Miss Belize World 2010 returns from China
One hundred and twenty delegates were hosted at Sanya, a city in the Hainan Province of China. Representing Belize was twenty-two year Jessel Lauriano, who found her love for pageants from an early age. Lauriano has competed in several pageants but Miss Belize World, was her toughest challenge yet. She didn’t make it to the top, but the experience enriching for her. She came to News Five studios to share her memorable moments at the pageant.
jessel lauriano
Jessel Lauriano, Miss Belize World
“I was in China representing Belize in the Miss World Pageant 2010. It was their sixtieth anniversary, the diamond year so it was really big. We had a hundred and fifteen contestants participating in the pageant.”
Delahnie Bain
“What was the experience like for you?”
Jessel Lauriano
“It was really an amazing experience. I never would have thought that China would have been such a modern city. The hospitality was so amazing, the people were so amazing, the culture was great. It was really wonderful. I was a bit nervous because you know all the Latin American countries get work done to be in this pageant and I was known like two weeks before the pageant. But I’ve been involved in a lot of pageants and a lot of top model shows so I was very confident going to China, competing with the other countries.”
Delahnie Bain
“And what did it mean for you to represent Belize at such a level?”
Jessel Lauriano
“It was really an honor for me to represent Belize and I did my best because whenever someone calls my name or me it is Belize, not Jessel so I tried my best to represent Belize.”
Delahnie Bain
“What were some of the areas you competed in?”
Jessel Lauriano
“We competed in top model, swimsuit, beauty with a purpose and sports. I wasn’t in the top twenty-five finals but I mean it was a tremendous experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
Jessel Congratulations. This experience is something you can build on and pass on some of this knowledge to the younger girls. One day we will have a girl who advance into the top 10, and it can be a direct result of your contribution. We have enough beautiful women in Bz. The difference between the women in Bz and the women in the rest of the world is exposure. Maybe we can send our girls six months prior to the pageants overseas for some training. Countries like Venezuela have special schools for this I believe, or so I was told.
Congrats to you Jessel- it always brings that butterfly feeling to your stomach to know that Belize
was represented in such huge events–you are beautiful and one of a kind and you are also a
winner.
When will Belize learn that black woman will will almost never win any beauty contest.
BELIZEAN WOMEN ARE SO BEAUTIFUL……………………….
why wasn’t Angela Gegg sent to China to represent Belize I bet she would have gave them a nice “WORD” and bring back dat crown….theirs always next year so prep up Ms. Angela work them abs, I already started a campaign.
Hellloooooooo Jessel 🙂
RingoStar: Hogwash, Nothing to do with being Latino, Mayan, Indian, Garifuna or Creole.
Miss Nigeria 2001
Several Miss India in the 1990’s (about 4times)
Miss Zimbabwe came 3rd place
Miss Jamaica in 1993
None blonde hair or blue eyes. They were beautiful, confident and educated not just academically but they had some knowledge of the world. This is exposure I referred to earlier. Why has everything got to be colour? Belize has sent so many contestants you probably would have considered suitable based on their skin colour, tell me how they ranked? If I recall correctly our highest placed contestant in these pageants overseas was in your words a ‘Black woman” called Sarita Acosta. SO please lets leave colour out of this equation. Jessel keep your head high, stay focus, well done and continue with your personal development. Sadly you will have to deal with comments like that one.
TEAM ANGELA!!!!!!!!
Hello! She is not whole, pure and sure anymore! LOL
WELL WELL AS U ALL SEE THIS IS ONE UGLY BLACK GIRL IF YOU KEEP SENDING THESE MONSTERS TO THESE TYPE OF PAGENTS ALL THEY DO IS TO LEFT BELIZE IN SHAME
U DONT FIT THE PROFILE TO BE A MODEL THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RingoStar………… Belize can’t be held responsible for THE WORLD’S RACISM.
Wow! It’s a SHAME that Josh described this young lady as an “ugly black girl”, and that she does not fit the “profile”, to be a “model” ??????????????
Josh, can you describe the “perfect” candidate for this beauty pageant? After you present your description, please give us the opportunity to decide if you are not only prejudice, but that you are a dolt. Maybe you should be living in a “monster land” It seems that’s where you belong. Apparently, you have some kind of grudge against Jessel. I do not know who you are and I do not know Jessel. In my eyes, and I am sure in the eyes of thousand of Belizeans and others, you ARE THE ONE WHO brought not just SHAME but DISGRACE to Belize. I hope you are not a Belizean. I will leave these words with you from Martin Luther King, Jr “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Your heart is beating to the pulse of hate. You can change that. Go seek some help – there’s still TIME.
Jessl, keep your head high and carry yourself with grace and dignity. Be aware of the many ignorant people living among us. You have tried and I am proud of you.
Wow listen to Ringo Star and Josh how much of this type of bigotry is hidden under the surface in Belize let’s hope it is not too much otherwise Belize is in much more trouble than we believe.
Just some food for thought “BEAUTY IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER” also “IT’S BETTER TO SAY NOTHING AND BE THOUGHT A FOOL THAN TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND REMOVE ALL DOUBT”
Great opportunity for Belize to see far and beyond, to grow. Jessel keep your head high and beware of the ignorant people around us. “Ignorance is a Sin” that is from the bible. Sharing your experience with future candidates illuminate the pathway for Belizeans. Be positive and learn from the negative. Know our people. The mentality is what brings us down most of the time and the effects thereafter. You have seen what most of us here have not seen. I can only imagine. I am happy for u!!
@Josh I think your choice of words were harsh. But I do agree that she’s nothing special. You can find way better looking girls on any given day walking down Albert St. Coming from a small country our natural hurdle is always a lack of exposure however we shouldn’t compound the situation by simply sending the first person that is willing to go. For too many years our contestants have been judged and chosen for their merits in a variety contest instead of their beauty. @ Jessel, thanks for trying but find another profession.
I would agree with *kinslito* and to a certain extent with *Josh*. I had lived in Belize for most of my years. This girl may be pleasant and good at what she does, BUT there are many other women in Belize that would make a better candidate. I do not wish to take this girl’s achievement, but if we want to make an impression on the world stage, we need to get serious about the contestants we send out to represent us. I just do not believe she had that capacity. We could have made a better choice. I leave it at that.
Jessel, you are amazingly beautiful…..I would love to have you in one of my music videos…hit me up franxelychamika@yahoo.com.
Josh, whoever you are, it was very uncalled for what you said about Jessel.
OWtoBoston, I guess for you capacity means a certain profile…perhaps hispanic or caucasian….I disagree with you completely. Jessel is not only beautiful but also intelligence. Belize should disown you for you stupid comment. I hope you are in Boston and remain there for the rest of your life.
In my mind, if there was an intellectual competition, please never enter because you dont have the intellectual capacity.
its not that ms jessel is ugly but comeon pick a better rep for belize….we cannot never make because belize is not ready yet therre so many many beautiful belizean women out there belize can do better
Ok for all you bad minded and ungrateful racist people there let me tell you one thing it takes courage and talent to do what this young lady has done she may be black and ugly as you say but you know what she has a clean and pure heart and very much courage that not any belizean girl has. If there are so much more prettier and impressive girls where are they at the time of the pageants sorry to tell you not much impression happening in belize girls are only thinking of getting pregant and having children at the age of 16.
Let you speech be better than silent otherwise be silent. Creole if yo nah gat notin gud fe say shut up
Mein look at all these ignorant & bad minded ppl. I feel shame ah uno knowing that this is the kind of mentality & mindset uno the walk round with in this day & age. Belize will never move forward if you keep bringing down ppl who are out there doing their best in representing the country.
Until we can get Pagentry in Belize truly organized with training schools and serious money investments by government and the private section and have this managed by people who know about this industry, then Belize will never make it to the top. What a shame that after the new millenium we still hear of beautiful belizean women winning crowns of Miss Belize and never getting thier prizes because the organizers are just money grabbing individuals. Holding pageants in private homes…omg..what a shame….So..lets stop this madness and truly invest to help prepare the beautiful Belizean Women..if we invest we will reap the results down the road…
I’m not surprised at the ignorance that still exists in the world.
JESSEL you are BEAUTIFUL.
Wow! She “never would have thought that China would have been such a modern city.” Has this girl been living under a rock?!!!
Ringo Star and Josh Please get out of that colonial mentality.
Ya man, Chami-Ka just wants her in a low budget Porn Video.
“Chami-Ka says:
November 8, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Jessel, you are amazingly beautiful…..I would love to have you in one of my music videos…hit me up franxelychamika@yahoo.com.
Josh, whoever you are, it was very uncalled for what you said about Jessel.”
Omg I cannot beleive these comments. A black woman can never win? She’s one ungly black girl? Listen here u stupid ignorant fools. Belize has sent many spanish women to pageants did they win anything or even come in the top 10 0f 25? Theanswer is no!!!!! Infact the only Belizean woman who ever place in an international pageant was Sarita Acosta and yes, she is a BLACK woman!!!!! So please get ur facts right ok? Thank u all and good night!!!!!
Jessel Lauriano did a wonderful Job At the Miss World Pageant especially since She never had proper training she is a beautiful person inside and out and those were the words coming from the owner of the miss world pageant …. So to all those negative minded people who don’t know what they are talking about should shut the hell up ……. And she is one of the few girls who is giving advice and who is sharing her experience with the other girls so that belize can be on a better level for the 2011 competition … and in case you have not notive she does have a Facebook account and when you see the pics there you will want to take back what you said…..
RingoStar by your single comment it proves she already has more confidence, pride and obviously more maturity than you. It’s useless to be mad at ignorant people like you, all I can do is pity your backwards mentality because obviously the world has done you wrong and you are taking it on people that are trying to make it better for all of us.
I am not surprise at venom being issued out here. This country unfortunately have a significant proportion of bigots who spend time being as bitter, as racist and evil about everything. Jessel you are only 22 years old, very young and what I will say is not to go back to Belize and become lazy like most of these people. Search for opportunities to grow as a person, and continue with your education. Be ambious and clearly you are so you are the right road to be someone important.
These extremely shallow people who believe that a beautiful woman is just to look at that have no idea. Belize has sent so many of their lighter skin women to the pageants, can you remember their names and (2) can you remember which one won? If it was only about skin colour why would choose a mongrel from Belize, when you can choose a pure Scandinavian, German or Icelandic causcasian woman? Some Belizean appear to be enslaved mentally still, their masters use to prefer the lighter slaves to exploit them sexually and I see this mentality still reign supreme in Belize.
Jessel, take a look at Alex Wek, the vast majority of Belize would probably say she cannot be a supermodel but she is a stunning woman who came from extreme poverty to make it. She can probably buy most of Belize. Have a goal and go for it girl. Keep your chin.
RingoStar, u r an a s $
i agree that skin color has nothing to do with the pageant, that much is clear and i think the majority would agree. it seems that only “student” tried to point out this girls intellectual capacity; “I never would have thought that China would have been such a modern city.”, is she serious? does she not know that China is a booming economy and a super power of the world? obviously not. A big part of the pageant is intellectual, i have no idea how she did, but hopefully she had a better answer than that. I don’t know this girl and have no personal agenda with her but like some of you mentioned a more strict screening process needs to be done if we are to one day make an impression on the world.
Not to start an argument but one thing that really gets me rattled up is the fact that so many times the “Belizean Americans” are sent to represent us around the world; i am not saying that Jessel is one of them because i don’t know who this girl is. I understand what one of you said that the local belizeans dont do much for themselves but it seems that the Belizean american comes to some what impose themselves on the poor people of belize who are a little too accepting of these people. there are so many examples of girls in america being presented as Belizean “ambassadors” when they have no idea about what belize is. they have never seen Belize and i’m sure that they have no desire to one day (i cant say return for obvious reasons) live in Belize or have anything to do with Belize other than use the name of the country and the fact that their parents were born there for their 15 minutes of fame. They “represent” hoping that someone will see them and they get some kind of modeling deal; if they already have some sort of modeling profession, they see it has a chance to diversify their portfolio. We need to step up as Belizeans and better ourselves, we need to stop waiting for hand outs and be responsible of our own future. i’m sure that most people helping us have no hidden agenda but for far too long has Belize allowed itself be be raped by everyone, even in the act of putting on a sash with our name on it.
ok so i took the time to check out her facebook profile picture. It’s much better than the one in the news. However, true beauty looks good from any angle. I still say that we have to do better in choosing the people that rep us based on their physical attributes as well as their intellectual capacity. Her comment about China was really embarrassing, but you know what? To be fair to her, the girls in the playboy mansion aren’t much smarter either, just better exposed and they have speech coaches.
@ProudBelizean:
Your intellectual capacity is clearly SPELLED out in your comment. Thank you for making my comments clear.
@Everyone:
Jessel should be happy with her accomplishment and I wish more women took part in making Belize great, but when you have no idea how strong, modern and significant China is, you make it clear that the people of Belize are the ignorant ones. We live in a global market of ideas and knowledge. In this case, Ignorance is not bliss. Education is desperately needed. I truly believe that the underfunded pageant, per se, that @Oscar965 pointed out. All I am saying is that we have better choices. If we had a proper industry, we would find them. Good luck, Jessel.
Juan:
Being a Belizean does not necessarily mean just waking up every morning in Belize. Have you ever stop to think for one minute if the vast numbers of Belizeans breaking their backs two/three jobs to send money home stop if it make a noticeable change in our economy? Let me tell you even if you don’t have a monthly cheque being sent to you personally, the Belizean Americans support affects your life indirectly. Just imagine more people with no assistance from abroad, because the wage in Belize is so small that people rely on help from extended families. All the social problems we experience today in Belize would double, guaranteed. Therefore these people are as much Belizeans as us inside the country. What I would suggest if you feel the Belizean Americans are doing better than you, is that you try to get to know a few and learn from them. In my experience Belizeans outside the country are far more patriotic than the one living in Belize, similar to the Cubans in Miami only we are free to come and go and there is no dictatorship.
You are right in saying Jessel should perhaps have read about the host country, and maybe said did. However I will give her the benefit of the doubt by saying you can read up about somewhere but you can still express surprise. Sometimes the media is to blame for this, in that they present a region as impoverished for example In Africa, Uganda have magnificent buildings and shopping malls, but what we see are AIDS victims and starving children from famine. I think any one expressing her sentiments about China can be forgiven because until recently we would have no news about China, there are so many people fleeing the country anyway they can, and its only in the past decade that the economy has been booming.
I think its time we really stop the negative comments against this young woman and although you stated clearly that you are have no hidden agenda you went on to suggest exactly why we should have had an Belizean sent to the pageant. Granted anyone in possession of a Belizean passport qualifies as a Belizean. Quite recently we had a girl representing Belize for a pageant but she wasn’t born in Belize. She was born in neighbouring country and came as refugee? I recall something like this, but I don’t recall this same hysteria, but maybe she ticked the Belizean people boxes. The bigotry is phenomenal and it probably explains a lot about Belize’s lack of progress.
RadicalBelizean & everyone else thanks for enlightening some of these racist geniuses I will add my2cents.
Belize has known for as long as they have been sending candidates to international competitions that other countries invest more in grooming their representatives. If I remember correctly, someone worked with Sarah Acosta after she became Miss Belize which presumably made a difference. She ended up in the top 12 & every Belizean I know as well as our friends regardless of where we were including those of us in the states rooted for her, we were damn proud. A black girl from Dean Street in little Belize was on the world stage.
A few years later a black woman from Trinidad won & she was not the last.
So the girl had a Sarah Palin moment, we have all misspoken & let’s face it, most beauty pageants are not there to showcase women’s intellect. Before we assume that because China has been kicking the world’s backside with aggressive marketing & cheap products that it is advanced, we need to remember that the visible portions of Beijing, Shanghai & other cities went through a major overhaul in the years leading up to the ’08 Olympics. Most Chinese are still poor & live in substandard housing which we see every time there is a natural disaster.
Finally there are a lot of beautiful young women in Belize who are getting an education, who have advanced degrees, who are not teenage mothers who would be great Ambassadors for our country, they do not want to deal with the insults some of you have hurled..
We cannot continue to express our racism & not realize what it is doing to our society. We cannot advance when we have the kind of brain drain that now exists.
Ignore any of the bad comments Jessel. You are beautiful and a credit to the nation, keep up the good work! Getting Belize in the public eye – for the right reasons!
Very nice input Global Perspective. I would be first in saying that Jessel looks more attractive than Alex Wek. Its just about marketing your talent right.
You guys should look at the picture on Amandala…the picture shown here does no justice to Jessel’s beauty.
I am confounded, can anyone tell me why people as saying this young woman is ugly?.This young lady is beautiful, poised and intelligent. What is wrong with you people? beauty comes in all colours. You know in 1977 the first black woman was crowned Miss Universe, janelle Commissiong. And she is still considered the most beautiful Miss Universe ever. And did I mentioned, UMM…. She Black! PLease stop this self hatred
Alex Wek………… HOW THE HECK DID SHE GET TO BE A MODEL????? and she is UGLY!!!
BY WHITE PEOPLE TELLING US WHO REALLY RUNS THE SHOW!!!!!
JESSEL …………. makes ALEX WEK look like a dog.
As for the RACISM IN BELIZE…………………I’M NOT SURPRISED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This article, A Sobering Tale of Chinese Immigrant Dreams, Failures, and Fears in Belize might also proove interesting to readers here : http://learnchinesebusiness.com/a-sobering-tale-of-chinese-immigrant-dreams-failure-and-fears-in-belize/