Pageants were a platform for me, and they helped me get to where I am today. You suddenly stop being just another girl, and people want to listen to what you have to say.

I must be very clear in one thing... Being a pageant girl is not who I am or what defines me.

Pageants were an amazing platform that gave a little girl like me from the mountains of my beautiful Puerto Rico a chance to travel, explore the world, meet amazing people, work for great charities and be a voice to empower women wherever I went. For all those things, I am grateful.

With me, what you see is what you get. Yes, call me naive, but I love life. I am happy, and for that, I make no apologies. I do like to see the best in people, and when someone is nice to my face, I tend to believe them.

I am the lead on NBC's 'Siberia,' and I loved that experience.

Oh, I am such a little piggy. Everyone is always mad at me because I eat so much. They're like, 'How are you so skinny?' I eat more than my husband!