Mia is 26 years old and was born in Legazpi, Philippines and spent 6 months in an orphanage until she was adopted into her family today. She has always been someone that embraced the beauty of Filipino culture. Although she was not raised in a Filipino family, her family made sure she was involved and a part of my beautiful culture.
Being an adoptee is a huge part of her identity and is significant in her professional career as well. Mia is not only Miss Glendale but she is a professional in the mental health field and an advocate in mental health and trauma awareness. Her education includes her masters in social work in 2021 and currently completing her trauma certification at New York University with future plans to start her Doctorate in Social Work starting in May 2023. She has worked with homeless youth as a counselor and has worked as a survivor care social worker for children who have been victims of sex trafficking.
Currently, Mia is a therapist at an addiction recovery center. In recent years, Mia competed in Miss Philippines USA and this year she will also be competing in the 2023 Miss California USA competition and is representing the city of Glendale as Miss Glendale. Aside from her Miss Glendale duties and her career, Mia’s passions are volunteering as a community leader, public speaking on trauma and adoption, and playing the violin, which she has been playing since childhood.
For more information, go check out Mia on Instagram @filipinamia11
