wHO IS SHE?

Angelica Jasmine Bates is an educator, philanthropist, and pageant titleholder whose life story is a testament to perseverance, service, and advocacy. From her humble beginnings to her current role as Ms. Texas 2025 for the Royal American Miss pageant, Angelica has continually used her platform to champion inclusivity and empower others. 

Angelica’s early years saw her winning titles in baby beauty pageants before she could even walk, earning recognition within small pageant circles. However, as she grew older, she distanced herself from the pageant world, instead dedicating herself to her community. Her involvement with community outreach brands such as the Girl Scouts of America and ThisSideUp Family Center helped ignite a passion for helping others.

 In her early teens, Angelica’s family faced the compounded hardships of homelessness and hunger. During these difficult years, she leaned deeply on her faith, her community, and the power of education. She found strength in her studies, purpose in service, and joy through extracurricular involvement. Along the way, living with significant hearing loss gave her a unique perspective—and a deeper empathy for those whose voices often go unheard. It was during this time that she discovered American Sign Language (ASL), not just as a language, but as a calling to foster inclusion, bridge communication gaps, and uplift others through connection. 

Mentored by Elizabeth Ellis, Angelica immersed herself in the D/deaf community, working to promote messages of resilience, communication access, and unity. Inspired to give back, she returned to pageantry, winning the title of Miss Texas Teen 2014 for the Princess America organization. During her reign, she completed over 2,000 hours of community service, advocating for her then platform, "All Senses Are Beautiful." She found herself immersed in a community where she could express herself and help to advocate for communication access and inclusivity.

Angelica graduated from Plano West Senior High School with honors, earning recognition in ASL Honor Society and PALS. She then pursued the ASL Interpreter`s Program at Collin County Community College before transferring to Southern Methodist University.

In 2021, she graduated from Southern Methodist University with a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and Strategic Communication with a minor in Arts Entrepreneurship, where she developed skills to support her philanthropic vision. 

By 2021, Angelica established her non-profit, SignUp! Texas, focusing on character development, communication, and creativity through after-school programs and community outreach.  SignUp! Texas has provided scholarships to students across Texas pursuing interpreting programs and D/deaf education, reinforcing its commitment to promoting communication access, character development, and self-expression through creativity. By investing in the next generation of interpreters and communication professionals, SignUp! Texas empowers students to break barriers, foster inclusivity, and use their voices to make a lasting impact. 

Recently, she launched her brand initiative HerEnergySpeaks, a national platform aimed at amplifying the voices of community leaders and world changers.

During her pageant career, Angelica held numerous titles, including Miss Denton County, Miss Spring Texas, and Miss Energy Capital. Her pageantry journey saw her dedicate thousands of hours to community service, raising funds for organizations like Children’s Miracle Network and Special Olympics.

As Miss DFW for the Miss for America Strong organization, Angelica completed over 400 community events and raised $10,000 in scholarships to support her non-profit work. 

Her dedication to others continues to inspire and impact countless lives.

Today, Angelica teaches ASL at the very school where she first discovered her passion for the language. Her role as an educator allows her to mentor and inspire the next generation, fostering communication and inclusivity.

As Ms. Texas 2025 for the Royal American Miss pageant, Angelica Jasmine Bates hopes to leave a lasting legacy of resilience, service, and empowerment. Through her tireless advocacy and dedication, she continues to show that beauty shines brightest when Her Energy Speaks.