Miss World 2018

VANESSA PONCE DE LEON

(The journey after her reign)

Imagine a girl next door, confused about her dreams, living a regular college student life who desires to do something enormous but is mystified about the path she has to foray onto!

Yes, Vanessa Ponce De Leon, one such name associated with authenticity, passion and compassion. A name which inspires millions of souls every single day and has created her own legacy. Vanessa is one of the most successful Miss Worlds ever who created history by winning the very first blue crown for her country.

But where did it all start from? Let's look at the transformation that an everyday girl has gone through to become an Idol.

Like any of us, as a child, Vanessa wasn't sure about life, she was open to everything, she would have changed her dream multiple times, one day aiming to become a doctor and another day an astronaut, engineer or a teacher. She knew she had that conceivable potential within her but lacked that courage and opportunity that any typical girl would require. After her graduation, she became keenly interested in modeling, hence collecting all her strength and igniting the flame in her heart, she started participating in various modeling reality shows, gradually resulting in her becoming a professional model. Despite being settled, she still found something discontented. During one of her commercial shoots for a shelter, she could see the first stone of her objective being laid. Expanding her urge to help, she started volunteering for some rehabilitation centers and nonprofit organizations helping the children of indeginous community who had no scope for education, no documents to owe their human rights and were compelled to live as foreigners in their own country, to finally be provided with a place where they could be kids again with educational plans and basic meals. When her passion imbibed with her mission, it produced for her the title of Miss Mexico. She once said, " These kids have dreams, they know what they want to do, they have capabilities but are the victims of injustice. For me justice is not about everyone having the same things but having the same chances to become who they aspire, to find prosperity and to reach their entire potential."

The fire in her eyes during the Miss World competition was visible and that hunger to take the coveted crown back to her beloved country was substantial. And when any usual girl like all of us is determined to establish something, she gets it done with no stones left unturned. Vanessa also did it, she won the title of Miss World 2018 justifying the statement that with hard work and consistency you can even rule over the world. She had that in her to bring about a change which she did during her commendable reign by visiting numerous countries advocating for children's rights and education. Even after having the title of most beautiful woman in the world, she never forgot her values, her roots and her mission making her a true individual, a true Miss World.

Now we wonder, what would Vanessa be doing after her reign? Brace yourself because this is even more thrilling and fascinating.

After having a fun vacation in Paris, when Vanessa returned to her hometown to resume her normal routine, lockdown became a new normal. Vanessa once said,'' Helping is not hard, you just need the will to do so" and she proved this when she along with her Miss Mexico sisters started an online initiative to donate essentials to those in need. Through this initiative, Vanessa was able to change the dynamics and spreaded mass awareness regarding covid dos and don'ts. She used her social media in the best way possible and organized live sessions and impacted the lives of many. She also did work from home but with a distinct vision that all of us should adopt. Don't you think, instead of sitting idle, if you would have adopted a similar concept, you would have saved somebody's life too? Think about it!

Coming to the social media posts that she does more oftenly. Her evergreen passion for modeling is displayed in her social media posts. She portrays the creativity of the designer and the photographer in a very aesthetic way and indulges herself in the character completely. She celebrates her work because this is something she cherishes executing and is not bound to any forced career, hence giving us another learning about chasing our ambitions.

Hailing from the industry of glitz and glamor, Vanessa did not hesitate a bit to keep her marriage a mark of sophistication and intricacy . She married the prince of her fantasies with whom she fell in love and kept her affair a secret contradicting the conventional behavior expected from notables. On 14 April 2022, Vanessa tied her knot under nature's umbrella and exchanged promises through a bunch of flowers to remain together for the rest of their lives. This way the world witnessed very modest and ground-touched Miss World's wedding bells.

From exploring art exhibitions to having live sessions on tips to start modeling, from joining the patriotic fire of Mexican people during vulnerability to attending Miss world 2021 competition for guiding the contestants and collaborating with people to focus on sustainable Earth and cleaning beaches - she has set an example of being predominantly powerful even after her reign. She did not follow any kind of standard said-out rules of being a Miss World but instead kept her life the way she wanted it and that's why we admire her the most. Her reign as a Miss World might have ended but she keeps reigning over our hearts as a queen forever.

We love you Vane! Once a Miss World, always a Miss World.