It’s become a comfortable and ubiquitous cliché: what pageant queens lack in substance, they make up for in looks. When the generalization finds itself tired and overworked, there is oftentimes a scandal fortuitously waiting in the wings poised to maintain our attention. While there have certainly been beauty queens in years past acting as perfect illustrations of these stereotypes, Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez is living proof that with every rule, there is an exception.
In an interview with The Daily Free Press, 24-year-old Sanchez spoke about her philanthropic work with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, living in a woman’s shelter and how being a fourth-degree black belt has impacted her work ethic. The Sacramento, California native and current New York resident found herself in Boston for the first time on Thursday, kicking off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and promoting the 2014 Komen Massachusetts Race for the Cure, which took place Sunday.
While the Miss Universe Organization, which operates the Miss USA pageant, is responsible for delegating breast and ovarian cancer as Sanchez’s primary philanthropic cause, she said it all ties into the bigger picture.
“My personal platform has been women’s empowerment, but we can use programs like this [Komen Race for the Cure] to empower women in general,” Sanchez said.
Building on a 25-year partnership between the Komen Foundation and New Balance, she revitalized New Balance World Headquarters prior to Sunday’s Race for the Cure with her energy and presence.
During her visit, Sanchez took part in a kickboxing class and taught taekwondo-inspired women escape moves – after which she received sneakers from New Balance’s Lace Up for the Cure collection. This collection, contributing retail proceeds year round to the Komen Foundation, boasted $1.75 million in donations in 2013, according to the Komen Foundation’s website.
As a child, the now-exuberant Sanchez was shy and withdrawn. Having moved to a new city after her parents’ separation, her father recognized the importance of getting her involved in an activity that would encourage socialization. What was initially a reluctant introduction to taekwondo soon turned into a lifelong love of the martial art, which she has now been dedicated to for 12 years.
“Taekwondo is less a sport than it is a lifestyle,” Sanchez said. “It teaches you discipline and respect, as well as little things like always being 15 minutes early, which are essential to growing up and becoming more responsible.”
When asked about her role as Miss USA, she said the perks of the job have been the ability to advocate for multiple causes and to travel. An experienced globetrotter, she has lived all over the world, from Germany, where she worked as a nanny after high school, to her more recent employment as a character with Disneyland in Hong Kong. From Austria to Thailand and the Middle East to Africa, she has seen a broad spectrum of the world’s rich variation. But the place that’s left the biggest impression on her?
“Hong Kong,” she said. “I’ll probably say that a year from now and five years from now.”
But Sanchez hasn’t always been jet setting in style. During her parents’ separation, she stayed in a women’s shelter for a time until her mother was stable enough to support her. This personal experience is just one of the reasons why women’s empowerment is a cause close to her heart.
Sanchez is preparing for competition in the Miss Universe pageant, which is slated for Jan. 25 in Doral, Florida. Her daily preparatory routine consists of activities such as consulting walking coaches, hitting the gym and rehearsing those highly anticipated interview questions.
She mentioned her lack of a social life during pageant season as well as negative publicity and potential downers. But luckily, her busy schedule doesn’t leave her much time to dwell on what the haters are saying.
“If I see it, I delete it,” she said.
And of course, an interview with the current Miss USA and a contestant in the Miss Universe pageant would hardly be complete without at least one question about Sanchez’s beauty routine. After all, they’re called beauty queens for a reason.
“My grandmother always told me: moisturize, moisturize, moisturize,” she said.
With her unique life experiences, relentless determination and charitable compassion, it seems that Sanchez could be a similarly long-lasting figure of empowerment and strength for young women everywhere.