With superstars like Cardi B and Amara La Negra all over our social media feeds, it seems like Dominican women are taking over, and doing it in the best way possible.

26-year-old Genesis Suero, who hails from the Dominican Republic, was named 2018’s beauty Queen of New York on January 14th.

Living proof that in America you can make your dreams come true largest pageant group in the United States. Never give up on your dreams and embrace what God has gifted you! Hey, I am your new Miss New York USA 2018 the girl with the accent and vibrant personality. ❤️ #GenesisSuero

A post shared by Genesis C. Suero (@genesiscamilas) on Jan 14, 2018 at 8:01pm PST

Born in DR, Suero moved to Harlem when she was just a child back in 2005.

Years later, she is finishing her degree in business management and holding down a full-time job as a beauty contestant.

My support system I won’t trade none of you for anything in this world. You guys were my fuel, I am so grateful for you guys to see with your own eyes what God had in store for me! I will forever and ever I love you all so much. I feel like most luckiest woman alive. I get to represent the Dominican Republic the land that gave me birth and the greatest city in the world that gave me the opportunity to be where I am today….. I want all of you to know that your New York City candidate for Miss USA is vibrant, kind, strong and beautiful! #GenesisSuero

A post shared by Genesis C. Suero (@genesiscamilas) on Jan 15, 2018 at 1:20pm PST

Suero only became an official American a short seven years ago. After working at a Bloomingdales store as a skincare specialist, she was able to strengthen her English.

Even though the American language and customs are not natural to Suero, ever since she could remember, she’d wanted to compete in beauty pageants. She tells The New York Post,

“I remember watching TV in the Dominican Republic in 2002, and I saw one of the contestants for Miss Universe, and I said, this is what I want to do. This is what I want to be. This is going to be my career.”

“ I am the American Dream” • • @aridio.garcia My mentor the person who saw me 7 years ago in a local beauty pageant with no experience and you pull me to the side and said to me if you don’t win this I already have a plan for you, I am going to send you to @missnyusa and I asked him what is that? and he started on explaining what was @missnyusa I said to him but Aridio, I am not financial capable of doing that and I don’t know the right people that can’t help plus my mother is back home. I need to take care of her first than me! Year passes Aridio never desisted of the idea of sending me to @missnyusa I was hired by @esteelauder which I am very grateful thand I was capable of helping my mother to come to this country while meeting also the right people that was seeing something on me that I never knew I had. Year passes I call Aridio and tell him I am ready he told me I wanted you to do this when you were 21 but you are still on time let’s do this because you have a big chance to win @missnyusa is not easy but you can do it. First attempt just him and I top 20 second attempt winner! I am so grateful that you are in my life seriously this was a vision that you had for me the best intentions of help me grow all the tears, hard work, arguments, re doing things are the fruits of who I am today right now at this moment. • • @rafaelalvarezny Rafael Álvarez wow I cant express how you believe in me since day 1 and didn’t hesitate to sponsor me because you also do something in me that others door that I knocked didn’t you are my accountant, my friend, a inspiration and a hardworking man and a very living proof that dreams do come true in America. • • @pageantsmart Jorge wow I never met you in person our coaching sessions are trough screens from our computers. I am so glad that @chantelmartinezz @taylorkessler13 recommended to work with you and I didn’t hesitate because I was able to accomplish what we put on top of the table that #smartgirlsrock even when they have a very thick accent you are part of me, Jorgeeeee I am your first @missnyusa and I am so glad God chooses me to be, because you really taught me a lot. • Alan, Morris, Frank, and Sireen I Love all of you!

A post shared by Genesis C. Suero (@genesiscamilas) on Jan 17, 2018 at 9:39am PST

Living in Harlem, Suero has been open about the fact that she’s dealt with financial issues.

“I really want to share the gift that God has gifted me. He hasn’t gifted me financially, but he has gifted me a very amazing personality. I can make people laugh and I can make them happy, and if you can do that you don’t need money.”

The NY queen shows off her best qualities by simply being herself, bringing her diverse beauty to the contest and inspiring women everywhere to reach for their dreams because no matter how far out of reach they may seem, they are always attainable.

Your new Miss New York USA 2018 already on the job inspiring young girls. #confidentlybeautiful #missnyusa2018 #missuniverse @missnyusa

A post shared by Genesis C. Suero (@genesiscamilas) on Jan 19, 2018 at 12:03pm PST

This is the first step of Suero’s journey. The pageant winner has a long and successful career ahead of her.

We’ll just have to wait and see what else she has in store.

Miss Peru 2018, the Peruvian beauty pageant, switched things up this year.

During a typical pageant, beauty contestants are asked to state their bust, hip, and waist measurements for the judges. However, the Peruvian contestants didn’t state their size, but instead gave statistics on ongoing issues happening to women throughout Peru.

Sexual assault, trafficking, harassment, and female-hate crimes were just a couple of the topics discussed during the beauty pageant.

Here are a few of the statements given, via Mirror:

“My name is Camila Canicoba and I represent the department of Lima. My measurements are 2,202 cases of femicide reported in the last nine years in my country.”

“My name is Juana Acevedo and my measurements are: more than 70% of women in our country are victims of street harassment.”

“My name is Luciana Fernandez and I represent the city of Guanacu. My measurements are 13,000 girls suffer from sexual harassment in our country.”

“Greetings. Almendra Marroquin. I represent Lima. My measurements are more than 90 percent of teenagers are abused in their educational centers.”

“My name is Bélgica Guerra and I represent Chincha. My measurements are the 65% of university women which are assaulted by their partners.”

“My name is Romina Lozano and I represent the constitutional province of Callao, and my measurements are 3,114 women victims of trafficking up until 2014.”

You can peep the whole contest below. Contestant speeches start at about 3:45.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-g14_MSWbw

Romina Lozano, whose statement was, “My name is Romina Lozano and I represent the constitutional province of Callao, and my measurements are 3,114 women victims of trafficking up until 2014,” was the winner of the pageant.

🖤 #miss #missperu #missperu2017 #missperuuniverse #missperu2018 #model #modellife #modellifestlye #peru #peruvian #peruviangirl #peruvianmodel #roadtothecrown #roadtomissperu #black

A post shared by ROMINA LOZANO (@romilozano) on Oct 27, 2017 at 5:11pm PDT

Former beauty queen Jessica Newton had organized the Miss Peru 2018 event, telling Buzzfeed that the decision to dedicate Miss Peru’s event to gender was based on the idea of empowering women and all those involved.

“Everyone who does not denounce and everyone who does not do something to stop this is an accomplice. Women can walk out naked if they want to. Naked. It’s a personal decision. If I walk out in a bathing suit I am just as decent as a woman who walks out in an evening dress.”

This was a very cool way of using the typically problematic setting of a beauty pageant to shed light on issues affecting the women in Peru.