Fatima Rosario Watson-Coello Nuestra Belleza Nacional Cuba

Derek Tokarzewski
May 6
8 min read

Updated: May 7

World Class Beauty Queens Magazine pageant interview with an incredible Fatima Rosario Watson-Coello Nuestra Belleza Nacional Cuba

Full name: Fatima Rosario Watson-Coello

Pageant Name: Nuestra Belleza Nacional Cuba

Position: Founder and National Director

Year system was created: 2018

Charity system supports: The NBNC Nuestra Belleza Nacional Cuba organization proudly supports a wide range of charitable causes and community initiatives, including Walk Now for Autism Speaks, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness, Ronald McDonald House Charities, IHOP National Pancake Day benefiting children’s hospitals, National Salute to Veterans, The Little Lighthouse Foundation, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Humane Society, and NAMI for mental health awareness. Countries or states system has representation in: Cuba Home Country or State: USA World Class Beauty Queens: To those unfamiliar with your pageant system please tell us what is it about? Nuestra Belleza Nacional Cuba organization was created to open the opportunity for Cuba to be represented in various international competitions, particularly the Big 5 Grand Slam pageants. In addition to empowering Cuban delegates on the global stage, we are deeply committed to community engagement. World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us what inspired you to start or join your system? After I aged out as a pageant competitor and I got married, my husband suggested that I start directing my own pageant. My journey as a pageant director journey began when I served as a local preliminary director for the state pageants of Miss Florida USA and Miss Florida Teen USA for seven years. During that time, I revived my own pageant call Miss Art Deco, partnered with the Art Deco Weekend Festival of Miami Beach. I also serve as the media manager for the state pageants of Miss Connecticut USA and Miss Connecticut Teen USA. World Class Beauty Queens: Please tell us the founding story of the system. I am the founder of the NBNC Nuestra Belleza Nacional Cuba organization, was created to promote the beauty, talent, ethnicity, and culture. This platform is to provide today's young Cuban women the opportunity to compete in a prestigious international level competition. As a Cuban-born individual raised in the United States, I noticed the lack of representation for Cuba in the pageantry industry due to the political situation on the island. This gap in visibility motivated me to shift my focus and change my market. By doing so, I aimed to create opportunities and representation for Cuban talent, particularly in areas like beauty pageants, where expression and cultural identity are often limited by the political landscape of Cuba. Moving my focus to areas with greater freedom, like the U.S., has allowed me to help amplify Cuban voices and showcase their beauty and potential on a larger stage World Class Beauty Queens: What was the vision and the goal in the beginning while creating your pageant. The vision behind creating our pageant was to provide a platform for Cuban women to showcase their beauty, culture, and talents on an international stage—especially in major competitions where Cuba had historically been underrepresented. From the beginning, the goal was not only to celebrate Cuban heritage but also to empower young women with opportunities for personal growth, leadership, and global recognition. We aimed to create a supportive environment where contestants could gain confidence, develop professional skills, and become role models in their communities and beyond. We are also the first pageant to assign each contestants titles by Province and Municipality to connect and embrace the different areas of the island.

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World Class Beauty Queens: Please tell us about yourself.

I'm an animal lover and the proud owner of two dogs, Precious and Bailey. I've been happily married to a U.S. Navy veteran for 20 years. I have a deep passion for travel and have visited places like Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Honduras, Belize, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada. Within the U.S., I've explored every state along the East Coast, from Massachusetts to Texas. I also have a bucket list of dream destinations I hope to visit one day.

World Class Beauty Queens: Please tell us about your education. I am a beauty professional with over 30 years of experience as a licensed cosmetologist, specializing in makeup artistry for photography, film, and television, as well as skincare, nail technology, and hairstyling. I hold a certification in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Florida Atlantic University, along with certifications in advertising and marketing, and wedding and event management. In addition to my beauty expertise, I am also skilled in photography and videography.

World Class Beauty Queens: What does women Empowerment means to you? For me as a woman, pageantry is about inspiring others, not just empowerment. It’s a way to honor my roots, celebrate my identity, and showcase the strength and resilience of my community. Through these pageants, I’ve found a platform to connect with my heritage and inspire others to embrace their own stories and traditions. It’s about creating a space where we can all shine and feel proud of who we are.

World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your personal pageant history. At the age of 15, I entered my first pageant and placed among the Top 15 semi-finalists out of 41 contestants. In my second pageant, I competed in Miss Cuban American 1993, where I placed in the Top 8 finalists and was awarded the title of Miss Modelo Cubana. I then competed in Miss Art Deco 1994 and finished as 4th runner-up. In 1995, I earned the position of first runner-up at Miss Florida Latina, the official preliminary to Miss America Latina U.S. Years later, I returned to pageantry and proudly won the title of Miss Cuban American 2001—an honor that holds special meaning for me as a celebration of my Cuban heritage. World Class Beauty Queens: What inspired you to do your first pageant? Growing up, I struggled with my own self-confidence, feeling out of place just being as a tall and slender, which led me to be extremely shy. As an Afro-Cubana, I didn’t always feel like I belonged. However, when I became a teenager, my mother enrolled me in modeling and etiquette school. That experience helped me build self-confidence, embrace my identity, and feel a greater sense of self-acceptance. This led me to enter my first pageant as a challenge for myself beyond my abilities. World Class Beauty Queens: Over the years what Country, state or city the competition took place and why? Due to Cuba’s political system, rooted in a decades-long communist dictatorship, significantly shapes its cultural and civic landscape. One prominent example of this influence is the prohibition of national beauty pageants on the island. The Cuban government exercises strict control over public events and cultural expression, often suppressing activities that it views as incompatible with socialist ideology or promoting values seen as capitalist or individualistic. Beauty pageants, which emphasize personal ambition, physical appearance, and international competition, are viewed as contrary to these principles. For this reason, all national beauty competitions are held in Miami, Florida, home to the largest Cuban community outside of the island. Miami serves as a hub for Cuban exiles and their descendants, offering a space where Cuban cultural traditions and aspirations can be expressed freely, outside the reach of the Cuban government's restrictions. World Class Beauty Queens: What cultural significance has your pageant? For me, the cultural significance of the pageant is deeply personal. Growing up in the U.S., I saw how the political situation in my homeland limited opportunities for cultural expression, especially in areas like beauty pageants. By creating and participating in pageants outside of my country, I’ve found a way to celebrate and preserve our identity—our pride, traditions, and resilience. It’s not just about beauty, but about representing the strength, talent, and spirit of the people. These pageants have become a way to honor my roots, connect with my heritage, and give my community a voice on a larger stage.

World Class Beauty Queens: How long hours/days is the competition. Our competition will last up to 2 weeks of events workshops, and rehearsals.

World Class Beauty Queens: Are contestants taken on any sight seeing during the competition? Every year we take our contestants on different experiences with different styles of photo and video shoots.

World Class Beauty Queens: What are the competitors being judged on during the competition? We have five phases of competition that consist of Panel Interview, Swimsuit Competition, national costume, and evening gown. World Class Beauty Queens: How do you select your judges and who are they? We select judges as titleholders, influencer, business owners, and television figures.

World Class Beauty Queens: Do contestants have to support and volunteer for any cause or charity either before the competition or during their reign? Yes, our contestants volunteer for the charity of their choice prior to the competition.

World Class Beauty Queens: Please tell us little bit about each winner from over the years and what they accomplished through out their reign. I have worked with several international pageant systems. Our very first international titleholder is Miss Intercontinental Cuba 2018 Cynthia Linnet Lau, who later became Miss Earth Cuba 2021. She is now a business owner with her brand of elegant heels as well as pursuing her career in acting. Our next titleholder is Miss Teen Charm Cuba 2021, Angelina Asbert, who became the first Cuban delegate to represent Cuba at Miss Teen Charm International and made an impact with her national costume with a message of 'Patria y vida' highlighting about the current events happening in Cuba. our biggest franchises is Miss Earth. Since taking on the franchise, our country has. had two placements. Our first historic placement was with Miss Earth Cuba 2022, Sheyla Ravelo Perez, placing top 12 finalist and our recent placement was by Miss Earth Cuba 2024, Stephany Diaz. We have also had other successes such as Miss Intercontinental Cuba 2021, Yeniffer Marin, placing top 20 finalist, Miss Teen Universe Cuba 2022, Jasmine Martinez, placing top 16 finalist, and Miss Teen Ambar Word 2021, Elisa Gregorio winning the crown. Stephany Diaz placed Top 20 finalist

World Class Beauty Queens: What are some fun events you've done with your Queens? We have participated in several media events such as, Una Noche Diferente on ArkyHawk TV, Sabor de la noche, being on set for several programs on Univision and Telemundo. We also participated in community events such as Taste of the Cuban Sandwich Festival of Tampa, New Jersey Cuban Parade in Union City, 4th of July parade of Key Biscayne, Winternational Thanksgiving Parade, and several red carpet events such as cover parties for Original Living Magazine, Creativa Toy Drive Gala, and modeling opportunities for New York fashion week and Miami Swimweek.

World Class Beauty Queens: What are your plans for your system in 2025 and beyond? To continue expanding our legacy of our organization.

World Class Beauty Queens: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind as the owner. I would like to leave behind the legacy as the first Afro-Cubana to have many accomplishments as a model, and director pageants and open opportunities to the ones that were told that they can't do.

National Director: Fatima Rosario Watson-Coello

Pageant website: nuestrabellezanacionalcuba.com

Name of the Photographer and other credits Baron Deparre of Baron Visual Images

Thank you to my sponsors. I would like to give a special thanks to the following persons that have been a supporter of the organization since the beginning; Alicia Faccio Modeling School, Henrry Mezza Fashion Designer, Leo Figueredo of X-core Miami Fitness, George Anthony Wakefield Photography, Maritza Guevara of Fundación Lazos de Amor y sonrisas, Kies Boutique by Jacqui, Bridal Boutique by Barbara, Beauty by Ladycode, The Codes Creative, Carl Dunn of Pageantry Magazine, and most of all especially, Yli Liriano of Yli's Love Look Cosmetic.

World Class Beauty Queens Magazine would like to say thank you for this wonderful interview.

Fatima Rosario Watson-Coello Nuestra Belleza Nacional Cuba, World Class Beauty Queens Magazine, Baron Deparre of Baron Visual Images

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