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Menka Soni

@menka_soni_

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President AMpowering(501(3)), CEO North America Fashion Week, Real Estate Broker, Executive Board Member with Cities

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A community shines brightest when we come together.

Yesterday’s Diwali Mela was a beautiful reminder of the power of culture, connection, and community.

Thank you to the Washington Indian Association (WIA) for organizing this wonderful celebration, and to the organizers, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, and performers who made it possible. A special mention to Ram Ji and Jayanthi Ji for making me a part of this celebration.

A heartfelt thank-you to our council members and fellow community leaders for their continued support and commitment to bringing people together.

Community building has been close to my heart for many years — from championing breast cancer awareness among South Asian women through my Dance In Pink initiative for the past 15 years, to supporting cancer patients and families, raising funds for breast cancer research, and founding Walk, Talk & Heal to foster connection and well-being and leading Saree Speak Seattle to keep promoting our ethnic wear, culture and heritage. Being part of a community that celebrates our culture while supporting one another makes moments like these especially meaningful to me.

And most importantly, thank you to everyone who showed up with family and friends, supported local businesses, enjoyed the performances, and brought such wonderful energy to the celebration. Your presence is what makes our community vibrant and strong. ❤️

Here’s to continuing to build bridges, uplift one another, and create meaningful impact together. ✨

Together, we shine brighter!

#WashingtonIndianAssociation #DiwaliMela #CommunityLeadership #SouthAsianCommunity #BreastCancerAwareness

[WalkTalkAndHeal, CommunityBuilding TogetherWeShineBrighter, SareeSpeakSeattle]

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✨ Chand Churiyan Aur Saheli – A Night of Glamour, Dance & Unforgettable Memories! 💃❤️

An unforgettable evening filled with vibrant colors, stunning traditional outfits, infectious energy, laughter, friendship, and endless dancing! ✨🥂

From gorgeous ethnic fashion to electrifying dance floor moments, every frame captured the beauty, excitement, and spirit of this spectacular celebration!#
❤️ Huge appreciation to @fuljhadien sawrajm and the entire Fuljhadi Entertainment team for bringing together such a wonderful celebration of friendship, culture, music, and togetherness!

🎤 A special shoutout to our fabulous hosts, @mcnaina and @conversationswithniya! Your incredible energy, charm, humor, and engaging anchoring kept the audience entertained and the celebrations flowing beautifully throughout the evening. You both truly brought the stage to life! ❤️👏

🎧 And what a night of music with @djruseyafufad! 🔥 Your fantastic beats, Bollywood vibes, and electrifying mixes kept the dance floor alive and everyone grooving! 💃🕺

🎥 Captured through the lens of EssEnn Photo Studios, preserving the energy, candid emotions, and unforgettable memories of this beautiful evening. @essenn.photo.studios

📸 EssEnn Photo Studios | Event Photography & Cinematic Videography
📍 Seattle | Bellevue | Redmond | Pacific Northwest

#ChandChuriyanAurSaheli #FuljhadiEntertainment #EssEnnPhotoStudios #SeattleEvents (SeattleEventPhotographer SeattleVideographer BellevuePhotographer IndianEventsSeattle DesiEventsSeattle BollywoodNight SeattleDJ DesiParty IndianCulture EventPhotography EventVideography SeattleIndianCommunity BollywoodDance DesiNight IndianPartySeattle SeattleEventPhotography)

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An amazing night of community

Thank you to everyone who made Asian Culture Night so special! Here’s a look back at the memories we made celebrating our cultures together.

#AsianCultureNight #AAPIYouth #CulturalIdentity #HopeBridge

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A heartfelt thank you to Microsoft’s Copilot Acceleration Team (CAT) for your incredible support, dedication, and commitment to serving our community! Your generosity, teamwork, and volunteer efforts are making a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families in need. We truly appreciate the time, energy, and compassion you bring to AmPowering’s mission of fighting hunger and spreading kindness.

Together, we are building stronger communities and creating a lasting positive impact, one act of kindness at a time. Thank you, Microsoft CAT, for being part of our journey and inspiring others to give back! ❤️
Visit www.ampowering.org to learn more about our mission and volunteer opportunities.

#AmPowering #MicrosoftCAT #CopilotAccelerationTeam #MicrosoftVolunteers #CommunityImpact #GivingBack #VolunteerAppreciation #FightingHunger #menkasoni

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𝒮𝑜 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝑅𝑒𝒹𝓂𝑜𝓃𝒹 𝒞𝒾𝓉𝓎 𝒞𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒸𝒾𝓁𝓂𝑒𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝑀𝑒𝓃𝓀𝒶 𝓋𝒾𝓈𝒾𝓉 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒩𝒶𝓋𝒶𝓇𝒶𝓉𝓇𝒾 𝒢𝑜𝓁𝓊! ❤️

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝑀𝑒𝓃𝓀𝒶, 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒷𝓊𝓈𝓎 𝓈𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒹𝓊𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒿𝑜𝒾𝓃 𝓊𝓈. 𝒯𝓇𝓊𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒸𝒾𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓂𝓉𝒽 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝒻𝓊𝓁𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈! 😊❤️🙏

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150 Sandwiches. One Team. A Whole Lot of Heart. ❤️

Sometimes, the smallest acts of kindness create an impact far greater than we realize.
It was incredible to see Microsoft CSGO Team come together during Microsoft Give October to prepare 150 PBJ sandwiches for AmPowering's Feed the Need program.

At AmPowering, the mission goes beyond fighting hunger. It's about restoring dignity, spreading kindness, and reminding someone that they matter. Because sometimes, one meal, one sandwich, and one simple act of care can make a difference in someone's day.

Microsoft Give is more than a month of giving. It's a powerful reminder of what happens when people come together with a shared purpose. The impact reaches communities and touches lives in ways we may never fully see or know.

A heartfelt thank you to Microsoft, its leadership, every Microsoft employee who gives back, and the entire Microsoft GIVE team for fostering a culture where giving is not just encouraged but truly celebrated.

Thank you CSGO team for showing up with your time, energy, and heart!

#MicrosoftGIVE #GiveOctober #AmPowering #FeedTheNeed #GivingBack #CommunityImpact #StrongerTogether #menkasoni

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"Love thy neighbor" a simple yet profound message from Rick Steves at the Hopelink dinner. Always excited to support the incredible mission of Hopelink in working with our neighbors to reduce poverty.
I challenge everyone to show the spirit of Rick's message and engage in at least one act of generosity and selflessness this week towards a stranger. Feel free to tell us about it in the comments.

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🌺✨ NAVRATRI VIBES, DIVINE BLESSINGS & UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES! ✨🌺

What an incredible celebration of devotion, culture, music, and togetherness at the Beats of Washington Navratri Festival! 🙏❤️

The evening began on a divine note with Navdurga standing beside Maa Durga during the beautiful curtain raiser — a truly mesmerizing moment filled with blessings and positive energy. 🌸🙏

And then the celebration came alive! 🔥💃 DJ Prashant took over with electrifying beats, bringing everyone together for an unforgettable night of Garba and Dandiya! 🥁🎶

A massive crowd, colorful traditional outfits, delicious food, amazing music, endless dancing, and beautiful smiles everywhere! ❤️✨

Good food, great music, incredible energy, and even better company! What more could we ask for? 🥰

A big shoutout to Beats of Washington for bringing our community together for such a spectacular celebration! 🙌

🌺 Jai Mata Di! 🌺

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Microsoft Kusto Team Making a Meaningful Impact During Giving Month!

A heartfelt thank you to the Microsoft Kusto Team for their wonderful contribution to AmPowering’s Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Initiative during Microsoft Giving Month! We are grateful to the dedicated team members who came together to prepare PB&J sandwiches for individuals and families facing food insecurity. Their generosity, teamwork, and commitment to giving back truly reflect the spirit of community service.

At AmPowering, every act of kindness brings hope and makes a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need. We sincerely appreciate the Microsoft Kusto Team for volunteering their valuable time and supporting our mission to fight hunger. Your compassion and dedication inspire us to continue serving our community and creating a positive impact together!

🌐 www.AmPowering.org

#AmPowering #MicrosoftKusto #MicrosoftGivingMonth #MicrosoftVolunteers #CommunityService #FightingHunger #GivingBack #VolunteerAppreciation #menkasoni #GunjanDesai

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A Moment of Recognition, Respect, and Gratitude. 👑

Some moments stay with you not just because of the recognition you receive, but because of the respect and humility behind them.

Being honored by the Honorable Mayor Quentin Wiltz of the City of Pearland, Texas, was truly special. But one moment that touched me deeply was seeing the Mayor bow in acknowledgment of my journey and accomplishments. It was an incredibly humbling gesture and a beautiful reflection of the grace, respect, and gentlemanly character that make true leadership so meaningful.

I am deeply grateful for this recognition of my journey across technology, entertainment, international pageantry, philanthropy, and community service.

As Mrs. Universe America 2025–2026, I am preparing to represent America on the international Mrs. Universe stage. Every step of this journey has reminded me that success is not simply about the milestones we achieve, but also about the people we inspire, the lives we touch, and the difference we strive to make along the way.

From my beginnings in technology to my experiences in Hollywood and the world of international pageantry, my mission has remained the same: to empower women, give back to the community, and encourage others to pursue their dreams with courage and conviction.

My heartfelt gratitude to Mayor Quentin Wiltz and the City of Pearland for this wonderful recognition. Moments like these remind me that genuine respect transcends titles and accomplishments, and that the most memorable gestures often speak louder than words.

I accept this recognition with gratitude, humility, and a renewed commitment to making a meaningful difference.

Because true achievement is not only about how far we rise, but how many others we inspire along the way.

With gratitude and pride,

Shruthi Bekal
Mrs. Universe America 2025–2026 👑

With appreciation to Menka Soni, Megi Savova, and Sava Tsekov for being part of this incredible journey.

@mrsuniverseofficial @mrsuniverseamerica
@ampowering_pageants @menka_soni_ @megi.savova

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A Moment of Recognition, Respect, and Gratitude. 👑

Some moments stay with you not just because of the recognition you receive, but because of the respect and humility behind them.

Being honored by the Honorable Mayor Quentin Wiltz of the City of Pearland, Texas, was truly special. But one moment that touched me deeply was seeing the Mayor bow in acknowledgment of my journey and accomplishments. It was an incredibly humbling gesture and a beautiful reflection of the grace, respect, and gentlemanly character that make true leadership so meaningful.

I am deeply grateful for this recognition of my journey across technology, entertainment, international pageantry, philanthropy, and community service.

As Mrs. Universe America 2025–2026, I am preparing to represent America on the international Mrs. Universe stage. Every step of this journey has reminded me that success is not simply about the milestones we achieve, but also about the people we inspire, the lives we touch, and the difference we strive to make along the way.

From my beginnings in technology to my experiences in Hollywood and the world of international pageantry, my mission has remained the same: to empower women, give back to the community, and encourage others to pursue their dreams with courage and conviction.

My heartfelt gratitude to Mayor Quentin Wiltz and the City of Pearland for this wonderful recognition. Moments like these remind me that genuine respect transcends titles and accomplishments, and that the most memorable gestures often speak louder than words.

To my family, friends, mentors, and everyone who continues to believe in me, thank you for being part of this journey. Your support means more than words can express.

I accept this recognition with gratitude, humility, and a renewed commitment to making a meaningful difference.

Because true achievement is not only about how far we rise, but how many others we inspire along the way.

With gratitude and pride,

Shruthi Bekal
Mrs. Universe America 2025–2026 👑

With appreciation to Menka Soni, Megi Savova, and Sava Tsekov for being part of this incredible journey.

#ShruthiBekal #MrsUniverseAmerica #MrsUniverse2026 #MayorRecognition

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Thank you to everyone who joined us for HopeBridge's Asian Culture Night! 💙

100+ community members. 10+ school cultural clubs. One night celebrating the cultures that shape who we are.

🎭 Live cultural performances
🎤 Speeches from Redmond City Council Members Jared Nieuwenhuis and Menka Soni, and GSKA Chair Sam Sim
🥟 Free food and booths from cultural clubs across our schools

Seeing students, families, performers, and city leaders in one room is exactly why we started Hope Bridge. Asian American teens deserve spaces where their culture is celebrated out loud, and this night proved how many people want that too.

A huge thank you to our performers, Huayin, Tari Bali Seattle, Mak Kung Fu & Lion Dance Association, and the Khmer Community of Seattle-King County, for sharing your art and traditions with us. Your performances made the night. Thank you also to our speakers, partner clubs, and volunteers for making it happen. This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for what's next.

#AsianCultureNight #HopeBridge #AsianAmericanYouth #KingCounty #CommunityOverEverything

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