A Filipino-American is Miss Teen USA 2020.
18-year-old Ki'ilani Arruda secured the sash and crown at the pageant's grand coronation night on Saturday, Nov. 7 (US time) in Tennessee.
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Miss Oregon Shayla Montgomery was first runner-up while Miss Georgia Shayla Jackson was second runner-up.
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Arruda earned praise for her smart answer in the Q&A portion.
She was asked: “What has experiencing a global pandemic taught you about life?”
Her answer:
“Well, of course this global pandemic is very unprecedented and has taught me a lot about life. For me, it has especially taught me how to appreciate my family. I got to spend so much time with my family, my little sister, my little brother. I love them dearly, and I know that soon, in spring, I will be going into college, and I won’t have those precious moments to share with them. So really, it’s just to cherish those moments. And it’s so honorable I get to represent my home of Hawai’i, so just being at home is so wonderful.”
Arruda is only the second representative from Hawaii to win the title after Kelly Hu in 1985.
She is also the second Fil-Am to snag the title after Vanessa Minnillo in 1998.
Arruda revealed in an interview after the pageant that Catriona Gray is her favorite Miss Universe. She said, "I'm a little biased. Of course, Catriona because I am half Filipino myself and her reign was so amazing, and I've always looked up to her as a role model.”