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Lisbeth Fernández, a 28-year-old Cuban-American resident of Pinecrest, Miami, will compete this Sunday in the Miss Florida USA 2026 pageant with the hope of reaching the national stage and becoming the face of two worlds: Cuba and the United States. According to a report by the Miami Herald, Fernández holds the title of Miss Pinecrest USA and is participating this weekend at the Linda W. Chapin Theatre in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
Her journey to this contest began on July 8, 2025, when she was the first runner-up of Miss Universe Cuba 2025, held at the Milander Amphitheater in Hialeah.
The crown went to Lina Luaces, but Fernández left that stage with something that, in her own words, is just as valuable: "experience, maturity, and confidence."
The winner of the state contest will represent Florida at Miss USA, which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary on August 27 at the Adrienne Arsht Center in downtown Miami.
Fernández decided to take the leap to Miss USA to share her "complete" story: that of a woman born in Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, who grew up in the United States and built her identity between two cultures.
"My roots are Cuban, but this country has given me wings," stated the young woman, who works as a speaker in several Latin American countries and wants to use the platform of the competition to amplify her message of leadership.
Her profile goes far beyond beauty stages. Fernández holds a degree in Theology from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, is studying Government Intelligence at Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia), and speaks English, Spanish, and Italian. She defines herself as "a daughter of God, an entrepreneur, and an international speaker."
She was also the first openly Christian Cuban candidate —of Baptist faith— to participate in Miss Universe Cuba, which sparked extensive debate about the compatibility between faith and beauty pageants.
Her vision for the future reaches even further than any crown. "I am a woman with a future vision in International Relations and Diplomacy, which is why I study Government and Intelligence. One of my professional goals is to serve my country as an ambassador or diplomat, perhaps in the not-so-distant future," she stated.
Regarding the possibility of competing in Miss USA in Miami, Fernández sees it as something "very special and symbolic." "Nothing represents this city better than a Cuban-American," he said, adding: "Miami is not just my home; it is the most complete city in the United States, especially right now. It is multicultural, vibrant, and connected to the American dream."
During Miss Universe Cuba 2025, Fernández also delivered a speech about 11J in which she stated that the Cuban people "are ready to stop surviving and start living," words that had a wide impact.
The national pageant will feature an exceptional stage. Thom Brodeur, executive director of Miss USA since September 2025 and a native of Miami, explained that the city is "literally the home" of the pageant and committed the organization to holding Miss USA and Miss Teen USA in Miami for at least five years.
Miss Teen USA will be held on August 26 and Miss USA on August 27, both at the Arsht Center, with a live broadcast on The CW from 8 to 10 p.m. (Eastern Time) and available for streaming the following day on The Roku Channel.
"A beauty queen is not defined solely by her appearance or her pretty face, but by her character, her comprehensive training in communication, and, above all, by her ability to represent something greater than herself," Fernández stated.
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