Bishop Isao Ito and Angela Baraquio Grey
Tell me, from your perspective as a Master of Ceremonies, what does it mean to be a Pathfinder to Peace?
Well, first of all, working with the Shinnyo-en Foundation, their mission is amazing, to build peace throughout the world. People talk about world peace all the time and being Miss America, it’s kind of an inside joke where people say, oh you just want world peace. But really, what’s wrong with wanting peace in the world with all the fighting in different countries, fighting in homes? It’s something to strive for on a daily basis in your homes, in your communities, and, of course, globally. So, being an emcee for the Pathfinders to Peace awards is a life-changing experience for me. Its great to see so many people in one room, or in one organization having the same goal, which is a path towards peace. I love the Six Billion Paths to Peace mantra, that motto, it just makes so much sense and we need to keep spreading that everywhere we go.
Has it inspired you in a personal way to live your life differently?
Rev. Amano, Angela Baraquio Grey, Rev. Sugiyama and Rev. Hasebe
Absolutely. As an emcee of the first Six Billion Paths to Peace Awards Ceremony I remember listening to Martin Sheen. He had inspired me, listening to him speak and knowing that he has such celebrity and at the same time he uses it for good. He gives back on a continuous basis. I think what I got the most out of it was, it is my family where the peace starts. If I’m not happy with my husband, or I’m not happy with my kids and they’re angry, there’s something wrong. If I’m not at peace with myself at the end of the day, how can I talk about peace in the world if I can’t have peace with my family, in my home and in my heart? So it really challenges me to work everyday on my relationships and to work on my self first and foremost. I am a first grade teacher, and I’m also a public speaker and I also do television and hosting. So I’m out there in the world, doing my Miss America thing and trying to be out there. At the end of the day, it’s me and my family, me and my students. And I love my life, I love where I’m at right now and I think happiness comes from inner peace and that’s the beginning of creating peace on a more global level. 
You have two roles, one as a public figure and the other, on a more personal level. Do you find one to be more effective at furthering peace in the world?
I wouldn’t say either is more effective, I think they’re both effective. I mean, being Miss America has a lot of effect when you’re talking to people. I’ve been in rooms and convention halls with 25,000 people and then I’ve been in classrooms with 10 children and I think one is not more effective than the other. I think as a teacher if you change one life you feel like, “Wow, I’ve done something, I’ve made a difference.” I’ve always felt being a teacher was the best job in the world. Being a teacher actually led me to become Miss America. Having that whole classroom, having the world become my classroom was phenomenal. But I think everything comes full circle and that’s why I’m back in the classroom and still being able to do things as “celebrity” and they’re both effective.
Can you talk a little bit more about working with Shinnyo-en Foundation and what that’s like?
Angela Baraquio Grey applauds singing prodigy Bianca Ryan
When I was Miss America in 2001, 9/11 actually happened during my year of service. 11 days after 9/11 I passed on my crown to the next Miss America, Katie Harman, Miss America 2002. I came back to Hawaii with a lot of different priorities, one to be closer to my family, I wanted to marry my longtime boyfriend, we had a six year long distance relationship with and it was kind of like now or never. A lot of my priorities changed.
I started my own foundation, called the Angela Perez Baraquio Education Foundation, which is a non-profit 501(c)(3) foundation which promotes character education and gave scholarships and grants to teachers and students. That happened in October 2001. A few years later we met with the Shinnyo-en Foundation and had the privilege and the honor of to meet Haru Inouye and Liane Louis Badua and they had granted my foundation with about 25,000 to give character education training statewide to over 100 public and private school teacher in Hawaii. Through my foundation we were able to teach teachers, principals, and vice principals and infuse character education into their curriculum on a daily basis and that’s pretty powerful and because it was the first of its kind in our state. That was my introduction to Shinnyo-en and I love that they don’t just promote peace but they also promote education and fostering the arts and culture. It’s been a wonderful experience not only knowing Haru and Liane as individuals but also working with the Shinnyo-en Foundation.
What’s your path to peace?
My path to peace is spreading joy, light, love, and happiness to the rest of the world on a daily basis.
