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VILLE PLATTE — Amber Hope Borne, age 23 of Lutcher, was crowned Queen Cotton LXVIII during the 68th Annual Queen Cotton Coronation held Saturday evening, October 15, 2022 at the Northside Civic Center in Ville Platte. The Queens Contest is open to any female in the State of Louisiana. Contestants must be sponsored by a festival, town, city or organization; Amber represented the Andouille Festival.

Amber is the daughter of Hope and Troy Borne of Lutcher. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Northwestern State University, where she received a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education. While attending Northwestern, Amber held leadership roles in Phi Mu Kappa Iota as house committee head and secretary.

Amber’s future plans include growing in her career as an educator to make sure all children receive kindness, love and compassion both inside and outside of the classroom. Her passion and goal is to develop fast food farms around the state to teach the youth the importance of agriculture and how it is the root of our existence.

Amber decided to compete for the title of Queen Cotton to show the passion and love she has for Louisiana agriculture and share her passion with others. She also wanted the opportunity to represent all of the hard-working people of Louisiana’s Cotton Industry and the Louisiana Cotton Festival board.

Amber said, “I feel this title will enable me to educate, promote and support our local farmers and our festival. This title will never be about me, but about the people who keep the Louisiana Cotton tradition alive and flourishing.”

Amber will riding on the Louisiana Float at the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California on January 2, 2023 as Queen Cotton. She will be representing the Cotton Festival at the Mystick Krewe of Louisianans Washington Mardi Gras Ball in Washington D.C. in late January. She will compete with over 75 contestants in the Louisiana Associations of Fair and Festivals Queen’s Pageant at the Crown Plaza in Baton Rouge Louisiana in early February for the title of LAFF Queen.  She has already begun her traveling journey as the Cotton Queen in our great state of Louisiana at several different events and festivals.

Amber is grateful for this opportunity, looking forward to making memories and sharing her story of never giving up on your dreams. She said, “No matter how big your dreams are, nothing is impossible. You have to have faith that it will happen. Your timing isn’t always HIS timing.”

She hopes people take her story and see the beauty in God’s timing.