At 5 years old, Leia Rios saw a photograph of her mother competing in Miss Puerto Rico Teen and began imagining herself onstage. By 8, she had set her sights on Miss Wisconsin Teen USA . What started with a family photograph would become a childhood dream fulfilled and an opportunity to help other girls picture their own possibilities.
Photo Courtesy of Brittany Link Photography
Now Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 2026, Rios is celebrating more than a title. As the first Latina to hold the crown, the high school student sees her role as a chance to honor her Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage while making space for young people who have struggled to feel that they belong.
I hope another little girl sees my picture someday and thinks, ‘I can do that, too,’ she says.
That hope carries particular meaning for someone whose confidence did not come easily. Diagnosed with dyscalculia at a young age, Rios also experienced bullying. Both challenged how she saw herself and helped shape the work she now considers central to her life: reminding young people that their differences do not diminish their worth.
As executive director of the nonprofit Generations Against Bullying and founder of Journey2Confidence-i, Rios has turned those experiences into advocacy. She reports completing more than 4,000 hours of community service, learning along the way that leadership requires listening as much as speaking.
[Additional Read: The Hakka People of Jamaica: How One Woman is Refusing to Let Her People be Forgotten ]
Through the organization Generations Against Bullying, she encourages young people to become a phrase she coined called upstanders. Upstanders are people who speak up, offer support and seek help when someone is being bullied. Through Journey2Confidence-i, she mentors girls and offers a scholarship for minority girls entering their first pageant.
Her goal is not simply to encourage someone to step onto a stage. It is to make that first step more accessible and help girls recognize what they already have to offer.
Having experienced bullying myself, I know how much it matters to have someone believe in you, Rios says.
Her own foundation begins with family. Rios comes from six generations of circus owners and performers, a legacy she credits with teaching her creativity, perseverance and the courage to enter the spotlight. Growing up bilingual and having lived in Puerto Rico strengthened her connection to her roots and her appreciation for the stories people bring to a conversation.
Photo courtesy of Vsay Photo
She describes her Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage through the everyday ways family and culture connect: traditions, music, food and celebrations that bring generations together. Those connections are not separate from her ambitions. They help guide them.
For me, honoring my heritage means carrying my family’s love and lessons forward and using them to serve others, she says.
Her mother remains her greatest inspiration, though her influence extends well beyond the photograph that sparked Rios’ pageant dream. Watching her mother care for their family and serve the community taught her that leadership begins with kindness and a willingness to show up. During periods of bullying and self-doubt, her mother encouraged her to keep pursuing her goals without losing sight of her faith or values.
Pageantry gave Rios another place to practice that balance. Preparing to compete pushed her outside her comfort zone and challenged her to share experiences she had not always felt confident discussing. It also taught her to separate achievement from self-worth.
Representing Wisconsin at Miss Teen USA was a dream come true, she says. She did not place nationally, but she left proud of her growth.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned throughout my pageant journey is that my worth isn’t determined by a crown or where I place, Rios says. It comes from who I am, how I treat people, and the difference I make in my community.
She understands why some people view pageants as superficial. Gowns and stage appearances attract attention, and she acknowledges the pressure that can accompany competition. For her, the more meaningful experiences have involved finding her voice, serving others and connecting with young women pursuing goals of their own.
Photo courtesy of Vsay Photo
She believes pageants can support women’s empowerment when they offer meaningful opportunities to speak, lead and earn recognition for ideas and accomplishments. That requires welcoming different backgrounds and challenging narrow expectations of who a young woman should be.
Rios wants her own visibility to contribute to that broader representation, particularly for young Latinas. Her advice is not to wait until fear disappears.
You don’t have to feel completely confident or have everything figured out to begin, she says. Sometimes confidence grows because you tried something that scared you.
During her reign, she hopes to reach more young people through school visits, community events and conversations about bullying and belonging. She also wants to expand her mentorship and scholarship opportunities. Beyond pageantry, she plans to become an immigration lawyer, helping individuals and families navigate the immigration process and advocating for their futures.
Photo Courtesy of April Maroshick Photography
For now, she is also allowing herself to be what she is: a teenager still learning, with doubts of her own and people who help her keep going. That honesty gives her message its warmth. She is not asking other girls to become fearless or flawless. She is encouraging them to begin as they are.
The photograph of her mother once helped Rios imagine a future. Through her advocacy, she hopes to offer another girl that same sense of possibility.
If someone takes that first brave step because I encouraged them or helped open a door, she says, “that would mean more to me than any title.
