On Saturday, May 4, more than two dozen beautiful women will take the stage of the completely renovated and historic Park Theatre in Cranston as they vie for the titles of Miss RI Latina and Miss NY Latina.

Since its humble beginnings in 1987, the Miss RI Latina and Miss NY Latina Pageants have grown to become a vital bridge in uniting all Latin-American families across the region in celebration of the cultural similarities we all share. In doing so, the event serves not only to showcase the many contributions of Latino women but also to strengthen the bonds of friendship and tolerance that bind us tightly as a single community.

“Rhode Island is an incredible place full of cultural diversity that should be celebrated,” said Mercedes Mendez, founder and director of Miss RI Latina. “By encouraging, recognizing and rewarding excellence among our participants, these pageants raise public awareness of our similarities, not our differences. All of our past participants are women who have gone on to continue their education and are now professionals serving as role models for young Latin girls in Rhode Island and New York.”

The two winning contestants crowned on May 4 will travel to Mexico in August to compete in the international pageant. The reigning Miss Latina USA, Sasha Zacarias of Rhode Island, was crowned last June and will attend this year’s event. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Sasha currently works in the RI Attorney General’s office, serving as a role model for young Latin women. Over the past year, she has traveled across the United States representing Rhode Island and our Latin community at various events.

At the conclusion of the event, the Stage Door Lounge, which is housed inside the Park Theatre, will host an after party to celebrate the pageant and ring in Cinco de Mayo. Featuring a live, local DJ, the party is open to everyone who will also have an opportunity to mingle and take pictures with the pageant’s queens.

The Miss RI Latina and Miss NY Latina Pageants begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 4. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling the Park’s Box Office at 467-7275 or online at www.ParkTheatreRI.com. The Park Theatre is located at 848 Park Avenue, Cranston. Free parking is available for all shows.