10/04/2023
2023 Pacific Miss Asian American Winner
Dougherty, she also won The Most Popular Award,
“Hello everyone! My name is Angelina Chanthy Dougherty. I am 17 years old, and I am a first-generation Cambodian American born and raised in Pennsylvania. I am a senior in Lower Moreland High School as well as a member of the National Honors Society. I have been a dancer since I was 3 years old, and have trained in the genres: ballet, tap, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, acro, modern, and contemporary at En Pointe Dance School. I have been a professional traditional Cambodian dancer since the age of 12 at Cambodian American Heritage Inc., and recently started my own cultural dance organization, Apsara Angels Dance Inc. at the age of 16. Growing up, I have always been taught to appreciate my Cambodian culture. My main goal is to always carry on traditional customs and to never forget that my heritage is a huge part of who I am. As a mixed-raced child, I have always found it difficult to completely relate to my family or friends that were fully Asian or fully European, so I have always had an immense interest in learning about my ethnicity to fully understand who I am as a person. My curiosity has led me to be very intrigued in different countries and how their cultures, history, tradition, food, and modern day life not only differ but also relate. As a result of this, I started my own dance organization to help share my passion with others. I believe it is so crucial to take admiration in your culture while also having open arms to those with other diverse customs, so that everyone can be open to learning, embracing, sharing, and keeping these cultures alive.”
