HISTORY was made when Jamaica’s first Miss Deaf Jamaica queen was crowned on December 18, at YMCA.

Out of a field of eight vibrant and talented contestants who represented Kingston, St Catherine, May Pen and St Ann, Miss Spanish Town, Cassandra Whyte walked away with the coveted title, as well as the sectional award for Best Personality. First runner-up was Miss Portmore, Kadrieka Thomas while second runner-up was Miss South Kingston, Toneika Kidd.

Miss St Andrew, Kimberly Brown won the Best Smile award while Miss West Kingston, Yakera James copped the award for Best Walk. Performances for the evening were done by Danny Williams School for the Deaf Dance Troupe as well as Lister Mair Gilby School for the Dance Troupe.

Cassandra Whyte will represent Jamaica for the first time at the annual Miss Deaf World and Miss Deaf International event in Europe and the United States of America in July of next year.

The winners of each event go on to become ambassadors for the deaf community worldwide.

Among her prizes, newly crowned Cassandra Whyte was presented with a one-year gym membership, valued at $60,000, to the Spartan Health Club along with prizes from other main sponsors like Purity Bread, Island Grill and Red Stripe.

The event was organised by Rian Gayle, chairman of Miss Deaf Jamaica (MDJ), a new entity formed earlier

this year, whose purpose among other things is to help prevent and/or reduce incidents of violence, abuse, oppressions, exploitation, and unemployment at the community level and within the wider Jamaican society through promotion of the pageant and other activities.

Gayle, who is deaf himself, pointed out that this organisation is more than just a beauty pageant. “I wanted this to be something different. Over the years I have been disheartened by the situations involving deaf women where they have been abused, neglected and not much attention given to them where development is concerned. Knowing that the ladies love beauty pageants, I used this medium to attract them while placing emphasis on self-respect, self-esteem, self-control and self-prosperities that would enable them to be advocates and spokeswomen for the deaf community in the future.”

The winner was crowned by Kerry Moxam, 1st runner-up in the 2010 Miss Jamaica World Pageant and 8th

placed finalist in the 2010 Miss Intercontinental Contest recently held in the Dominican Republic.