The spirit of community and elegance filled the air on Sept. 15, the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month, in a west Phoenix hall as audience members settled in for a night dedicated to celebrating Latinas and their hopes for their community during the annual Miss Arizona Latina and Miss Teen Arizona Latina pageant.
The evening drew two winners as a result of the dual competition: Miss Central Phoenix Latina, Camila Burciaga, 14, was crowned the 2025 Miss Teen Arizona Latina, while Miss Laveen Latina, Paola Rico, 19, received the coveted title of 2025 Miss Arizona Latina.
Contestants from across Arizona — from the border towns of San Luis and Nogales, all the cardinal directions of the Valley, including Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and Maryvale to various major towns like Casa Grande — entered the competition to become the face of the organization and represent their hometowns and ultimately state at larger pageants, like Miss U.S. Latina and Miss América Latina del Mundo.
Established in 1983 and run by the Miss Arizona Latina Organization, the pageant serves as a vehicle toward personal and professional development for young Latinas, so they may serve as role models to members of the communities they represent.
Emma Barros, Director of the Miss Arizona Latina Organization, said that while this pageant may seem to be all about looks, it’s so much more than that.
“This pageant isn’t like other pageants where it’s just a lot of pretty girls, that walk around in bikinis, and it’s so much more than just women and their Latina roots. It’s not always about how pretty she is, she has to be a role model,” Barros said.
‘This is real’
Originally from Laveen, with roots in Temosachi and Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Mexico, Rico said she always loved striking a pose for the camera as a little kid.
Rico said she was inspired by female presenters at Formula 1 races, one of her favorite sports, to pursue her dream of becoming a broadcast journalist. Currently a student at South Mountain Community College, she hopes to transfer to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.
Being in front of a camera and crowd comes naturally to her. Still, winning came as a shock to her.
As Rico held hands with who would be announced as the runner-up, she said all she could think was, “This is real,” after the announcer crowned her the winner.
“It truly means a lot, because not only am I representing my city, which is Laveen, not only am I representing my state Arizona, but I’m also representing all of the Latinas,” Rico said.
When her name was read aloud, her family and friends in the crowd erupted in cheers, sounding off air horns and throwing their fists in the air in celebration while standing on a chair and holding a large nearly four-foot-tall printed photograph of Rico.
Irma Vega, Rico’s mom, was among them. Pride radiated from her as she expressed as much about her daughter. She worked hard to win the crown, she said.
As the incoming Miss Arizona Latina, Rico said she hopes to be a good representation of the state when she enters the national competition and continues her academic career. She’s also hopeful that doors will open up for her as she pursues a career in news, wanting to become an exceptional Latina journalist.
When the winner of the 2025 Miss Teen Arizona Latina was announced, Burciaga nearly dropped to her knees.
This was Burciaga’s first pageant and said she could not be more grateful for those who supported her along the way.
A second-generation central Phoenician, Burciaga also has roots in the northern state of Chihuahua, Mexico.
Burciaga said she hopes to be an inspiration and role model to everyone as the next Miss Teen Arizona Latina just like Julieta Garcia, the winner of last year’s pageant.
Showcasing Latino diversity
According to Barros, over the years, the contest has grown to showcase the diversity of the Latino community as it expands in Arizona.
“The majority of the Latino community in Arizona is Mexican, but we’ve seen the growth in population from other countries. We have Cubans, Venezuelans, Dominicans, and it’s incredible to see each year how diverse our contestants are.”
Something Rico most looks forward to is representing young Latinas in Arizona and across the U.S., especially those who might feel ashamed or embarrassed of who they are or not being able to speak Spanish.
“We have beautiful winners and we hope that they can be an inspiration for those girls who give everything for their communities,” Barros said.
Reach La Voz reporter David Ulloa Jr. at [email protected].
Have story tips on Latino culture and cuisine in the Valley? Reach La Voz reporter Nadia Cantú at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Miss Arizona Latina pageant crowns Laveen contestant
