By Natalie Kozimor
Ask the newly crowned Miss Utah Latina what the best thing is about winning the 2003 pageant, and the answer is not the glamour or glitz. Rather, it is the opportunity she now has to inspire and help Hispanic people.
“I want to do something for the Latin people,” said Lydia Acu?a, 23, a sophomore from Cd. Obregon, Sonora Mexico, majoring in economics at BYU. “I am Latin, and I just love it. I want to inspire Latin people. I want to help Latin people. And I want to help my family.”
Acu?a said she desires to instill a hope in the Hispanic community that all people can achieve their dreams.
“I want to let them know that everyone can do this, that if you work really hard, you can get your goals if you want too,” she said.
Acu?a won the Miss Utah Latina title on Aug. 28, 2003 in Salt Lake City. The pageant was Utah”s first.
“It felt unreal,” she said. “It was too good to be true. I used to work behind the scenes at pageants in Mexico when I was there. I took care of the girls and guided them through the pageants, but I never thought that I would be there, walking and doing the things in pageants.”
Acu?a”s boyfriend, Ben Richards, 25, a junior from Charlotte, N.C., majoring in humanities, said he had every confidence she would win because of her hard work.
“Lydia is a very driven person,” he said. “I think she has all the God-given talent that a competition like this looks for. I know that she will be a good representative of her people. I know she has a desire to help out those who are less fortunate. She also has a natural intelligence and charisma that allows her to shine when the spotlight is on her.”
Chris Davis, director of the Miss Utah Latina Pageant, said next year he hopes to involve more students like Acu?a in the pageant.
“There is a lot of Latin beauty at BYU,” he said.
Davis said right now he is looking forward to this year”s Miss Latina U.S. Pageant in Mexico.
“I am excited for this year,” he said. “Lydia has an excellent chance to win in Cancun.”
Acu?a was about to quit the Miss Utah Latina Pageant before competition started.
“The pageant demanded a lot of time, which was time away from school and my own life,” she said. “But my friends stopped me.”
Friends and family are Acu?a”s main support. It was her best friend who told her about the Miss Utah Latina Pageant.
“My best friend, Betty, saw the pageant on TV,” Acu?a said. “She called and told me I had to get into the pageant, so I applied.”
However, she did not tell her family about the pageant until a week before it took place.
“When I applied I did not tell them because my grandma was in the hospital – it was not the right time to tell them,” she said. “But when I told them, they felt really happy. My father”s mother was so happy. She was crying and praying for me all the time. My mom”s mother hugged me and told me that she wants me to win in Mexico. I want to do it for my grandma especially.”
And that”s just what she”s doing. Acu?a is now preparing for the Miss Latina U.S. Pageant, which takes place Sept. 23-28, 2003 in Cancun, Mexico.
According to the official Web site, the Miss Latina U.S. Pageant is founded on the principles that it fosters the growth and progress of women of Hispanic and Latin ancestry. Its goal is to build relations between the United States and other Latin countries.
Acu?a said it will be an honor to represent the Hispanic people of Utah in the national competition. She also said she must have faith in whatever happens in Mexico because it is the will of the Lord.
“I want to win, but I will just leave it to the Lord,” Acu?a said. “He knows what is best for me. If the Lord thinks that this is not the right thing for me, and I don”t win, it is okay.”
Richards said win or lose, this is a great experience for Acu?a.
“I think the main reason why I supported Lydia going into the competition was just for the experience,” he said. “She has an opportunity to meet new people and make new contacts.”
But the opportunity to participate in this pageant is challenging at times for Acu?a.
“I sometimes think this is too vain and superficial,” she said. “I don”t want anyone to look at me and judge me. I don”t want to look superficial, that”s the thing.”
Acu?a was surprised when asked what she would get if she won the Miss Latina U.S. Pageant.
“Oh my gosh! I have not thought about it,” she said. “I hope I would receive a scholarship. That”s what I want – I just want to get money for school. School is the most important thing for me.”
Two years ago Acu?a was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She moved to Provo to learn English and said she has been in love with the city ever since.
“I learned English in a year and a half, and I am here at BYU, and I have a scholarship now,” Acu?a said. “Being LDS and being at BYU is the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”
Acu?a said she hopes to use this life-changing experience to inspire the Hispanic community to have faith and work hard.
The winner of the Miss Latina U.S. Pageant in Cancun will represent the United States at the international Miss America Latina Pageant in November.
It is unknown what will happen in Mexico, but for Acu?a this experience has been unreal.
“It”s definitely a story to tell one day to her daughters and granddaughters,” Richards said.
