Miss Asian Chicago

Contestant Spotlight

Ellie

Kuzemka

Chinese

2024 Contestant #4

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What's something ​memorable about you?



My smile and facial expressions.

Why did you join MAC? / What is your goal with MAC?

I joined MAC to foster friendships with fellow ​​Asian women. As a transracial adoptee, who ​​did not have a lot of Asian women influences ​​growing up, having those connections is very ​​important to me. Also, the world of pageantry ​​is completely unknown to me and not my ​​typical extracurricular activity. I wanted to ​​get outside my comfort zone and try ​​something completely new for the betterment ​​of my personal growth.

What’s a fun fact about you?

I play 8 instruments!

What three things would you bring with you to a remote island?

1) My dog Daisy

2) A guitar

3) One of those giant military survival kits

What's your favorite quote?

“You’ll never know until you try.”

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Hi everyone! My name is Ellie Kuzemka (she/her). I am ​from Valparaiso, IN and moved to Chicago a year ​ago to start graduate school. I am currently a second ​year clinical Doctorate of Audiology student at Rush ​University. I am very passionate about my future ​profession and a long-term goal I have is to make a ​safe/accessible space for marginalized groups in ​hearing healthcare. I also take great pride in adding ​to the small number of audiologists that are part of ​the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) ​community within the field of speech and hearing ​sciences.


I am a TRA (transracial adoptee) and was adopted ​from Fuling, China by my parents. Being a transracial ​adoptee means that I am a different race than my ​parents. I grew up in a predominantly white region of ​Indiana and had very few Asian influences in my life. ​Because of this, I felt isolated from Asian culture. ​Growing up I felt ashamed of my lack of knowledge of ​Asian culture and it’s still a struggle, even as an adult. ​However, as I entered adulthood, I made more Asian ​friends and asserted myself into Asian dominated ​spaces. My Asian friends taught me the things I was ​craving but did it in a way that was out of pure love, ​enthusiasm, and without judgment. This was the first ​step towards accepting my TRA identity and what it ​means to be Asian-American. I have had to work ​hard for the knowledge I now know about my ​birth/Asian culture. As beautiful as learning about ​those are, I struggle with the process of it being ​painful due to the loss of my ability to have incidental ​learning. But, as I learn to accept myself the way I ​am, with the help of my friends, I’ve realized that the ​way that I am is just right.

Outside of my academic life, I love to spend time with ​friends/family, explore Chicago restaurants/coffee ​shops etc., and play music. I grew up playing piano ​as a child which then transitioned into the alto ​saxophone in middle school. Along the way I picked ​up quite a few instruments as well. Music is a way ​that I can express my emotions, thoughts, and ​feelings when words don’t seem to be enough. Music ​gives me an outlet to be creative, emote, and ​connect with people. I currently play my guitar at the ​Rush Hospital for cancer patients. Having serious ​health conditions such as cancer is excruciatingly ​draining in every facet. Music has a way of healing ​people that we as humans may never fully ​understand. It really does heal the mind, body, and ​soul. I love music with all my heart and if I can play ​just for an hour and watch patients listen, smile, and ​dance to my playing then that’s worth it to me.


One of my main motivators to be in this pageant was ​to surround myself with strong Asian women that will ​support me exactly the way I am. I cannot wait to go ​on this journey with the rest of my pageant sisters ​and form unique and beautiful friendships that I ​hope last a lifetime.


ellie's activities with us