The coronation ceremony of Miss World Trinidad and Tobago 2020 will be held soon where the delegates from all over the country will participate and compete for the national title as well as an opportunity to represent Trinidad and Tobago at Miss World 2020 stage. Miss World Trinidad and Tobago 2019 Tya Jané Ramey will crown her successor at the end of the event finale.
The Miss World Trinidad and Tobago organization announced the Top 15 finalists who will be competing for the title few days ago. The event was hosted by Miss World Caribbean 2019 TyaJanè Ramey and Miss World Trinidad and Tobago 2016 Daniella Walcott. The screening was held in March at Cascadia Hotel, St. Ann’s with an impressive record of attracting the highest number of applicants for the national title.
One of the delegates, Ameika Louis who is representing Union Village at the competition has caught our attention because the diva has shared that she is hopeful that her representing the country at Miss World 2020 stage would bring the ‘fundamental positive change’ in her community. Louis is 26-years-old and stands 175 cm tall. She has earned her degree in BSc in Sociology from the University of the West Indies, Mona campus and aspires to represent Trinidad and Tobago at Miss World 2020 stage.
Louis is a dancer, choreographer, and fitness instructor who has her own dance studio is very excited to be a part of Miss World Trinidad and Tobago 2020 stage and feels that with her participation she wants to send out a message to the young girls in the country that pageants are not just about looks but more than that including beauty with a purpose.
In a recent interview, Louis mentioned, “My reason for choosing the Miss World Pageant was that core idea of beauty with a purpose. I saw it as an opportunity to further my passion for human development through arts and sociology, with a greater reach and influence, no different from a position in the Caricom or UN Youth arm for instance. Except in pageants, I get to also be an all-round ambassador for my village, island and country.”
The diva who wants to grow her beauty with a purpose project beyond the pageant as well is focused on empowerment and rehabilitation of vulnerable youth through their involvement in folk and cultural arts. Louis explains that she with the help of this projects wants to harness or focus on the positive and useful lessons of our history and heritage to educate and form a foundation for the bettering of our present and, by extension, a better chance for future. “We will use the safe space of art to facilitate the more difficult conversations around social topics such as crime and violence, sexuality and mental health to name a few. I hope to start with youth in my very community of Tobago to bring about this fundamental positive change,” she further added.
The beauty queen who is a true Tobagonian by heart embraces the island’s rich presence of traditional culture even though one can see the impact of globalization in the community. Louis is no stranger to beauty pageants as she previously won the Bishop's High School Nostalgia 2011 and the Miss University of West Indies Mona in 2015, while in 2014 she was in the top five in the Miss Heritage Personality. Louis states that she has always seen herself as a representative of Tobago whether it be in online forums, travelling as a performer or now in this pageant. “It is always a humbling experience and somewhat feels like a duty to the Tobago of present, past, and future, this sort of keeps me on my toes about how I present myself.”
Louis has started to prepare for the finale event as she keens on learning new lessons, meet new people, connecting with other minds, and making a positive impact in this world – “however big or small.” The diva is confident, strong, and focused towards her goal and believes that the competition and preparation for the competition will help her to shape up herself for the bigger things in future. “I’ve even imagined myself sitting with Miss World chairman Julia Morley planning out my year of philanthropy,” she added.
The diva lastly thanked everyone who has supported her and motivated her to be the best in whatever she does. "I have been privileged to have been raised with a well-rounded view of the world and its population.” She believes that her environment has helped her to be more open, ready, and quick to adapt to new thing in life which will help her in the competition. She concluded with “I would love to see a global community where our talents can be used towards more constructive and positive building than the negativity that seems to entertain and hold our focus.”