Leneka Rhoden: Driven to inspire
MISS Fontana Pharmacy, Leneka Rhoden, is the newly crowned Miss Kingston & St Andrew Festival Queen. The competition has seen numerous inspiring, poised and culturally aware young women proudly wear the crown over the years, and make a significant contribution to national development. This year, the 21-year-old Rhoden joins the ranks, and told All Woman about her journey, future plans, and what she hopes to achieve during her reign.
Who is Leneka Rhoden?
LR: Driven by the desire to be a source of inspiration and empowerment, Leneka Rhoden is a positive light etched in grace and coated in diligence. She possesses dynamic capabilities with a zeal for giving everything her best. She epitomises the Jamaican proverb, “If yuh want good, yuh nose haffi run.”
What do you like to do for fun?
LR: Researching, volunteering, coordinating events and projects, even learning new dance moves — just about anything.
What are your passions/interests?
LR: I have been so intrigued by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and I am most passionate about doing anything to help my country to achieve them through the accomplishment of Vision 2030. I have plans to visit Africa one day as a specialist in international development, to help poorer countries put measures in place to utilise their resources more effectively and efficiently.
What are your current pursuits?
LR: I currently study marine biology and international relations at the University of the West Indies, Mona. In April 2018, I started my company, e-Biome, which is a scientific research and development consultancy.
Any other interesting things about you?
LR: Despite the fact that I am pursuing marine biology, I am afraid of fish and other marine animals like snails, sea urchins and sea cucumbers.
Why did you decide to enter the festival queen competition?
LR: It will give me the opportunity to play a vital role in the positive diffusion of our culture at “yard” and abroad. The platform will enable me to reach and impact the lives of many young people across Jamaica, especially young ladies who may someday dream of being crowned a festival queen.
What was the experience like?
LR: A truly fulfilling one that showed me that “Nuh matta yuh circumstances, hard work is the key to success” — a line from Melessa Vassel’s (first runner-up) talent piece.
What was your favourite part of the competition?
LR: Our talent coach, Mr Kenny Salmon, made us do a team building exercise one evening and I got a chance to connect with the other contestants. I valued that experience a lot because it brought us together as a group, making the competition not seem like a competition but rather a personal and professional development programme (which is what it really is in its truest sense).
What is your relationship like with your sponsor, Fontana Pharmacy? How are they helping you to prep for the next round of the competition?
LR: When they were doing the raffle on the evening of the sashing, my mother said that she prayed that I would be graced with the honour of representing Fontana Pharmacy. The Social Cognitive Theory states that once you are associated with greatness, you will be inspired to do great things.
What do you hope to accomplish with this new title?
LR: The three E’s — I will be emancipating young people from mental slavery by eradicating the socially conceived notions which have been a block to their empowerment. I have launched my project as Miss Kingston and St Andrew Festival Queen, in partnership with GATES Foundation. We are having an electronics and book drive, the drop off point being the JCDC Kingston and St Andrew office at 36 Hope Road. The aim is to reuse resources to advance educational change in inner-city communities.
