Since 2022, Miss Universe's tagline has been "Beautifully Confident." And before that, it was "Confidently Beautiful," which might sound familiar since it was part of the unforgettable winning answer from Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. (Who could forget her being "confidently beautiful with a heart"?)
Until now, candidates continue to keep this in mind when competing and representing their respective countries and their personal advocacies. Six years after her reign, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray still pursues her advocacy for education with non-government organization Young Focus. Last year, Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee took home the award for her autism awareness advocacy. Meanwhile, our very own Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo, the child of a migrant worker, is championing overseas Filipino workers and their children.
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Among the other candidates making waves with her advocacy is Miss Universe South Africa 2024 Mia Le Roux. She made history when she was crowned as the first deaf woman to win the Miss South Africa pageant.
Who Is Miss South Africa 2024 Mia Le Roux?
Mia La Roux is 28 years old and she was born in Sasolburg, South Africa. She made history not only as the first deaf Miss South Africa, but also as the first person with a disability to do so, according to a report from Forbes Africa. Mia wears a cochlear implant.
Mia shared that she was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of one. When she was two years old, Mia opened up about a "life-changing" opportunity she experienced when her community helped raise funds for her cochlear implant.
Mia, who was given an amazing gift, returns the favor now by actively speaking up about deaf education. She uses her social media as one of the avenues for this purpose. While in Mexico, Mia took to her Instagram Stories to share her experience as part of the deaf community. Among those she was able to share was "deaf fatigue."
According to Mia, members of the deaf community need to "concentrate so much harder on listening and following what is happening." Mia shared how taking a rest is important in the midst of this. "As much as deaf fatigue is a thing, it's also not something to be worried about or stressed about. It's just something you have to be mindul about and just watch out for the signs like 'am I getting a vertigo?' or 'am I getting too tired?' Then you just rest a bit and you come back stronger and work even harder and fight for your space."
With the positive feedback she has received from her talking about deaf fatigue, she then spoke up about another thing that comes with being deaf or have a hearing impairment. "So as you all know, your balance lies in your ears. And if you're deaf or if you have hearing loss, it does affect your balance." She then chimed, "so it's safe to say my balance is not the greatest and that is ok," she reassured. "I still make it work. I still live a very fulfilled life. But I think what is most important is when I get on that stage, is to show how much I am enjoying it and to have the time of my life. And I think I will do just that."
The CEO of the Miss South Africa pageant, Stephanie Weil, on the other hand, said Mia truly embodies the core of the organization to Forbes Africa. "She also embraces and personifies the organization's four pillars—duty, championship, empowerment, and beauty."
Throughout her reign, Mia has been breaking barriers as she also actively seeks and calls for inclusivity. In her winning pageant answer for Miss South Africa, she voiced, "I am here to teach the included how to be inclusive towards the excluded and empower the excluded with tools so they can reach their full potential. Because [we are at our] strongest when unified."
