When Anika Christopher took the stage to introduce herself at the Miss BVI Pageant, she wore a headpiece representing a Virgin Islands sloop and carried a bright red sail depicting Callwood Rum, livestock and other cargo the sailboat might have carried in times gone by.
It didn’t take her long to get to her platform: climate change.
“Standing on the pillars of tourism, agriculture and fisheries, we must be aware of the impact that climate change has on our natural resources,” she said, introducing a topic that she would revisit throughout the evening.
The judges were suitably impressed.
At the end of the pageant, Ms. Christopher edged out the other three contestants to win Best Introduction, Miss Intellect, and finally the Miss BVI crown.
Now, she plans to use her position to continue spreading the word about the impact of climate change.
After the show, she told the Beacon that the competition was overwhelming, but it was “awesome” to hear her name called as winner.
“I wasn’t entirely expecting to win because I feel like all the contestants did an amazing job,” said Ms. Christopher, a writer and journalist who often contributes to this newspaper.
The contestants
The night of glitz and glamour was held at the Multi-purpose Sports Complex and hosted by author and educator Rick Grant and Shayla Solomon, a former Miss United States VI.
Besides Ms. Christopher, the contestants were Deborah Smith, who is working to become a certified accountant and human resources manager; Lakeisha Warner, a paralegal and athlete; and Roshawna Stevens, a business major and assistant accountant.
Over the course of the night, they were assessed by 13 judges in seven segments: introduction, cultural wear, swimwear, eveningwear, personal interview, question and answer, and a “Sell BVI” category where they were asked to creatively promote tourism.
For the cultural wear, Ms. Christopher sported her sloop-based outfit, Ms. Smith donned a flower-themed dress, and Ms. Stevens wore a headpiece representing the sun and a skirt designed to resemble The Baths on Virgin Gorda.
But it was Ms. Warner who won the category for her bright dress showcasing local foods.
Ms. Warner was also named first runner-up after taking the titles for Best Swimwear, Most Poised, and Best Eveningwear.
Miss Congeniality and Miss Photogenic went to Ms. Stevens, while Miss Popularity and Best Sell BVI went to Ms. Smith.
The new Miss BVI
Ms. Christopher, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, has published two children’s books.
The first, Planting Peace, profiles Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. The second, Anansi and the Green Sea Turtles, stresses the importance of protecting the earth.
Ms. Christopher told the Beacon that the pageant preparation was “intense,” explaining that she juggled working out, modelling training, and speech training, among other responsibilities. But despite the stress, she looks forward to her plans to raise awareness about climate change.
She’ll start, she said, by speaking with students in schools across the territory.
“For me, pageantry is an opportunity to really play a greater role within your community,” she added. “It’s an opportunity to develop your platform, and climate change education is something I’m really passionate about. I want to use this crown and this platform as an opportunity to further amplify and educate persons about the impact of climate change.”
Miss Junior BVI
Two nights earlier, Ariella Oliver secured the Miss Junior BVI crown. The newly crowned representative paid a visit to Soca Night later to thank those who supported her. Besides the win, she told the Beacon, her favourite part of the evening was the joy of getting up on stage.
“It was nerve-wracking, but I’m someone who’s been on stage my entire life,” she said.