As Lupita Valero participates in the Mexicana Universal reality TV show, which will pick who will represent the country in Miss Universe, she’s heard nasty comments about herself because of her humble beginnings. Valero, who is representing Guerrero, is a folklórico dancer and waitress. During the competition, a judge asked her if she had been discriminated against because of her job, and Lupita delivered a sharp rebuke of her haters and their classist comments.
“I have suffered discrimination for being a waitress,” she started. “People have humiliated me, they’ve told me bad things, they’ve looked at me and thought they were superior to me. I read a comment a few days ago that said: They all look beautiful, but the one from Guerrero, you can see her huaraches from afar.” Huaraches are sandals traditionally worn in Mexico. In this case, the commenter intended to insult her for belonging to a lower social class.
“I want to say that yes, I do have my huaraches on, and I tied them tightly before this competition. Because I’m proud of who I am and where I’m from. I come from a mother, who’s a merchant and a father, who’s a cook. They’ve instilled in me that any job, as long as it’s dignified, is honorable, is respectable. Because of my job as a waitress, I could pay for my schooling, and today, I can share that I am just about to earn a degree in textile engineering and fashion design. People think those of us who start from the bottom have no right to dream, and they’re mistaken.”
As classist comments like these often go unchecked, Lupita’s response could not be more appropriate. Check out the powerful video below:
https://youtu.be/v13CGusRjU8
The show’s finale will take place June 3.
