Dee Valladares Is Survivor's First Cuban-Born Winner

Her family, her parents' sacrifices, and the American dream kept Dee Valladares, a 26-year-old Cuban entrepreneur living in Miami, pushing through 26 days on Survivor. A final push on the season 45 finale showed Valladares emerging as the sole survivor and winner of the one million dollar prize.

"I always thought about my parents, lows and highs. In my head, it was Low: I got to push through for them, and on the highs, I wished they were here to witness all of this," Valladares tells New Times over Zoom. "Everything I always do, family is at the root. I think it helped because anytime I thought of almost giving up on challenges, I just thought of them, and I'm like, I can't give up; they're watching me."

Valladares has been hustling her entire life. Her family immigrated from Cuba to the U.S. when she was 2; she's been working since she was 14; and in 2019, she launched her backpack company, Wanaroam, inspired by her backpacking adventures. Now, one million dollars richer, Valladares wants to invest her money, give back to her family, and help her parents retire.

About a year ago, Valladares decided to send in her application video to be on Survivor.

"My best friend was like, 'Dee, I think you should watch this show, you'd like it,'" Valladares says. "I started watching it, and I'm like, woah, I actually do love this, but I also think I'd be good at it."

Running since 2000 with beloved host Jeff Probst gracing televisions nationwide, CBS's reality show Survivor has continued evolving and proven to be one of the most challenging competitions to win. Season 45 featured 18 strangers living on the beaches of Mamanuca Islands in Fiji, where they're given no food or shelter and asked to compete in physical and mental challenges in grueling hot weather.
Contestants — first playing with tribes and then playing individually — need to strategize and build relationships with each other with the hope of avoiding being voted out and making it the full 26 days. Only three make it to the end, where they can hash it out at the final tribal council and defend their game to the deciding jury of the previously eight voted-out contestants.

The game of Survivor makes contestants battle emotions versus strategic moves, and Valladares' focus on building strong relationships instead of trying to make big, showy moves proved effective.

Through a strong alliance, dubbed Reba Four, originating from the Reba tribe, Valladares advanced through the game with discreet but effective gameplay, slowly adding to her résumé.

Her game-winning card was to keep one secret move from her ally, Austin Li Coon, who Valladares had a showmance with (they're choosing to keep any post-show updates private for now), and reveal the secret at the end in front of the jury. Valladares sat beside Li Coon and underdog contestant Jake O'Kane at the final tribal council, where she successfully defended her game to the jury, with the results being five votes for Valladares and three for Li Coon.

"It's a whole mental war, final tribal council. You're so close to the end, and you want to give it your best shot, but it's also extremely nerve-racking," she admits. "I said it to the boys, 'Come at me! I don't want this to be given; I want this to be earned, and I'm gonna come after you. This is a game, and we're close to the end, so may the best man or woman win.'"

Valladares also excelled psychically by winning three immunity challenges, including the crucial last challenge that guaranteed her spot in the final three.
Armed with her entrepreneurial spirit and charming personality, Valladares went into Survivor with confidence and determination to outwit, outlast, and outplay 17 other contestants.

Despite her discreetly dominating game being a clear threat most of the season, Valladares' relationships with other contestants continuously shielded her from being voted out, leading to fans worldwide describing her as one of the most dominant players to win since the new era of Survivor.

"I am humbled and honored," she says. "I knew I played a really fucking great game, but to hear people say that, and especially to hear alumni say that, to hear people that have played the game, to hear super fans. It holds so much weight for me, and I will never take that lightly."

Beyond the million dollars and TV fame, Valladares hopes that her Survivor experience will inspire others.

"I'm proud of where I'm from; I'm proud of my city. This was all absolutely shocking because I want Latinos, I want immigrants, I want young kids to look at me and say, 'I want to do what she did,'" she shares. "Even if it's not Survivor, whether it's 'I want to learn an instrument' or 'Let me go do something I never thought I would do.' That's all I want from this experience, and it's already been happening, and that, oh my God, that fulfills my soul."