When Lisbeth Fernández competes tonight in Miss USA at the Adrienne Arsht Center, she will do so representing Montana, a state that is not only more than 2,000 miles from Miami but also far from the place where she was born, Pinar del Río, in western Cuba.
For Fernández, now Miss Montana, the road to success has been winding.
The Miami beauty queen, who was first runner-up in Miss Universe Cuba last year, competed in July for the title of Miss Florida USA representing the Miami neighborhood where she lives, Pinecrest.
When Aileen Cerchiara, a nurse from Tampa with Colombian and Argentine roots, was chosen Miss Florida USA, Fernández was determined to make it to Miss USA.
“My roots are Cuban, but this country has given me my wings,” Fernández said.
For Fernández, that idea aligns with the contest’s purpose: to choose a queen who represents the entire country at the global pageant, recognizing that many Americans come from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
Thom Brodeur, chief executive of Miss USA, pointed out that Miami hosts the pageant because of its role as a “bilingual, bicultural and global” city.
“There is no better setting to celebrate the 75th anniversary of an American icon than a city that embodies where the country is headed,” Brodeur told the Herald.
A flower that defies adversity
At the Miss USA preliminary gala on Aug. 25 — also at the Adrienne Arsht Center — Fernández wore a costume inspired by Montana’s official flower, the bitterroot.
“A wildflower that grows from rocky soil despite adversity,” Fernández describes, saying she chose that design because it represents not only her but “all the women who bloom every day despite adversity.”
She also wore a futuristic-cut dress designed by the Dominican firm Cfor2, which proved controversial because it departs from the traditional style of gowns usually worn by beauty queens. Fernández said the Miss USA pageant has aimed to move more toward avant-garde fashion.
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Lisbeth Fernández in an evening gown at the Miss USA 2026 preliminary competition—a design by the Dominican label Cfor2 Studio—aligning with the Miss USA pageant’s commitment to showcasing cutting-edge fashion designs. Carlos Rodríguez
Fernández, 28, studies government and intelligence at Liberty University, because among her professional goals is “serving my country as an ambassador or diplomat in perhaps the not-too-distant future.”
Miss USA final gala
Miss Montana will compete tonight against representatives from the other 49 states and the District of Columbia, including Miss Florida, Aileen Cerchiara; Miss Nevada, Natalie Bode, a poker reporter who was born in Panama City, although she was raised in Texas; Miss Rhode Island, Victoria Cuartas, born in Delray Beach; and Miss Michigan, Amber Uhler, a 41-year-old mother born in Tampa, who has one of the most inspiring stories in this year’s pageant.
Uhler, who at one point weighed 300 pounds, began a strict diet and exercise regimen after a doctor warned her that otherwise she would not see her children graduate high school.
With a broader vision of beauty, contestants’ personal stories take on fundamental importance when choosing the Miss USA winner.
“A queen isn’t built solely from an image or a pretty face, but from character, comprehensive communication skills and, above all, the ability to represent something bigger than herself,” Fernández said.
The Miss USA final gala will be broadcast starting at 8 p.m. from the Arsht Center in downtown Miami via Queen Beauty Network (QBN).
“A wildflower that grows in rocky soil despite adversity,” said Fernández regarding the inspiration for her costume. Carlos Rodríguez
This story was originally published August 27, 2026 at 3:32 PM.
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Sarah Moreno cubre temas de negocios, entretenimiento y tendencias en el sur de la Florida. Se graduó de la Universidad de La Habana y de Florida International University. @SarahMoreno1585