# Cuban Leah Reyes Amores wins Miss Teen Earth 2025 for her environmental defense

**Date:** 08/30/2025

Leah Reyes Amores, a 16-year-old Cuban living in Miami, was crowned Miss Teen Earth 2025 in Jaipur, India, a commitment to the environment and animals in a pageant focused on conservation.


Born in Cuba and arrived in Miami at age 5, Reyes Amores was moved to hear "Cuba" when she was proclaimed winner in the second week of August, highlights an article from El Nuevo Herald.


"This crown is not just mine, it is of every Cuban who dreamed with me, who supported me from a distance and who believed that Cuba could shine in the world," she said.


She represented Cuba with a typical dress inspired by Oshún and the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, guided by Venezuelan designer Prince Julio César, director of Miss Teen Earth Cuba.


Her preparation included overcoming shyness, inspired by Marianela Ancheta, Miss Universe Cuba 2024, who motivated her to project confidence: "Remember that you are not yourself when you are dancing, you are the person you want to project, you don't have to be Leah the shy one, but Leah who has the flavor of Cuba".


A student at Riviera Preparatory School, Reyes combines her passion for modeling with environmental activism. She volunteers at an animal shelter in Doral, where she promotes adoption. "People should adopt animals that need it, not buy," she noted.


Although removed from environmental themes, several women, Cuban and of Cuban descent, have shone recently in beauty pageants around the world.


The most recent was Lina Luaces, niece of Emilio and Gloria Estefan and daughter of television host Lily Estefan, who was ultimately chosen in Miami as Miss Cuba 2025 to represent the island in the Miss Universe pageant that will take place on November 21 in Thailand.


It is the second consecutive year that she has been chosen in Miami among Cuban aspirants in exile after a 57-year absence from Miss Universe.


Luaces, 22 years old and representative of Santiago de Cuba, was crowned on a gala night at Milander Park in Hialeah, a city bordering Miami and home to one of the most important Cuban diasporas in the world.


For her part, in October of last year, Marianela Ancheta became the first Miss Cuba in almost six decades. Ancheta, who will represent Cuba in the Miss Universe beauty pageant, was crowned in Miami in a pageant in which thousands of contestants were registered.