Who will be the next Miss Latina Worcester?

By Nancy Sheehan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest Latina of them all?

Although the contestants we saw at a recent rehearsal for the Miss Latina Worcester County Pageant were indeed a lovely lot, organizers say beauty is not really the point of the event, to be held July 24 at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. “It's a cultural event and a personal development program as well as a scholarship program,” Annette Gonzalez, pageant co-founder, said. “It's not a traditional beauty pageant.”

The goal of the pageant, Gonzalez said, is to give Latinas ages 6 to 40 a chance to enhance their skills and deepen their understanding of their cultural heritage. To do this, participants have been taking part in personal development workshops since April. The syllabus was a full one. The list of topics included personal safety, self-esteem, career and college information, self-defense, health and wellness, social etiquette, skin care, public speaking, modeling and dance classes. Each contestant also will appear in a costume that reflects their ancestry. They were required to research their family heritage and make the costumes themselves. There will be no swimsuit competition, although there will be eveningwear and sportswear segments.

Still, it is a pageant and there's that catwalk to be dealt with.

Saturday, Karon Shea of Karon Shea Model Management of Worcester was putting a group of contestants through their high-stepping paces, getting them ready to face the audience with finesse. It was as much a lesson in attitude as one of technique. “You're beautiful. Feel it in here,” Shea said, thumping her fist over her heart as the women and girls paraded about a practice space at Gonzalez' Salsa Storm dance studio on Harrison Street. “Walk proud, head high,” Shea said.

Contestant Lissa Ramirez finds herself doing a bit more of that lately. Already 5 foot 10 inches tall at age 14, Ramirez is interesting in pursuing a modeling career. But that's not the main reason she signed on for the pageant. “I'm a little bit shy. I tried this because I wanted to break out of my shell,” she said.

The pageant workshops have eased that lifelong shyness. “When I'm trying to meet new people it's kind of hard to do, but this has helped a lot,” she said. She has learned skills she feels will assist her in the transition from Worcester East Middle School to her freshman year at North High School in the fall. “It's going to be easier for me because of this,” she said.

Helping Ramirez say goodbye to shy is a bevy of professionals, most of whom, like Shea, are volunteers. “The community has come out and has said ‘What can we do?' ” Gonzalez said. “We had the director of admissions from Assumption (Mario Sliva) come in and do a college orientation class. We have people coming from Boston, Providence, Hartford. We have judges and MCs coming from all over the place. The Latino community has just embraced this event and they've stepped up to the plate.”

Why? Most who have come forward probably feel the same as Lindiana Flores, a dance studio owner who volunteered as artistic coordinator and one of the choreographers (the show opens with a big production number). “The Hispanic culture is very important to me,” she said. “I grew up here in Worcester. I am Latina. And it's an opportunity for them to really get themselves out there and maybe get a scholarship. I think it's great for them.”

Twenty-five participants will compete this year in the first of what Gonzalez and her business partner, Billy Ayala, hope will become an annual event. There are four age divisions and as many contest categories for scholarships and prizes. Titles up for grabs are Little Miss Latina Worcester County, Teen Latina Worcester County, Miss Latina Worcester County and Señora Latina Worcester County.

Marilyn Marrero, 35, of Worcester, is a contender in the Señora Latina category. It wouldn't have occurred to the nightside security guard to compete, she said, except that her 14-year-old daughter entered the teen division and convinced Mom to try it, too. She said she is glad she signed on. “I used to model and dance when I was young, so for me it's like a flashback,” she said. “I feel young again.”