At 5' feet 11" inches, All Saints resident Athina James is hoping to stand tall above the other delegates during the hosting of this year’s Miss Universe Pageant and bring the title back to her homeland of Antigua and Barbuda.
Unable to host a local pageant due to financial constraints, Director of the Miss Universe Organisation Calvin Southwell undertook a search where a number of pageant hopefuls were interviewed.
It was James, though, who stood out and who was selected as this year’s representative.
Perhaps little known by the masses, James is a homegrown woman who has her roots set firmly in All Saints Village. Her early education began at the J. T. Ambrose Primary School and later continued at the Antigua Girl’s High School and the Antigua State College.
As James suggests in her biography, growing up for her wasn’t about being the little "sugar and spice" wearing frilly dresses.
“I was an adventurous tomboy who enjoyed fishing in nearby ponds, taking long walks in the countryside…,” she shares.
Recently she has taken up dance class to improve her dance ability and she is currently signed on as a model with Southwell Inc.
Speaking to the Antigua Sun, Southwell said James is currently in Vietnam working alongside 79 other delegates in preparation for the pageant which will be hosted on 14th July. While in Vietnam, James will participate in fashion shows and charity auctions.
As is customary, each delegate is required to bring two national gifts from her country which will be auctioned for local charity.
James opted to take along a coal pot (complete with a yabba) and a warri board, two items that can be regularly found in Antigua and Barbuda.
Southwell shared that it hasn’t been easy to send a delegate to the Miss Universe Pageant on a yearly basis.
Funds in the form of donations and sponsorship have been practically non-existent, but Southwell is of the view that one year Antigua and Barbuda will rise to the top of the pageant scene internationally.
“Antigua and Barbuda has always done well. Shermain [Jeremy] was judged the most talented woman in the world when she went in for Ms. World and we all remember when Kai [Davis] did us proud when she won Miss Congeniality when she entered the Miss Universe Pageant,” he revealed.
So with lack of funds how does Calvin Southwell send delegates year after year?
“I dig into my own pocket,” he said resignedly. “I do it because I have high hopes that one day Antigua and Barbuda will excel.”
Fortunately for him, because he’s a designer and a trainer he has effectively managed to cut costs considerably. Rather than having to hire people to design and make her clothes Calvin Southwell created her entire wardrobe and offered her modelling training as well.
He credits Sascha Cosmetics of Trinidad and Tobago for being the only corporate entity that has stepped forward to donate a full make-up line of products for James.
Despite the challenges, Southwell has sent James off to Vietnam (spending $10,000 out of his own pocket for her airfare) and is hoping to join her shortly to cheer her on 14th July when James steps onstage and thrusts Antigua and Barbuda into the heart of the universe.
http://www.antiguasun.com/
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