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By the time Georgina Páez Muñoz set foot on a beauty pageant stage, she had already lived a lifetime’s worth of challenges, triumphs, betrayals, and self-discovery. Her new book, “From Ballerina to Beauty Queen” is more than a memoir, it’s a testament to her perseverance, a love letter to resilience, and, in some ways, a long overdue reckoning with her past.
Georgina’s is a story of transformation in every sense of the word. From an ambitious young ballerina to a seasoned pageant competitor, from enduring a grueling spinal surgery, to standing victorious on a national stage, she has navigated the sharp turns of life with unwavering determination. And as she puts it, the true transformation wasn’t just physical, it was internal and spiritual. It’s about a young girl reclaiming her voice after being silenced and about using pain to fuel her power.
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The Beginning of It All
The book’s first chapter, “The Beginning of It All,” sets the stage for a journey that is instantly inspiring and raw. It takes readers back to when Georgina was 11 years old, a devoted dancer who lived for the stage – until a severe spinal condition, Spondylolisthesis, shattered her dreams. The surgery was not only physically grueling but had devastating emotional impact. Told that she wouldn’t be able to dance for a year, she sunk into a period of depression, feeling like she had lost her very essence.
“For a long time, I felt like I had nothing to live for,” she admits in a recent interview. “Dancing was my identity, and when that was taken from me, I felt lost.” But as she would soon come to learn, identities evolve. And sometimes, adversity is just an opportunity to pivot.
The Accidental Pageant Queen
Competing in beauty pageants was never part of Georgina’s plan. It wasn’t a dream she had since she was little, nor was she drawn to its world of gowns, sashes, and crowns. In fact, when the opportunity first arose, she flat out rejected it.
“I was like, absolutely not,” she laughs. “I didn’t know anything about it. But my mom trusted her gut and entered me anyway ha-ha!” So, in December of 2017, with no prior experience, training, or pageant wardrobe, Georgina made a stunning debut. Stepping onto the stage with effortless grace, she then went on to dominate nearly every pageant category that day – with her mother Barbara Muñoz always at her side.
Georgina took home multiple awards, including the coveted “Community Service” prize. “I didn’t even know what I was doing,” she recalls. “I was just following the other girls. And then suddenly, I was standing there with all these trophies, unable to even bend down to put them down because of my surgery.”
GALLERY OF GEORGINA’S PAGEANT CAREER
Well for Georgina this victory was just the beginning, as she went on to rule the pageant world, winning major titles, landing on billboards in Times Square, and ultimately making history as the longest-reigning World Imperial Beauties Queen. But success, as she learned, is not always celebrated…
The Dark Side of Success
With every win the whispers grew louder and jealousy began brewing among her peers. Former friends turned on her, spewing rumors, downplaying her hard work, and attempting to dim her shine. “People actually accused me of faking my surgery,” she says, still stunned by it. “Like, who would fake spinal surgery just to get out of school?”
The betrayals she faced were deep and personal. People she had trusted for over a decade cut her out of their lives. The loneliness, at times, was overwhelming. “There was this feeling of, why are they doing this to me?” she says. “And the worst part was, whenever I talked about it, people would tell me to ‘get over it’ like my pain had an expiration date.”
It was in this period of isolation when this deep desire to be heard fueled her to write what would eventually become her first book.
The Power of the Written Word
As with many authors before her, writing became her therapy. Each page was a confrontation, a catharsis, a release. She poured her experiences onto the page, her struggles with mental health, the cutthroat world of pageantry, the weight of expectations, and, most importantly, her journey back to self-love.
But this venture into writing wasn’t just about personal healing. It was about reaching those who had been through similar experiences. “I wanted people, especially young women, to know that they’re not alone,” she explains. “People don’t have to shrink themselves to make others comfortable, they can rise above the BS!”
Thank You and F*** You
One of the most striking aspects of “From Ballerina to Beauty Queen” is its unapologetic tone. It’s not just a motivational book, it’s a reckoning. Georgina does not shy away from calling out the injustices she faced, nor does she pretend that her journey was all grace and composure.
“There’s a section in the book where I basically say, ‘Thank you and f*** you,’” she laughs. “Thank you for making me stronger, but also, screw you for trying to break me!”
It’s this raw honesty that makes the book resonate. Readers will find themselves laughing, crying, and nodding in agreement as they turn each page.
So, What’s Next?
Fast forward to today Georgina is a student at the University of Miami, focusing on her education but has plans to return to pageantry sometime in the near future.
“I want to do it when I’m financially stable enough to go all in,” she says. “Pageantry is expensive, and I want to be in a place where I can fully commit.” But beyond that, she hopes to continue inspiring others, through public speaking, mentorship, and perhaps even future books.
“People think pageantry is just about beauty, but it’s so much more than that,” she explains. “It’s about confidence and discipline. It’s about standing on a stage, looking out at hundreds of people, and knowing you BELONG there.”
Final Thoughts
At its core, “From Ballerina to Beauty Queen” is a story about survival, finding light in the darkness, embracing both the applause and the silence, and about learning when to fight and when to walk away. This is a story about transformation, not just from dancer to pageant queen, but from a girl who doubted her worth to a woman who knows exactly who she is.
For anyone who has ever been knocked down, underestimated, or made to feel small, this book is a reminder that you are capable of rising above it all! Because if there’s one thing Georgina Páez Muñoz has proven it’s that she was never meant to stay in the shadows, she was born to shine.
About Georgina M. Páez Muñoz
A native of Miami, Georgina M. Páez Muñoz grew up in the South Dade neighborhood of Kendall but also spent many months over the years in Union City, New Jersey with her mother Barbara Munoz at her grandfather’s residence. Presently residing Hollywood, Fla., Georgina is an 18-year-old freshman at University of Miami, on a full scholarship, studying Media Management.
Visit Amazon today to get your copy of “From Ballerina to Beauty Queen” by visiting Amazon today!
