Miss Diwali Pageant! Contact us today if you or someone you know is interested!

From diyas to fireworks, may we always be reminded that light has the power to bring people together. Happy 4th of July!...
07/05/2026

From diyas to fireworks, may we always be reminded that light has the power to bring people together. Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸✨

Day 2 of Miss Maryland Week was interview day!We walked into interview with so much gratitude and excitement for the wee...
06/24/2026

Day 2 of Miss Maryland Week was interview day!

We walked into interview with so much gratitude and excitement for the week ahead. Afterward, we got to spend time together over Red Lobster, Crumbl Cookies, and the sweetest gifted custom purses from A Dude Who Sews.

So grateful for the sponsors, the sisterhood, and every little moment that made Day 2 feel so special. 🦞🍪👑

Speaking of walking into interview with a full heart… I’m also walking in with this. 🥹I am so honored to share that I ha...
06/23/2026

Speaking of walking into interview with a full heart… I’m also walking in with this. 🥹

I am so honored to share that I have been named one of The Daily Record’s 2026 Leading Women Under 40 honorees. The Daily Record

The Genealogy Club Inc. started as a seventh-grade girl with a school club trying to answer a question about who she was. To see that same work recognized on this level, during Miss Maryland Week of all weeks, feels incredibly special.

I’m grateful and reminded that the work we do to preserve stories, celebrate identity, learn about each other and create spaces for young people to feel seen truly matters.

Miss Maryland Week has officially begun, and Day 1 already gave me so many moments to smile about 💛Thank you to Rocky’s ...
06/23/2026

Miss Maryland Week has officially begun, and Day 1 already gave me so many moments to smile about 💛

Thank you to Rocky’s Pizza for lunch, Dairy Queen for a Blizzard break, and McD Mateos for dinner. I went with a chocolate frosted Blizzard, and it was THE perfect little treat at the end of a packed day!! 🍦😋

I’m so grateful to be here representing Miss Diwali and sharing this week with such an inspiring group of women. Tomorrow is interview day, and I’m walking in feeling excited and ready to keep enjoying every part of this journey!

Hi, I’m Athina, Miss Diwali 2026!Miss Maryland week is here and I wanted to share a little more about the story behind t...
06/21/2026

Hi, I’m Athina, Miss Diwali 2026!

Miss Maryland week is here and I wanted to share a little more about the story behind the sash! 👑

Growing up, I was constantly asked, “What are you?” and for a long time, I didn’t know how to answer in a way that felt fully like me. Later, genealogy helped me understand that being Indo-Caribbean-American was something to be proud of! 🇬🇾🇺🇸

That journey is what led me to start my non-profit The Genealogy Club Inc. and our newest initiative Project I.D.E.A.: Who am I?, where I continue to help young people all over Maryland and beyond explore where they come from so they can define who they are for themselves.

As Miss Diwali, I am so grateful to celebrate culture, service, sisterhood and community while carrying this mission forward. I’m heading into Miss Maryland week with a powerful journey and a little bit of spice for the stage! 😉

Let’s do this! 💛

06/20/2026

Walking into Miss Maryland week with a full heart, a little Caribbean spice, and a whole lot of gratitude 🫶👑

I’m ready to bring my story, my culture, my purpose, and every part of who I am to the Miss Maryland stage. ✨

A lehenga at the tent is never just an outfit.Most of the time when I table for The Genealogy Club and Project I.D.E.A.:...
06/20/2026

A lehenga at the tent is never just an outfit.

Most of the time when I table for The Genealogy Club and Project I.D.E.A.: Who am I?, I’m also showing up in cultural spaces where heritage is already being celebrated.

From Asia on the Creek to Holi with Urbana STEMM, from the Immersed Global 5K Run/Walk & Culture Festival to Baltimore County’s Cultural Town Hall, these are rooms where people are already thinking about identity, belonging, and community. Wearing a lehenga helps me meet that moment before I even say a word.

It also reflects the way my work often moves between advocacy and artistry. I’ll spend part of the day sharing The Genealogy Club’s mission, then step on stage to represent my culture through dance!

So yes, I’m usually in a lehenga when I table.

Not because it is a costume.
Because it is connection.
Because it is culture.
Because it reminds people that genealogy is not just about where we come from, but how we choose to show up!

Beyond the stage and behind the scenes…During my JHU study abroad in Jamaica, I had the honor of producing a documentary...
06/19/2026

Beyond the stage and behind the scenes…

During my JHU study abroad in Jamaica, I had the honor of producing a documentary centered on Rastafari culture and legacy. Our short film, “Embers of Livity: the Trod, Teachings, and Testimonies of Ras Irice” was created in honor of Ras Irice and the trod he carried through his life, including his work in bringing Rastafari culture and community to Maryland through IDOR.

Producing this documentary meant so much to me because it was never just about capturing footage. It was about preserving feeling. It was about listening closely, honoring the people who welcomed us, and making sure the spirit of the story came through with care.

Now, I am continuing to refurbish the documentary with the hope of submitting it to a film festival. This experience reminded me that storytelling is service too.

It is a way to keep legacy alive, to honor culture with intention, and to make sure the embers of livity continue to burn.

Jamaica gave me more than memories. It gave me a responsibility to document, preserve, live in the moment, and carry the story forward with care and power. ❤️💛💚

One of my favorite things about my crown box is the hidden drawer 🤫 It may be small, but it’s packed with all the little...
06/16/2026

One of my favorite things about my crown box is the hidden drawer 🤫 It may be small, but it’s packed with all the little essentials that keep me pageant-ready!

With Miss Maryland just one week away, I thought it was only right to share the Crown Box Starter Pack: Miss Diwali 2026 edition!

Between rehearsals and appearances, this box somehow turns into my mini survival kit. Crown, sash, earrings, pins (rubber pin backs are a LIFESAVER), autograph cards, extra bindis, bobby pins, and yes… honey sticks because those are non-negotiable 😌

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Montgomery County, MD
20877

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