Playmates
Raquel
Pomplun

Raquel Pomplun is a Latina – Mexican-American, to be exact – with brown hair and eyes, delicate features and soft sand-colored skin. Raised in Tijuana, Mexico, she moved to Chula Vista, California when she was twelve, where she excelled in math and science programs, and modeled on the side. “I can solve almost any math problem,” she says, smiling. Raquel is pursuing a degree in biochemistry at the University of California, and when she’s not in school, she works on her turnout at a local ballet studio, and turns out authentic Mexican dishes in her home kitchen. “My chiles rellenos are famous,” she says. And that’s not all that’s famous – Raquel has the distrinction of being the first Mexican-American Playmate of the Year. Raquel had always wanted to pose for Playboy, so she had her picture taken and submitted it to a casting agent. Two weeks later, we called her in for a test shoot, and we were so impressed that we made her Miss April. We put her on the cover of the anticipated Sex & Music issue next to neo-soul sensation Bruno Mars, who was left with a bit of a crush on Miss Pomplun. “I’m holding out for a date with Pitbull,” she jokes. This was her first time posing nude, but her parents are open-minded and support her career decision. “My mom is very proud,” she says. Raquel plans to put her earnings as a Playmate toward an advanced degree in biochemical engineering. “I’d love to be Playmate of the Year,” she says, “but my number one goal is to make a difference in the world.” Well, Raquel, you're Playmate of the Year 2013 - and that makes all the difference in the world.