By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
Seattle’s renowned Seafair celebration, established in 1951 to commemorate the city’s centennial, and the local African American community are celebrating a momentous occasion as Savannah Parker, an African American woman, was recently crowned the 2023 Miss Seafair. Seafair, which began as a means to attract tourists and showcase Seattle as the “boating capital of the world,” has evolved into an event that displays the culture and diversity of the Pacific Northwest.
Parker, a rising senior at DePaul University in Chicago majoring in communications and media, with minors in Music Business and Graphic Design, was honored and celebrated by family, friends, and the community during last weekend’s Torchlight parade. As she was chauffeured through Downtown Seattle, wearing her dress and crown, the crowd expressed overwhelming support for her historic achievement.
“Being crowned Miss Seafair is honestly surreal. It isn’t something I ever saw myself going after or even qualifying for. I feel as though I still have yet to fully grasp the magnitude of the position,” said Parker. “Receiving recognition for not only academic or intellectual accomplishments, but my communal accomplishments has been overwhelming in the best way possible and has been a testament to my character and the person that I am.”
The tradition of Seafair royalty dates back to 1950, originally involving King Neptune and his Prime Minister, along with the Seafair Queen, later renamed Miss Seafair in 1972. In 2000, the Royalty Program further evolved, choosing one man as King Neptune and one woman as Queen Alcyone based on their philanthropic contributions to the Puget Sound region.
Having attended numerous Seafair events as a young girl, Parker’s ascension to the title of Miss Seafair holds profound significance, as she aspires to be an inspiration for young Black girls, encouraging them to see their worth and potential beyond the glitz and glamour of the crown.
“Similar to my perspective as a young girl, many young girls are excited by the exterior of Miss Seafair, the gown, and the glittery crown,” says Parker. “My hope is that as these young black girls grow older, they also begin to see themselves in positions even greater than the title of Miss Seafair. I hope they see the value in their authenticity.”
Being crowned Miss Seafair as a Black woman in a predominantly white city like Seattle holds greater importance for Parker. She sees her role as a platform to champion opportunities for young Black girls and people of color, empowering them to strive for their dreams.
“My hope is to use this platform to encourage others to go after everything that they feel they can’t do; as I hope to use this to fuel the same within myself,” said Parker. “Specifically, as I get ready to exit one stage of life and enter another, in finishing my final year of college, I plan to use the confidence gained and the community that’s grown to bring awareness to one of my creative initiatives, The Arcve.”
Despite the glamorization and vanity that comes with being Miss Seafair, Parker remains humble and grounded, understanding the importance of interacting with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. She offers the following advice to others, encouraging self-awareness and the confidence to pursue dreams that may seem impossible.
“My encouragement is to learn to stand firm even on the things you don’t see yet, and learn to be confident in the unknown,” says Parker. “I am nowhere near done accomplishing all that God has planned, but I’m learning that there’s no dream too big when it’s rooted in purpose.”
Follow Savannah Parker’s inspiring journey on Instagram @chey__enne and learn more about her creative initiative @thearcve
