Ariel Rivera
MISS ALBUQUERQUE TEEN (NAM) 2026
ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE AND MENTAL HEALTH
HOMESCHOOLED SENIOR
CURIOUS ABOUT NEUROSCIENCE, PSYCHOLOGY, & COMMUNITY IMPACT
I created The Woman Behind the Symptoms to help women and girls feel informed, heard, and supported in conversations about reproductive and mental health.
Through education, sharing stories and community engagement, I hope to bring greater awareness to experiences that are too often dismissed or misunderstood.
About Ariel
As Miss Albuquerque Teen 2026, I live my life as a student, advocate, and community volunteer with a passion for learning, connection, and making a meaningful impact.
Through my title, I hope to use my voice not only to represent my community, but also to create conversations that help women and girls feel seen, informed, and heard.
My advocacy initiative, The Woman Behind the Symptoms, reflects that mission by bringing greater attention to women’s health experiences that can be overlooked, misunderstood, or difficult to talk about.
My pageant journey has also given me opportunities to challenge myself and grow. After earning Best Resume and being named a semifinalist for Miss New Mexico, I went on to win a qualifier for the All-American title, earning the opportunity to compete at National American Miss Nationals in Orlando in November 2026.
As I prepare for Nationals, I continue to grow as a student, advocate, leader, and young woman.
Platform: The Woman Behind the Symptoms
Community Involvement
For me, community involvement is about more than making appearances. It means showing up, listening, volunteering, and finding meaningful ways to connect with the people around me. As Miss Albuquerque Teen 2026, I am using my year to serve throughout Albuquerque while supporting causes connected to women’s health, confidence, and well-being.
Road to Nationals
After earning the title of Miss Albuquerque Teen 2026, I began preparing for National American Miss Nationals in Orlando. My road to Nationals includes interview practice, wardrobe preparation, community appearances, advocacy work, and plenty of behind-the-scenes moments along the way.
Follow my journey as I prepare to represent Albuquerque on the national stage.
Curiosity in Action
My curiosity about psychology, neuroscience, and human behavior extends beyond the classroom. For my senior STEM project, I designed a self-experiment exploring how different interventions may influence stress, physiological regulation, and cognitive performance.
Using measures including subjective stress, heart-rate coherence, and cognitive tasks, I am collecting and analyzing my own data to better understand the connection between mind and body.
I will present the project to a team at National American Miss as part of my entry to the iAM Camille Schrier STEM Award, which will be announced in Orlando.
Contact Me
For appearance requests, community partnerships, media inquiries, or questions about The Woman Behind the Symptoms, please get in touch below.