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Ashley Cariño
Ashley Cariño
Born	Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto; August 3, 1994 (age 30); Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Alma mater	Valencia College; University of Central Florida
Occupation	Model
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
	Beauty pageant titleholder
Title	Miss Florida USA 2021; Miss Fajardo Universe 2022; Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022
Major; competition(s)	Miss USA 2021; (2nd Runner-Up); Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022; (Winner); Miss Universe 2022; (Top 5);

Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto (born August 3, 1994) is a Puerto Rican-American model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022. Cariño was the second Afro-Puerto Rican to win the title. She represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2022, placing at the Top 5. Previously, Cariño was crowned Miss Florida USA 2021 and placed as the second runner-up at Miss USA 2021.

Early life and education

Cariño was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico to parents José Cariño and Olga Barreto, as the eldest of five children, and later moved with her family to Kissimmee, Florida when she was five years old.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] Her mother had previously competed in pageantry in Puerto Rico.^[5] Cariño attended the Professional and Technical High School in Kissimmee, graduating in 2012, where she received certification to work as a psychosocial rehabilitator, specializing in working with children with cognitive diversity.^[2]^[4] She had been inspired to pursue psychosocial rehabilitation after having overcome childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) herself.^[5]

Cariño later enrolled in Valencia College in Orlando, Florida, and afterwards transferred to the University of Central Florida, studying aerospace engineering.^[3] Prior to competing in Miss USA 2021, Cariño had hoped to work for NASA after graduating.^[4]

Pageantry

In 2021, Cariño began her pageantry career after registering as a contestant in Miss Florida USA 2021, her first pageant ever.^[3] She was inspired to take part after encouragement from her family, and competed alongside her sister Joyce Barreto.^[5]^[3] Representing South Kissimmee, Cariño went on to win the title in July 2021, becoming the first woman from Kissimmee to be crowned Miss Florida USA.^[6]^[5]

As Miss Florida USA, Cariño was qualified to compete in Miss USA 2021. The final of Miss USA was held on November 29, 2021, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Cariño went on to place as the second runner-up, behind winner Elle Smith of Kentucky and first runner-up Caitlyn Vogel of North Dakota.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] This was only the third time that Florida had placed in the top three of the competition since Miss USA 1980.^[11] Cariño later completed her reign as Miss Florida USA after crowning Taylor Fulford as her successor in May 2022.^[12]

Miss Universe Puerto Rico

After completing her reign as Miss Florida USA, Cariño moved back to Puerto Rico in order to claim eligibility for the upcoming Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022.^[2] In June 2022, Cariño was announced as one of the 28 finalists set to compete in the competition, representing the municipality of Fajardo.^[13]^[14]^[15]

The final was later held on August 11 in Santurce, San Juan. Cariño advanced from the initial pool of 28 finalists into the top fifteen, top ten, and top five, before ultimately being crowned the winner of the competition.^[2]^[16]^[17] With her win, she became the second Afro-Puerto Rican to be crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico, following her predecessor Michelle Colón.^[1] As Miss Universe Puerto Rico, Cariño represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2022, and placed among the Top 5.

References

^ ^a ^b "Miss Universe Puerto Rico, Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto : "La mujer puertorriqueña viene de todas las tallas, de todos los colores"". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). August 12, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Marcial Ocasio, Jennifer A. (August 12, 2022). "ExMiss Florida, Ashley Ann Cariño, fue coronada como Miss Puerto Rico Universe". Orlando Sentinel (in Spanish).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lee, Jenna Marina (July 29, 2021). "Getting to Know Pageant Winner, UCF Student Ashley Cariño". UCF Today.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Kissimmee's Miss Florida Ashley Cariño is Miss USA 2021's second runner-up". Positively Osceola. December 6, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Jackson, Ken (August 18, 2021). "Kissimmee's first Miss Florida crowned". Osceola News-Gazette.
^ "Joven boricua de Kissimmee gana la corona de Miss Florida USA" [Young Puerto Rican from Kissimmee has crowned Miss Florida USA] (in Spanish). WTMO-CD. July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
^ "Miss USA, Miss Teen USA coming to Tulsa this fall". KTUL. April 20, 2021.
^ "Tulsa's River Spirit will host Miss USA, Miss Teen USA pageants". Fox 23. April 20, 2021.
^ "Results". Miss USA. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
^ Weldon, Casey (November 30, 2021). "Miss USA 2021: Miss Kentucky Elle Smith wins crown". Spectrum News.
^ Jackson, Ken (December 14, 2021). "Kissimmee's Carino takes top-3 Miss USA spot". Osceola News-Gazette.
^ "Taylor Fulford from Okeechobee Is Miss Florida USA 2022". WQCS88.9 FM. 2022-05-29. Retrieved 2022-06-06.
^ "MUPR presenta a las candidatas oficiales para el certamen 2022". Miss Universe Puerto Rico (in Spanish). 2 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
^ "Estas son las candidatas a Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022". Primera Hora (in Spanish). 3 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
^ "Presentan a las 29 candidatas de Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022". metro.pr (in Spanish). 2 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
^ "Ashley Ann Cariño Barreto, de Fajardo, es nuestra nueva reina al ganar Miss Universe Puerto Rico". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). August 11, 2022.
^ "Ashley Ann Cariño es Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022". Primera Hora (in Spanish). 12 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-12.

External links

Ashley Cariño on Instagram

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Valeria Ayos Beatrice Gomez (Top 5)	Miss Universe Top 5 Finalist (with Gabriëla Dos Santos) 2022	Succeeded by Camila Avella Karla Guilfú (Top 5)
Preceded by Michelle Colón	Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022	Succeeded by Karla Guilfú
Preceded by Janice Jimenez	Miss Fajardo Universe 2022	Succeeded by Camila Molina
Preceded by Monique Evans	Miss Florida USA 2021	Succeeded by Taylor Fulford