In 2025, I had the honor of being named Ms. Global Universe. For me, the experience represented more than a title. It brought together many parts of my life, including pageantry, public speaking, confidence, reinvention and the willingness to keep taking on new challenges.
I decided to make the whole experience a birthday present to myself for my 60th birthday. I figured, why not? It was a good reminder that there really is no age limit on trying something new, setting a goal or stepping into a completely different chapter. That is one of the things I have always liked about pageantry. It pushes you to keep growing, to put yourself out there and to be comfortable with who you are. At this point in my life, that probably means more to me than it ever did before.
Winning the title was exciting, but what stayed with me most was the reminder that life does not have to get smaller as we get older. There is always room to reinvent yourself, take a chance and do something simply because it matters to you.
