With a month and a half left until the completion of Miss Universe Colombia In the city of Barranquilla, EL PILÓN spoke with Natalia Santiago Cohen, the candidate from the Cesar department for the beauty pageant that promotes the inclusion, social work and beauty of women in the national territory.
The young woman, 24 years old, with white, blonde skin, blue eyes and 1.76 cm tall, is Industrial engineer graduated from the University of Los Andes and for several years she has been working for social causes to restore the rights of girls and adolescents who are victims of abuse or those who become pregnant at an early age.
Miss Universe Colombia will take place from May 25 to June 2the day on which the country’s representative will be chosen for Miss Universe 2024, which will take place in Mexico in the month of September.
What inspired you to participate in Miss Universe Colombia and what does it mean to you to represent Cesar in this pageant?
Cesar inspired me, it is something that I have had in my heart since I was little; I grew up here and I consider myself a Caesarense and Vallenato. I prepared myself very well, I am a professional in Industrial Engineering and now that I have completed a career and I feel independent, calm and confident, I know that I can contribute something different to a beauty reign, I made the decision to participate to make my department known, all the talent we have from a different perspective.
How will your participation in the contest impact other people?
This is an interesting question because it depends on the woman representing them. I think it is key to have good representation, that is, I have and I am doing it with all the commitment in the world to represent my department very well. It takes dedication, effort and commitment because if things are done well we can show the talent that transcends the borders not only of the department, but also of Colombia. Thanks to vallenato we are recognized worldwide and I want to highlight that with respect.
What is your greatest strength and how will you use it in Miss Universe Colombia?
My greatest strength is my vision, I am a visionary woman who always exposes herself to challenges, to new learnings. and I think that vision has led me to want to participate in Miss Universe Colombia and to be able to represent my department very well.
Tell us about your life before entering the world of beauty pageants.
I am an industrial engineer from the University of Los Andes and when I graduated I started working at an oil energy company. Then I moved to a mass consumption company that produces shampoo, detergent and other products. There I was in the market research area for Colombia and Latin America. After that I entered a strategic consulting firm and here I have been able to work with multiple LATAM companieswhere we help companies develop new initiatives that promote growth.
It has been hard work and I have learned a lot, precisely thanks to my experience I want to contribute a unique and strategic vision to the contest.
In recent years Miss Universe has not only shown the physical beauty of its contestants, but also the community work in their territories. What are you doing for the communities of Cesar?
This is a topic that I am deeply passionate about. Since I was little I have been related to the foundation that my grandmother created, which is the Foundation for Adolescent Women and the Workshop House for Pregnant Women. In this foundation we help girls who are victims of abuse of all kinds who have suffered trauma and we support them comprehensively with psychological and legal help, so that they can move forward and provide a better future for their children. It is a worrying situation that deserves to be made more visible and we want to show this reality that affects all of Colombia.
How is your preparation for this contest, whose Election and Coronation evening will be on June 2?
Every day I take public speaking classes, catwalk classes, read about the history of my department and prepare my message to transmit it to the world.
What message would you like to convey to the people who support you and follow your career in Miss Universe Colombia?
I want to show real preparation and my department. That is why I invite you to follow me on my social networks, give me advice and accompany me in this process. As a beauty queen I want to leave something in society, that is my focus and through the Miss Universe platform and my engineering profession I can have a positive impact in society.
BY: LUCÍA MENDOZA CUELLO/ EL PILÓN.