Miss SVG/Ms. Carival 2002 - LaFerne Fraser
I was 18 years old and it had never crossed my mind to enter the Miss St.Vincent & the Grenadines pageant until a friend of mine gave me a call and asked if I were interested. I said I would think about it. I felt excitement at the thought of someone else thinking that I was ‘good enough’ to enter. There were three women in particular whom I admired and looked up to; the late Donna Young, Nicole Hadaway and Roxanne Israel. These women to me represented grace, style and class… they had a tremendous influence not only on young women but on the Vincentian public entirely. As a contestant, I could have the opportunity to do and to be much of the same.
I took the plunge, went in head first and fought to come out on top. Being crowned Miss St.Vincent & the Grenadines and Miss Carival 2002 gave me an amazing feeling. I had worked my hardest to make sure that my performance unforgettable, so that when I won I had simply accomplished exactly what I worked toward. There were so many people to disappoint if I had given any less than what was required and twice as many people who wanted nothing more than to see me trip and fall. This for the most part is why the journey to capturing those titles is anything but easy.
Strength and Perseverance
When making that life-changing decision to enter the life of pageantry, one needs to be sure of a few things. Know the experiences of your life and where they have taken you- for anything that can be twisted to use against you, will be used against you. Surround yourself with only those people who truly love you. Listen only to God, yourself and those people that you have chosen to journey with you. This is your support group, your own army to fight with you and for you. Be eager to discover and rediscover your flaws, then attack them fiercely. Only then will you know what you are truly made of. Make a conscious decision to give more than you know that you are capable of. Allow yourself to be pushed beyond limits and don’t be ashamed when you cry through it all.
Who Is a Beauty Queen?
A beauty queen is more than the sum of her parts. She is all young women. She is a role model, a mentor, a walking expression of fashion, gracefulness and intelligence. She is an ambassador and she carries her people on her shoulders and she is not allowed to disappoint. She is also a target: for men with a to do list; for cynics who seek to tear down rather than build up; for overwhelming emotions that can sometimes threaten the person you have spent your life trying to become. This is where the army you have built for yourself becomes necessary and sufficient.
A Dream Come True
Be ready for a rewarding and challenging experience that begins the moment you decide to take the plunge and doesn’t end just because the show is over. Make yourself matter because if you don’t, then it’s all just a memory.
Standing on the Miss Universe stage with over 80 other eager delegates was one of the proudest moments of my life. That moment was a fantasy turned reality. It was the peak of my pageant experience and where I wanted it to end. I wouldn’t trade my experiences good or bad, for I am better because of them.
Take the plunge but only if you’re prepared to fall and driven to bounce back.