Miss Illinois Latina crowned Vanessa Cruz, 25, as its 2011 pageant winner last Friday at Sabre Room in Hickory Hills. Cruz, of Costa Rican descent, wowed the judges and crowd with her blend of charm, confidence, and humor. “Participating in the Miss Illinois Latina pageant gives me the opportunity to follow my dream and share my vision of the Latina woman and to better the community in which we live,” said Cruz. Next month, Cruz will head to the Dominican Republic to compete for the coveted title of Miss Latina US and vie for the right to represent the USA at the international Miss Latin America of the World competition. Lawndale Bilingual Newspaper would like to congratulate Miss Illinois Latina Vanessa Cruz on her victory and wishes her the best of luck in the Miss Latina US competition.