The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will host their Mr. and Ms. Extravaganza Pageant on Sunday in 101B Olscamp from 7-10 p.m.

However, the Mr. and Ms. Extravaganza Pageant is not a typical pageant where the contestants are rated on beauty or how well they do a choreographed tap dance. Mr. and Ms. Extravaganza will be judged more on brains and how they want to improve minority affairs. One male and female participant who exemplify these qualifications will win $500 in scholarships.

NAACP president Jakell Wilson said the NAACP Mr. and Ms. Extravaganza pageant is really going to differ from other pageants.

“As a national NAACP chapter on a campus, we have to put on different events that promote political awareness, educational awareness and we must promote active leadership on campus for minorities,” Wilson said. “We wanted to set a higher standard away from other pageants that are based on beauty and talent alone. We wanted to reach out to other people on campus and promote teamwork, individuality and creativity.”

Prior to the event, the seven finalists —- Darnell Barnes, Dominique Hampton, Trevor Johnson, Chris Price, Latasha Walker, Keith White and Bethany Winston — were divided into two teams and asked to collaborate on a research paper based on different political topics affecting minorities today.

Group one — Barnes, Hampton and White — were asked to research the high number of negative stereotypes that are imposed on minorities in the media, even though people know there are a lot of positive minority leaders the media tends to overshadow. The group chose to focus on talk shows and the negative connotations they give to minorities.

Group two — Johnson, Price, Walker and Winston —- were given a more historical topic. W.E.B. DuBois, the founding member of the Niagara Movement, which later became the NAACP, made a comment in his 1903 book, “The Souls Of Black Folk,” that said, “For the problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line.”

The group was then to determine if this was indeed the truth. They determined that not only is this factual, but there is also a race line and a sex line dividing America as a people.

The two groups had three weeks to change the message of their paper into a skit, which will be one of the competitions of the Extravaganza pageant.

Another competition will be an event called, “Promote Yourself.” President Jakell Wilson said the NAACP decided they wanted this part of the pageant to steer away from the typical talent competitions that pageants often feature.

“A couple of contestants are going to do spoken word or act out the struggles as a student that all students can attest to. Another contestant is biracial, and she will be talking about her experiences as a biracial student,” Wilson said. “We just wanted this part in the pageant to be a time for the contestants to show their individuality and show why they should be awarded for being an individual.”

NAACP also wanted to celebrate individuality by choosing a wide range of people to participate in the competition itself. A variety of students “come from all walks of life,” Wilson said. “They are involved in different things, such as LSU, Gospel Choir and National Pan-Hellenic Council and have been really great to work with. I feel like they are my cousins because we’ve gotten so close.”

But the sheer fact that the NAACP is able to put on this competition is something that gives them an overwhelming sense of pride. “The support that we have been getting from people is incredibly encouraging. When people tell us that they are even coming to the event or mention that they appreciate all of the hard work we are doing is really exciting to us,” Wilson said. “We are just trying to make a difference, like all other organizations on campus.”

NAACP encourages everyone to come out and participate in Mr. and Ms. Extravaganza. “One of the contestants stated this in her biography and it really displays the common goal of NAACP now and in the future. She said, ‘Strive to work for the change you want to see in the world,'” Wilson said. “And that can’t be said better than that.”

The tickets are $5 for members and $7 for non-members.