Tomboy Beza Mickan-White is more comfortable on a basketball court than at a beauty salon, but in the lead up to the final of Miss World Australia hair and makeup are on her mind.
The Ethiopian born South Australian is a wildcard entrant to the pageant and the first finalist of African descent.
"To be able to pave a way, that the media and the fashion industry can celebrate diversity is something I definitely want to be a part of. So I feel very lucky," said the 22-year-old.
Ms Mickan-White was born in the town of Moyale on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya.
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She was cared for by her grandmother in the capital Addis Ababa until the elderly woman's death.
Wanting a better life for his young niece, Ms Mickan-White's uncle placed her up for adoption.
At four years old she was adopted by a white Australian couple.
Adelaide became her home and she grew up surrounded by five siblings.
"They were such beautiful people. They were so friendly, so welcoming," she said.
"I remember at the house that we had they put a sign up at the front with little photos of all the family members and little descriptions of who they were."
"And there was a little teddy bear, which I actually still have, which was stuck to the door saying welcome home Beza."
The South Australian wants to use Miss World Australia as a platform to develop mentoring programs for children who arrive in Australia as asylum seekers and refugees.
She also hopes taking part will help her track down her birth mother.
"Through all the social media avenues that is something that I might be able to achieve," she said.
"Because I guess the bond between a mother and daughter is very important."
In far North Eastern Arnhem Land "Magnolia" Maminydjama Maymuru is also preparing for the pageant honing her catwalk skills.
The 19-year-old traditional Yolngu girl from the remote community of Yirrkala is the first Indigenous finalist.
She will be representing the Northern Territory.
"I am excited but I am also very nervous," she said.
"I am hoping that I make the most out of it so my people can watch it and give them something to be proud of."
Two years ago she knocked back a modelling offer to finish school.
Her studies complete she now organises photo shoots around her full time job as a sports and recreation officer in her local community.
Miss World Australia is delighted to have the young woman on board.
"She is an elegant, beautiful, classy young girl," said national pageant director Deborah Miller.
"Someone who hunts and someone who fishes. It is so exciting."
Pageant organisers have been pushing for greater diversity in the competition, which has been criticised in the past for not reflecting multicultural Australia.
"We just hope that Magnolia will just help bring other girls from these communities through," said Ms Miller.
One of Miss World Australia's key aims is to create role models who will contribute to the advancement of women and positively impact their communities.
Doctor Lauren Rosewarne is a senior lecturer at the School of Social and Political Sciences at Melbourne University.
She says contestants may be able to use their celebrity to raise awareness of charities and underrepresented groups in the community, but to a limited degree.
"There may be possibilities for individual women to improve their own lives. But the idea of raising all women up through reference to a parade that judges women by their appearance sounds a bit unlikely to me," she said.
The woman crowned on Friday July 22nd will represent Australia against over 120 other countries at the annual Miss World final in Washington D.C. in December.
