Miss Erie Alejandra J-love conveys her thoughts on winning the crown

"I was very nervous that night, of course," admits the new Miss Erie 2025, Alejandra J-love. "When competing, you never know what the judges are looking for. When my name was announced as the winner of the pageant, I remember a voice in my head saying, "We did it!" according to Alejandra.

Her talent in the contest was an impersonation of Selena Quintanilla with the purple costume she wore in her last concert. Another outfit she wore for the pageant was a custom-created mermaid sequin gown fully encrusted in green crystal stones inspired by the world-renowned emerald gemstones of Colombia. Alejandra's upcoming appearances as Miss Erie include monthly performances at The Zone nightclub. She will also be a performer at Erie Pride Day.

Alejandra, who has been doing drag for 16 years, says it gets easier the longer she performs. "Still, I always get nervous when I'm in a new place where I've never performed before. But normally, when the DJ is playing my music, nothing in the world can describe how much I enjoy being on stage. Drag to me is art where I can express myself. The process of making my costumes, as well as mixing and applying my makeup, is a way of making more love every day."