2nd annual Big and Beautiful set for next weekend

There are beauty pageants and then there are beauty pageants and while Belize boasts a plethora of queens, the latest event to hit the local stage fills a unique niche. News Five’s Janelle Chanona explains.

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Next Friday, six Belizean women will take centre stage in the second annual Miss Big and Beautiful contest.

Marina Welcome, Pageant Organiser
“There are some different pageant out there organising but nobody and I mean nobody will top Miss Big and Beautiful because we are the original and the girls are crazy.”

Contestants will appear in sports gear, costumes, swimsuits, evening gowns, and even show off their talents. According to organiser Marina Welcome, the idea behind the competition is to improve the self esteem of Belize’s big girls.

Marina Welcome
“We have big people that are sexy and can move and we have to learn that you have to give them a chance, let them have their own self-esteem, show what they can do. There are nice clothes out there for big people, not only small people, so they can show off the same way.”

Tara Morgan, Miss Mesopotamia
“It’s always been something that I wanted to do, but after having kids and gaining the weight, it kind of made it impossible, so now they have something perfectly fit for someone like me who has low self-esteem and this is a great way to boost it.”

Vernice Reynolds, Miss Lake Independence
“Even if sometimes their family does not always agree with them, it is something to look forward to.”

Janelle Chanona
“Is it tough to get your family to support you?”

Vernice Reynolds
“Well you know, traditional family, you know how it is when you are big, you should stay in the back and whatever. But anyway, my family is behind me one hundred percent now, they have seen that yes, this is something that I can do so they want me to do it.”

Janelle Chanona
“What have you been doing to prepare?”

Elena Arnold, Miss Queen’s Square
“Getting my stuff ready, exercising, doing my whatever.”

Janelle Chanona
“What kind of exercising you do?

Elena Arnold
“Getting ready for the contest, like running, all kinds of stuff.”

Janelle Chanona
“You feel like this wah be wah active thing, you wah have to fight for this one?

Elena Arnold
“Yes, I gotta fight because it’s a challenge between me and the girls them, so I think I have to try and win it.”

Therese Leiva, Miss Fort George
“So I want them come out to Bird’s Isle, the introduction with Dirty Whine, the sports wear with Break Off, the swimwear with Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot Work. I wah show them what I can do at the Bird’s Isle, come and support. I want from Belize to Corozal to Cayo to Orange Walk to come on bus, Hattieville, come and support us and Belmopan, we wah do the action. Evening wear is there.”

Susan Williams, Miss Stann Creek
“Mi sista, mi mom, they give me courage, a lotta friends from Dangriga they tell me, Susan you have courage to go on this thing. I tell them that I am just going for the fun and also I’m going to try my best because I know it’s going to be a tight competition.”

Janelle Chanona
“What have you been doing to get ready?”

Susan Williams, Miss Stann Creek
“Well actually I have been doing a lot of things, like working out, learning how to do that Hot Work, because I now mostly people want to see that Hot Work move, how you do it.”

The pageant’s sixth contestant is Karen Acosta representing the Albert division. Tickets to the show sell for five dollars children, adults are ten, while reserve seats cost fifteen bucks. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.

The contestants and organisers would like to especially thank all their sponsors for making the event a reality.