Houston native gears up to compete in the Miss U.S. Latina pageant

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Kathleen Navarro is a Houston native who recalls her humble beginnings on the East End.

She says being crowned as Miss Texas Latina in March has completely changed her life.

Now, Kathleen is gearing up to compete on a national stage to win the title Miss U.S. Latina on August 4 in Atlanta, Georgia.

In an interview with Kathleen, she describes the challenges that come along with competing against other young women and the skills she has developed to make her confident over the past year.

Not only does she participate in pageants, she also has now begun a career in modeling that she credits to her nearly 4,000 followers on Instagram.

She undoubtedly believes that the Miss U.S. Latina pageant is not only about physical attributions, but also about the empowerment of Latina women from generation to generation.

Kathleen says she believes women of Latino descent are often expected to stay home, raise a family and take care of their husbands- but she is determined to shift that narrative.

With Houston cheering her on, she says she is excited about the pageant overall.

No matter what the outcome is, Kathleen is thrilled about the process and says if she doesn't win, she will probably try again next pageant season.