On the Scene with Chloe Aquino

Chloe Maluhia DeMarcus Aquino is accomplished at multitasking. The 20-year-old, born and raised in Kailua, is majoring in psychology at Argosy University, working on her next CD single, and recently donated her time as a model for a calendar sold to support a breast-cancer awareness campaign.

Aquino’s next big project is her Good Luck Fundraiser Nov. 11 at Lucky Strike Social in Ala Moana Center to help cover her pageant expenses. The event is a lead-up to the Miss Hawaii USA Pageant Nov. 18 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center, where she’ll be competing as Miss Great Aloha Run USA, but Aquino is donating $5 from each $20 ticket to her favorite charity, Best Buddies Hawaii. (For tickets, go to chloemisshawaiifundraiser.eventbrite.com.)

JOHN BERGER: What is Best Buddies Hawaii?

CHLOE AQUINO: Best Buddies Hawaii is a high school and college program that pairs normal students with students who have learning disabilities. They go to school together, they hang out together, they help each other with homework.

A lot of students who have learning disabilities are either bullied or shunned, and Best Buddies helps prevent that.

JB: The Miss America pageant got a lot of negative reaction this year when it eliminated the swimsuit competition that had been part of the event since 1921. The Miss Hawaii USA program has maintained its swimsuit competition. Where are you with swimsuit competitions?

CA: The swimsuit portion is not about being the sexiest or even the most fit, it’s about your personality and showing your confidence.

On that stage in a swimsuit you are so vulnerable, but that is one of the best moments that your confidence really gets to shine — “This is who I am, this is me.” If you can do it there, you can do it anywhere.

JB: One more pageant question. Critics say pageants exploit women, and it’s an inescapable fact that most women who put their heart and soul into pageant competition never win a title. How you do feel about that?

CA: I’ve run in several pageants before this one and although I haven’t won a state title yet, I’m getting my bachelor’s (degree) in psychology with the $35,000 in scholarships I’ve received by participating in pageants.

JB: Your parents are both involved in the local recording industry. Where are you with your recordings?

CA: I have a single out called “I Wanna Be,” which I released as Chloe XOXO, and I’m writing and recording a song for a compilation album that my mother, Michelle Aquino, and record producer Brandon Apeles are putting together.

I’m also going to be recording with my father (Darrell Aquino) and his good friend, Todd Hunter, in LA.

JB: What do you want to doing 10 years from now?

CA: I want to open an institution for children and adolescents who are mentally ill or disabled to give them more support and a safe environment where they could learn and develop themselves.

JB: What was one of the big moments in your life?

CA: I was at one of my father’s gigs — I was 4 — and he put me up on his lap and we sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” together.

That was the moment I realized that I loved being on stage. After that I always loved to go to his work and jump on stage.

JB: If you had an official motto what would it be?

CA: “When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good you can basically conquer the world.”