Marissa Teijo, a vibrant 71-year-old, defied expectations and shattered age barriers this weekend by competing for the coveted title of Miss Texas USA. Her participation breathes new life into the saying “age is just a number,” proving that dreams can blossom at any point in life.
Teijo, representing El Paso as Miss Paso del Norte, became the oldest contestant in the pageant’s history. According to KVIA, the ABC News El Paso affiliate, she joined 74 other hopefuls vying for the crown. While Aarieanna Ware, Miss Dallas, ultimately claimed the title during the competition held June 21-23 in Houston, Teijo’s message of confidence and self-belief resonated with many.
“I hope that people will look at us as older women as still being beautiful in our own way,” Teijo expressed to KVIA. “Beauty is not just on the outside but it’s on the inside also.” She further emphasized the universality of dreams, stating, “Young women have dreams but older people have dreams also.”
Teijo’s journey isn’t a new one with the world of competition. KVIA reports that she’s a seasoned competitor, having participated in at least a dozen fitness competitions throughout the years. This opportunity at the Miss Texas USA pageant arose after the Miss Universe Organization, which oversees Miss USA, eliminated age restrictions in all their associated pageants. This change allows any adult woman to pursue their pageant dreams.
The Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants garnered headlines in May when both reigning titleholders resigned within days of each other. Mental health concerns were cited by former Miss USA 2023, Noelia Voigt, in her resignation announcement. Former Miss Teen USA 2023, UmaSofia Srivastava, attributed her departure to a misalignment between her “personal values” and the organization’s direction. Voigt’s resignation letter, obtained by ABC News, also raised allegations of a toxic work environment within the Miss USA Organization.
Both mothers of the former titleholders, Jackeline Voigt and Barbara Srivastava, appeared on “Good Morning America” following their daughters’ resignations. They advocated for the release of non-disclosure agreements, claiming their daughters endured emotional abuse during their pageant experiences. The Miss USA Organization, however, has refuted these claims, previously stating to ABC News, “We are committed to fostering a healthy, communicative and supportive environment for all contestants, state titleholders, national titleholders and staff.”
Copyright ©