Angela Perez Baraquio Biography

Angela Perez Baraquio Grey (born June 1, 1975), known professionally by her birth name of Angela Perez Baraquio, was crowned Miss America 2001 on October 14, 2000 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, becoming the first Asian American, first Filipino American, and first teacher ever to win the pageant. She participated in the pageant as Miss Hawaii 2000. A member of a now prominent Hawaii family, she is the eighth of ten children (sixth of seven girls) born to an immigrant couple from the Pangasinan province of the Philippines. A politically conservative, pro-life Catholic, Baraquio has been publicly active in supporting various Republican politicians and in speaking out against abortion. She is also an educator whose platform as Miss America was character education. Since 2004, Baraquio has co-hosted the eponymous Hawaii television show Living Local with the Baraquios. She also helped host the Miss America 2002 pageant and has appeared as a panelist on MTV's Pageant School: Becoming Miss America and on the conservative talk show, Hannity, of the Fox News Channel. Baraquio is also a professional public speaker and author and has worked as a celebrity spokesperson for a Hawaiian bank and a hotel. Married to musician Tinifuloa Grey and currently residing in California, she and her husband have four children and have their own business, Isle Entertainment, a Polynesian music and dance troupe in which the couple performs with others for group events. One of her sisters is Hawaiian media personality Bernadette Baraquio Hamada and one of her brothers-in-law (Bernadette's husband) is Hawaiian conservative talk radio show host and columnist, Rick Hamada.

Baraquio graduated from Moanalua High School in June 1994 magna cum laude. Upon graduation, she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she graduated in May 1999 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education with an emphasis in speech. From August 1999 to June 2000, Baraquio was a faculty member at Holy Family Catholic Academy in the Salt Lake subdivision of Honolulu. She taught physical education, was athletic director and coached basketball, volleyball and track. Baraquio was also choir director of the historic St. Augustine Church in Waikiki. Baraquio earned her Master's degree in Educational Administration from the University of Hawaii in December 2004. During her year as Miss America in 2001, Baraquio's platform was character education.

In 2002, Baraquio married her high school sweetheart, musician Tinifuloa Grey. They have three sons, Isaiah, Micah, and Jonah, and one daughter, Keilah.

Baraquio has worked as a celebrity spokesperson for First Hawaiian Bank, First Hawaiian Center, and the Four Seasons hotel in Hawaii. Currently, Baraquio and her family live in Anaheim, California. Baraquio is a professional public speaker and is also writing her first book.

While Miss America in 2001, Baraquio participated in the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., and was acknowledged by President George W. Bush in his remarks. Bush said, "Angela, it's wonderful to see you again. Thank you for your testimony and your beauty and your grace." In June 2006, President Bush appointed Baraquio to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, where she served until November 2008.

In 2003, Baraquio hosted a series of television shows for Governor Linda Lingle (R-HI), called "Talk Story with Your Administration," showcasing activities and individuals of the Lingle Administration.

The former Miss America was one of Senator Sam Brownback's (R-KS) earliest and most prominent supporters in the 2008 Republican presidential primary season. She formally joined the Brownback campaign December 14, 2006, and served on his presidential exploratory committee, where her main task was promoting the conservative Kansas senator in her native Hawaii. She said she was drawn to the senator's strong opposition to abortion. Baraquio said, "As a Catholic, I am proud to support this wonderful man who believes in the sanctity of every human life." On January 20, 2007, Baraquio introduced Brownback at his presidential campaign kick-off event in Kansas. In her remarks, Baraquio said Brownback "is a man we can trust to take our values to the White House." Brownback withdrew from the presidential race on October 19, 2007, before any primary contests.

In late October 2008, shortly before the 2008 presidential election, Baraquio released a brief video (available here on YouTube) for the JustOneJudge campaign, calling on voters to "vote pro-life" in order to "end the reign of Roe v. Wade" when deciding between Barack Obama and John McCain. She cited the effect "just one judge" appointed to the Supreme Court by either man as president could have in terms of retaining or rejecting Roe v. Wade. She said, "As a teacher and mother I see just how important it is to protect children. Did you know that in the United States, the most dangerous place for a child to be is in the mother's womb? If Roe is not overturned, the children I teach will likely grow up as part of a culture of death, learning that when we had our one real chance to end this atrocity, we didn't do enough."

Baraquio remains active in speaking out against abortion. CMG Booking an agency which specializes in booking prominent conservative Catholics for public speaking engagements, books Baraquio for events. On her page on CMG's website, Baraquio lists "Pro-life 'Whole-life' issues" first among her speaking topics.

Media appearances

• Appeared as a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman
• Appeared as a panelist on ESPN's 2 Minute Drill
• Appeared on Wheel of Fortune
• Appeared on Hollywood Squares
• Appeared on Pyramid
• Appeared on Behind Closed Doors with Joan Lunden on A&E