Camila Avella, first mom candidate of Colombia, makes it to Miss Universe 2023 Top 5
Camila Avella of Colombia made history after she became the first mother to land on the Miss Universe 2023 Top 5!
Among the Top 10 finalists, Camila was the last one to be called for a spot in the Top 5.
During the Question & Answer portion of the pageant, Camila was asked: If this was your last day on earth, how would you live it?
She answered: "I am already living it because I'm here. I'm breaking stereotypes being a woman, being a mother. It's to leave history, a legacy, something that I want to transmit to women, mothers, and children."
As an organization that has long been a powerful platform celebrating women of different cultures, backgrounds, and religions, Miss Universe broke another glass ceiling this year.
The pageant in El Salvador featured two trans candidates, a plus-size beauty queen, and mothers.
Aside from Camila, Guatemala's bet Michelle Cohn is also a proud mom. She is the first mother from her country to join the Miss Universe competition. Although unplaced, she has a super supportive husband and two loving kids.
Miss Nepal Jane Dipika Garrett has broken beauty pageant conventions as she became the first plus-size contestant in the Miss Universe pageant. Her gorgeous, voluptuous figure earned her a spot in the Top 20.
Trans Queen Marina Machete of Portugal also made it to the Top 20. She becomes the second trans woman to compete in the Miss Universe Pageant, after Spain's Angela Ponce in 2018.
From one trans queen to another is Rikkie Valerie Kollé of the Netherlands, who is the first trans woman from her country to compete for the Miss Universe crown.
The 73rd Miss Universe pageant was held at the José Adolfo Pineda Arena in San Salvador, El Salvador. Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua emerged as the winner and was crowned with Mouawad's "Force for Good" crown by reigning queen R'Bonney Gabriel.
Palacios is the first Nicaraguan Miss Universe.
—Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News