Gabriela Rivera Shares her Experience in Owning the Miss Arizona Latina 2015 Title

By: Cindy G Castillo

Nineteen-year-old Gabriela Rivera expected the nerves to be present just a few moments before setting foot at the 2015 Miss Arizona Latina pageant in downtown Phoenix.

Around her, 28 beautiful contestants rehearsed their lines over and over again and devoted every last minute to perfect their routines.

To her own surprise, Rivera radiated confidence throughtout the competition and was able to leave with the crown.

“It was just an incredible experience,” she said. “I was really nervous but once I got on stage, i just felt like I was meant to do that … I was having so much fun and doing everything with my heart out.”

She admits to preparing both physically and mentally for the challenges that a beauty pageant imposes but inside, she felt ready.

“Mentally, it was about being confident about yourself, just doing everything your best and that’s what I did,” she said. “Physically, I went to the gym daily .. I did all the extra stuff because I believed I could do great at the competition and to become the person I wanted to be.”

As Miss Arizona Latina 2015, she hopes to represent Latinos as the hard working community that it embodies.

She grew up In Nogales, Sonora, lived there until the age of 11 and then made the move to the U.S. looking for a brighter future.

She recognizes the sacrifices her parents made, and is devoted to work just as hard for her goals.

“They support me all the time no matter what … they always teach me that nothing is impossible, but that you have to be willing to work hard for it.”

Rivera is currently enrolled at Glendale Community College, where she is working towards a pre-medical degree with hopes to transfer in one year to the University of Arizona.

Throughout the year, she hopes to grow both personally, professionally and take advantage of all the doors the pageant will open in her life.

“I want to become a different person; I want to be very involved in many events in Arizona, which are going to help me grow,” she said. “I just want to take everything in at the moment and just apply it to my daily life … I hope to never disappoint and do my best.”