Own The Crown - Miss Teen USA

Meet Ki'ilani Arruda

Miss Teen USA 2020, Miss Teen Hawaii 2020, University of Puget Sound

By Coco Corey

In November 2020, Ki'ilani Arruda, 19, of Kauai, Hawaii, was crowned the 38th Miss Teen USA. Along the journey to wear The Miss Teen USA crown, Ki'ilani learned to own her crown by moving beyond her insecurities to embrace what made her uniquely strong and beautiful.

"In the past, I had low self-esteem because I wasn't very accepting of how I looked. I didn't look the way I thought I should because of what was portrayed in the media. I overcame that by finding confidence within myself."

Gaining Confidence Through Sport

Ki'ilani developed self-confidence through her love of sport. Playing volleyball, participating in track and field and swimming enabled her to lose herself in something she loved. She gained a whole new level of confidence. Instead of judging herself by media standards, she set her own bar and personal goals.

"I played sports a lot as a kid, and doing that made me feel strong and empowered. Whether I was on the field or in the pool, sports gave my self-confidence a boost because I was doing what I loved and loved what I was doing."

Women Empowering Women

Ki'ilani didn't accomplish her dreams alone. She followed a legacy of hardworking women who inspired the strength and confidence she needed to pursue her dreams.

"I was raised primarily by women — my great-grandmother, my grandmother, and most importantly, my mother. For most of my life, my mom was a single mom, and I saw her work hard for me. She pushed me to do everything that I wanted to do, and I appreciate that about her."

Sports Bras Can Be The Difference

Whether it's an extra 10 burpees or competing on a world stage, SHEFIT® supports women and girls reaching their goals. SHEFIT wants to show all women and girls what they can do when physical and emotional barriers are no longer in their way. It starts with gear that fits, supports, and celebrates your body.

 "I love the SHEFIT Sports Bra because it provides the utmost support for everything. It's super comfortable; it fits well and, because it's adjustable, it can fit everybody regardless of shape. When I'm on the court or in the weight room, I don't want to worry about anything being in the wrong place or anything slipping out. I am super thankful and confident now that SHEFIT has my back."

KI'ILANI'S SHEFIT PICKS