No two queens are the same and over the years pageants have grown from mere beauty extravaganzas to being able to attract the interest of the less-likely contestant.

This year the the finalists in the 2023 Hyundai Miss Universe Jamaica beauty pageant are making a mark in their respective career field, be it medicine, the law, finance, or management.

The Jamaica Observer caught up with seven of the finalists who spoke about their career choices and their decision to enter a pageant.

Kingston born Jordanne Lauren Levy said even though she started out a business student, there was a tug to doing something different.

“I realised I was drawn to helping people and everyone was saying to me, you can help anyone in different professions, but there was something about medicine. Learning about the human body was fascinating to me,” Levy shared in an interview at AC Hotel Kingston.

Now a medical doctor, Levy is currently doing her internship at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

“So, I just recently started my internship doing a rotation through obstetrics and gynaecology delivering babies and taking care of moms, looking at the health of pregnant mothers, and then I went into general surgery. Now I’m doing orthopaedics… then I will move on into internal medicine,” she shared.

Levy is a second-generation aspirant. Her mother, Donna Matthews, competed in the then 1986 Miss Jamaica Universe pageant and finished third behind first runner-up Yana McDaniel and winner Liliana Cisneros. This is part of her motivation to enter the contest today.

“Pageantry, for me, I’m new to it, but my mom… told me that she got a lot of confidence from entering… She did television ads for Benjamins and other companies after the pageant and she also got a job at Air Jamaica as a flight attendant,” Levy stated.

Tia Rutherford wears the sash Miss Stylish Divaz JA. An aesthetician by profession, she, along with her twin sister Tika, were encouraged by family and friends to enter the pageant.

“Persons always [encouraged] my sister and I to enter. We have family members who were once involved in pageants and, to be honest, pageants have evolved; it’s more than just a beauty pageant. It’s all about empowering women,” she said.

“I focus on basic and advanced facials. I’ve always had an interest in the beauty industry and I think it’s something that others should get involved in. I used to have insecurities and when I got involved, I realized working in the field is way above what I imagined,” Rutherford continued.

She is passionate about community development and working with the youth in her community of August Town.

Twenty-year-old marketing executive Shaday Forsythe (Miss Orda JA) works for a business process outsourcing company in Montego Bay. Originally from Granville in St James, she attended the William Knibb Memorial High.

“Getting into a pageant I realise that [it]… is all about putting yourself out there… marketing yourself. Being in a pageant has shown me that I can share myself, my goals, objectives, and my interests with others,” said Forsythe.

For the past five years, Tia Dryden (Miss Windsor Wellness) has applied her skills as an architectural designer to good merit.

“I studied at the Caribbean School of Architecture at the University of Technology, [Jamaica] and made a lot of sacrifices to get to where I’m at. I just enjoy creating a space and how people can enjoy it. My job allows me to explore different aspects of architecture, interact with clients, go on site visits. It’s quite demanding,” Dryden disclosed.

She also attended Mount Alvernia High and then Herbert Morrison High in St James.

“My passion for advocacy was what led me to pageantry. I wanted to gain an audience where I could help to bring my causes to fruition,” said Dryden.

Gabrille Henry’s advocacy for the visually impaired as well as volunteerism were what led her to the field of ophthalmology. She sees the Miss Universe Jamaica pageant as an outlet for her to step outside of her comfort zone.

“The pageant was an opportunity for me to… also become a better version of myself, she told the Observer.

Henry is sponsored by Maxie Department Store. She is a past student of the Immaculate Conception High school and The University of the West Indies, where she studied medical sciences.

Maria Hetey grew up in Highgate, St Mary. The 25-year-old said her community has had an influence on the person that she is today.

“Charity is so important to me. The community means a lot to me. I try to incorporate that in a lot of my goals,” she shared.

Hetey is the chief of staff at Graft Ventures, an investment company. She is also the deputy director of membership engagement at the Rotaract Club of Kingston.

“I was always told to enter pageants. I was encouraged by a very respectable individual recently and I decided to give it a try,” said Miss Roast By Bresheh.

Hailing from Portland Cottage, Clarendon, she is a former flight attendant with Qatar Airways, a lawyer, and owner of an upscale home goods store in the Liguanea area.

She explained her decision to enter a pageant.

“Beauty pageants have evolved over time and I’ve seen them grow. They’re so much more than just about beauty. It entails upliftment, empowerment, and being confident while showcasing your heart,” said the 27-year-old former Holy Childhood High and Nova Southeastern University (Florida) student.

She continued: “I’m most passionate about helping people in general, especially the blind community. My grandmother passed away recently and she had cataracts in both eyes. I had to deal with the emotions brought on by that.”

Lloyd said a good time management has allowed her to juggle running a business and studying in a pre-medical programme with the Unicaf University in Zambia.

She wears the sash Sofia’s Bayit.

The grand coronation of the 2023 Hyundai Miss Universe Jamaica beauty pageant is set for August 20 at AC Hotel Kingston, with Agent Sasco as guest performer and Adrian Atkinson as host.