Copyright Los Angeles Times
Gabrielle Samiy ran for Huntington Beach City Council in 2022. It was a bold move at the time for Samiy, then just 22, but she had a passion for local politics and wanted to represent her city. A lifelong Surf City resident, Samiy was not elected then. But she’ll now be representing her hometown in a decidedly different manner, having been named Miss Huntington Beach for 2026 during an Oct. 25 coronation ceremony at the Central Library Theater. Samiy, the 113th Miss Huntington Beach in the city’s history, has a court that includes Princesses Lilliana Mindel and Annaleah LaParne. Now 25, the Edison High School graduate said she applied last year for Miss Huntington Beach after receiving some encouragement while enrolled in the city’s Citizen Academy. That was her first-ever pageant, but she came back a year later feeling more comfortable in the role. “It was something that was crazy new, but I am someone who likes to try new things,” Samiy said in an interview with the Daily Pilot. “It was a fun experience.” The crown and title are a new stop on Samiy’s road less traveled. She holds three associate’s degrees and has attended three different junior colleges. The coronavirus pandemic played a role in her zig-zagging path, she said, along with some personal setbacks. Samiy, who played on Edison’s girls’ basketball team, continued the sport in community college. While attending Orange Coast College in 2023, she helped her teammates win the California Community College Athletic Assn. State Championship. “I definitely had the title at OCC as ‘Grandma Gab,’ because I’m so old, but it worked out,” said Samiy, who was just 23 at the time. “I gave wisdom to this team, and it added nothing but good to the team. “It’s been a long road, but I probably would not have been doing something that I would enjoy if I would have stayed on the traditional path. I really don’t think you know what you want to do right when you graduate high school, especially when you’re in sports.” The Miss Huntington Beach Scholarship Program and Pageant are sponsored by the nonprofit Sand Dollars of Huntington Beach. Candidates are judged on a panel interview with the five judges, as well as three rounds of on-stage competition: personal expression, active/lifestyle wear and evening gown. City videographer Matt Liffreing served as this year’s pageant emcee. Upon completion of their reign, each young woman will receive a scholarship to further her education. Samiy plans to purse a business finance degree at Cal State Fullerton. She said she also plans to run for city council again sometime in the future. She can take solace in knowing that when Jill Hardy was sworn in as Huntington Beach’s mayor in 2005, she was recognized as the youngest mayor in Orange County history. Hardy, one of the five judges for this year’s Miss Huntington Beach pageant, was just 31 years old at the time. Samiy said she looks forward to serving Huntington Beach next year, albeit in a different capacity. “One of my biggest goals when I ran for city council was to be a bridge of communication between the city and the council,” she said. “It’s something that I can still do now, right? I’m still participating in these events where I’m with our citizens from each diverse community, wanting to communicate with them. I am an extension of the city, in a different way.” Her pageant platform was strengthening community connections, inspiring civic participation and championing the values that define Huntington Beach. “It’s always been super-special to me,” she said of her hometown. “I could have been born anywhere on this earth, and I got to be raised here. It has changed, but the community hasn’t changed. My mom and I can go anywhere, and either I will know someone or she will.” Mindel, one of the two princesses, is a sophomore at UCLA who aspires to become a full-time opera singer. Her platform was the Boys & Girls Club of Huntington Valley, where she performed in her first musical as a singing bee in “Winnie the Pooh.” LaParne, the other princess, is a senior at Huntington Beach High School and a member of the water polo and swim teams. She’s also an Eagle Scout and a Girl Scout ambassador, and her platform included demonstrating water safety awareness. Allyssa Coe, Amanda Luyks, 2024 princess Lainie Shield and Kelli Wilkes were this year’s other candidates.
