Former Miss Gila River will compete for Miss Indian Arizona

Kyle Knox

Gila River Indian News

Building on her experience as  Miss Gila River 2018-2019, Autumn Cooper is ready for the next step in her royalty career, competing for the Miss Indian Arizona 2019-2020 title on Saturday, Oct. 12. 

She joins five other young ladies competing at the Miss Indian Arizona Scholarship Program, held at the Chandler Center for the Arts.

Since ending her reign back in March, Autumn took some much-deserved time off. After enjoying a family vacation, she began to focus on herself and refreshed her wellness. With more time on her hands, she has the chance to pick back up her fitness, reading, and writing. 

Although the title can be stressful at times, there is plenty of fond memories and experiences she misses. For instance, she recalls attending and meeting new and outgoing royalty throughout the state as a fun experience. Traveling to other communities and appearances also gave her a lot to look forward to every month. 

The title also gave her, like many others, a chance to host events on the Community. Cooper said the two events she held are her most memorable experiences. Last year during the holiday season, she held a blanket drive for elders residing at the Caring House as well as a toy for children living at Residential Program for Youth. 

With her next step approaching fast, Autumn is always on the lookout for potential new girls to run for future Miss Gila River pageants. In her opinion, the benefits of the role are learning more about the Community, and giving back through events like the blanket and toy drive.  And above all, the individual growth she gained challenged her but ultimately made her a better person. 

Now seven months later she’s utilizing that growth and experience to advance her goals for the Miss Indian Arizona title. 

In the next issue, she shares more about how that reign differs, her platform, and how she’s preparing to compete against the five other contestants from around the state.