Evita Delmundo was bullied for years after being born with moles all over her body — now, she’s setting her sights on becoming the next Miss Universe Malaysia.
“It’s always been a dream for me to try out for Miss Universe Malaysia,” she told Elle Malaysia. “I feel likes it’s a good way for me to showcase my uniqueness and newfound confidence, and hopefully I can also inspire others.”
She added: “I think my audition went well, so I’m just hoping to get a callback from the organization soon.”
Delmundo, a 20-year-old from Sabah, didn’t always embrace her unique look. Born with moles spotting her body from head to toe, the woman was ridiculed and often shied away from attention.
“The other kids would call me names like ‘Monster’ or ‘Chipsmore,’ which was really tough to swallow as a young girl,” she said.
But those days are long gone for Delmundo.
“Beauty is not just what’s on the outside; it’s not someone with the perfect face or the perfect body,” she said. “Beauty is who you are as a person and how you love yourself. It’s never about perfection.”
Before becoming the picture of confidence she is today, Delmundo said she initially sought to have her moles removed, only to have doctors tell her it would negatively impact her health.
“So, I just had to accept this is the body I’ve been given,” she told the magazine. “Now I’m grateful I didn’t change anything.”
Delmundo’s Instagram page shows many shots of her smiling and showing off her look with fierce poses and strong facial expressions.
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“Having a beautiful life is you love yourself,” she wrote alongside one photo. “Don’t care what people think of you and just be free yourself.”
She told Elle that she has received an outpouring of support from her massive social media following.
“Some of my Instagram followers have told me that I’m their idol or that they look up to me and see me as an inspiration,” she said. “Knowing that I have such a positive effect on others really keeps me going.”