“My goal is to reach all Guayaquil residents, motivate them and give them words of encouragement,” says the Queen of Guayaquil Platinum Edition, Vany Sánchez Briones, a few minutes after receiving the crown, surrounded by family and friends who are waiting for her and wave to her to see if they can come over, congratulate her and take a selfie.
“There is my great-uncle, my grandmother… I was in the back (of the stage) and I saw my friends with signs with my name and my grandmother with two Guayaquil flags. She was the one who encouraged me the most in this process, along with my mom.”
Vany Sánchez Briones is the current queen of Guayaquil platinum edition
For this 22-year-old, the decision to participate in the pageant meant stepping out of her comfort zone. She "had never been on stage, in front of such an audience, much less had she had to speak...", although she admits that one of her goals is to work on television.
She is a student of the Public Relations career at the Espíritu Santo University of Specialties. Before that she she spent two years studying in Barcelona, Spain. Where else would you like to live? “Right now, in my country. I want to be here, help. I have lots of ideas, but I want to make them here”, says Vany, who loves the local food: onion, fish bun, bola broth and crab.
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“At least in my case, I think that if I was able to go abroad it was to return and bring what I had learned to move my country forward. (In Barcelona) I acquired a lot of knowledge, but I missed Ecuador, Guayaquil, its people” and her lifelong neighborhood, at Urdenor 1. “Very proud of my neighborhood”.
“Beauty has a purpose”
Becoming a queen is an investment of time and effort. The candidates spend an entire year preparing for that path. “This is beauty with a purpose. We have a message that we want to communicate to the world”.
As part of the contest, Vany developed the Ecoperla ecological jewelery project, carried out together with María Fernanda Vélez, who received the title of viceroy. “We made necklaces, earrings, bracelets, from unused clothing, from plastics, using the technique of wire rope. We trained fifteen women from Guayaquil so that they could undertake from this line”. Added to the workshops organized by all the candidates, 150 people benefited from this stage of the competition.
That communication happens through the image, as Vany discovered during her experience as a candidate. “They told us that we should try to get donations. It was something very difficult. If I uploaded a photo smiling, I would get a lot of likes, but if I uploaded a video (explaining the need for donations), very few would react. I understood that if you add your image to a good message, of helping others, you can find people who will support you”.
To be able to serve, he says, you don't need the crown, but desire and motivation. “If you are firm and really want to help, you can do it. I keep realizing that I just won.”
She has not yet revealed what her work project for 2021-2022 will consist of, but she is sure that she will do so together with the viceroy (María Fernanda Vélez) and the October Star (Doménica González).
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The queen's mother
One of the first to hug the queen was her mother, Edda Briones de Sánchez. “ My daughter spent a long time with this dream ,” she explains. "She studied abroad and returned to Ecuador in mid-2019, with the purpose of having her business and being an entrepreneur." This helped the now queen to grow as a person and to be more responsible.
“Then, unfortunately, the pandemic happened, which nobody expected.” Vany's business had to close. "But you don't have to stay stagnant, but look beyond," says Edda. “She made the decision to volunteer, which she always liked, and to be able to help those in need. I see in her that drive to stick with this for the long haul, and that's what excites me the most. She's a dreamy, hard-working girl.”
Some of that personality noted the jury. Vany reached the reign of Guayaquil 2021 by consensus of the professional makeup artist Gissel Rosado, the businessman Hugo Rivera (general manager of the TRYP by Wyndham Guayaquil hotel), the general manager of the Public Company for Management, Innovation and Competitiveness (Épico), Cristina wine; Miss Supranational Ecuador, Justeen Cruz; the businessman and president of the Benemérita Society for the Protection of Children, Ricardo Koenig; the psychologist, businesswoman and Star of October 2014, Andrea Villacrés; the dermocosmiatrist and beautician Gisel Salvador; the cosmetic surgeon Jussueth Morán and the owner of Joyería Marthita, Marthita de Yépez.
Justeen Cruz Lara from Guayaquil will represent Ecuador in Miss Supranational, in Poland
From them arose the question that the queen answered during the event: What do you think of the adoption of a baby by a couple of two men or two women? “Beyond judging to a person because of their sexual orientation, religion or customs, we must think that there are many children in orphanages who would like to have the love of parents, the love of a home and an education. So let's rather support those people and provide the home these children deserve."
The gala was chaired by Tahiz Panus, director of the contest and head of Social Action and Special Events of the Municipality of Guayaquil. (I)
