October 10, 2010, Hotel Maya in Long Beach, California: The newly crowned Miss California Latina, Cindy Salaues, age 20, from Santa Clarita, California, will represent California in the May 2011 Miss Latina U.S. pageant. Miss Congeniality is Eve Mendez, age 26, from San Francisco’s Mission District. Miss California Latina was Eve’s first pageant; her day job is in the marketing department at the San Francisco Giants. More Bay Area contestants included Miss Berkeley Latina, Alba Mayorga, age 21, and Miss San Pablo Latina, Elizabeth Rojas, age 20.
Miss Latina California contestants were judged in interview, evening gown, and swimsuit competitions, and criteria included character, poise, confidence and personality. When asked for tips on looking pageant ready in a bathing suit, Eve said it’s all about positioning yourself onstage — where you place your legs, how you turn your hips, and pushing out your chest and buttocks. The stated mission of the Miss California Latina pageant is to empower women of Latin and Hispanic origin living in California, and enable them to embrace and showcase their Latin American culture while serving the community.
