Sylvana Gonzalez is no stranger to Bravura Magazine, nor is she a stranger to the Miss Connecticut stage! Last year she participated in our “Road To…,” series, and this year she prepares to compete for the title of Miss Connecticut 2018, making the winner the 90th Miss Connecticut. Continue reading to learn more about Sylvana and her journey to the crown!

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What does being Miss Connecticut 2018 mean to you?
This year we are celebrating 90 years of legacy left by 89 incredible woman who served the state of Connecticut by being selfless and authentically themselves. Becoming a part of this legacy, and leaving my own mark on Connecticut/America through my platform and work with Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is a part of history.

Tell our readers a bit about how you prepared for competing in the Miss Connecticut system? What challenges did you face in preparing for Miss Connecticut?
Last year was my first year serving in the Miss America Organization so I took the year as an opportunity to feel for who I was as a woman and how I wanted to represent myself as a titleholder. I took in every experience like a sponge and adapted as events went on throughout the year to fully gel into how I wanted to function. Uniquely, this organization allows the opportunity for growth and individuality as every titleholder brings something special to the table.

I’ve prepared myself coming into this year knowing my strengths and instilling an “I can and will do” attitude. The self-confidence adjustment was a personal goal I wanted to reach before being awarded the opportunity to serve as the national or state titleholder. Finding this voice within each of us is important before taking on the job.

I have modified my platform to what I wanted it to best reflect, seasoned my speech with what was most sincere to who I am and worked on my stability so I am as strong going in as I want my followers to feel. Through my platform I promote living a high quality of life and in order to preach this, I needed to practice it myself. I faced self-doubt, self-growth and self-actualization coming to be the woman I am and I can thank the Miss America Organization for the opportunity to be this beacon of change.


What has been three of your most memorable experiences, since being crowned Miss Fairfield County 2018?
Every experience I have carried with me throughout this organization has shaped me to be my most whole self and I am eternally grateful. The three experiences that are most memorable to me are the following.

Winning my first local title, at my first pageant, ever.

To this day I still am very unsure how it happened, and am just as elated today a year later as I was in that moment. I was desperately seeking ways to pay for school and to my surprise the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Organization was the first search result. At the time I did not know the Miss America Organization was the leading provider for woman’s scholarships in the nation. I had FOUR days to put together a talent, resume/platform and season my speech to accurately express what this job meant to me. It was very overwhelming, but I felt a sense of peace this was going to be the next chapter in my life.

I walked into the pageant with a borrowed prom dress, my warn summer swimsuit and an on-the fly talent I prepared the night before. I had no expectation of winning, I just knew I wanted the job. Whether this took me 2 years to master or 5 I did not care, I took the first step.

The pure utter shock that rose through me when my name was called by our Miss Connecticut 2016 – Alyssa Rae Taglia still stains me to this day. It was to date the most incredible thing that has ever happened to me and my favorite experience so far in this organization. This moment was the beginning to my future with the Miss America Organization

My second favorite experience was watching my first Miss Connecticut be crowned – Eliza Lynn Kanner Miss Connecticut 2017.

I sat two spaces away from Eliza in the dressing room backstage of the Miss Connecticut 2017 Pageant Week. Being this was my first state pageant experience, I took in every moment like a sponge feeling truly blessed. I was completely unsure who our “girl” would be, and although I wanted it I knew I was not prepared to take on the job because I was still developing to be the servant I expected myself to be. I was eager to see who would represent us and looking forward to supporting her in the next year to come. Watching Eliza be crowned Miss Connecticut was like watching a movie in slow motion. The crowd rising, her happy tears, her parents leaping for joy, the moment was precious and something I will always remember.

My next favorite experience was an appearance I made with Girl Scouts of America.

At this appearance I met a very shy girl named Emme. She was looking for autographs from her “princesses” and I sat with her to talk about how she was doing. Emme opened up to express she was being bullied and we shared a very intimate moment talking about our experiences with the topic. I had seen myself in her knowing what that pain felt like and was able to give the ample advice I wish I received at that age. That was precious to me, and she is now my princess through our Princess Program here in Connecticut.


How have you striven to not only promote your personal platform, but also help raise money for the MAO’s national platform, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals?
Whenever I promote our national platform Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, I tie the feelings the families in care of CMNH have to the person I am speaking with or the post I advertise on social media. We often overlook how many people around us have actually been cared by a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital’s. These children could be your next door neighbor, best friend, sibling or classmate. Almost everyone has encountered a CMNH at least once in their life, either it being a minor condition or something more life changing Children’s Miracle Network always delivers the personalized care and attention a child deserves.

With the recent news which has been brought up in regards to the former Miss America Org. board, what do you hope the future of the MAO holds with their new Chairwoman, Gretchen Carlson?
The Miss America Organization is now as it always has been about woman’s empowerment. I will not take the accord of a few individuals’ actions to be the character of MAO. Although I was disappointed by the news I have found faith that our new Chairwoman Gretchen Carlson will direct our organization to where we will reap our greatest success through continued empowerment from the National board to the local level.

As a prospective Miss Connecticut and God willing Miss America I know not only would the board change be implemented by Ms. Carlson and other accomplished Miss Americas, but so will the mindset of our next state and national titleholders.

Unfortunately speaking this displayed action by previous board members is now a part of Miss America history and it is up to myself and my surrounding sister queens to ensure the public where we stand going forward.

As someone who has been on the other side of the crown, I know what the general public assumes of our positions being local titleholders and I have taken great pride and responsibility to ensure Miss America and its titleholders; local, state and national – are relevant woman with a purpose to serve and change the world around us through empowerment, activism, advocacy and education.  These actions do not reflect me and MAO will rise because I will lead it to in conjunction with my sister queens.


What advice do you have for young women who are looking to step into the Miss America Organization?
The Miss America Organization is about women’s empowerment, education and success. Coming into this organization understand that this job is about anyone but you. You are granted a year (or many depending on how many years of service you choose within age eligibility) to serve your community and impact people for a lifetime. This is your time to show yourself in all your efforts to causes much bigger then yourself. I dare you to dream big, go after matters that matter most to the hearts around you and your own. I encourage you to defy odds, Miss America does not have a “look” we have a heart and you are just as able as anyone. Lastly, I challenge you to challenge yourself. Use this opportunity to grow in ways you did not imagine possible and learn from the woman around you to ignite your own flames. Make an impact, serve with your heart on your sleeve and enjoy this experience.

How do you define yourself as a role-model for others?
Inevitably I became a role model because of the love cultivated by my grandmother and other remarkable woman in my family. We were always serving, working for others lending hands where love was needed so my “service” was really a way of life I have always loved because of her. I never considered myself a role model until I was told by a child I mentored I changed her life. She was troubled, following the wrong crowd in school until I introduced her to Connecticut’s Pre Engineering Program and influenced her to pursue a career in Engineering Technology. I thought I was just giving simple advice, I did not know how close to her breaking point she was until I was told I put her on her career path. I have come to realize my actions in helping others have inspired people. If you have heard the saying “Smile, you never know who is falling in love with it” then you can relate to what I believe is true when I say “Just do it, you never know who you’re inspiring.”


What do you think is the biggest challenge which is facing the young generation of America today? And how can we work together to overcome it?
Self-Love is troubling woman all over the Nation and nobody can convince me otherwise. I have been through emotional, mental and sexual abuse in my adolescent years and can think back to the times where I sincerely felt insignificant and never spoke on it. I have faced many challenges in my self-development and one I will never forget was learning how to love myself when I felt defeated.

I have watched friends and loved ones go through the same heartaches and stumble with their own inner peace. The moment a woman recognizes her worth and acts on her capabilities is the day a woman becomes alive. We need to speak up, we need to empower and the current #TimesUp movement has become the significant beacon for awareness to open the conversation. In time we will overcome and hopefully have a Nation filled of young woman who know they are Queens with purpose.

Regardless of whoever wins the title of Miss Connecticut 2018, what is one goal you have for the new title-holder, which you hope she is able to accomplish during her reign?
Regardless, I would hope the woman who is blessed with this position uses its full advantage to be the best titleholder and representative for her state that she can be. Across the board every woman who holds a state title is bravura. Every woman possessed a power her panel of judges found remarkable and that is a reflection of how you make people feel. Whoever goes into this go into it with the goal to make people feel alive inside. No matter the platform or how big your appearance may be, you have one year to uniquely impact people on the most personal form of being a “princess”. This is the most rewarding humanitarian job ever and I am eager accomplish this goal for the rest of my participation in MAO.


Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. What makes you a “bravura” candidate for Miss Connecticut?
In truth I still do not personally believe I am exceptional. All I do, can be done by you too and we will be exceptional together. I have met so many remarkable woman through my platform a Miss Initiative and know I am bravura when I walk away from an event making someone else know they are capable of taking on the world. I will carry this with me in my year as Miss Connecticut. My year will be exceptional when I leave the people I meet feeling so themselves.

What words of advice do you have for the new class of contestants who are getting ready to compete for your title?
Last year I held a state rookie title so I did not get the opportunity to “advise” the girl(s) running for my title. However this year, holding the title of Miss Fairfield County and having a year in of experience going through the state and local pageant – I have enough experience to give a thorough bit of advice.

First and foremost know your reasons for competing. Every girl is different, every reason will not be the same but know what drives you to be the servant you are. You could be inspired by the work we do, or inspired by a previous state titleholders “why” but knowing your own is what makes YOU as a perspective Miss State titleholder (or national) powerful.

Developing as a servant is going to be the most important part of your year. Understand that everyone has something to bring to the table but what you can deliver is your strongest suit. Own it, and inspire with it.

What words of thanks do you have for those who have supported you on this journey?
I cannot begin to thank the people who have encouraged me throughout this journey enough. A little over a year ago today I would never have thought in my wildest dreams I would be competing for this job. I am truly reminded how blessed I am for this experience every time I feel the support of the ones who made me feel worthy of the position to begin with.

First my boyfriend/bestfriend Gage, who literally saw the winner in me before my first local and was not surprised when I called him to tell him I was going to Miss Connecticut.

To my family, who believes in me with all of their being – thank you for not questioning my dreams even if we cannot see the end of it just yet!

To my Boss (Business Manager Diane) none of this would be possible if it was not for you, and your belief in someone who knew absolutely nothing about pageants was BOLD and cunning. Thank you for teaching this chick how to fly, I am ready to make you proud.

To the Miss Fairfield County Scholarship organization – Ashley, Danielle, Mama Louise and Joann, You have all supported me to this point and I know will continue no matter where this journey takes me from this day forward. I hope I have made you proud beyond expectation and will continue to for years to come.

And lastly, certainly not least THANK YOU to the greatest friends a girl could have. No matter what direction life takes us in not one of you doubted my capabilities in becoming Miss Connecticut or Miss America. You all see it in me, and that alone is an honor.


Where can people follow you on social media?
You can follow my journey to Miss Connecticut by following me on IG or Facebook as Miss Fairfield County 2018 Sylvana Gonzalez! IG handle: missfairfieldcounty.

What final words do you have for the readers of Bravura Magazine and those following you on social media?
I am the first to know that pageants do not have a good reputation. I went my entire life up until last year looking from the outside in and not understanding the purpose of the woman who held these titles. Now being an active member I can promise you I know what we look like, but I also know how much more powerful we are. These woman will be the Nation’s future healthcare professionals, educators, engineers, humanitarians and activists. I hope, you have the honor of meeting one. Thank you for reading!