By Shuntel Glasgow
Aspiring psychologist Nashava Thompson won awards for best spoken word poetry as well as best evening gown at the Miss Emancipation Pageant at the National Culture Centre on Saturday evening, before finally snagging the title and crown ahead of six other contestants.
In the first segment the young women, decked in Kente fabric uniform, commanded the stage and confidently introduced themselves and the pageant theme with insightful spoken word poetry. Thompson won this segment.
The pageant had a STEM component which allowed the contestants to utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create an informative website relevant to their platforms. They were trained by Voltage Compong, said to be a premier web and app building company behind the creation of popular apps in Guyana diaspora like GuyMart and EzEats among others. The winner of this segment was guaranteed a spot in the final and that place went to Aaliyah McKoy.
The third round was deemed the most glamorous as the contestants were given the opportunity to create spectacular African royal evening wear with the use of prints, intricate African lace and Gele headdresses. Thompson again won the heart of the judges for the best evening gown displayed. During this segment, they were questioned on their knowledge of African history gained from a pre-slavery African history course that was compulsory for the pageant journey. Questions posed were based on diverse African history with reference to some historic monuments in Guyana such as Damon’s and the 1763.
Thompson ruled in other minor segments such as Miss Congeniality, Best African History Presentation and Best Smile, while McKoy took the People’s Choice award.
After tallying the scores, the judges concluded that there would be five contestants in the final, a first in the Miss Emancipation Pageant history. The reason being there was a tie between two contestants, Deneita Fredricks and Alisa McKenzie.
At the end of the competition, McKoy was named first runner-up with 310 points and Thompson was crowned Miss Emancipation 2023 with 341 points. Fredricks was proclaimed second runner-up with 301 points, O’Neilka Bacchus, third runner-up with 291 points and McKenzie fourth runner-up with 273.5 points.
The judging criteria surrounded poise, confidence, clarity of presentation, uniqueness of outfits, design and smile.
The queen can choose between a medical scholarship to Georgetown American University or a cash voucher. In addition she will receive a trip for two to Kaieteur Falls sponsored by the Guyana Tourism Authority and other gifts from Eccentric Creations 2.0 and Charming Treasures.
The first runner-up will receive an Essequibo day tour, compliments of Guyana Tourism Authority and gifts from Eccentric Creations 2.0 and Charming Treasures.
Meanwhile, the second runner-up will be awarded an Elite Kayaking Day tour compliments of the Guyana Tourism Authority and gifts from Eccentric Creations 2.0 and Charming Treasures.
The winner of the best smile will be rewarded with a free cleaning, polishing and teeth whitening service from Smile Guyana Dental Services. The winner of the People’s Choice award will receive a free photoshoot compliments of Terrence Thompson Photography.
The new queen, who is the Administrative Assistant at Food for the Poor Guyana Inc, has a diploma in General Psychology, a diploma in Forensic Psychology and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
