Former Miss Gila River runs for Miss Indian Arizona

October 5, 2018

Aaron J. Tohtsoni

Gila River Indian News

Former Miss Gila River Anissa Garcia will be vying for the 2018-2019 Miss Indian Arizona crown on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the 57th annual scholarship pageant at Chandler Center for the Arts.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the bond and memories I’ll be creating with the other girls who will be vying for the title as well,” said Garcia. “Most of us are pretty good friends but this will give us a chance to get to know one another better.”

Her platform is to promote and encourage youth to live a life of wellness through traditions. She is a toka player, a traditional female game of the O’otham. In addition, she is also a traditional basket dancer with the Keli Akimel O’odham Hua Modk Cudkam. Two examples of living a life of wellness through her heritage.

An Akimel O’otham part of the of ban (coyote) clan, Garcia will be singing a traditional song as her talent.

At just 23-years-old, Garcia is very active in the Gila River Indian Community having volunteered at the Mustering In Day Celebration, Five Tribes Treaty of Peace, GRIC wellness center and Huhugam Heritage Center. 

She has been a member of the Akimel O’odham Pee-Posh Youth Council and currently serves as the Western Region representative of the UNITY Executive Committee. She was also honored by UNITY as one of their 25-under-25 youth leaders in Indian Country.

Currently, Garcia is a studying at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

Garcia is the daughter of Darren Pedro-Martinez and Mario Garcia and has three brothers and one sister.

“With all the things I do and have accomplished this far I hope that it motivates and inspires the youth to believe in themselves that they, too, can do anything they put their mind to,” Garcia said. “So please come and support not only myself but all the other women who will be vying for Miss Indian Arizona.”