PARSIPPANY — UmaSofia Srivastava was named Miss New Jersey Teen USA. She competed against other young women in the pageant, which assesses contestants in personal interviews, athletic wear, and evening gowns.
As the winner of Miss New Jersey Teen USA, Srivastava became an ambassador for New Jersey and represents the state in the Miss Teen USA pageant, a national competition for young women in the United States.
UmaSofia Srivastava, 15, of Parsippany, is a high school sophomore at the Academy of St. Elizabeth. She attended Mt. Tabor Elementary School, Brooklawn Middle School, and her freshman year at Parsippany Hills High School. She was a GRO student since first grade and was involved in many school activities and clubs.
UmaSofia recently transferred to AOSE this past October. She knew that was where she belonged because of the accepting and empowering all-girls atmosphere. She loves being involved in her school community, as she is the Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion campaign which she helped revive after years of inactivity. She is also a student ambassador, a Kind Campaign leader, and an active participant in Mock Trial and Model UN competitions.
In the summer of 2020, UmaSofia started her blog, Fan Behavior, which explores her experience as a half-Mexican, half-Indian young woman of color. Her blog also covers topics such as feminism, current events, and how to navigate relationships as a teen. Through Fan Behavior, she found the confidence to share her story and hopes it inspires other young girls like her to share theirs. Her heritage has also inspired her love of learning about other cultures. So far, she’s been lucky to have visited Mexico, India, France, the UK, and Italy! UmaSofia also speaks three languages: English, Spanish, and French.
She is very grateful for the opportunities afforded her because of her education. She has worked with the Lotus Petal Foundation to help underprivileged kids in India receive the education every child deserves. This organization provides kids who live in slums with proper food, education, and career opportunities, working to break the poverty cycle. UmaSofia hopes to continue this work in her community and plans to volunteer at the Lotus Petal School over the summer and help teach virtual classes.
Despite her busy schedule and involvement in her school, UmaSofia volunteers to canvas for local elections in Morris County. Although she cannot vote yet, she encourages teens who can participate in elections and make their voices heard. She loves horseback riding and playing the piano in her free time, which has been her go-to creative outlet since she was three.
UmaSofia has not decided where she will attend college. She hopes to go into public service as a diplomat and humanitarian lawyer, continuing her activism for women’s education and making a meaningful impact on the world. With her parents’ and friends’ unwavering love and support, she cannot wait to see what the future holds for her as Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2023.
UmaSofia hopes to make New Jersey proud as she represents this incredible state at the 2023 Miss Teen USA competition!
