Senior Evelyn Pechous participated in the Miss Minnesota Latina 2017 Pageant on Nov. 6 at the Minnesota History Center. It was her second year participating in a pageant to gain confidence, excellent public speaking skills, and gain interpersonal growth experience with the career she wants to pursue, such as becoming a senator.

“I’d love to become a senator. There’s only one Latina senator so that obviously needs to change,” said Pechous when being asked what her plans are after college.

“I just want to help people. I know that sounds so cheesy, but I just want to help people get access to education especially in the Latino community,” she said.

Born and raised in Chicago, Pechous comes from a family who originated from Guadalajara, Mexico. Through her Latin roots, Pechous understands the struggles many Latino communities face when it comes to the lack of equality such as the privilege of getting an education.

“My mom was born in Guadalajara, and she and her siblings and my grandparents immigrated here in 1988. My mom was 12 they immigrated here,” explained Pechous, “She met and married my dad in high school (he is German but was born here)."

At the age of three, Pechous parents separated. For a while, she lived with her mother who was a single parent until she met her step-dad, who is also a Mexican immigrant from Irapuato.

“We moved in with him when I was 6, so for most of my life I lived with two Mexican immigrant parents,” said Pechous, “We mostly spoke Spanish at home, and neither of them has a 4-year degree."

Through participating in the pageants, it made Pechous realize that she does not need a crown in order to feel empowered, she learned that her voice can be heard by speaking up and being the voice for those who are struggling in the Latino community.

“Just being able to use the privilege which I have to be able to get an education and to help other people who don’t have that privilege – is what I want to do,” said Pechous.

Pechous is triple majoring in Political Science, Legal studies, and History. Her plans after college are to focus on the organization Take Action Minnesota, to help with social issues. Within a year after, she plans to attend law school and get a Master’s degree in Public Policy.

“I think those are good preparations for getting into the political field,” said Pechous.

With being in the pageant, it has prepared her to become a confident woman and great public speaker. Through this participation, it reminded her why she is doing the field she is pursuing.

“With the questions, they ask you, they really make you think. You have to come in with a platform because then with the final question they [will] ask you, ‘How will you be the best ambassador for the Latino community?’” said Pechous, “you need to have a platform for that – and so that just made me realize why I am in the field that I am."

Along with being a full-time student at Hamline, Pechous was recently hired as a community organizer for the organization, Take Action Minnesota. This organization focuses on several social issues such as the epidemics and lack of support with being paid on sick days or those who are in domestic violent relationships.

“It allows people to take off work even if you’re just working part time, you can accumulate sick days or sick hours “said Pechous, “so it’s like one hour for every sick or 60 hours that you work and then the safety time is if you’re part of a domestic violence relationship where you’re being abused and you need to take time off of work for that, you can still get paid for it too.”

Pechous’s main goal is to be the voice for those in the Latino community and make a difference. She was asked to participate in the upcoming Miss USA pageant Sat. Nov. 26th, but refused to join due to her dedication on focusing on the organization.

“I want to bring communities together to make a difference,” said Pechous.