New Miss El Paso titleholders crowned

EL PASO, Texas — Two newly crowned titleholders are representing the Sun City and preparing for the next stage of competition.

Lauren Hernandez, Miss El Paso USA, and Victoria Benitez, Miss El Paso Teen USA, joined ABC-7 at Noon to talk about their recent wins, upcoming competition and what they hope to accomplish during their reigns.

The titleholders described the experience of winning as surreal after the work that went into preparing for the pageant.

Their next competition is already approaching. Hernandez and Benitez are set to compete at Miss Cosmo USA on Sept. 18 and 19 at the Abraham Chavez Theater in El Paso. Contestants from across the country are expected to travel to El Paso for the competition.

Beyond pageantry, both titleholders plan to use their platforms to make a difference in the community.

One area of advocacy discussed during the interview was neurodivergence, along with a desire to stay involved in community events, fundraisers and nonprofit organizations.

The titleholders also discussed supporting children’s health care and helping connect children in the community with tools and programs designed to help them regulate their emotions and feel seen and heard.

They encouraged young girls who may be shy or afraid to put themselves out there to take chances and not allow others to discourage them from pursuing their goals.