After last year’s pageant was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the election for the 69th Miss Universe was held in Hollywood, Florida on Sunday, May 16th. Miss Mexico Andrea Meza beat 73 other women from different countries and territories, and she was crowned at the end of the event by 2019’s Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, the first Black woman from South Africa to win the title.

Tunzi held the crown for almost one and a half years because of the late coronation for 2020’s pageant, causing Meza’s reign to be cut short to a little more than 6 months. In December, Meza will present the crown to the winner of the 2021 Miss Universe.

During her final statement at the pageant, Andrea Meza addressed beauty standards and recognized modern society’s improvement with such issues.

“We live in a society that more and more is more than advanced, and as we advance as a society, we’ve also advanced with stereotypes,” she said. “Nowadays beauty isn’t only the way we look. For me, beauty radiates not only in our spirit, but in our hearts and the way that we conduct ourselves. Never permit someone to tell you that you’re not valuable.”

Miss Universe’s message proves to be meaningful to herself as well, considering her past and continued accomplishments. Meza, 26, is a model and makeup artist, and she serves as the official Tourism Brand Ambassador for her hometown, Chihuahua City. In addition to her multifaceted career, she also has a degree in software engineering and is a strong advocate for women’s rights. According to a news release from the Miss Universe organization, Andrea Meza “works closely with the Municipal Institute for Women, which aims to end gender-based violence.”

During her time as Miss Universe, Meza will move to New York City to continue representing her platform and raising awareness for charitable causes through her appearances at media outlets and networking events.