What makes a Latina beautiful?
For Miss Globe 2024 Diana Moreno, the three qualities of a Latina that make them attractive are being “empowered, humble and resilient.”
The 27-year-old beauty queen from Colombia sat down with The STAR in an exclusive interview and shared her Japanese-Latina roots, memorable visit in the Philippines, and her reign as Miss Globe.
She was in the country recently and was billeted at Araneta City as part of her Asian tour.
“I think Latinas are powerful in beauty pageant(s) because they are secure about themselves and have that energy like (being) happy. And I think Latina loves to enjoy everything. I think Latina is sexy! Haha!” she said on Latina traits that she is proud of.
Diana also hopped into the “Sobrang Latina” trend, where she recreated the viral TikTok video.
She found it “amazing and incredible” how Filipinos have expressed their admiration for Latina beauties.
She was thrilled to be in Manila, for the first time, because she had heard a lot of good stuff about the Philippines prior to coming here. “My mom told me about how amazing (the) Philippines is. She said, ‘You will really enjoy it because the people are so kind.’ I also tried halo-halo and it’s amazing. Filipinos are always in my heart and I really want to come back.”
Diana cited the Filipino fans’ love and high-energy that greeted her when she arrived. “It was incredible. I also met a Filipino fan in Thailand and he told me how Filipinos love me. I love them back. Filipino fans are lovely, kind and they support me. And that is amazing because I feel that love. That’s why I keep working hard.”
The Filipina beauty queens that she admired most are Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach.
She also developed a close friendship with Philippine representative and Miss Globe 2024 second runner-up Jasmin Bungay. They plan to travel together after Diana’s Asian tour.
Diana was born in Japan to Colombian parents and lived there for years. She moved to Colombia when she was 11. She speaks Japanese and hopes to come back to Japan in April for the Sakura season and meet up with her friends.
Meanwhile, here’s the rest of the interview where she talked about her Miss Globe journey.
How has your life changed after winning the title?
“It’s life-changing. I have the opportunity to travel and meet incredible persons, also here in Asia. They have inspired me because they are passionate about beauty pageants and with the way they work. And my advocacy is to support children, so I went to various schools. Everything is incredible.”
What’s the most memorable part of being Miss Globe?
“I think this Asian tour is amazing for me. I want to cry because I really felt happy. It’s a dream come true. I never imagined to be here in the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand. Everyone is really kind to me. And I learned more about the tradition and culture. And I think it doesn’t matter if you’re from Colombia or from (the) Philippines. We are human and we have that feeling to support each other and it’s beautiful.”
What’s the most fulfilling part of being Miss Globe?
“For me, my advocacy is very important as Miss Globe. And I really enjoy working with foundations. So, when I visit schools and talk with them (students), I feel different. They give me that different power to keep going and work hard because I know that with this platform, I can do big difference in this world. This is the power that they gave me and the fans, everything, they support me. This is the best experience and the best feeling as Miss Globe 2024.”
What do you look forward to in your reign?
“I would like to go to other countries, know more people and I really want to touch every heart and tell them my message. It’s not easy for me to be a queen, it’s really hard work. I worked for that for one year.
“I have an International Business degree and I have my career. After graduation, I worked for a big company. But at the same time, I have that feeling in my heart like, ‘Oh, maybe someday, some time, I can make my dream real as a queen and represent my country.’
“It’s an honor and I feel really proud of myself because I am the first Colombian who got the title of Miss Globe. And I made history. And I know Colombian people are also proud of my crown.”
What’s your next step after your reign?
“I’d like to do my own business in Colombia. I want to export organic cacao from Colombia. I really love my country. I really want to create more employment for women also. That’s my next step after Miss Globe. I would also want to support future queens in my country.”