For the last couple of years, there has been an almost unspoken rule that Miss Mayagüez is from UPRM. This year was no exception, as our beautiful town was marvelously represented by Ámbar Fernández Lebrón, a fourth year Hispanic Studies student who competed at the Miss Universe Puerto Rico Pageant on November 2015, along with 39 other contestants nationwide. Against all odds, Ámbar landed in the top 10, after a very outstanding performance in both the swimsuit and evening gown categories.
“They told me I wasn’t tall enough (she is roughly 5’6” at a pageant where the average candidate is 5’9”) or that my face looked too old, also that I was too skinny.” Despite the critics, her determination proved otherwise; her great personality and wide smile triumphed over stereotypes. She walked down the runway with her flowy, dreamy red gown and owned the stage,stealing our hearts in the process.
Her preparation for the pageant began at age sixteen through modeling, but this is only one of the several talents needed to succeed in the pageant. There are many skills that develop through the process of training for the competition: dedication, responsibility, independence, time management, and self confidence. It goes beyond looking good, which overall is not a problem for Ámbar. She is very pretty; her facial features are symmetrical, her skin is flawless, and her sleek figure would do any piece of clothing a favor. I can tell she doesn’t need much to look stunning; I could easily recognize her from the pictures, even though she wasn’t wearing a bit of makeup when we met.
“I feel that this is what I was born to do,” she stated, referring to her dream of working behind cameras. I can’t disagree; she is well spoken, smart, sassy and very casual, the exact opposite of beauty queen stereotypes. It is easy to feel swept off your feet by Ámbar, as her company is a breath of fresh air; she is the kind of person everyone wants to be around.
The overall experience of the pageant turned out a lot better than expected. She made a lot of friends and expanded her horizons. after the competition she states that she feel “ready to face anything.” The semester of the pageant she was a full-time student at UPRM, as well as on queen duty. Yet, she jokes, “El Colegio is harder that the pageant.” Somehow, she managed to excel at both.
If she had to give some pointers about what helped her be successful at the competition, it would definitely be her spontaneous personality. Unlike what many outsiders believe, a huge weight of the final result lies on finding a candidate who looks comfortable and natural at stage. That was, in her opinion, what helped Kristhielee Caride win that night.
We have come a long way since the crowning; a bit more than a month ago, Kristhielee was dethroned by the Miss Universe Puerto Rico Organization, due to an interview she gave to the local press where she seemed uncomfortable and openly expressed that she “disliked cameras.” Ámbar was the first candidate to come forward in her support through social media, stating on her Facebook page that “anyone can have a bad day.” The new Miss Universe Puerto Rico, the first runner up at the pageant, is a fellow Colegial from Aguadilla, Brenda Jiménez, to whom Ámbar wishes the best of luck at her task of representing Puerto Rico.
Ámbar’s career is just starting. Her aspirations for the future are huge, but so are her talents and determination. She sees herself pursuing a career in communication and might flirt with acting for a little while. It is highly likely that you will see her next year at Nuestra Belleza Latina, a step closer to her dream. There is no doubt that the entertainment world is yet to fall in love with Ámbar, as much as all of us have. When someone is a natural, you can tell. She was born to rock the stage, and that is exactly what she will do.