Bien Hecho: Latina Miss Deaf America Also Earning A PhD

Rachel Mazique is Miss Deaf America and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Texas at Austin. Originally from Illinois, she entered the pageant world at the behest of the Illinois Deaf Latino Association, who asked her to participate in the contest.

She told The Alcalde that she came to see it as being a representative of deaf culture, “At first I said no, but once I learned that it wasn’t about beauty—there wasn’t a swimsuit portion—I thought, why not?”

Mazique is also currently pursuing a Ph.D. focused on deaf literature, which she said could be considered part of the growing field of “minority literature.” She’s also a accessibility editor in the Digital Rhetoric & Writing Lab and teaches freshman composition at UT.

Spread the word! Our weekly Bien Hecho segment, highlights the good deeds and achievements of Latinos across the U.S. If you feel that someone you know is deserving of recognition, let us know at tips@newstaco.com.

Thanks to Beto for the tip!