RIVERVIEW, Fla. — More than a dozen young women took the stage for the Nuestra Reina-Hillsborough Scholarship Pageant.
From ages five to 18, young women showed off their talents while proudly representing their roots.
"We started little because we wanted to make sure that these young ladies could see all their mentors, see all these young ladies and what they have done. They're CEOs, they are very strong Latinas," Rocio Smith, organizer, explained.
From the style of dresses to the colors, it all painted a picture of the many different Hispanic backgrounds that make up Hillsborough County.
"I thought it was a great opportunity to be able to express my culture for my family, for my parents, and also all our other Latina queens out there," added Jada Rojo, previous pageant winner.
Organizers of the scholarship pageant said they want to stress the importance of providing opportunities within the Latino community across Tampa Bay.
"We all are of migrant backgrounds. We all grew up in Ruskin and Wimauma, and so we wanted to create an event where we can give back to those under-served communities," said Joe Zuniga, another organizer.
The main goal is to help pave the way for Latinas to pursue higher education.
"Nuestra Reina, which is the main winner, wins $3,000 for education from a scholarship. The second...wins $500," Smith said.
She told us there were other scholarships also available.
"It also gave me a chance to be able to take a step closer in colleges or my future. They gave us a scholarship for $2,500, and it's just getting me higher to my goal and what I want to reach in life," Rojo added.
Rojo said she feels empowered since winning last year's pageant, and she wants other Latinas just like her to take the world by storm.
"Take that step. You can do it. Be confident in yourself, and don't let anyone bring you down from that," Rojo said.
