Amaya Espinal is the latest winner of Love Island USA. She recently shared her journey on the Call Her Daddy podcast. Amaya, a 25-year-old cardiac nurse from New York, talked about how it felt to win alongside Bryan Arenales.
Amaya and Bryan made history as the first Latino couple to win Love Island USA. They took home a prize of $100,000. Fans loved Amaya for her kind and calm personality. They even gave her the nickname “Amaya Papaya” while she was on the show.
Cierra Ortega
During her interview, Amaya Espinal spoke about fellow contestant Cierra Ortega. Cierra was removed from the villa after screenshots showed her using a racial slur against Asians. Amaya said, “We all genuinely did not know. We did not get the chance to say goodbye. We weren’t able to see her pack her bags. It literally just happened in the flash of an eye. It felt very unreal.”
After leaving the show, Cierra posted an apology video. She explained that she did not realise how harmful the word was. Amaya spoke about the importance of respectful language. She said, “I definitely do think words matter, and everyone should be respected.”
Amaya also talked about her pride in winning as part of the Latino community. Her family came from the Dominican Republic, and she feels blessed to represent them. “My parents literally came from the Dominican Republic and didn’t have the best upbringing,” she shared. Winning the show was a special moment for her and Bryan.
Their victory has been praised online for showing positive representation. Fans continue to celebrate them as one of the best couples in Love Island USA history.
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