Miss Czech Republic on her Japanese and Moravian identity, beauty and Miss Universe

The 22-year-old Miss Czech Republic, Sophia Osako, will represent the country at Miss Universe in Puerto Rico this November. Born to a Moravian mother and a Japanese father, and raised speaking mostly English, she spoke to me about how the competition has deepened her connection to Czech culture, why beauty pageants still matter, and how she hopes to showcase Czechia on the world stage.