She did it. Jennifer Colón didn't just walk onto a stage; she basically kicked down the door of pageant history. If you've been following the Miss Universe circuit lately, you know things are changing. Fast. But seeing it happen in real-time is something else entirely. In June 2024, at the Centro de Bellas Artes in Santurce, Jennifer Colón was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico.
She’s 36. She has three kids.
Ten years ago, that sentence would have been an impossibility in the pageant world. It’s wild to think about how rigid these rules used to be. You had to be young. You had to be single. You definitely couldn't have children. But Jennifer is the living, breathing proof that the "expiration date" on a woman’s dreams is a total myth. Honestly, her win felt less like a standard beauty competition and more like a cultural shift for the island.
The Long Road to Miss Universe Puerto Rico
Jennifer isn't exactly a newbie to the spotlight. People forget she’s been in this game for a long time. Back in 2009, she was the first runner-up in Miss Puerto Rico Universe, losing out to Mayra Matos. She then went on to represent the island at Miss World later that same year.
She’s a veteran.
But then life happened. She moved to the States, specifically Florida. She got married. She had three children—Victoria, José, and Catalina. She became an aesthetician. She built a life that had nothing to do with sashays and evening gowns. For most people, that would be the end of the story. The pageant days would be a "remember when" conversation over coffee.
Then the Miss Universe Organization dropped the bombshell: they were removing age limits and marital status restrictions.
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Suddenly, the door was cracked open. Jennifer didn't just peek through it; she charged. Representing the municipality of Orocovis, she returned to the stage with a level of poise that you just don’t see in twenty-somethings. There’s a specific kind of confidence that comes from raising humans and navigating a divorce. It’s grounded. It’s real. When she spoke during the Q&A, you could tell she wasn't reciting a script written by a coach. She was talking from her life.
Why the "Motherhood" Angle Matters So Much
Let's be real: the media loves a "mom" story. But for Jennifer Colón, it isn't a gimmick. In Puerto Rico, where pageantry is basically a national sport—up there with baseball and boxing—the expectations are crushing. You’re expected to be a goddess. A flawless, untouchable figure.
By winning as a mother of three, Jennifer humanized the title.
She’s been vocal about the logistical nightmare of balancing training with parenting. Think about it. While other contestants are focusing solely on their walk or their interview prep, she’s managing school schedules and bedtime routines. It’s a lot. But that’s exactly why she resonated with the audience. Most women aren't 19-year-old models; they’re women with jobs and families who want to feel seen.
There was this moment during the competition where the energy in the room shifted. It was clear she wasn't just competing against the other girls; she was competing against the old version of the industry itself.
The Aesthetician Behind the Crown
Jennifer isn't just a pretty face; she’s actually a medical aesthetician. This gives her a weirdly specific edge. She knows skin. She knows the science of beauty. In interviews, she’s often discussed the importance of self-care not as vanity, but as a form of mental health maintenance.
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It’s about "irradiating" beauty from the inside.
She often talks about the "power of the mind." It sounds a bit cliché until you realize she stayed in shape and kept her public speaking skills sharp for over a decade while away from the cameras. That takes a level of discipline that’s honestly kind of terrifying. She didn't just wake up and decide to be Miss Universe Puerto Rico on a whim. She prepared for years, even when the rules said she couldn't compete.
Facing the Critics and the "Age" Debate
Not everyone was happy. Of course. This is the internet.
When Jennifer won, some "pageant purists" complained. They argued that the competition should stay for younger women who are just starting their careers. They claimed that a 36-year-old already had her "turn."
It’s a tired argument.
The reality is that the Miss Universe brand was dying. It was becoming irrelevant. By opening the floor to women like Jennifer, the organization tapped into a massive demographic of viewers who had checked out years ago. Jennifer’s response to the ageism has been incredibly classy. She basically argues that her age is her superpower. She has more to say now than she did at 21. She has more empathy. She has more resilience.
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And if you look at her performance in Mexico City for the international pageant, she held her own against women half her age. She made the Top 12. That’s a massive achievement for Puerto Rico, a powerhouse house that expects a "top" placement every single year.
What Jennifer’s Journey Teaches Us About Timing
If there is one takeaway from the Jennifer Colón story, it's that timing is subjective. We spend so much time worrying that we’ve missed our window. We think we’re too old to start a business, too old to change careers, or too old to chase a goal we abandoned in our twenties.
Jennifer ignored the window and built a new house.
She proved that the skills you gain in the "middle" years of your life—the communication skills, the emotional intelligence, the sheer grit—are often more valuable than the raw potential of youth. She didn't win despite being 36 and a mother; she won because she brought that lived experience to the stage.
Actionable Takeaways for Personal Growth
Watching Jennifer’s trajectory isn’t just for pageant fans. It’s a blueprint for anyone feeling "stuck" in a certain phase of life.
- Audit Your "Expired" Dreams: Take a look at the goals you gave up on because of age or life circumstances. With the world changing (and remote work/new tech/policy shifts), those barriers might not exist anymore.
- Leverage Your "Gap" Years: If you’ve been out of your chosen field for a while, don't hide it. Figure out how your life experience (parenting, travel, different jobs) actually makes you better at what you want to do now.
- Invest in "Internal" Beauty: Jennifer’s focus on medical aesthetics and mental wellness shows that looking good is a byproduct of feeling good. Focus on health and mindset first.
- Ignore the Purists: There will always be people who want things to stay the way they were. They aren't your target audience. Focus on the people who are inspired by your evolution.
- Prepare Before the Door Opens: Jennifer stayed "ready" for years. If she hadn't maintained her health and her public presence, she wouldn't have been able to capitalize when the rules changed. Stay ready so you don't have to get ready.
The story of Jennifer Colón is still being written, but she has already changed the landscape of Puerto Rican pageantry forever. She’s no longer just a "beauty queen"—she’s a disruptor. And in a world that’s constantly trying to tell women when they're "done," that’s the most beautiful thing of all.
For those looking to follow her path, the next step is simple: stop looking at the calendar and start looking at your capabilities. The rules are changing everywhere, not just on a stage in San Juan. Use that to your advantage. Focus on refining your personal brand and maintaining the discipline required for your specific field, so that when your "Miss Universe" moment arrives—whatever that looks like for you—you're prepared to take the crown.