Ms. Aza A. Shukura is the founder, CEO and director of the Miss Natural Nation CO. She graduated from UNC Charlotte in 2011 with an Africana Studies degree. While studying abroad in African countries such as Ghana, Togo & Benin, she got a closer look at how Black women abroad try to emulate a sense of beauty that was not native to their own.
The idea that natural hair and dark skin is not a glorified beauty feature, is not isolated to Black women in the U.S. but is a global issue. Ms. Shukura wanted to create an avenue that would create confidence, strength and empowerment to Black women around the world by making them understand that they are timeless beauties.
Along with encouraging love for Black women's physical beauty, Shukura thrives to encourage knowledge of Black women's historical and present day achievements. Advocating that Black women have been queens, leaders, warriors and intellectual builders for ages; stating that " Regardless of all that sistas face, we have and always will be extraordinary".
Community service plays a big role in contestant participation in Miss Natural Nation Co. pageants. Shukura believes that it is vital that we walk the walk just as much as we talk the talk. We must be an example of hope and pride for the generations to come.
The Miss Natural Nation Co. thrives to be the catalyst that makes; not going natural, but being natural a norm and no longer being a revolutionary act by just being ourselves.