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31/10/2017
Chloe B Babauta, cbabauta@guampdn.com Published 6:05 p.m. ChT Oct. 31, 2017 |
Miss World Guam 2017, Destiny Cruz, gives advice to other girls to help them feel beautiful in their own skin. Chloe B. Babauta/PDN
With darker skin and a height of 5’1” (and a half inch, as she makes sure to point out), Miss World Guam 2017 Destiny Cruz, 19, never saw herself as a beauty queen.
“When I was little, I was way darker than I am now, just from being outside and being a kid,” she said.
People would always comment on how dark her skin was and told her to use papaya soap or to stay indoors.
“I always felt pressured, especially as a Chamorro girl,” she said. “You know, we have dark skin. That always made me wish to be a different race because I wanted my skin, eyes and hair to be lighter. I feel like we constantly put out this perception of who we should be as a people, but I feel like we need more representation for our women.”
As a child, she always wished she saw someone who actually looked like her represent her. Today, she’s happy to provide that representation for younger girls.
“I feel like I’ve definitely become more secure in who I am because the times have changed,” she says. “The world is changing and it’s becoming more accepting of different kinds of people.”
Despite what people told her about her body, she joined the Miss World Guam pageant and took home the crown.
Although she was skeptical about joining at first, she ended up growing and learning more about herself through her pageant experience.
“I was never really into the beauty pageant scene because of course, those preconceived notions of what it is,” she said. “I don’t like to be the center of attention. I just feel like that’s really awkward. First I had to think about how joining would be beneficial to me as a person. I didn’t want to invest in something I didn’t believe would be meaningful.”
“Be yourself -- don’t ever try to fit any stereotype or fit a certain mold in order to be beautiful.”
Destiny Cruz
Running in the pageant challenged her and was a humbling experience, she says.
“At the end of the day, it was a really good opportunity to explore different parts of myself and just to experience new things,” she says.
She learned how much of a people person she is and how much she enjoys meeting new people.
“I also learned how to manage my time really well, because honestly I’m a really messy person,” she said, laughing.
Living in Inarajan, Cruz needs to get ready hours in advance for events and school. After joining Miss World Guam and taking on the responsibilities of her title, she’s found a new sense of purpose and more maturity.
Cruz said it’s still hard for her to believe she actually won.
“I never thought I would get this far because I’ve never seen representation for myself,” she said. “I hope if there’s a girl who looks like me or looks different, they see that I made it this far, and feel confident to do the same thing and keep breaking the barrier of what it means to be beautiful, especially on Guam.”
Miss World Guam 2017 Destiny Cruz poses for the camera
Miss World Guam 2017 Destiny Cruz poses for the camera the Tasi Executive Suite at Hilton Guam Resort and Spa on Oct. 16. (Photo: Virgilio Valencia /PDN)
Advocate for the disabled
Cruz is a student at Guam Community College, where she’s earning a certification in sign language. Her goal is to become a sign language interpreter.
She became interested in the communication method after taking a sign language course. Cruz met people in the community who needed interpreter services and realized how limited resources are on island.
“It’s really important that we bridge the gap in communication, for the disabled community on Guam,” she said. “I think a lot of people just need equal rights to everything.”
She chose the Down Syndrome Association to raise funds and awareness during the pageant.
Since she has a cousin with down syndrome, the organization has a special place in her heart.
When Cruz saw her cousin using sign language at a family party, it was eye-opening for her because she didn’t know people with down syndrome also used sign language to communicate.
“My teacher really stresses sign language isn’t only for the deaf community, it’s for the disabled community,” she said. “Any way I could bring attention or awareness to this issue, that’s why I chose the Down Syndrome Association.”
Miss World Guam 2017 Destiny Cruz poses for the camera
Miss World Guam 2017 Destiny Cruz poses for the camera the Tasi Executive Suite at Hilton Guam Resort and Spa on Oct. 16. (Photo: Virgilio Valencia /PDN)
Role model
Now that she’s got the crown, more young girls will look up to Cruz than ever before.
“I think the best way to be a role model is to lead by example, and the only way to do that is to be yourself,” she said. “I think that I’ve only gotten this far because I’ve been myself completely. I think that’s the best advice I could give and best example I could set.”
To younger girls who don’t feel beautiful in their own skin, Cruz tells them just to be their genuine selves.
“Be yourself -- don’t ever try to fit any stereotype or fit a certain mold in order to be beautiful,” she said. “There’s so many different ways to be beautiful; it’s not just how tall you are or how light or dark your skin is. You could be beautiful because you’re smart, or because you have talent or because you’re kind.”
Above all, Cruz values heart at the center of beauty.
“If you’re beautiful on the outside and you don’t have a good heart, it’s useless,” she said. “Be kind, be genuine and don’t listen to what other people try to make you. Always just be yourself and set your own standards for yourself.”
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