Founder of Miss Jamaica Florida Pageant dies
FLORIDA — Principal of the Miss Jamaica Florida Pageant, Marcia Elaine ‘Mer’ Rigg-Baker, has died.
According to a release on Tuesday, Rigg-Baker passed away on Monday, January 15, following a period of ill health.
“Rigg-Baker was born in Green Island, Hanover, and was a graduate of Rusea’s High School. She was employed by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and then at Barclays Bank in Hanover and Kingston before migrating to the United States in July 1980,” the statement read.
Highlighting that Rigg-Baker leaves behind a lasting legacy, the release shared that the Jamaican native created the Miss Jamaica Florida Pageant out of a need to empower young women while “providing a space for creativity, building self-confidence, and nurturing business acumen.”
The South Florida pageant has been running for almost four decades.
According to the news release, Rigg-Baker was also the co-founder of the South Florida chapter of the Rusea’s Old Student’s Association (ROSA), a non-profit association dedicated to advancing the educational objectives of their alma mater.
The funeral service for the late Riggs-Baker will be held on Saturday, January 27, at Genesis Christian Church in Margate, Florida.
