Miss Panama

Full Name: Ariela Contreras

Age: 20

Hometown: Atlantic City, NJ

School: Temple University

Island: Panamá

What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?
“You are blessed!”, that is the best compliment that I’ve ever received, simply because it is true. Through everything I’ve been through and I can always say that I am blessed. No matter how tough times may appear to be, I can always say that God will never let me down and that he always has a plan to pick me right back up.

Please list your biggest accomplishments:

My bigget accomplishments in life are graduatin from high school and getting accepted into awesome four year colleges. My latest and biggest accomplishment was participating in the 2014 S.O.C.A. Miss Caribbean Queen Pageant,with it I’ve grown so much as a woman and I’ve learned so much more of my culture that I was never taught from the beginning. It was truly a stepping stone for me that I will never forget.

Name an unexpected moment that happened in your life. (Please explain):
An unexpected moment that happened in my life was losing my grandfather before ever getting to know him. The reason I am persistent with research on my culture is mainly because of him. I was never taught about my culture and roots from my father, I had learn mostly everything on my own and through the help of my tía and abuelita. I was told that when I was born my grandfather desperately wanted to see me and I never got to, until I went to his funeral. It is because of him that I know desperately wish to know who he was and my roots as a Panamanian woman.

What is the best advice you ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever received was to always follow my heart, the Holy Spirit. Whenever I’m lost and need guidance, I remember what my mother told me, to simply pray and trust the Holy Spirit and I’ll forever be alright.

What makes you special and unique?
I believe what makes me special is not only my outgoing, tenacious and creative persona, but my strength in my faith that I’ve acquired through all the battles I’ve faced. I haven’t always been this strong and confident in myself and my faith. I guess I can attribute it to the unfortunate yet strengthening tests that God has given me, because of them my endurance has grown along with my faith in God.

What is your platform (Organization/Cause you’re passionate about)?

I am currently a part of 5 different organizations on campus at Temple University. S.O.C.A., The Student Organization for Caribbean Awareness; A.d.E.L., Asociación de Estudiantes Latinos; W.H.I.P. Radio, We Have Infinite Potential; Media Meltdown Productions; and Temple Smash.

What can’t you live without?

I can’t live without my family and my faith in God, The Almighty. Through his strength he’s given me my family who’s been there for me through all of trials and tribulations and even when things are great. I am forever thankful for them for their love and support and I will always love them and be there for them as the way God intended.

If you had one wish what would it be?

If I had one wish, I’d wish for love and happiness. Not only for myself but for all. I can provide a cliché and wish for worldwide peace, but it starts with one that can affect another, who will affect another. I can’t change the world by myself and that is why I wish to first be happy and have enough love so that I may stand on my many platforms to affect more than one person at a time, so that they may pay it forward. So I wish for enough and love and happiness for myself so that I may spread to others.