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Over the weekend, Miss Mexico Andrea Meza was crowned the new Miss Universe at the 69th annual pageant held at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, FL. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, the 26-year-old completed her degree in software engineering—a male-dominated field—at the Autonomous University of Chihuahua. Meza is vegan for both animal welfare and environmental reasons and is an advocate for women’s rights. The new Miss Universe frequently shares her vegan meals with her 1.3 million Instagram followers, including recipes for watermelon ceviche and vegetables with quinoa and tofu.
During the Miss Universe ceremony, Meza emphasized the importance of expanding the definition of “beauty” beyond one’s physical appearance and to include their personal beliefs and values. “We live in a society that is increasingly advanced and just as we have advanced as a society we have also advanced in stereotypes,” Meza said. “Today beauty does not only lie in how we see ourselves, for me the beauty lies in our spirit, soul, and the values as we handle ourselves. Never allow someone to tell you that you have no value.”