Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel Topped Miss Universe 2022 – PEOPLE

byCeleb News Plug -January 15, 2023

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A brand new Miss Universe has been topped!

Miss USAR’Bonney Gabriel was formally named Miss Universe 2022 on Saturday night after a grueling competitors on the New Orleans Morial Conference Heart in Louisiana.

Gabriel, 28, beat out runner-up Miss Venezuela Amanda Dudamel and second runner-up Miss Dominican Republic Andreína Martínez for the coveted prize. Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu offered Gabriel along with her crown as she handed on the title of Miss Universe to her successor.

The style designer, mannequin and stitching teacher from Texas is the primary Miss USA to win Miss Universe in 10 years. The final Miss USA to take house the crown was Olivia Culpo in 2012.

Competitors officers mentioned that Gabriel was beforehand the first Filipino American to win the Miss USA pageant.

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Out of 84 delegates from internationally, solely 20 had the chance to compete for the crown on Saturday. Culpo, 30, and Jeannie Mai Jenkins hosted and led the ladies via three rounds of competitors: swimsuit, night robe and interview.

Through the remaining query spherical, Gabriel was requested how she would present that Miss Universe is “an empowering and progressive group” if she had been to win.

“I’d use it to be a transformational chief,” she responded, earlier than discussing her work utilizing recycled supplies in her trend design, and the way she teaches stitching to human trafficking and home violence survivors.

“It’s so essential to spend money on others, spend money on our group and use your distinctive expertise to make a distinction,” Gabriel continued. “All of us have one thing particular, and once we plant these seeds to different individuals in our life, we remodel them and we use that as a car for change.”

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Gabriel additionally mentioned through the competitors that she hopes Miss Universe would permit ladies previous the age of 28 to compete within the pageant.

“I’m 28 years previous, and that’s the oldest age to compete,” she mentioned at one level through the competitors. “And I believe that is a fantastic factor.”

“My favourite quote is, ‘If not now, then when?’ ” Gabriel continued. “As a result of as a lady, I imagine age doesn’t outline us.”

She added: “It is not tomorrow. It is not yesterday. But it surely’s now. The time is now you could go after what you need.”

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That is the primary Miss Universe pageant held beneath the group’s new possession. JKN World Group bought Miss Universe for $20 million in October 2022, making its CEO Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip the primary girl to personal the group in its 71-year historical past.

The Thai businesswoman, who can be a transgender rights advocate, laid out her plans for the group in a press launch asserting the deal, in keeping with a earlier Selection report.

“We search not solely to proceed its legacy of offering a platform to passionate people from numerous backgrounds, cultures, and traditions, but in addition to evolve the model for the subsequent technology,” Jakrajutatip mentioned on the time.

That is additionally the primary time that New Orleans has hosted the Miss Universe pageant in its seven-decade historical past, in keeping with NBC affiliate WDSU. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell mentioned town is “celebrating the inclusion, the tradition, and the empowerment of girls.”

Kelly Schultz, of New Orleans and Firm, mentioned internet hosting the occasion in New Orleans “could be such an amazing voice” for town, per WDSU. “We actually are so grateful for them for lending us their voice,” she added.