Amelia Vega
Encyclopedia
Amelia Vega Polanco became the first and only Dominican woman to be named Miss Universe
, in 2003. At the age of 18, she was the youngest winner since 1994.
Vega's father, Otto Vega, is a general medical practitioner with offices in New York City and Miami. Her mother, Patricia Polanco Alvarez, also born in Santo Domingo, one of the first 3 Dominican Women to graduate as a Pilot
. She was also a previous national titleholder who represented the Dominican Republic in 1980 at the Miss World
pageant. Vega is the niece of the Grammy Award
–winning singer Juan Luis Guerra
.
pageant held in Panama City
, Panama
on June 3, 2003. She became the only titleholder from this country to win the title.
Vega was crowned in Panama. She wore a white evening gown during the competition, which featured strings of beads on the sleeves.
As Miss Universe 2003, Vega traveled extensively working with internationally recognized HIV/AIDS organizations including the Global Health Council
, Cable Positive
, amfAR
, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
, and God's Love We Deliver. As a celebrity spokesperson, she was responsible for working with the international media to generate a better understanding and acceptance of AIDS
/HIV
epidemics and its prevention while helping to increase awareness, funding and resources for these key organizations.
As Miss Universe, Vega represented the Miss Universe Organization
. Her "sister" 2003 titleholders were Tami Farrell
(Miss Teen USA
, of Oregon
) and Susie Castillo
(Miss USA
, of Massachusetts
).
Vega is the third among Miss Universe winners who also won the National Costume competition. Thailand's Porntip Nakhirunkanok
won the award in 1988 and eventually won the crown then, Wendy Fitzwilliam
of Trinidad & Tobago also won the Best National Costume and went on to win the 1998 Miss Universe crown.
which was part of her overall prize package as the new Miss Universe titleholder, Vega visited over 30 countries around the world including: Germany, Switzerland, Ecuador
, Canada, Chile
, China, Indonesia
, Mexico, Puerto Rico
, Thailand
, Vietnam
and Russia. Vega returned to her home country several times, and was awarded an honorary medal in the 2003 Pan American Games
, held in Santo Domingo
. Later that year, Vega co-hosted the Festival Presidente de Música Latina
, a Latin American music concert lasting three days and held every two years in the Dominican Republic.
, Harper's Bazaar
, Glamour
, and Selecta. She also has been the lead image for campaigns made by the beauty cosmetics company Cover Girl
, for the past 4 years.
Vega debuted as a singer with her uncle "Juan Luis Guerra
" in Madison Square Garden and American Airline's Arena.
After her reign as Miss Universe came to an end, Vega worked as the host of the reality show Voces de América, that aired on the Telemundo network.
She also hosted several editions of "Festival Presidente
" where more than 60,000 people attended, Later she hosted "Suegras", a reality show broadcasted in "USA" and Latin America. Her film debut was in 2005, co-starring in the film The Lost City
directed by Andy García
. She had a special in Homie Spumoni, a motion picture starring Donald Faison
. and Whoopi Goldberg
, among others and was scheduled and released in summer 2008.
In 2010 she became the host of the Mexican reality show "Segunda Oportunidad" with the Chilean Rafael Araneda
She also performed the video of "Mi corazoncito" of Dominican bachata music group Aventura.
on April 26, 2010. It became a top Latin song in just two days. A couple month later she surprises with her environmental song Smog
, She announced on her Twitter account that her complete album "Agua Dulce" will be released on August 30, 2011 first on iTunes
. She is being promoting her music during the past months in, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Panama, Dominican Republic "where she opened the concert for Mark Anthony And Chayanne in font of a crowd of 50,000 people".
where she resides, named "Essence By Amelia Vega" located at 78 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables FL, 33134 and prepares to be involved on developing her career and stores.
named her his favorite Miss Universe ever, he even mentioned her in one of his books.
, Cable Positive
, amfAR
, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
, and God's Love We Deliver.
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
, in 2003. At the age of 18, she was the youngest winner since 1994.
Vega's father, Otto Vega, is a general medical practitioner with offices in New York City and Miami. Her mother, Patricia Polanco Alvarez, also born in Santo Domingo, one of the first 3 Dominican Women to graduate as a Pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
. She was also a previous national titleholder who represented the Dominican Republic in 1980 at the Miss World
Miss World 1980
Miss World 1980, the 30th Miss World pageant, was held on November 13, 1980 in the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK. The winner was Gabriella Brum from Germany...
pageant. Vega is the niece of the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
–winning singer Juan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra is a singer, songwriter and producer from the Dominican Republic who has sold over 30 million records, and won numerous awards including 12 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Latin Billboard Music Awards...
.
The competition
After winning the Miss Dominican Republic Universe title, Vega represented the Dominican Republic in the Miss Universe 2003Miss Universe 2003
Miss Universe 2003, the 52nd Miss Universe pageant, was held at Figali Convention Center, Panama City, Panama on June 3, 2003. 71 delegates from around the universe competed for the crown...
pageant held in Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
on June 3, 2003. She became the only titleholder from this country to win the title.
Vega was crowned in Panama. She wore a white evening gown during the competition, which featured strings of beads on the sleeves.
As Miss Universe 2003, Vega traveled extensively working with internationally recognized HIV/AIDS organizations including the Global Health Council
Global Health Council
The Global Health Council is a United States-based non-profit networking organizing linking "several hundred health non-governmental organizations around the world to share knowledge and resources, build partnerships and together become stronger advocates for health"...
, Cable Positive
Cable Positive
Cable Positive was founded in February 1992 by three concerned cable executives, Jeffrey Bernstein, then with Request Television, Brad Wojcoski of HBO and June Winters, with the mission of organizing cable's resources in the fight against AIDS...
, amfAR
AmfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.-History:...
, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing pediatric HIV infection and eliminating pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy, and prevention and treatment programs...
, and God's Love We Deliver. As a celebrity spokesperson, she was responsible for working with the international media to generate a better understanding and acceptance of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
/HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
epidemics and its prevention while helping to increase awareness, funding and resources for these key organizations.
As Miss Universe, Vega represented the Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
. Her "sister" 2003 titleholders were Tami Farrell
Tami Farrell
Tami Nichole Farrell is a former Miss Teen USA from Phoenix, Oregon who placed first runner-up in Miss California 2009 and was crowned Miss California USA after Carrie Prejean was dethroned by pageant officials in 2009....
(Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
, of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
) and Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
(Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
, of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
).
Vega is the third among Miss Universe winners who also won the National Costume competition. Thailand's Porntip Nakhirunkanok
Porntip Nakhirunkanok
Porntip Bui Nakhirunkanok aka Porntip Bui Simon is a Thai beauty queen who has held the title Miss Universe 1988. She became the second woman from Thailand to win the Miss Universe crown, the first being Apasra Hongsakula in 1965.-Biography:Nakhirunkanok was born in Chacheonsao, Thailand...
won the award in 1988 and eventually won the crown then, Wendy Fitzwilliam
Wendy Fitzwilliam
Wendy Fitzwilliam is a former Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe, the third woman of African heritage to capture the Miss Universe crown and the second Miss Universe in history from Trinidad and Tobago.-Early life:...
of Trinidad & Tobago also won the Best National Costume and went on to win the 1998 Miss Universe crown.
Post-crowning
After moving to an apartment in New York provided by Donald TrumpDonald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
which was part of her overall prize package as the new Miss Universe titleholder, Vega visited over 30 countries around the world including: Germany, Switzerland, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Canada, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, China, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Mexico, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Russia. Vega returned to her home country several times, and was awarded an honorary medal in the 2003 Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
, held in Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
. Later that year, Vega co-hosted the Festival Presidente de Música Latina
Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina
The Festival Presidente de Música Latina is an event of Latin Music celebrated every two years for three days in October in the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.- History :...
, a Latin American music concert lasting three days and held every two years in the Dominican Republic.
Career
Vega has appeared in the cover of several magazines, from her local country's Mujer Unica and Oh! Magazine, up to internationally known Cosmopolitan, Caras, InStyle, VanidadesVanidades
Vanidades is one of the most popular Spanish language women's magazines. Published by Editorial Televisa across the United States and Hispanic America, it was launched in Cuba in 1931 as a humor magazine, but eventually became a women's magazine in the early 1940s. When Fidel Castro took the...
, Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
, Glamour
Glamour (magazine)
Glamour is a women's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Founded in 1939 in the United States, it was originally called Glamour of Hollywood....
, and Selecta. She also has been the lead image for campaigns made by the beauty cosmetics company Cover Girl
Cover girl
A cover girl is a woman whose photograph features on the front cover of a magazine. She may be a model, celebrity or entertainer. The term would generally not be used to describe a casual, once-off appearance by a person on the cover of a magazine....
, for the past 4 years.
Vega debuted as a singer with her uncle "Juan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra is a singer, songwriter and producer from the Dominican Republic who has sold over 30 million records, and won numerous awards including 12 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Latin Billboard Music Awards...
" in Madison Square Garden and American Airline's Arena.
After her reign as Miss Universe came to an end, Vega worked as the host of the reality show Voces de América, that aired on the Telemundo network.
She also hosted several editions of "Festival Presidente
Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina
The Festival Presidente de Música Latina is an event of Latin Music celebrated every two years for three days in October in the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.- History :...
" where more than 60,000 people attended, Later she hosted "Suegras", a reality show broadcasted in "USA" and Latin America. Her film debut was in 2005, co-starring in the film The Lost City
The Lost City (2005 film)
The Lost City is a 2005 American drama film directed by Andy García. It stars Garcia, Dustin Hoffman, Ines Sastre, and Bill Murray.-Plot:...
directed by Andy García
Andy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
. She had a special in Homie Spumoni, a motion picture starring Donald Faison
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor best known for his role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC comedy-drama Scrubs and as Murray in the film Clueless and the subsequent television series of the same name.Faison has also co-starred in the films Remember the Titans ,...
. and Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
, among others and was scheduled and released in summer 2008.
In 2010 she became the host of the Mexican reality show "Segunda Oportunidad" with the Chilean Rafael Araneda
Rafael Araneda
Rafael Luis Domingo Araneda Maturana is a popular Chilean TV presenter, best known for his participation in the show Rojo Fama Contrafama as the host. Also he was the host of Estrellas en el Hielo, Sin Prejuicios, Rojo VIP, Noche de Juegos, El Baile en TVN...
She also performed the video of "Mi corazoncito" of Dominican bachata music group Aventura.
Music
After recording her first demo at 15 years old and starting her artistic career on musicals in her hometown at the same age, Amelia's first single "Pasa Un Segundito" was released by iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on April 26, 2010. It became a top Latin song in just two days. A couple month later she surprises with her environmental song Smog
Smog
Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
, She announced on her Twitter account that her complete album "Agua Dulce" will be released on August 30, 2011 first on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. She is being promoting her music during the past months in, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Panama, Dominican Republic "where she opened the concert for Mark Anthony And Chayanne in font of a crowd of 50,000 people".
Business
Vega is as well concentrated on the development of her business career. She owns a two Boutiques in Miami, FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
where she resides, named "Essence By Amelia Vega" located at 78 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables FL, 33134 and prepares to be involved on developing her career and stores.
Book
Vega is on the cover of the only book the Miss Universe Organisation has published, which is called Universal Beauty. Donald TrumpDonald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
named her his favorite Miss Universe ever, he even mentioned her in one of his books.
Filmography
- Homie Spumoni (2006) .... Amelia Vega as (Chanice)
- The Lost CityThe Lost City (2005 film)The Lost City is a 2005 American drama film directed by Andy García. It stars Garcia, Dustin Hoffman, Ines Sastre, and Bill Murray.-Plot:...
(2005) .... Minerva Eros
Charity Work
She cooperates to several charity foundations to the date as, Go Red For Women, Inisiatica Ser (Brest Cancer) Global Health CouncilGlobal Health Council
The Global Health Council is a United States-based non-profit networking organizing linking "several hundred health non-governmental organizations around the world to share knowledge and resources, build partnerships and together become stronger advocates for health"...
, Cable Positive
Cable Positive
Cable Positive was founded in February 1992 by three concerned cable executives, Jeffrey Bernstein, then with Request Television, Brad Wojcoski of HBO and June Winters, with the mission of organizing cable's resources in the fight against AIDS...
, amfAR
AmfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.-History:...
, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing pediatric HIV infection and eliminating pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy, and prevention and treatment programs...
, and God's Love We Deliver.
External links
- http://www.AMELIAVEGA.net
- http://www.twitter.com/AmeliaVega
- http://www.facebook.com/AmeliaVega.net
- http://www.youtube.com/AmeliaVegaofficial
- http://www.myspace.com/AmeliaVegaofficial Miss Universe 2003-related Website