The reigning Miss International Queen USA talks balance, heritage, and heart ahead of her international debut in Pattaya, Thailand
Lo Colby, crowned Miss International Queen – USA 2026 this past March in Atlantic City, is in the final stretch of preparation for her international debut in Pattaya, Thailand, where the world’s premier transgender pageant crowns its winner September 19.
Colby, a Hawaiian-born transgender woman of Thai-American heritage based in Los Angeles, won the national title at Harrah’s Resort through the Be the Transformational Change Fund. Since then, she’s balanced a corporate career, performing, and advocacy with training for the global stage.
Months since your crowning, what has daily life looked like, and what’s surprised you most? Daily life has been a beautiful kind of full: a demanding corporate career, performing, content creation, and showing up for the communities this title represents, all while preparing for Thailand. What surprised me most wasn’t the schedule; it was how deeply invested my mentors and my friends and family have been in my success. No one achieves this alone, and letting people support me has changed me.
How has your preparation evolved, mentally and physically, since winning the national title? The biggest evolution hasn’t been physical, it’s been internal. Preparing for the USA title was about becoming a competitor; preparing for Thailand is about becoming a representative. Physically, I train four to five times a week, focused on cardio and core strength. Nutrition has been the bigger shift; I’ve become far more intentional about fueling my body. I’m also working with a coach on storytelling, to stay present rather than recite rehearsed answers.
Competing internationally means representing the whole country. How are you preparing mentally for that? It’s both an honor and a responsibility I don’t take lightly. Representing the United States means carrying the many stories that make up my country, not just my own. This stage also carries extra meaning personally. I’m a Thai-American woman, and Thailand feels like coming full circle, connecting with my heritage while representing the country that raised me.
Your platform centers on transgender economic empowerment. How will you bring that message to a global audience? By telling the truth about my own life. I know what it feels like to lose a job at your most vulnerable moment and wonder how you’ll keep a roof over your head — and what becomes possible when someone gets a real opportunity. That’s why I serve as spokesperson for Negotiate Your Narrative, a free salary negotiation training for the transgender and LGBTQ+ community. Economic empowerment isn’t just about income; it’s about dignity and choice.
Who are you leaning on for strength heading into this next chapter? The Los Angeles community caught me at the lowest point of my life. When I lost my job early in my transition, I started performing to stay busy and find purpose — what began as a way to cope became a career and a family. I’ve been fortunate with my MIQ mentors, Melony and Shantell, and the former titleholders who’ve shared their wisdom. None try to mold me; they make sure my own magic stays at the center.
What does it mean to join Miss International Queen’s legacy? It shows the world what happens when transgender women are visible, celebrated, and given a global stage. To stand in that legacy, alongside the women who came before me and the ones I’ll compete with, is one of the great honors of my life. Every delegate carries her own story and culture. I’m not just going to compete — I’m going to learn, represent, and be part of something bigger than any one crown.
What’s been the hardest moment of this journey, and how did you push through? Finding balance. I’m juggling a full-time career, performing, my responsibilities as Miss International Queen USA, and preparing for Thailand, all while trying to take care of myself. What got me through was discipline, passion, and letting my support system actually support me. On the hardest days, I remember showing up isn’t just for me — it’s for everyone this platform serves.
Stepping onto the Pattaya stage, what do you want viewers, especially young trans people back home, to feel? I want them to see someone who once sat alone in an apartment, afraid she couldn’t keep a roof over her head, now standing on an international stage. If they can see that, they can believe their own dreams are possible. A title is temporary; the way we make people feel lasts far beyond a competition. I hope they remember not just the crown, but the heart behind it.
For more information, follow Miss International Queen – USA on Facebook and Instagram at @MissInternationalQueenUSA.
