Support Emilia Burnham's Honey Queen Journey

My name is Emilia Burnham and I am the California State Honey Queen for 2024. I am incredibly passionate about honeybees and I am a proud member of the Center for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER) as a Master's student. My project researches Nosema ceranae, which is a microscopic fungal parasite that makes honeybees very sick and can lead to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). After my Master's degree, I plan on earning my PhD in Biomedical Sciences/Pharmaceutical Sciences where I want to bring honeybee products into human health, specifically bee venom into female reproductive cancers and/or autoimmune diseases. In my time as an undergraduate student, I have also been UCR Entomology's Outreach Coordinator where I have coordinated K-12 school and community events to help educate about insects and share about how incredible they are.

I have been very blessed to have made wonderful connections in the beekeeping community. One of which, Mr. Roger Wynn, has led me to learning about the American Beekeeping Federation's (ABF) Honey Queen Program since he knew about my experience of outreach and believed I would be a good candidate. In January 2025, I am excited to be competing for the National ABF Honey Queen Spokesperson role in Reno, NV. In preparation for this competition, I will also be attending the California State Beekeeper's Association (CSBA) Convention in November 2024.

For the National ABF Conference and the Honey Queen Competiton, I am looking for support from my community to help me get to the competition and help fund my stay. With your support and contribution, I will be able to move forward in my journey for bringing awareness to how amazing honeybees are with the power of the tiara and sash!