In Justine Pasek's native Panama, AIDS is a taboo topic. Although the disease first emerged there in 1984 and Panama currently harbors the second-highest HIV infection rate in Central America, open discussion of the disease is rare, and the stigma surrounding AIDS can be devastating. So when Pasek was crowned Miss Universe 2002, she was eager to use her new platform to help break the silence.

Panama: Miss Universe Uses Her Crown to Confront HIV/AIDS Stigma [PDF, 459KB]