Niles' Pena named Miss Belleza Latina

Niles' Magdalena Pena was recenlty named Miss Michigan Belleeza Latina.

NILES -- With a platform centering on improving the rights of migrant farm workers, Niles' Magdalena Pena was recently named Miss Michigan Belleza Latina and will soon be travelling to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the national competition.

Pena, 20, daughter of Chris and Ofelia Pena, was raised in a family of migrant farm workers and spent much of her childhood travelling back and forth between Niles and Texas.

While in Niles, she was a student at Howard-Ellis Elementary, Ring Lardner Middle School and Niles High School. Pena now attends Michigan State University, where she is studying Spanish and theater.

She has aspirations to become a professional actress, but also has a back up-plan of becoming a high school teacher of Spanish and theater.

Her firsthand experience with migrant workers has had a big impact on her life and she is now an advocate for improving their working conditions and encouraging them to continue their education.

"I came from migrant descent, so I know how it feels to work out in the fields," Pena said.

As a freshmen and sophomore in high school, she tried her hand at migrant work by picking apples and grapes.

This experience resonated with her and she wants migrant workers to be aware that a proper education can open many doors for them.

"It is a hard life. It made me want to try harder in school because no one wants to do that for a living," Pena said. "A lot of them think that is the only way, just because their parents and grandparents have done it, it is the only thing that they know. That is why I think it is so important to educate them and keep them school."

The fact that her parents and six siblings have all put migrant work behind them may be another reason that the education of migrant workers is such a special issue to Pena.

Pena has spent a few years working as a teacher's aide at the Berrien Springs Migrant Program, a summer school for young migrant workers in the area.

She is also active in a campaign to boycott Mt. Olive Pickles because of the current working conditions of the farm workers harvesting the pickles.

"It is not fair, it is not equal," said Pena, pointing to the fact there are migrant workers across the country working in poor conditions at pay rates well below the national hourly minimum wage.

Because of her genuine care for the well being of others, Pena decided to donate her spring break to assisting low income families in Nicaragua.

The experience of helping to build housing for the poor and interacting with the children of Nicaragua, was an enlightenening experience for Pena.

"It was awesome. It was the best experience that I have ever had," she said. "You don't realize how much you have until you see other perspectives. I now realize how lucky I really am."

After spending a week with the children there, it was hard for Pena to say goodbye.

"On my last day, the kids were asking if I would be back tomorrow. They just did not understand how far away Michigan was," she said. "It was very emotional."

With financial assistance from Niles businesses like the Flower Cart, Classic Cuts and the Colburn Melody Insurance Agency, Pena was able to cover the $850 application fee.

She is seeking continued support for travel and other expenses that go along with being in a beauty pageant. For more information, call Magdalena Pena at (269)687-7386.

Niles' Pena named Miss Belleza Latina

NILES -- With a platform centering on improving the rights of migrant farm workers, Niles' Magdalena Pena was recently named Miss Michigan Belleza Latina and will soon be travelling to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the national competition.

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