This Afro-Mexican Beauty Queen Is Challenging Racist Prejudices in Mexico Martha Pskowski - Fusion
go to original November 2, 2016

Beauty pageants are about more than just physical appearances, poise and talent. In the best of circumstances, they’re a national stage that reflects the country’s different social classes, ethnicities and skin colors — all competing under the same spotlight.

While most of the women who compete in pageants usually conform to similar standards of beauty, occasionally a contestant comes along who challenges stereotypes and prejudices.

Samantha Leyva, a 23-year-old beauty queen from Mexico’s southern state of Guerrero, is breaking the mold. She’s a black activist and community organizer who supports Black Lives Matter and is challenging Mexican racism.

“I have been representing the afro-descendant community of my home state with lots of pride,” she told me during phone interview.

Leyva, who was born in the touristy resort town of Acapulco, won third place in this year’s Miss Mexico Pageant last month. But the convincing the pageant judges was easy compared to winning support in the court of public opinion, which in some cases has reacted with racist and nasty comments on social media.



“This black lady doesn’t look very feminine,” one person wrote on Instagram.

Others have tried to downplay her success while mocking her black features.

Read the rest at Fusion

Related: The Closest We'll Get to a Scientific Explanation for Racism (AskMen)

Photo: @samanthaaleyva

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