The Beauty With A Big Heart And Diverse Background!
Catriona Gray is this year’s Miss USA and is the first Filipina to win the title. A Filipino-Australian student and model, Catriona was born in Manila and moved to Australia with her family at age 10. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design and Technology with Honors.
Catriona has been involved in beauty pageants before – she competed as Miss Philippines Earth 2015 and as Miss World 2017 Philippines.
In this post, we’ll be exploring Catriona’s life and what makes her such an inspiring woman!
Meet Miss USA 2019 Catriona Gray
You might have heard the buzz about Catriona Gray, the first Filipina to win Miss USA. Catriona is a Filipino-Australian student and model who was born in Manila and moved to Australia with her family at age 10. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design and Technology with Honors.
In this post, we’ll be exploring Catriona’s life and what makes her such an inspiring woman!
What Makes Catriona Such an Inspiring Woman?
What makes Catriona such an inspiring woman? It is her diverse background that she was born in Manila and moved to Australia with her family at age 10. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design and Technology with Honors, which would make any woman proud.
She has competed in beauty pageants before – she competed as Miss Philippines Earth 2015 and as Miss World 2017 Philippines.
It is safe to say that her hard work paid off; this year she won the title of Miss USA 2019!
Catriona’s Proud Filipino Identity
One of the first things you’ll notice about Catriona is her proud Filipino identity. She’s been vocal about her Filipino heritage and has said before that she’s “representing not just my country, but also the Philippines”.
Catriona shared her thoughts on why it was important for her to be Miss USA: “I’m really happy to be here representing the Filipino community, and also showing every other kid out there where I come from.”
She’s also been outspoken against President Rodrigo Duterte, who she does not believe is a good leader. Catriona is especially concerned with how he views women. As she said in an interview with ABS-CBN News: “I’m not really into the whole ‘Duterte thing,’ as it were. I feel like he doesn’t respect women at all, which is very unfortunate because they are half of our world.”
A Big Heart
One of Catriona’s most admirable qualities is her big heart.
In a blog post on Miss USA’s website, Catriona talks about how she helps those in need.
“I would like to talk about my passion for volunteering and giving back to those who are less fortunate. As the daughter of a single mother, I grew up seeing firsthand the struggles that many people experience.” Catriona went on to say “I think there is a misconception that because we come from middle-class backgrounds, we don’t know what it’s like to be poor. But I can tell you from personal experience, this isn’t true.”
Catriona has been involved in various humanitarian work including relief efforts after Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in 2013. She also visited an orphanage and donated fashion items for orphans living there.
Interestingly enough, Catriona has been wanting to pursue a career as a fashion designer but her family is hesitant, thinking it might lower her chances of winning Miss Universe – but they have agreed to let her explore the option if she doesn’t win this year!
Team spirit is important too! When asked what she was most excited about with being crowned Miss USA 2019, Catriona said “I’m most excited about teaming up with so many other strong women who know what it takes not only on your own but as part of a team.”
Fashion and Beauty
As the first Filipina to win Miss USA, Catriona is paving the way for future Filipino models and showing them that they too can follow their dreams.
Catriona’s modeling career began when she was just 14 years old. She has walked the runway for designers like Paco Rabanne and Diane von Furstenberg, and has been featured in magazines such as Marie Claire and Vogue Australia.
Conclusion
Catriona Gray is taking the world by storm with her stunning beauty and impressive platform.
Watch her crowning moment on Sunday, May 27th at 8/7c on FOX, and keep an eye out for more on Catriona Gray as she competes for the coveted title of Miss USA 2019!
