MDC Alumna Crowned Miss Queen Of The Continents International 2019

Three years ago, 23-year-old Miami Dade College alumna Isabel Logins decided to compete in her first beauty pageant.

Urged by Rogelio Morales, her then-Macy’s coworker and current pageant coach, Logins decided to give the world of pageantry a shot. With no experience but plenty of ambition, she registered for the Miss Florida U.S.A. 2016 beauty pageant. She finished in the top 16.

Three years later, she was crowned Miss Queen of The Continents International 2019. Logins, who is 5-foot-5 inches tall, earned the title on March 7 in the Dominican Republic. She was one of 25 competitors from all across the world vying for the crown.

“It makes me really proud of myself to think that after working for a whole year and training for this, I was able to win,“ Logins said. “It gives me a confidence boost.”

In preparation for the competition, Logins trained for an entire year, undergoing a vigorous exercise routine that involved crunches, leg presses, leg extensions, speed walking three miles a day and running a mile three times a week. She also increased her vegetable intake, specifically asparagus. As the competition got closer, she cut out meat and carbs altogether.

“I had to train in walking, talking for the interview portion, doing fitness and practicing my belly dancing,” Logins said. “It was a lot of fun and definitely different from [Miss] Florida.”

Logins was born and raised in Miami to Ukrainian parents who speak Russian. Despite not speaking Spanish, she left a positive impact while competing in the Dominican Republic.

“I was surprised by how she was able to communicate with those who don’t speak the language,” Morales said. “People love her. They admire her.”

Logins earned her associates’ degree from MDC in 2016. While at the College, she served as a staff writer for The Reporter, writing briefs and columns. She was also an on-air talent for MDC in Focus, a news-style show that airs on MDC-TV.  

This past fall, Logins completed a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism at Florida International University. She hopes to become a news anchor.

As an aspiring journalist, Logins believes that “pageantry is a great foot in the door.”

The competitions require constant interviews. She must be knowledgeable on social issues such as gay rights, racism and gender equality in order to perform well and set a good example.

With her new title, Logins’ schedule is jam-packed with photo shoots, fashion shows and other events. She plans to use her platform to advocate for issues she is passionate about such as spreading awareness for sex trafficking victims in the United States. Logins also wants to remove the negative stigma some associate with pageantry.

“All my friends thought it would be very catty,” Logins said. “Me and all the girls [from the pageant] have a chat on Whatsapp. We still stay in touch and even if we don’t all win, we want to be there for each other.”

Next up for Logins is a national pageant, Miss Grand United States 2020, which is currently scheduled for August in New York. Logins, who is currently blonde, plans to go back to her natural hair color— brown—for the competition.  

Despite her relatively late start in the industry, Morales believes pageantry was always in Login’s blood.  

“[Isabel] was always very involved in the community,” Morales said. “The good thing with her is she’s very authentic. That’s a quality of a real Queen.”