Miss Universe Philippines 2026 Bea Millan-Windorski at the "TEDxManila 2026: Tagpi-Tagpi" event. Millan-Windorski/Instagram
Miss Universe Philippines 2026 Bea Millan-Windorski is grateful to be given the opportunity to show her side as an activist and academic on the TEDxManila stage.
The beauty queen was one of the speakers in the "TEDxManila 2026: Tagpi-Tagpi" event held last August 2 in Ermita, Manila.
She presented a talk titled "The Politics of Pretty: The Role of Pageantry in Nation Building," which was based on her historical and anthropological research with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, August 6, Millan-Windorski shared bits of her TEDxManila experience with her social media followers.
"The talk centered around the tension I feel as an activist and academic who critiques institutions while still being a pageant contestant who participates in one," she said.
"I believe this tension is where meaningful change happens. Pageants are mirrors that reflect who we are and what we want our world to become," the reigning Miss Universe Philippines added.
"As a proudly Gen-Z, anti-corruption aktibista, environmentalist, and beauty queen, I hope to build a world where we are not afraid to raise our voices, take up space, and demand the kind of future we deserve."
Honored to be part of the TEDxManila lineup, Millan-Windorski ended: "Maraming salamat po for allowing me to share my research and voice! Here's to everyone who believes in a better world."
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Millan-Windorski is set to represent the Philippines in Miss Universe 2026, which will be held in Puerto Rico in November.
The Filipino-American beauty queen has been vocal about her advocacies and her roots, on top of being busy with preparations for the international pageant.