The jewel is set to shine once more at the Miss Universe Pageant, and the Miss Universe Belize team is wasting no time in selecting, preparing, and grooming seven phenomenal Belizean women who will be vying for the Miss Universe title this year.
While the date of the official pageant is yet to be announced, on Saturday, June 11th the Miss Universe Belize Team disclosed the names and photographs of the seven contestants on the official Miss Universe Belize Facebook page.
As the competition heats up, it seems that the social media fanatics have already chosen some of their favorite contestants, with the first being Ashley Lightburn, 25, a resident of Belize City who was able to garner 1.3 K social media reactions in five days. Lightburn is a Project Manager Officer at a local bank and an adjunct lecturer of mathematics at the University of Belize. She possesses a bachelor’s in mathematics and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in international business administration. Her hobby is engaging in social outreach initiatives and says that “This pageant, to me, is not only about displaying external beauty but also about inner beauty. I aim to show young girls that you can have all beauty and brains, and you should use it to inspire others and build your country. “
Coming in second with a total of 1k reactions, in five days is Alina Scott 27, who hails from the Cayo District, and is a Ph.D. candidate and Littlefield Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. She possesses a bachelor’s and master’s degree in History; currently a Doctoral Candidate (Ph.D.) in History. Scott is passionate about educational equity and accessibility. She is an athlete and has volunteered in a number of social and educational associations and organizations. She says “As Miss Belize, I want to give back to those very communities [intellectual and cultural communities] and reiterate to the youth of Belize that education is just a stepping stone for you to realize the fullest version of yourself.”
Coming in third with 714 reactions is Grace Brown, 20, a resident of San Pedro Ambergris Caye and a florist by profession. She has a high school diploma and is currently pursuing a cosmetology degree. She is also the reigning Miss San Pedro and has overcome bullying, shyness, and body shaming. She says that she “believes that the next Miss Universe Belize should be a woman who is ready to handle the responsibilities of nurturing her community’s betterment, this woman should continuously look for solutions to assist and advocate for a better and greater Belize, but most importantly this representative should be ready to be the ultimate epitome of a role model who feeds others with love and compassion. I have spent the past 20 years crystallizing my experiences in order to be that woman.”
Coming in fourth with 654 likes is Sigourney Usher, 22, a resident of San Ignacio. She is a nurse by profession and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s in Nursing. She is currently studying in Guatemala and says that as a frontline worker, she has the opportunity to impact many lives. She says that “If I were to become Miss Universe Belize, I would use the platform to talk about the impact poverty has in my country, especially on older generations. I want to show that I can be confidently beautiful, but also have the ability to help our generation in need.”
Coming in fifth with 599 likes is Kaira Nuñez, 19 a resident of Orange Walk Town. She is a sales clerk by profession and aspires to work at an environmental conservation organization. She possesses an associate’s degree in science with a concentration in natural resource management. She says that she takes pleasure in being productive because she believes that efficiency is the key to success. She says, “I want to be the next Miss Belize because I want to utilize the title as a platform to raise awareness and take action on animal cruelty in Belize. I also believe that winning this pageant will strengthen my will and confidence in my ability to accomplish anything I set my mind to.”
Samantha Singh 27, a resident of Placencia managed to get 576 reactions. She is a writer by profession and possesses a bachelor of arts in English from Loyola New Orleans as well as a culinary arts degree from The New School of Cooking. As a writer, she says that she sees Miss Universe Belize as an opportunity to share her passion for Belizean literature and the importance of the arts in Belize with a broader audience. She says”I know that advocacy is a huge part of the title, and that part is what I am most interested in. To have a place of privilege to speak from in support of both literacy and the arts in Belize, two places I believe deserve much more attention locally both for their cultural importance and the opportunities they provide for young Belizeans to transcend circumstance — that’s exciting to me.”
Kenia Tejada, 27 a resident of Spanish Lookout was able to get 422 reactions. She is a tutor by profession and has a high-school diploma with an interest to major in psychology. Apart from tutoring children from her community Tejada is an advocate for children and says that “I want to instill respect, love, justice, and kindness into children’s lives. I know I can do that now, but I think as Miss Universe Belize, I can make a greater impact.”
The management and staff of Chabil Mar wish all 7 contestants all the best as they vie for the Miss Universe title this year.
