Miss Latina US

Miss Latina US, formerly known as Miss Latina USA, is an American beauty pageant exclusively for Latina women in the United States. It is organized by the Miss América Latina Organization. It is open to those of Latin American ethnicity or ancestry. Titles are available for all states, but typically those with larger Latin populations compete every year (such as Texas, California, Florida, New Mexico, Nevada, etc.). Women may also represent their country of birth or those of their parents or grandparents. It was held for the first time as an official national preliminary to the Miss Latin America pageant in 1986. It is also a sister pageant to the Miss Teen US Latina pageant. All three pageants are owned and operated by Miss Latin America Organization, similar to the way the Miss Universe Organization operates the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants.

The current titleholder is Sasha Zacarias of New York.

History

Originally, the Miss Latin America pageant was founded to provide scholarships for Latin American women living in the Miami, Florida region. Only five women participated in the original pageant, held in 1981. In 1982, the number expanded. In 1983, it went international, but individual states were represented at that pageant. As a matter of fact, Cira Sanchez of Texas was the second runner-up, while the representatives from Florida, Arizona and California were top ten finalists (Nevada also competed.) In 1984, ten state representatives participated at the Miss Latin America 1984 pageant, held in Miami Beach, with Florida's representative, Yolanda Fernandez, placing as the first runner-up to Venezuela's Mirla Ochoa. Florida again placed as first runner-up in 1985, and Arizona was third runner-up. In 1986, a separate pageant was founded, the Miss Latina USA contest. The winner went on to represent the United States at Miss Latin America. This has happened every year since. In 2001, as per agreement with the Miss Universe Organization, who owns the rights to the Miss USA title, the pageant changed its name from Miss Latina USA to Miss Latina US. Additionally, Miss Latin America became post-dated in 1999, changing the contest from Miss Latin America 1999 to Miss Latin America 2000. However, Miss Latina US had not, so Miss Latina USA 1999 went to Miss Latin America 2000. This was corrected in 2008, when the Miss Latina US Pageant held in September 2008 was post-dated and became Miss Latina US 2009, with the winner competing at Miss Latin America 2009. The international pageant was renamed Miss Latin America of the World in 2008 because of the rule changes allowing participation of Latin heritage delegates from around the globe that had begun in 2002.

Miss Latina US 2014

The Miss Latina US 2014 contest was held August 31, 2012 in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Dominican-born Sasha Zacarias of New York was crowned Miss Latina US 2012 by outgoing titleholder Marice Morales of Utah. The runners-up were Ivet Garcia (Minnesota), Leyla Dabdoub (US-Mexico), Ana Valencia (California) and Izabelle Streetmaker (Oklahoma).

Winners

Year USA Representatives State Represented Placement Special Award
United States 1981 Lesley Quintanilla Florida Winner
United States 1982 Martha Álvarez California Winner
United States 1983 Gloria Flores Nevada
United States 1983 Elvira Castro Florida Top 10
United States 1983 Verónica Sosa Arizona Top 10
United States 1983 Rosita Ojedo California Top 10
United States 1983 Cira Sánchez Texas 2nd Runner-up Best National Costume
United States 1984 Teresa Fernández Florida 1st Runner-up
United States 1984 María Elena Verdugo Arizona
United States 1984 Carmen Camarena California
United States 1984 Angelita Pagán Illinois
United States 1984 Elsie Rivera Indiana
United States 1984 Margarita Veloz Nevada
United States 1984 María da Conceição New Jersey
United States 1984 Deborah de Castro New York
United States 1984 Rachel Martínez Texas
United States 1984 Eloisa Serna New Mexico
United States 1985 Lourdes Guevara Arizona Top 05
United States 1985 Beatriz Hernández Florida 1st Runner-up
United States 1985 Marielena González Texas
United States 1985 Jocelyn Aronzon Louisiana
United States 1985 Monica Jiménez California
United States 1985 Ruth Fernandez Nevada
United States 1985 Angelie Silva Illinois
United States 1985 Erika Loriet Massachusetts
United States 1985 Ofelia Cobián New York
Costa Rica 1986 Sandra Cedillos Texas
Bolivia 1987 Sdenka Dobronec District of Columbia
Mexico 1989 Hany Valdés Florida
El Salvador 1990 Carola Garfias Arizona
Argentina 1991 Yvette Gonzalez New York
Ecuador 1992 Carla Morales Rhode Island
Guatemala 1993 Daylin García Florida
Ecuador 1994 Joanne George Florida
Peru 1996 Iris Almario New York
El Salvador 1998 Katherine Rodríguez Florida
Guatemala 1999 Dilania Inoa De Baez Rhode Island
Nicaragua 2000 Katherine González New York Top 07
Dominican Republic 2001 Karla Vargas California
Costa Rica 2002 Soraya Valdés Utah
Mexico 2003 Lydia Acuña Utah
Dominican Republic 2004 Graciela Stanley Kansas 1st Runner-up
Mexico 2006 Melissa Quesada New York Winner North America Queen
Mexico 2007 Yalena Matos Oregon North America Queen
Dominican Republic 2008 Fatima Leonardo Rhode Island
Dominican Republic 2009 Diana França Utah 1st Runner-up North America Queen
Dominican Republic 2010 Elizabeth Robaina Texas 4th Runner-up North America Queen
Dominican Republic 2011 Marice Morales Utah
Mexico 2012 Sasha Zacarías New York Top 12 North America Queen
Mexico 2013 Ashley Garner Texas 3rd Runner-up
Dominican Republic 2014 Karla Ferrari Oklahoma Top 12 North America Queen
Dominican Republic 2015 Karla Monje Texas Winner North America Queen
  •   Declared as Winner
  •   Ended as Runner-up
  •   Ended as one of the Semi-finalists

Winners by State

Wins State Years
8 Florida 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1998
7 Texas 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 2010, 2013, 2015
7 New York 1984, 1985, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2012
5 California 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2001
4 Utah 2002, 2003, 2009, 2011
4 Arizona 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990
3 Rhode Island 1992, 1999, 2008
3 Nevada 1983, 1984, 1985
2 Illinois 1984, 1985
1 Oklahoma 2014
Oregon 2007
Kansas 2004
District of Columbia 1987
Louisiana 1985
Massachusetts 1985
Indiana 1984
New Jersey 1984
New Mexico 1984

References

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