The following English translation was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence and has been reviewed and edited by our team for accuracy and clarity.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Hi, a heads-up before we begin: today’s story doesn’t contain as much sensitive content as some other episodes, just a few swear words, a mesmerizing nude scene, and a whole lot of beauty and talent. Discretion is advised.
Valentina is a trans girl from Ecuador. She’s 22 years old. She arrived in the United States around 2023, after a month-long journey across half a continent.
[Valentina]: I arrived here when I was 19 years old. I came because in my country things are very tough. Trans people are barely heard in our country, in Ecuador. I didn’t come with a visa, I didn’t come by plane, I came by land. I crossed the jungle.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: The Darién Gap. That 160-kilometer jungle between Colombia and Panama that hundreds of thousands of migrants have attempted to cross on their way to the United States. An extremely dangerous place.
[Valentina]: I didn’t know anyone, I felt alone, I got lost and I cried by that river, but I would get down on my knees and tell myself I had to get out. When you finally leave there, it’s like you can breathe again.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: It’s March 2026 and we’ve just met Valentina. She’s sitting on the third floor of an apartment in Corona, Queens. She moves her feet anxiously, staring into the distance. Barely smiling. Hans, a friend who works as a makeup artist, hair dryer in hand, blows warm air over her head, which is covered by a fake plastic skin. A bald cap.
[Diego Senior]: Can I ask what you’re doing?
[Hans]: I’m gluing this little cap on her so I can then glue the bald piece on top, to expose all her hair.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: He’s transforming her. We’ll soon find out why. Diego, our reporter, is with her. He asks her more about her crossing of the Darién.
[Valentina]: It took me two days.
[Diego Senior]: Two?
[Valentina]: Yeah, I went in at noon, by 6 PM I was already at the first camp, I slept there. At 5 AM they got us moving. They left us right in the middle of the Panama-Colombia border. And from there everyone followed the blue flags, along the trail that people leave marked, and you have to walk hard. It took me two days because I teamed up with some Venezuelans. And Venezuelans, as they say, have personality. They have strength, they don’t give up. And there were a lot of Venezuelan girls. And when I saw there were women I said: I’ll join them here. I walked in the early morning hours, it was still dark. And I made it to the camp where there are indigenous people. That’s where you see a lot of people who charge you 40 dollars for the boat to get to the Panama camp.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: But all this was years ago. Now Valentina has more important things to think about. Because today is the final of the Nuestra Belleza Latina Trans 2026 pageant, a beauty pageant in Jackson Heights, with a 1000-dollar prize. And Valentina is one of the contestants competing for the crown.
[Diego Senior]: How are you feeling?
[Valentina]: A little nervous. I just want to do things right, but I’m kind of scared — not scared of anything bad, just nervous-scared.
[Diego Senior]: I mean, you made that crossing and now you’re getting nervous over this.
[Valentina]: I think it’s very different because out there you’re just praying, you’re… You see it as a competition for yourself. But here in a pageant there’s so much… It’s like, I think it’s different. Very different from that adrenaline.
[Laura Martínez]: Hello. Yes. One, two, three. We’re good. Hurricane winds. So welcome.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: In this episode of Las Reinas de Queens we return to Roosevelt Avenue to witness up close a one-of-a-kind beauty pageant.
[Laura Martínez]: Talent, talent, talent, talent!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: We’ll follow it from start to finish. Tracking step by step the preparation, the excitement, the highs and lows of the contestants, to see how a new crown connects a group of trans migrant women with a brilliant past and future.
[Laura Martínez]: Nuestra Belleza Latina 2026 is…
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: From Central Series and Radio Ambulante Studios, this is Las Reinas de Queens. I’m Rula Ávila Muñoz.
Episode 9. From the Darién to the True Colors.
In mid-January 2026, just as New York City is bracing for a historic ice and snowstorm…
[Laura Martínez]: Sweetheart, oh my God! Nuestra Belleza Latina 2026 is back! One thousand dollars, one thousand dollars! Four categories, of course: fantasy, talent, evening gown, question and answer.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Laura Martínez, the reina madre we’ve heard from in several episodes of this series, announces on her social media: a historic pageant is coming back — one that was last held 11 years ago, Nuestra Belleza Latina Trans. It’s inspired by a Univisión reality show of the same name.
[Archival audio]: The public decided that the XII queen of Nuestra Belleza Latina is…
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: The rules of Laura’s contest are simple: to participate you can be a trans person or a drag performer, and you simply have to choose a Latin American country to represent on the runway. When we found out, we asked Laura if we could document the entire process. And she…
[Laura Martínez]: Hello. Hello, good, good morning. Everything’s fine…
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: She starts sending us voice messages on WhatsApp. She tells us that in the first week of the open call, three contestants have already signed up: Miss Ecuador, Miss Venezuela, and Miss Guatemala. Everything is very exciting. We picture an epic pageant, with contestants from many countries, a star-studded jury, a big Latin party! But at the end of February, with the storm intensifying and just ten days before the night of the contest, Laura sends us this message:
[Laura Martínez]: It’s still snowing. It snowed yesterday, and well, that was supposed to be the candidates’ presentation. Yeah, no more people have signed up, just three. Times are tough and honestly, it had me feeling discouraged, but no — we have to keep going with three candidates or however many there are. We have to move forward.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: She tells us that the mood in the community really isn’t in the right place for pageants.
[Laura Martínez]: Because fewer girls are showing up to the clubs, fewer people from the community, because things are also happening… Many of them have been deported. Others are afraid to go out.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Between the cold and the fear of ICE raids, very few girls seem interested in a beauty and talent pageant that also requires investing time and money. But Laura isn’t giving up.
[Laura Martínez]: So we’re going to resist — of course we resist, because the people in this community are very strong when it comes to situations like this.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: She adjusts her crown, shakes the snow off her shoulder, and carries on as if nothing happened. She tells us the pageant is being pushed back a week and will be split into two nights. The first will be Monday, March 9th, when each candidate will present herself to the audience in a fantasy costume inspired by the country she has chosen to represent. And a week later, Monday, March 16th, will be the grand final. There, the contestants will face three challenges. The talent portion…
[Laura Martínez]: They can perform whatever song they want. Maybe one will dance, another will do a ballad, someone will go tropical, ranchero — but that’s up to them, whatever they feel like, whatever talent they have.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And then they’ll have to get through the Q&A part and show off their evening gown.
[Laura Martínez]: Which is judged on how she wears the dress, how it fits. Whether it’s too big, too small. Whether she knows how to walk, how to be a model. Her presence on the runway is judged, her confidence… Most importantly, how she carries herself on stage, which is very important: is she nervous, does she smile, does she have glamour?
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And speaking of glamour, a week before the first night we start talking with the four candidates who signed up for the pageant. A new generation of queens.
[Ani Alexa Chuinda]: Good morning. My name is Ani Alexa Chuinda. I’m 25 years old and I’m now representing my country, which would be Miss Ecuador.
[Kendra Bracho]: My name is Kendra Bracho. I’m 28 years old and I’m in this pageant representing the country of Venezuela.
[Catriel Gray]: Well, my name is Catriel Gray. I’m from Guatemala.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And finally: Valentina, the Ecuadorian girl who crossed the Darién. She explains that since her country was already taken, she chose another one that inspires her greatly:
[Valentina]: Right now I have the great honor, the pride, of representing Puerto Rico. It felt like a country where, like, the island of enchantment, its culture, its customs — it’s a little similar to Ecuador’s. And I said, «I’m going for Puerto Rico.»
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Each of them has her own journey and her own reasons for competing for the Nuestra Belleza Latina Trans crown. Ani, Miss Ecuador, was queen of a trans pageant in her country. She’s a professional choreographer and TikToker with more than 150 thousand followers.
[Ani Alexa Chuinda]: I feel like this pageant is going to help me open more doors, because my goal is to reach Miss Queens Universe, where contestants from all countries participate.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Catriel, Miss Guatemala, has been preparing at home with the help of friends from different Latin American countries.
[Catriel Gray]: It’s something wonderful to share each experience, each culture. Each mentality is different, but that doesn’t hurt us or make us any less — we are one big Latin family and we are truly here for all of us to shine, to share that essence, you know?
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Kendra, Miss Venezuela, is not trans: she’s a guy who loves the art of drag. But she has never won a crown.
[Kendra Bracho]: I went through a very tough time and when I started getting into the drag world I was very self-conscious about my appearance. I was embarrassed, I didn’t want to go out. I started doing all of this and it was like building a suit of armor inside me. So every time I’m on a stage it’s like: I’ve got my armor on, I’ve got my armor, my alter ego is pounding, and «you can do it, you do it, you are the best. Enjoy it, live it, savor it.»
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And even though Valentina is the youngest contestant at 22, she arrives feeling very confident. She says her greatest strengths are her attitude and her elegance on the runway.
[Valentina]: And I believe I’m the best — you have to believe it to be able to win. Because if you don’t believe in yourself, if you don’t have confidence in yourself, you’ll never do better. Because you know what? Attitude beats Beauty.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Attitude beats beauty. The four candidates share one thing: they have an almost infinite confidence in themselves. Something necessary, but not sufficient to win. Because wanting to take on the world means nothing if you don’t first leave the judges speechless. And in the case of the Nuestra Belleza Latina pageant, that jury is made up of some unquestionable stars:
[Laura Martínez]: There are five reigning queens. The five queens are this year’s queens: Valentina Jácome, who is Señorita Colombia Oneida 2025; Fonsi Fox Martínez, who is Miss Curaçao — she already holds that international crown from that small South American country. We also have Adaimé LaCosme Martínez, who holds the Miss Reina de Reinas crown. There’s Alejandra Olivares, who is Miss Oneida. And we also have here the queen of Miss Mundo Latino. That’s our jury.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And well, as you can see, there are a lot of pageants, a lot of crowns, a lot of titles. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed — it sure happened to us. So, here’s a quick breakdown of how this universe works. Pageants go from local to regional, then national, and finally international.
Near New York, in Washington DC, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey, there are competitions like Reina de Reinas and Miss Oneida, organized by other Latin LGBTQ+ communities. At the national level, Miss Mundo Latina USA is a well-known pageant that has grown in recent years. And the Mount Olympus of pageants is Miss Continental, in Chicago — the ultimate stage. I don’t know if you remember Lady Catiria from the last episode. She won it twice.
But the very first step on this path is Nuestra Belleza Latina Trans. It’s with that first crown — the one of a newcomer — that you start making a name for yourself. Something especially important for the four candidates we’ve met: they all arrived in the United States just a few years ago. So if they really want to carve out a little place for themselves in the pageant world, they have to give it their everything. And in March of this year, with Nuestra Belleza Latina 2026 just around the corner, the candidates know it. Kendra, Miss Venezuela…
[Kendra Bracho]: Well, yes. I really have prepared quite a lot in getting my wardrobe ready, on being able to visualize all the ideas. I want this to be this way. I want this runway walk to be like this, to be able to turn at this moment like that. To look out, to captivate the audience. So getting ready is exhausting, because we spend hours trying things on. We rehearsed with dresses, we rehearsed without dresses, we rehearsed with the wigs, we rehearsed with makeup, we rehearsed without makeup…
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Catriel, Miss Guatemala, with her talent for sewing, tells us she made her fantasy category costume in one week. But she also confesses she’s had other setbacks.
[Catriel Gray]: My health isn’t quite at a hundred percent, so I haven’t had that much time, because I’ve been in and out of the hospital. It’s been a little complicated, but we’re working on it.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And Ani, Miss Ecuador, tells us on the Friday before the pageant:
[Ani Alexa Chuinda]: Now I have three days left because I have to keep preparing for that day, which is Monday. I already know… I’m excited and I’m also way too… I’m quite nervous, because remember that all of us here, all four of us, are talented.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: After the break, the first night of the Nuestra Belleza Latina Trans pageant.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: We’re back on Las Reinas de Queens. The pageant venue is the True Colors bar on Roosevelt Avenue, where Laura performs every week with her «Lunes Picantes.»
[Manager]: G52, G52, G52, G52! And the strippers have arrived…
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: It’s just past midnight, about two hours before the contest begins, and the bar manager is calling out numbers for a bingo game.
[Manager]: G56, G56, G56!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Diego approaches one of the judges. Her name is Fonsi Fox Martínez — she’s Dominican, Laura Martínez’s daughter. And she has an impressive pedigree.
[Fonsi Fox Martínez]: Yes, I was Miss Colombia Oneida in 2017. In 2016 I was Miss Hombres Lounge. In 2015 I was Miss República in my country. In 2018 I was the LGBTQ Pride queen back in my country too, where they hold a pageant. After that I was Miss Selene. Oh, I’ve won so many!
Diego Senior: OK, so you’ve been competing for a while, learning…
[Fonsi Fox Martínez]: Around eight, just over eight. But I think it’s more.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Fonsi has nearly 100 thousand followers on Instagram. Tonight she’s here at True Colors in recognition of her mother Laura’s legacy. And that’s why she takes her role as a judge very seriously.
[Fonsi Fox Martínez]: The candidate’s stage presence will show.
Diego Senior: And is there a scoring system?
[Fonsi Fox Martínez]: Yes, from 1 to 10. The beauty of the costume, whether the theme of each candidate’s costume is respected — these are fantasy costumes representing each country.
[Diego Senior]: Ok.
[Fonsi Fox Martínez]: So that’s going to be heavily evaluated, and the one who’s best in all those things tonight will be the winner of the costume category. Then that score gets added to the other categories coming up next week…
[Diego Senior]: The following Monday.
[Fonsi Fox Martínez]: Which will be talent, evening gown, and question and answer.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: More people join the audience. With the beers and the margaritas, the day’s troubles fade away. And then…
[Manager]: And here comes Ms. Laura Martínez. Welcome to your home, True Colors.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Laura arrives accompanied by two assistants carrying the dresses she’ll wear tonight. And she disappears through a door behind the bar. Diego follows her down a narrow, steep staircase. And arrives at a basement. There are stacked beer boxes, an old sofa, a dirty rug, an uneven floor like a dungeon. It’s the bar’s storage room. Or if you prefer: the True Colors dressing room. Because that’s where Laura and all the contestants are, getting dressed side by side, without any inhibition whatsoever.
Kendra, the Venezuelan candidate, is getting undressed to put on her fantasy gown. In the center of her chest is a large owl tattoo. Diego asks her how she’s feeling.
[Kendra Bracho]: Well, it really is… It’s an emotional rollercoaster. But just the fact of being here, seeing the work you’ve put in for so long, what you’ve worked for. And not just you, because behind us there’s a whole team — maybe the person who helps you glue on your lashes, who helps you stick that last rhinestone on your costume. It’s very meaningful to see all your work come to life on one closing night, where it’s not just about choosing a winner — it’s about bringing art to life. And that’s what we’re here for tonight.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Ani, the Ecuadorian, is nearby, also getting ready to put on her costume.
[Ani Alexa Chuinda]: Yes, right now I’m here, very happy, let’s see what God has in store. We are four candidates and each one looks beautiful. All representing their country with their hearts and honoring it, because remember that Latin beauty isn’t just about the community, just all Latin people from every country.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And Valentina — as you know, representing Puerto Rico — is with Hans, her makeup artist friend. He’s fitting a kind of harness on her back, as if he were about to attach a pair of fake angel wings. They look completely focused.
[Valentina]: We have to enjoy it, because moments like these only happen once in a lifetime.
[Diego Senior]: Exactly. It’s 2 in the morning. How do you manage to be awake at this hour?
[Valentina]: I think the excitement of taking part in this is because for us it’s a beautiful experience. And may everything flow, and may the best one win.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And in the center of the dressing room is Laura, wearing makeup and a wig, lit by the white light of the bulbs. Two of her daughters quickly undress her. For a few seconds she stands there half-naked. It’s impossible not to stare. At 62, she has an incredible body — curvy and firm. She looks like the statue of a Greek goddess. With her stern gaze she scans the room and gives instruction to the staff members who are rushing to get the pageant started. Everything feels improvised, chaotic. But Laura isn’t rushing it. And so, after 2 in the morning, she asks a staff member to bring her the microphone. It’s time. Laura comes up from the dressing room to a packed True Colors. The judges are already in place, seated in front of the dance floor.
Laura Martínez: And well. Welcome all! Today we begin Nuestra Belleza Latina, with the regional fantasy costume presentation. I wish you all luck. There are four candidates: Guatemala, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico, ladies and gentlemen. So I know, everyone out there is supporting their candidate. And well, we wish each and every one of them luck. And next week, the grand finale, which will be talent and evening gown. So now you know — here it is after 11 years, because 11 years ago, well, with all the changes and so many things, Nuestra Belleza Latina hadn’t come back. And today, do you know why Nuestra Belleza Latina is happening? Because of the government in place. Latin people are being discriminated against today. Today they look at us like we’re weirdos, and that’s also why I decided to bring Nuestra Belleza Latina back. Because us Latinas are the hottest, the happiest, the richest, the most joyful. Yes we are. So welcome, and well, today we begin, and thank you. And I wish all four girls luck. Any one of them can be queen. So tonight we welcome our friend country: Ecuador!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Ani begins her number, inspired by the Shuar culture of the Ecuadorian Amazon. She wears a blue dress with necklaces and bracelets. She takes small leaps across the stage to the rhythm of the music, as if in a ritual dance. And then, Ani gives her speech to introduce herself to the audience.
[Ani Alexa Chuinda]: As a trans Latina today I’m not just representing a traditional costume. I am Ani Alexa Chuinda, I am 25 years old. I proudly represent my beloved Ecuador. Thank you so very much.
[Laura Martínez]: Ecuador!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Laura takes back her role as host, completely focused. Until the handsome True Colors waiter walks quickly across the dance floor with a broom, and everything spins out of control for a second.
Laura Martínez: There’s our new waiter. I don’t know his name. What’s your name, sweetheart? Oh! Oh!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Well, let’s continue.
Laura Martínez: Where is Venezuela?
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Kendra appears on the dance floor. Her dress is strapless and bears the colors of the Venezuelan flag. On her head she wears a white polka-dot headscarf with red dots. She’s dressed as the woman from the Harina Pan logo — that iconic Venezuelan cornmeal brand used to make arepas.
[Kendra Bracho]: I want to tell you that I’m inspired by one of the most iconic dishes from my country. It’s the dish that brings back memories, and even though I had to cross so many borders, every time I taste it, I’m back in my Venezuela… [applause] All my Latin brothers and sisters, thank you for your support. My name is Kendra Bracho, at 28 years old I come here today to represent the country that gave me courage: Venezuela!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: The next turn…
[Laura Martínez]: We welcome our third candidate, and we’re heading to the Island of Enchantment — Puerto Rico!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Valentina wears a very form-fitting costume, and from her back fan out long, lush peacock feathers like a tail. She barely fits on the dance floor and the audience’s reaction says it all. And it’s at this moment that the guests themselves become part of the show. Several of them have known Laura for so many years and so many «Lunes Picantes» that they feel comfortable making demands every now and then. Especially one of them — short, with a mischievous face and a playful attitude. Almost like a little elf. Laura calls him «señora Simpson.» He shouts from the bar demanding an explanation for how a trans Latin beauty pageant could be missing a representative from his own country: Mexico.
[Laura Martínez]: There was a representative for Mexico, but Mexico was one of my daughters.
[«Señora Simpson»]: But no one cared.
[Laura Martínez]: No! That’s not it.. What happened is I didn’t want to — I didn’t want Mexico because it was my daughter. And if I put one of my daughters in, there are judges who are also my daughters, so that’s not good.
[«Señora Simpson»]: Fraud!
[Someone from the audience]: Peru is also missing!
[Laura Martínez]: I can’t put one of my daughters in because then it would be fraud. OK? Exactly. So that’s why Mexico didn’t come. Let’s welcome our last and fourth candidate tonight — where is Guatemala?
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: The lights go out, and Catriel takes the floor. She’s accompanied by the recorded voice of an announcer.
[Announcer]: The quetzal, symbol of freedom, sovereignty, and natural beauty. Known for its emerald green plumage, yellow beak, and red chest. For the Maya, the quetzal was a sacred and divine bird, called the God of the air…
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: She’s dressed as Guatemala’s national bird, the quetzal, with an extraordinarily long tail of green feathers. She begins to dance slowly, while from a small bag she carries in her hand, she pulls out bright green glitter and tosses it toward the audience, like a fairy godmother. And she introduces herself:
[Catriel Gray]: We have spent decades fighting for our stories. Let us be the architects of our own history. From Guatemala, the land of eternal spring: Catriel Gray — Guatemala!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And so, after all four candidates have presented themselves before the judges and the audience, the night comes to an end. With a promise from Laura, reminding us what’s still at stake.
[Laura Martínez]: Next week is talent. Talent, talent!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: We’ll be right back.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Hello again. After the first night of the pageant, the week goes by fast. Friday arrives and we talk again with Catriel, Miss Guatemala, and Kendra, Miss Venezuela, to find out how their preparations for the final night are going.
[Catriel Gray]: I’m so nervous. I’m like, oh no! I can’t believe it. I don’t want that Monday to come.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Will the dress fit right? Will they have rehearsed enough…
[Kendra Bracho]: Right now I’m completely consumed by the talent category. The talent category is what I’m more concerned about. Tomorrow I’m going to finish sorting out the details of the costume, of the evening gown for the final night. So, super anxious, super anxious, but oh no! The more the days go by, the more nervous I get. This is madness.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And when we speak with Valentina, she tells us that on Monday — the day of the second night — she had her breast implant surgery scheduled. But she cancelled it to be in the pageant. It’s a testament to her dedication to her art. But she also tells us this:
[Valentina]: And I’m going to be honest with you and tell you the truth: I haven’t rehearsed at all. I don’t even know how I’m going to dance. I’m not putting it all together until Sunday.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Sunday — one day before the final night. So Valentina is either very reckless or she blindly trusts in her own abilities. We ask if we can join her that day and she says yes, that she’s going to prepare at a friend’s house.
[Diego Senior]: Hi, good evening. How are you?
[Laura’s son]: Good, all good, thanks.
[Diego Senior]: Should I take off my shoes?
[Laura’s son]: No, it’s fine.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And that friend…
[Laura Martínez]: It’s discipline. That’s all it takes to win a crown. It’s not easy.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: …is Laura Martínez.
[Laura Martínez]: Nothing is easy.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Sunday in the mid-afternoon, the Martínez house is full. Several of her daughters are there doing their hair, passing the time. And Valentina, shy and nervous. And I know what you’re thinking: why is Laura helping Valentina and not the other candidates? Laura tells us she always helps out all contestants.
[Laura Martínez]: I told all of them that if they needed anything to come to me, that whatever I could do I would… But nobody called me. Nobody said, «ma’am, I need this.»
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: She knows the reputation of her event depends heavily on the quality of the performances, so she wants to do everything she can to make sure they’re all spectacular. That said, she also knows she’s walking a tightrope. Anything she does could give the impression that she’s tipping the scales in favor of one of the candidates. That’s why she doesn’t have any of her own daughters competing in this pageant. But she also admits to us that she was the one who recruited Valentina, because she knows she has a lot of talent.
[Laura Martínez]: And she didn’t want to — she said, «no, first of all I don’t have money. Who’s going to support me? I have nothing.» So I took it upon myself because she has the projection of a queen, but she needs attitude — and also she shouldn’t have so many opinions, because she doesn’t have the experience I have. You understand?
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: The thing is, Laura has already seen Valentina compete. It was at a pageant a few months earlier. There, Valentina was the runner-up — she came in second place.
[Laura Martínez]: You danced beautifully, very pretty, but you didn’t move your lips. Period.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: She would have won if she had done her homework and learned the lyrics of the song she was supposed to lip-sync.
[Laura Martínez]: The audience gave it to her. She has essence. She has spirit. She has a presence on the runway. She has a lot — that’s why I’m helping her, not for any other reason. Because there’s a queen here, she just needs to be polished. She’s like gold — still in the rough.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And now she wants to make sure Valentina doesn’t make the same mistake again. So that afternoon, Laura stacks all the furniture in her small living room into a corner and makes a kind of improvised stage. And there, she teaches Valentina a choreography that many other divas have used in the past. The number tells the story of a trans person with AIDS. It’s based on a song by Ana Gabriel called «Huelo a Soledad.»
In a way, it reminds us of Lady Catiria, the diva of La Escuelita we met in the last episode, who died precisely from complications related to AIDS.
The number begins like this: a trans woman is in a wheelchair, bald, near death. She tries to stand but falls to the floor. And then she looks at herself in a mirror and compares her sorrowful reflection to an old photograph of when she looked healthy and beautiful.
[Laura Martínez]: You are doing a theatrical performance. You are performing a monologue. A monologue means you are telling what happened to you, what you went through — but you have to convey that to the audience. If it doesn’t feel real, you don’t win.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: The hours pass and Laura directs Valentina again and again.
[Laura Martínez]: OK, so here we are. We come wrapped in the blanket. The song starts. So listen to it — that’s when you start to act, but don’t overdo it.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Every gesture she makes must have a purpose.
[Laura Martínez]: And you’re going to look like this. You’re going to grab hold of who you are and look at the audience sideways, like this. You are furious at this wretched life. Where are you? How did you end up like this, unable to move? And then you throw yourself to the other side too. Like this, strongly. That’s it.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And she shares all kinds of tricks — for example, how to cry on stage. The secret is to put a little ointment, Vicks VapoRub, near your eyes.
[Laura Martínez]: You have to cry along with the audience, because you have no one. You are all alone.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And Laura throws herself to the floor again and again. She’s not afraid to get dirty so that Valentina understands.
[Laura Martínez]: And at the end, «ay, ay, this sun » — that’s when you throw yourself to the floor, dragging yourself, but let them see your face, do it like this, but let them see you… You are dying. «Oh, how lonely I am!» And let them see you. That is going to mean… You’re crying, you’re like this, right? And that’s where you finish. But always let the audience see your face — you, because if you’re like this… then you’re not going to convey anything. Those are the key points.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Valentina suggests some gestures and movements. She wants to show that she understands what Laura is talking about.
[Valentina]: And I look at my photo and I grab my face. And then I throw my glasses off and it’s like my legs give in, like I’m trembling and I fall back into the chair.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: But the teacher loses her patience.
[Laura Martínez]: You want to do things your own way.
[Valentina]: No, they’re just ideas.
[Laura Martínez]: No, hold on — before the ideas. You are a newcomer. You have never performed a talent number. Number one, you have to listen to what I’m telling you. Don’t add things you want to do. You’re going to do what I say because you have never seen that talent performed. And I know what you need to do.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: The rehearsal lasts almost three hours. And at the end we find out something: the day before, Valentina saw a TikTok from Ani, Miss Ecuador, and realized she would be performing the same number with the Ana Gabriel song. For a moment Valentina wavered.
[Laura Martínez]: She was afraid. I said, «don’t be afraid — two people can do the same song, ‘Suavecito’ or ‘Dos mujeres, un camino,’ but let’s see who does it best.» That’s even better. It’s a challenge.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: OK, it’s 10:30 at night on Monday. Tonight is the Nuestra Belleza Latina Trans 2026 final and Laura is at home, still in her pajamas, gluing rhinestones onto a dress. One by one, with tweezers, because her nails are too long. She has the patience of a saint. Or almost. Because the candidate she decided to help — Valentina — is running late to get her makeup done.
[Laura Martínez]: She may be able to win the crown but she’s not a good queen. She’s not a good queen because I’ve seen rookie girls who are very punctual and who make the sacrifice.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: When Valentina finally arrives, Laura gives her one last scolding and heads out to pick up her dress. And so we’re back to where this episode began — the moment when Hans, Valentina’s friend, starts doing her makeup and putting on the fake bald cap for her talent number. All while they recall the crown she lost a few months ago.
[Hans]: The thing is she had everything it took to win. She was the people’s queen. But since she was a beginner, her first pageant — she is not used to this scene, she doesn’t know how it works. So what hurt her was the talent category. What happened? In the talent segment, a lip sync is exactly what the name says: you have to sync your lips to the music. She put on a perfect show, she danced, she moved, she did everything — but she didn’t move her mouth. And I once did a show and didn’t know the song, and I just started saying maracuyá, maracuyá, maracuyá.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Maracuyá, maracuyá, maracuyá.
[Hans]: And nobody noticed I didn’t know the song.
[Diego Senior]: That doesn’t apply here.
[Hans]: No, not for pageants.
[Diego Senior]: Not for pageants. Also because…
[Hans]: I’m kidding, but for a pageant it doesn’t apply because there they’re watching your every word.
[Valentina]: But if I happen to forget, I could just kind of mime it — maracuyá.
[Hans]: Sure, just don’t get dizzy.
[Valentina]: A little dizzy, even just a tiny bit.
[Laura Martínez]: Cheers, cheers, cheers! To everyone, cheers!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: True Colors. And the ultimate night.
[Laura Martínez]: Real quick: «Popeye the Sailor on his boat toot toot, screw whoever doesn’t raise a toast.» Cheers, cheers, cheers. Cheers to all, cheers everyone.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: With her toast, Laura baptizes the night.
[Laura Martínez]: Shall we begin? Here comes the best part of any pageant: talent, talent, talent, talent.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And we get to it. Talent category. First candidate: Ani, Miss Ecuador. Let’s remember she chose the same song as Valentina. But her interpretation is very different. She dances and lip syncs while drinking a beer. She staggers, stumbles across the stage as if she were drunk. Her number is clearly an allegory about the destructive power of alcohol.
Second candidate: Kendra, Miss Venezuela. She takes the floor and surprises everyone with an emotional speech about immigrant life in the United States. Definitely not the kind of talent we had in mind. And the audience’s reaction is lukewarm. But applause for her courage.
Third candidate: Valentina, Miss Puerto Rico. She enters the floor in a wheelchair, wearing sunglasses. Let’s remember her number tells the story of a trans woman with AIDS on the verge of death. The production and the performance are flawless — Laura Martínez’s mentorship shows — but what about the lip sync? She’s not saying «maracuyá maracuyá maracuyá,» but she’s not singing the lyrics either. Her lips move a little, out of sync. She’ll surely lose points for that.
And fourth candidate: Catriel, Miss Guatemala. She sits gracefully on a tall stool and lip syncs «Aunque sea en otra vida» by Ingrid Contreras. And the truth is her lip sync is incredible — her lips seem perfectly in time with the music. Will it be enough?
After the talent category, there’s a short intermission. And I head downstairs to the True Colors dressing room to catch Laura. I’ve just found out that tonight two crowns will be awarded. One for the pageant we’ve been following, Nuestra Belleza Latina. And another to represent New York in a different regional pageant, Reina de Reinas, to be held in November of this year. I ask Laura about it.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Why did you decide to have two crowns tonight?
[Laura Martínez]: Well, to keep the girls more motivated to keep competing we have to make them feel good. You understand? It’s motivation, above all. What’s the word? Motivation for the girls to keep competing, because many wanted to but didn’t have the means — the support, the financial help. The country is going through a pretty difficult moment. You know that. And for me it’s wonderful when they come to me, when they ask me for advice. And that they have to keep going. If they have problems, to help them and support them — not so much financially, but psychologically, emotionally, spiritually. Because that’s what a trans woman needs. So I love motivating them. I love giving them a little piece of advice. Not just one, but all of them.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: I’m going to come to you for advice, Laura.
[Laura Martínez]: No, no, no…
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Right then and there I ask Laura to adopt me. She laughs and says nothing, so I take that as a yes. And as the newest member of the Martínez family, I head back up to the floor for the last part of the event: the candidates walk in their evening gowns, and then a member of the jury takes it upon herself to remind us what’s left before we know the final result.
[Judge]: Hello, hello, hello. OK, OK, OK. You already know who your favorites are. But please, silence, because this part is very important — the candidates need to express themselves and tell the judges… It’s going to be the same question for every single one of them, so silence, please, and listen to the question. Tonight’s question is for all four candidates: why do you want to be the next queen? One by one. They will give their answer. They will come to the center facing us.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Let’s hear them. First, Miss Ecuador.
[Ani Alexa Chuinda]: I feel that Trans Latin Beauty doesn’t only look out for my country — it looks out for all the countries that are here in this country. We all have a dream that, like me, we are working to make real.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Then, Miss Venezuela:
[Kendra Bracho]: I want to leave a message for the entire community. The world is not ready to see our brilliance. Remember that in a gray world, we are the rainbow. Good night and thank you very much.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Third candidate, Miss Puerto Rico:
[Valentina]: Being a queen is not just about wearing a crown; being a queen is not just about being beautiful; being a queen is about showing our principles, our values, our humility. And together, hand in hand, not walking but running in the right direction, so that our voices and our rights are heard. Thank you so much!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And finally, Miss Guatemala:
[Catriel Gray]: I want to be a leading queen. I want to be a transformational leader, a person who fills spaces, a person who will not be distant or inaccessible; a person who arrives and carries that great weight that all of us as Latinos carry in this country. Thank you so much!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: At last, the jury tallies up each candidate’s points, including those from last Monday.
[Laura Martínez]: Well, it’s the jury’s decision, girls. I am the producer, the director, but there is a jury — they are queens…
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: And Laura takes charge of reading the results. The four candidates stand at the back of the stage, giving nothing away. First comes the Reina de Reinas crown.
[Laura Martínez]: With 126 points, Reina de Reinas 2026 goes to our candidate from Venezuela!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Kendra steps forward and smiles coyly as the sash and crown are placed on her. Now three candidates remain in the running.
[Laura Martínez]: And well, now comes a very difficult moment, truly. Please, the three girls, come forward.
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: With the crown so close, Laura gives them one final lesson in what truly matters in this world.
[Laura Martínez]: And I want you, please, to be there for each other and to keep moving forward, and that there will be better moments ahead, and that you will each leave a legacy going forward. So tonight, with 138 points, the winner of this evening — we get to crown our candidate from… The winner of 2026 is… Nuestra Belleza Latina 2026 is Puerto Rico!
[Rula Ávila Muñoz]: Valentina. She finally lets out a small laugh and then allows the crown and sash to be placed on her. Three years ago she fled Ecuador and crossed the Darién on foot. Today she is the new queen of Nuestra Belleza Latina Trans.
Past 3 in the morning on this cold, foggy Tuesday on Roosevelt Avenue, Valentina becomes the latest heir to a movement that began more than fifty years ago at the Stonewall bar in Manhattan; at La Escuelita; and also in the bars of Queens and Jackson Heights: El Krash, Lucho’s, Evolution, Trio, and now True Colors.
This is no small thing. This is the city where Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson raised their voices for trans people; these are the streets where Lorena Borjas handed out condoms and stood up for sex workers; these are the stages where Cecilia Gentili healed her community with her stories.
And these are the celebrations where today, Laura Martínez tries to instill in a new generation of queens — newcomers from all across Latin America — the value of a legacy. And now it’ s up to them to take on that legacy and give it a future.
Long live the Queens, the Queens of Queens!
Las Reinas de Queens is a podcast from Central, the series channel of Radio Ambulante Studios, and is part of the My Cultura podcast network on iHeart Radio.
This series was produced by Diego Senior and Pablo Argüelles with additional production and reporting by Nikol Pizarro, Joana Toro, and Andrés Sanin.
The editors were Daniel Alarcón, Silvia Viñas, and myself.
Fact-checking by Bruno Scelza and Nikol Pizarro.
María Linares did the sound design and mixing, as well as the original music.
The graphic design and art direction for the series are by Diego Corzo.
Product development for Las Reinas de Queens was handled by Natalia Ramírez. Digital production was by Ana María Betancourt and Óscar Luna. Lina Rincón handled the English translation.
Business development and strategic partnerships were led by Camilo Jiménez Santofimio. And Julián Santos and Eric Spiegelman provided legal support.
Las Reinas de Queens is an original idea by Diego Senior, Joana Toro, and Andrés Sanin.
The executive producers are Diego Senior; and from Radio Ambulante Studios, Carolina Guerrero, our CEO.
At iHeart, the executive producers are Arlene Santana and Leo Gomez.
Part of the funding for this project was provided by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, as part of its «Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude» initiative, with support from the John Templeton Foundation.
You can follow us on social media as centralseriesRA and subscribe to our newsletter at centralpodcast.audio.
I’m Rula Ávila Muñoz. Thank you for listening.