BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FATISHA IMO, the 2007/08 First Runner-up in the National Carnival Queen Pageant will be representing the Federation in the Miss Caribbean World Pageant scheduled for Tortola on March 27.
The pageant will be held at the Multipurpose Sports Complex and is expected to feature a total of 20 contestants from the Caribbean and South America.
The Midwestern State University student, who is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Accounting in Texas, told SKNVibes that preparations for the event have been challenging so far.
“Staying focused on my academics and preparing for a pageant of this calibre have been somewhat strenuous,” she said. “However, it is a challenge that I readily welcome because I made this choice to enter the pageant knowing that I was enrolled in university.
I’ve definitely embraced the art of time management because it is crucial at this time. But I’m ensuring that I allocate sufficient time to both my academics and preparing for the pageant to ensure that I capture the crown for the Federation.”
This will be Imo’s third experience in pageant competitions. In addition to the 2007/2008 National Carnival Queen Pageant, she competed in the Miss Caribbean Culture Pageant held in Nevis in 2008 and was awarded the Third Runner-up position.
Since then, she has served as coach for numerous contestants in a number of pageants, including the 2008 Silver Jubilee
Pageant, 2009 Miss Culturama, 2007-2009 Miss Labour, Miss Personality and Marvelous and also the Rainbow Pageant.
“The 2008 National Carnival Queen, Miss Samantha Boone, and the reigning UDC Talented Teen Queen, Miss Zinga Imo are crowned winners who I have coached as well,” she said.
Imo said that pageantry is an avenue she enjoys.
“I simply love it! There are so many overlooked opportunities in pageantry. I am able to meet new people, engage in networking activities and the improvement of various personal traits. Pageantry provides an avenue for me to put my talents on display,” she said.
She has taken her coaching expertise to the next level when she started a company with one of her best friends, Ozelle Martin.
“The new company is called Glittering Reign Pageant Coaching & Consulting, and it was started by one of my best friends, Miss Ozelle Martin.
She told me about the venture and I thought that it was a great opportunity to publicise and even commercialise my pageant coaching services. Ozelle and I both have served as pageant coaches individually and have had tremendous success. Glittering Reign is just an extension of what we can offer to prospective pageant contestants.
“My potential to be a great pageant coach was recognised by Mr. Hollis Prentice when he asked me to assist a contestant in her preparations for the Miss Labour Pageant in March of 2007. I embraced the opportunity and had fun doing it. I enjoy helping others, and to render assistance in helping them realise their goals in pageantry was very fulfilling,” she said.
The 22-year-old, who is originally from the Frigate Bay area, describes herself as an ambitious, outgoing and generous person.
“I’m also the type of person who believes that having a positive attitude, maintaining self-integrity and being strong-willed are positive traits that any successful woman should embrace,” Imo said.
With a great love for dancing, Imo was a member of the Children’s Dance Theatre (CDT) and CFBC Ensemble as well as a Dance Tutor at the CDT.
Along with becoming an Accountant and opening her own firm as one of her future aspirations, Imo said she has always dreamt of opening her own dance theatre, which she declared would provide each dancer the opportunity to experience the elements of dance in confidence, creativity, musicality, rhythm, self-esteem and technique.
“Right now, I’m just working on me and raising my personal value. This includes, of course, staying focused while trying to obtain my undergraduate degree, engaging in activities that will ensure my health fitness, keep my mind active and definitely helping others achieve their goals in pageantry as well,” she said.
