A former Miss Colorado and current Rhodes scholar recently earned a global humanitarian award named for the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

Serene Singh, 24, is a 2021 recipient of the Diana Award, the United Kingdom’s most prestigious honor for young people engaged in social action or humanitarian work.

Singh, a graduate of Rampart High School and the University of Colorado in Boulder, said her path to the award began with a tragedy. A few years ago her friend Ashley – an abuse survivor who struggled with her body image and self-worth – committed suicide.

“I have nearly lost a few more friends over the years who were survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse,” she said.

Determined  to help other women struggling with trauma and its aftereffects, in 2016 Singh founded The Serenity Project, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering at-risk women. The project hosts an annual charity fashion show, holds speaking engagements, and has developed a one-on-one mentorship program for survivors of abuse.

Singh, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford, said she is studying on the treatment of women in the American criminal justice system. Her research is still in its early stages, but she said she is deeply concerned by what she has learned so far.

“The prison system, for instance, was initially created for men,” she said, explaining that women’s issues like pregnancies and mental health are often misunderstood and left unattended. “It is important that we hear from the women firsthand about their experiences and document them to help shape policy moving forward, and also ensure their most basic and fundamental rights are protected.”

Singh, who has won multiple pageants including the 2020-2021 National All-American Miss, wants to use her position to help women and girls who struggle with self-esteem. She recently wrote and published a children’s book, titled “The Queen Machine,” to help girls build confidence by realizing they are beautiful, regardless of size or shape. Singh, a Sikh American, is also working on a project in India to teach self-defense skills to adolescent village girls.

“I wanted to give advice to girls that made a tangible difference and could live beyond me,” said Singh, who will return to her Oxford studies when she completes her tour as National All-American Miss.

As a recipient of the Diana Award, Singh will receive an invitation to Diana’s childhood home, courtesy of the late princess’ brother, Earl Spencer. She will also gain access to resources that will help her efforts at social change, according to the award website.

“This award is more than just an honor,” Singh said. “For me, it is an opportunity to connect with passionate and resilient leaders worldwide.”

Singh, who was born the year Princess Diana died, said she is well aware of Diana’s legacy and aspires to carry it forward.

“Princess Diana had a strong belief that will continue to live on: young people have the ability to change the world,” she said. “Young people don’t change the world by doing what other young people already did — we change the world by being true to who we are meant to be.”

Meet Serene Singh, Miss Colorado 2020