Evelyn Abena Akuaba Appiah, 27, is the reigning Miss Grand International 2020. Her journey to an international beauty pageant crown was not a short one.

Born in Accra, Ghana, Appiah was one of the eight Miss Ghana 2012 finalists. She did not win the title but she won the Miss Talent award with her singing performance.

From 2013 to 2016, Appiah studied fashion at Radford University College in Accra. She won Top Model Ghana in 2013.

Representing Ghana, Appiah participated in the 20th edition of Top Model of the World in El Gouna, Red Sea, Egypt on March 29, 2013. She competed against 47 other candidates and finished in the Top 15.

From Miss Universe Ghana to Miss World America

On August 29, 2014, Appiah was crowned Miss Universe Ghana 2014 at La Palm Hotel in Accra, besting nine other candidates. She was unplaced when she represented Ghana at Miss Universe 2014 in Miami, Florida, United States on January 25, 2015.

On September 30, 2016, Appiah became the first Ghanaian woman to win an international beauty pageant by defeating 19 other candidates in Queen Beauty Universe 2016 at Holiday Polynesia Hotel in Malaga, Spain. She was a mass communication student at The State University of New York in Albany, New York, USA at that time.

Representing New York, Appiah competed against 27 other Miss World America 2017 candidates at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on August 13, 2017. She finished in the Top 16.

From Miss Earth to Miss Grand International

In August 2019, Appiah was appointed as Miss Earth Ghana 2019. Competing against 84 other Miss Earth 2019 candidates, she finished in the Top 20 at Okada Manila in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines on October 26, 2019.

While living in New York, Appiah was appointed as Miss Grand United States 2020 in July 2020. Representing the U.S., she was won the eighth edition of Miss Grand International at the SHOW DC in Bangkok, Thailand on March 27, 2021 besting 62 other candidates.

Appiah is the first African-American woman to win Miss Grand International. Before her coronation, she released a song titled “No More Hate.”