On January 13, 2024, Tynecia Wilson, CLA ’20 EDU ’22, assumed the mantle of Miss Philadelphia after competing at the 2024 Miss Philadelphia pageant. She joins alumnae Hallie Jacobs, KLN ’22, and Alicia Roberts, FOX ’03, as another Owl to hold the title.
Wilson is a two-time Temple University graduate and recently completed a certificate in public relations from Klein College of Media and Communication. In addition to taking classes, she is also the program coordinator for the student activities leadership and service division and is responsible for planning Temple’s Inclusive Leadership Conference each year.
After several successful smaller pageants, Wilson competed at Miss Philadelphia for the first time in 2022.
“I am Philly. I embody Philadelphia,” Wilson said.
Though she was devastated when she came up short of the crown as first runner-up, Wilson was encouraged to compete in the Miss Liberty Bell pageant the very next day. She ended up winning and earned herself an opportunity to compete at the Miss Pennsylvania pageant that summer. Though she didn’t place, she said it was a great experience.
As fate would have it, the 2023 Miss Philadelphia pageant fell on the same weekend as the 2023 Inclusive Leadership Conference. Wilson was unable to compete and thought about hanging up her pageant hat as she approached the age limit for entry.
When it came time to decide whether to pursue the 2024 Miss Philadelphia pageant, Wilson pushed her hesitation aside and entered just a few days before pageant weekend. She used those few days to get her outfits and talent together before the big day on January 13.
“I was just the best that I could be, and it paid off,” Wilson said. That night, her dreams of representing the city as Miss Philadelphia came true when she was crowned the 103rd Miss Philadelphia.
Wilson’s pageant career started in 2019 when she represented Trinidad in the Student Organization for Caribbean Awareness’s (SOCA) Miss SOCA Caribbean Queen pageant. Despite it being her first pageant, she won Miss SOCA Caribbean Queen. Later in 2019, she was crowned Homecoming Queen.
Outside of Temple, Wilson entered the Miss Caribbean US Beauty Pageant in 2021. However, someone was already representing Trinidad, where her family is from. Instead, Wilson had the unique opportunity to represent America as Miss USA. At first, she struggled with what it would mean to talk about the U.S. in a Caribbean pageant, but after telling her story as a first generation American with parents from Trinidad, she became the first Miss USA to win the Miss Caribbean US Beauty Pageant.
As the 2024 Miss Philadelphia, Wilson will make upwards of 75 appearances across the city. Some of these involve her community service initiative, Teaching to Wellness. Wilson’s initiative advocates for financial literacy and education and she will work with Republic Bank and their new financial literacy program.
“I remember being completely impressed by her,” said Miss Philadelphia Executive Director Bobbey Biddle.
Biddle first met Wilson when she competed in 2022 and was happy to see her again in 2024. He noted her incredible ability to manage her Miss Philadelphia and Temple commitments as well as the connections she already had in the community before winning the crown.
In addition to her financial literacy initiative, Wilson has found other ways to be involved in education since graduating with her master’s in advocacy and organizational development in 2022. Specifically, she works with the Center for Black Educator Development to increase the number of people of color going into education.
Before working with the Center for Black Educator Development, Wilson was a teacher assistant for the Steppingstone Scholars summer program. There, she met former Regional Director for the Center for Black Educator Development Stephanie Tisdale, CLA ’13.
“What I noticed from the very beginning was her commitment to her tasks, her role, the way she approached collaborating with her colleagues and the way she led her classes,” Tisdale said.
Tisdale was so impressed with Wilson that she invited her to be the academic coordinator for the center. Using what she knew about Wilson’s commitment to her endeavors at Steppingstone Scholars and the center, Tisdale said she was proud, but not surprised, that Wilson had earned the title of Miss Philadelphia.
Now, Wilson is preparing for the Miss Pennsylvania pageant on June 9.
“As I continue prioritizing my health, perfecting my talent routine, attending mock interviews, and of course building my wardrobe, each and every day, I am reminded that I am just as deserving for this title as those who’ve had it before me, those who seek it with me, and those who I will make sure will excel at the job after me,” Wilson wrote.
To follow Wilson’s journey and to find ways to support, you can follow @tyneciawilson_, @missphiladelphiaorg or @teachingtowealth on Instagram.