Jeanné Kapela

Jeanné Kapela is an American politician and beauty pageant titleholder who has represented Hawaii's fifth district in the Hawaii House of Representatives since 2020. A Democrat, Kapela also was previously crowned Miss Hawaii 2015 and competed in Miss America 2016.

Jeanné Kapela
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
from the 5th district
Assumed office
November 3, 2020
Preceded byRichard Creagan
Personal details
Born1994 or 1995 (age 28–29)
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materKapiolani Community College
Profession
  • Politician
  • beauty pageant titleholder

Early life and education

Kapela is a native of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.[1] Her father is Clifford Gaspar and her mother is Keahi Kapela.[2][1] She was raised by her maternal grandmother Barbara Kapela on a coffee farm in Captain Cook, Hawaii, where the family lived in poverty.[3][4]

Kapela is a 2012 graduate of Konawaena High School in Kealakekua, Hawaii, and attended Kapiʻolani Community College in Honolulu.[5][2]

Pageantry

In November 2013, Kapela won the Miss Kona Coffee title then competed in the 2014 Miss Hawaii pageant.[6][3][7] She performed a lyrical dance during the talent competition and her platform was "Support Our Students: Empowering Hawaii's Youth to Achieve Their Dreams".[6] Kapela was named was second runner-up for the state title.[8][2][9]

In October 2014, Kapela was crowned Miss Kaka'ako 2015 which made her eligible to compete at the 2015 Miss Hawaii pageant.[9][10][1] Entering the state pageant in May 2015 as one of 29 finalists, Kapela's preliminary competition talent was a lyrical dance routine to "My Heart Will Go On" as performed by Tioni Tam Sing.[9][11] She won both the talent and swimsuit portions of the competition.[2][9] Her platform, "Sex Trafficking: #ItEndsWithUs" is a campaign to raise awareness of human trafficking.[11] Kapela is the executive director of the non-profit organization UNITE! dedicated to preventing human trafficking.[3]

Kapela won the statewide competition on Saturday, May 30, 2015, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Hawaii titleholder Stephanie Steuri.[9] Kapela dedicated her victory to the memory of her grandmother.[3][9] Kapela earned more than $30,000 in scholarship money and a new automobile from Cutter Ford for winning the state pageant.[2] As Miss Hawaii, her activities include public appearances across the state.

Kapela was Hawaii's representative at the Miss America 2016 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 2015.[11][12] In the televised finale on September 13, 2015, she placed outside the Top 15 semi-finalists and was eliminated from competition. She was awarded a $3,000 scholarship prize as her state's representative.[13][14] In addition, Kapela was awarded a $2,000 scholarship for her selection as Miss Congeniality by her fellow contestants.[15]

Political career

In 2020, Kapela won the Democratic nomination for district 5 of the Hawaii House of Representatives.[16] She was later elected to the seat in the 2020 Hawaii House of Representatives election, and took office on November 6, 2020.

References
  1. Genegabus, Jason (May 30, 2015). "Kapela crowned Miss Hawaii 2015". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Honolulu, HI: Black Press. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  2. Stanton, Karin (May 30, 2015). "Miss Hawaii 2015: Jeanne Kapela". Hawaii 24/7. Hawaii Island: Baron Sekiya. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  3. "Kona contestant named Miss Hawaii". West Hawaii Today. Kailua-Kona, HI: Black Press. June 3, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  4. "Jeanné Kapela". Hawaii House of Representatives. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  5. "Kapela is newly-crowned Miss Hawaii". Honolulu, HI: KITV. June 3, 2015. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  6. "State Contestants: Hawaii - 2014". Miss America. 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  7. "Past Title Holders". Kona District, HI: Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Pageant. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  8. Berger, John (June 8, 2014). "Steuri crowned Miss Hawaii 2014". Honolulu Pulse. Honolulu, HI: Black Press. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  9. Berger, John (May 30, 2015). "Kapela crowned Miss Hawaii 2015". Honolulu Pulse. Honolulu, HI: Black Press. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  10. "Jeanné Kapela - Miss Kaka'ako". Miss Hawaii. Retrieved June 13, 2015 – via Oceanic Time Warner Cable.
  11. "Miss Hawaii 2015 Ms. Jeanné Kapela". Hawaii News Now. Honolulu, HI: Raycom Media. June 1, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  12. "Miss Kakaako Jeanne Kapela crowned Miss Hawaii 2015". Honolulu, HI: KHON-TV. May 30, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  13. "Miss America Show Scholarships 2016". Miss America. Archived from the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  14. "The 2016 Miss America Competition Scholarships & Awards" (Press release). Miss America. September 16, 2015. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  15. "Miss Georgia, Betty Cantrell, Crowned Miss America 2016" (Press release). Miss America. September 13, 2015. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  16. "Jeanné Kapela wins Democratic nomination for State House District 5". 9 August 2020.
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