Social work with children in Miami<\/p>\n
Toledo was crowned Miss Teen Global Cuba late last year after training at Silhouette Modeling Academy, located in southwest Miami.<\/p>\n
Modeling since she was 7, the new Miss Teen Global will have a busy year of travel, photo shoots, and social work that will take her to different countries to spread the pageant\u2019s message.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is for teenagers not to let fear stop them, and to keep working, so their dreams come true,\u201d said Toledo, who plans to study psychology at Florida International University (FIU).<\/p>\n
For now, she combines her work as an after-school activities counselor with her social project, Las Alas de Isa: Compartiendo Esperanza (Isa\u2019s Wings: Sharing Hope), focused on creating entertainment and creative art activities for vulnerable children, some with disabilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always loved working with kids. It makes me happy to know I can change their day by making them laugh,\u201d said Toledo, who wants to become an occupational therapist.<\/p>\n
A trip to Cuba<\/p>\n
Toledo has been to Cuba once, when she was very young, but she still remembers the family trip which was the fulfillment of a promise. Her grandmother had promised they would all go to the island if Toledo\u2019s aunt, who had difficulty conceiving, managed to get pregnant.<\/p>\n
When they traveled, the aunt\u2019s eight-month-old baby was already part of the group, Toledo recalls, and she was captivated by the Cuban scenery.<\/p>\n
After a long car ride, they arrived at a mountain lodging at night. When she woke up, she was struck by the beauty of the landscape, impossible to imagine in the darkness of the previous night.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember eating a lot of mamoncillos. They are the best I\u2019ve ever had,\u201d Toledo said.<\/p>\n
Cuban flavor and music, two of her great passions<\/p>\n
Cuban food and music are two of Toledo\u2019s great passions. Her favorite dishes are ropa vieja, black beans, and churrasco.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what I asked my dad and my grandmother to make for me when I got back from Malaysia,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Her family, from Pinar del R\u00edo, raised her to be an optimist that finds the best in every situation and the ability to maked people feel welcome.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was raised to welcome everyone with open arms. That\u2019s in my blood,\u201d Toledo said.<\/p>\n
Training beauty queens in Miami<\/p>\n
With 15 years of experience in the beauty industry, G\u00f3mez noticed upon arriving to Miami after the pandemic that there was a gap in training young Cuban women to compete in beauty contests.<\/p>\n
Four years ago he founded Miss Teen Cuba Inc. and, together with the organization\u2019s directors \u2014 Edwin Maldonado and Sof\u00eda Acosta, Miss Grand Cuba 2023 \u2014 he trains teenagers in runway, public speaking and stage presence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe focus on highlighting the values, talent and beauty of Cuban teenagers,\u201d G\u00f3mez said, noting that he now holds seven pageant franchises: five for teens and two for adults.<\/p>\n
Jhoana Uranga, Miss Teen International Cuba 2026, will be sent to the contest held in August in New Delhi, India.<\/p>\n
Maria Dewar, 16, will represent Cuba at Miss Teen Icon International, to be held in November in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
For adult pageants, the organization will send Lianet Aguilera to Miss Supranational<\/a> and Juan Daniel Naranjo to Mister Supranational, both contests held in Poland.<\/p>\n Naranjo, who lives in Cuba, was second runner-up in Mister Cuba 2024 and first runner-up in Mister Mesoam\u00e9rica Internacional 2025, held in El Salvador.<\/p>\n As for Toledo, she will soon start preparing for adult pageants. G\u00f3mez predicts a bright future for her thanks to the training she already has and her discipline in constantly improving.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Miami Herald<\/p>\n