Miss Texas R’Bonney Gabriel made historical past this week as the primary Filipina American to be topped Miss USA.
Gabriel, a 28-year-old designer of San Antonio, Texas, will go on to characterize the U.S. subsequent 12 months on the Miss Universe pageant. Gabriel mentioned she designed her costume to pay tribute to her heritage and fogeys.
“My mother is from Beaumont, Texas, and my father is from the Philippines,” Gabriel wrote in an Instagram put up. “They acquired married in Manila, Philippines. I hand-painted the identical flower design from my mom’s marriage ceremony costume onto my sleeves and tied in a standard Maria Clara Filipina collar form. I’ve immense gratitude for the [opportunities] my mother and father offered me and needed to precise my like to them by this.”
Her win coincides with Filipino American Historical past Month, which began in October.
After profitable the title of Miss Texas in July, Gabriel informed Houston Life, a present that airs on NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston, she was proud to be a constructive consultant.
“Oh my God, it’s an honor,” Gabriel mentioned. “I’m getting messages on Instagram and simply social media of Filipina women and girls telling me they’re so excited, they’re so blissful.”
“They’re crying tears of pleasure as a result of they’re impressed to go after pageantry or one thing,” she mentioned. “Like I’m paving the way in which for them to simply go after no matter they need it doesn’t matter what it’s. So it’s an honor.”
Gabriel graduated from the College of North Texas with a bachelor’s diploma in trend design. Her historic win comes after Macel Wilson of Honolulu, Hawaii, turned the primary Asian American to win Miss USA in 1962.
