Monique Villa is crowned Miss Long Beach 2011 on Nov. 7, 2010. Photo by Lei Wang.
6:44pm | Curious as to why Miss Long Beach Monique Villa would be competing in the Miss California USA 2012 pageant representing Naples, a Long Beach neighborhood, rather than the city of Long Beach as a whole, the Long Beach Post contacted her Tuesday afternoon to clarify the situation.
In a Tuesday evening e-mail, Villa told the Post that the Miss California USA organization gives titles to contestants who are accepted into the state pageant on a first-come, first-served basis, and despite her being the reigning Miss Long Beach, the pageant granted “Long Beach” to another contestant from Long Beach who apparently was considered for inclusion in the pageant prior to Villa’s being considered.
“Another contestant got to the Long Beach title before me, even though she isn’t Miss Long Beach,” Villa wrote in her June 21 e-mail. “She is simply ‘from Long Beach’ in the pageant.”
With representing Long Beach an impossibility, Villa was forced to select to represent the closest available area to Long Beach that is recognized by the pageant, which was Naples.
“This is why I am ‘Miss Long Beach Representing Naples’,” she said.
“I personally disagree with the way they (Miss California USA) allocate areas of representation, as I thought I’d be given priority as the official Miss Long Beach,” Villa added. “Unfortunately, the state system works independently and on their own terms.”
A fundraiser to help sponsor via in her bid to be crowned the next Miss California USA is scheduled for Sunday. Click here for full details.