Be Proud Foundation Crowns Winners At 14th Annual Your Highness Grandmother Pageant

Two talented beauties were crowned Your Highness Grandmothers this Sunday at the Be Proud Foundation’s annual pageant show.

This is the 14th year that the Be Proud Foundation has held the Your Highness Grandmother pageant. The winners were 66-year-old Faina Konusova and 76-year-old Anna Malkina-Shumayev, both of whom were born in Russia.

“It’s very touching for me to be here,” said Malkina-Shumayev. “I look forward to this every year.”

Malkina-Shumayev dressed in a soldier’s uniform worn by women in Russian territory during WWII. She sang an old Russian war song and an American song to commemorate the end of the war.

Konusova, who was the winner among the younger group of contestants, immigrated from Moscow in 1998. Konusova also showed off her beautiful singing voice during the pageant’s talent show.

The pageant was held at the National Restaurant and Night Club on Brighton Beach Avenue. Contestants demonstrated a wide range of talents, some even brought in their grandchildren to help them out.

Thirteen contestants vied for the crowns but, as the organizers noted, there were no losers at the event. No one went home empty handed. There was also a people’s choice award and a creativity award. The Young At Heart Award went to the pageant’s oldest contestant, 89-year-old Etya Mikhelson, who impressed the judges with her pluck and spry dancing.

For many contestants, the pageant was about celebrating life in your golden years. Yuliya Penzina got married a week ago and performed on stage with her new husband.

“It feels like life is just beginning,” Penzina told the crowd.