What do you like about being Latina?
I love everything about being Latina, especially that everyone assumes that I'm a great dancer (I'm not—haha!) I'm bilingual in Spanish, my parents made sure that we learned to read and write it growing up, and that has allowed me to connect and create shared experiences with so many other Latin cultures, other than just my own.
What’s something about you that people would be surprised to know?
I started doing pageantry about a year and a half ago; first I was Mrs. Syracuse and now I'm Mrs. New York. I'll be competing for Mrs. America on August 25th in Las Vegas. Anybody who meets me in "pageant mode" as I call it, is always surprised to find out that I'm a veteran and served in the U.S. Army New York National Guard. For some reason, they can't picture me running around with a rifle and getting dirty.What are your favorite colors and outfits that make up most of your closet?
I'm from New York City and lived there for the majority of my life, so my go-to color is always black. I've started to branch out more in the last few years to include more pastel and bright colors in my wardrobe, but for some reason, fall palettes are always my favorite! My standard fall outfit is black skinny jeans, booties or knee-length boots of some sort, a loose tee and a leather jacket.
What trends are big in your city?
Bracelets — lots and lots of bracelets. Bell sleeves also seem to be a popular thing right now.
What is your favorite brand/designer? What do you like about that brand?
I have lots of favorite brands and designers. We could be here for a while... but my daily outfits seem to consist of a lot of Ralph Lauren. Simple but elegant with lots of straight lines and lots of navy blue.
Which actresses or models do you believe have the best style?
Angelina Jolie, Kate Beckinsale and Victoria Beckham. I think they all always look elegant, chic and never try too hard to be trendy. They're all very classic, yet current, with their wardrobe choices.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years and what are your goals?
In the next five years I'd like to finally complete my master's degree, launch my own business and have my first child. Hopefully in that order! My parents continually hint at all three of those things.
