African heritage took center stage Friday night as the ASU African Students Association co-hosted the “Face of Africa” beauty pageant and fashion show.

About 40 young women participated in the event held at the American Banquet Hall in Phoenix. First-place winner Meskererm Zergaw, a Mesa Community College Student representing Ethiopia, took home a $1,000 cash prize.

ASU alumna Chipepo Mugala, the event’s executive director, said the show allowed women from different parts of Africa to interact and socialize while raising money for a scholarship fund.

“The primary reason for the show is to raise money for … the C. Namugala [African Students Association] Scholarship Fund that will be awarded to a student from Africa,” she said.

The show consisted of several different events, including a silent auction, swim and evening wear, a talent show and a traditional wear portion, she said.

“[The girls] had to dress like the ancestors of the country they were representing,” Mugala said.

ASU nursing senior Ejiro Ojas was one of several ASU students to participate in the show and said the traditional walk was her favorite part because she was able to be creative.

She represented Nigeria and decided to participate in the show to help raise awareness of the Africans in the community, Ojas said in an e-mail.

She was one of the top-ranked contestants and said events like this are important for everyone to attend.

“For Africans, it serves as a social gathering to help reconnect us with our roots and meet other Africans for networking,” she said. “It also serves as a place for everyone to gather and learn things about African culture, food and people.”

Ojas said the show is entertaining for everyone, not just Africans. She said it’s beneficial for people of many different cultures to attend events like "Face of Africa.”

“We live in America, which is the big melting pot, and there is so much cultural diversity,” she said. “Attending events like this helps people to be more culturally diverse.”

Nursing freshman Rubby Gyamfi, who represented her homeland of Ghana, said she participated in the show to illustrate the diversity within the African culture.

“I figured I’d let people know that not all African women are the same and that there are different sizes, shapes, tones of skin and personality,” she said in an e-mail.

Gyamfi said events like “Face of Africa” are important because it’s a chance for African students to learn about other countries and tribal groups.

“It allows all the nationalities from Africa, and the different tribal groups within countries, to come together one night for unity, love and the empowerment of women,” she said.

Gyamfi said she had a “marvelous” experience at “Face of Africa” but added she would not want to spoil the memories of a once-in-a-lifetime experience by competing again.

Ojas said she would love to participate in the show next year as an organizer so she could bring new ideas that would help improve the show.

“I would also love to make sure part of the proceeds from the show go toward health care and education issues back home,” she said.

Reach the reporter at charlsy.panzino@asu.edu