R’Bonney Gabriel returned to her hometown in Houston, Texas, last weekend for the first time since becoming Miss Universe 2022 in January.
Gabriel, 28, made history in October 2022 by becoming the first Filipino American Miss Texas USA. She then went on to take the crown at the Miss Universe 2022 pageant in January.
The beauty queen reportedly attended celebration galas and met with young women and girls on the East Coast and in Southeast Asia.
“I feel like I have a megaphone to really inspire everyone and just share my message of working hard for whatever dreams you have,” Gabriel said during a press conference before her homecoming party. “I mean, my life changed overnight and it happened so fast but I’m just very thankful for it.”
There’s no place like home. It’s great to just be with my family and friends and really celebrate and talk with them because after I won I only saw them for a very short amount of time and then the next day I went to New York. I didn’t get to spend too much quality time with them so that’s what this is all about.
Speaking at the press conference before the event, Gabriel said it felt good to bring home a win for her hometown and state, noting that her victory was “a win for everybody.”
Meanwhile, at the homecoming party, Gabriel also shared her victory with other Asian Americans and Filipino Americans, telling the cheering crowd, “It was a win for Asian Americans, Filipino Americans and just anybody who goes after something that is such a big dream.”
Gabriel also toured Houston and shared some of her favorite local places via Instagram Stories, such as the restaurants Nancy’s Hustle and Gerry’s Grill.
Well, I have a few spots depending on what…
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