Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Queen Reflects on Crown

Natalie Miranda

At a young age, Saerlaith Anying Dunn was surrounded by women who had a strong sense of self. They served as her role models, and it was in them that she was able to see pieces of her own identity reflected back to her.

Those women still have a special place in Dunn’s heart, with many of them being former queens and princesses of the Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Pageant, which selects young women from the Greater Los Angeles area to serve as cultural ambassadors for the Chinese American community. It was established in 1963. 

Dunn, who was crowned the 2024 Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Queen, said this close-knit network of women has lifted her up with their support and words of wisdom.

Her self image was largely shaped by the confidently authentic women she admired. 

“Miss Chinatown was a huge reason why I felt like Asian women were beautiful growing up,” Dunn said. “Now, the tide is changing with all these K-pop and C-pop stars, but when I was a kid, being Asian wasn’t synonymous with beauty.”

In addition to being Chinese, Dunn is also of Irish descent on her father’s side, which she would later find added a layer of complexity to her pageant experience.

Pageantry has preceded Dunn’s 2024 crown with a long and storied history.