JOHN COFFELTEditor

Miss Latina Manchester, Ivón Ontiveros, will be competing in the coming months for the title of Miss Latina Tennessee 2024, Miss Latina Tennessee.

“I’m not like a person who is really confidant in myself,” Ontiveros said. “If I have the opportunity to actually do this –it’s a big step for me.”

“This pageant is different because it focuses on Hispanic heritage,” she said. “It’s important to represent our culture and who we are.”

The pageant is an event designed to celebrate the beauty, potential and talent of young Latinas in Tennessee.

Contestants are provided with a unique and exciting experience by giving them the skills they need to become a confident and successful beauty on and off our stage.

According to pageant information, it’s s not just about beauty; the organizers expressed the need to empower young Latinas and promote higher education, “because beauty and brains will always be above the rest.”

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.