After months of careful preparation and hard work, the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) hosted their Miss Caribbean Pageant on Friday, April 17. The pageant featured three contestants representing two Caribbean countries: the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The event was to celebrate and showcase Caribbean culture, emphasizing on the region’s diversity and uniqueness.

The pageant started with an introduction featuring the contestants in formal gowns, followed by a heartfelt spoken word presentation titled “Who Am I?”. Jacqueline Alberto, representing La Vega, Dominican Republic, spoke about her identity as a Dominican and what it meant to her: “Being Dominican isn’t just who I am. It’s the way I speak, the way I move, the way I love. It’s strong faith and unbreakable family bonds.”

Debbrianna Russel, representing Kingston, Jamaica, presented about her family and her parents, describing what her military father taught her: “I take a deep breath and look up at the sky; the one my father traveled so I could have a life without many cries.”

Lastly, Mariely Vargas, representing Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, recited her poetry in Spanish, with a member of CSA translating it into English. She entered the stage with a suitcase, the Dominican Republic flag sticking out, and sat in a chair as if waiting for a flight. She described her mother deciding to move to the United States, long before Vargas was born, to ensure a secure future for herself and her family: “When my flag carries a Bible at its center, I understand that my story did not begin with fear. It began with faith. I am a Dominican woman. I am a woman of God.”

The contestants then presented skits that showed the audience which careers they followed: Russel’s skit showed her treating a pregnant woman who was experiencing uterine atony: a condition in which the uterus does not contract properly. Vargas displayed her skill in advertising by advising a disgruntled influencer on how to expand his presence and maintain a good reputation on social media. Alberto was tasked to solve a murder, leading to a fun and exciting chase scene that ended in a successful arrest of the perpetrator.

At the intermission, the club provided Caribbean food, comprised of steak, rice, and chicken, which satisfied a lot of guests with amazing combinations of flavors. Afterward, the contestants presented a group dance, followed by a talent showcase; Russel and Alberto both danced while Vargas displayed her skills in fashion by dressing up one of the CSA members with random clothes from his own closet. While the model changed, she also displayed her dancing skills in bachata to entertain the audience during the wait. The pageant closed with a randomly-picked question for each contestant.

To the question “What aspect of your Caribbean heritage are you most proud of, and why?”, Alberto answered, “Our resilience. [Dominicans] come from a place where there is a lot of poverty in certain areas, where we have to fight for what we need. Over the years, I’ve seen our country thriving and becoming a better place, so I’m proud of our resilience, of our courage, of our power– just being who we are.”

Russel said, “I feel like representing the Caribbean is showcasing our joy, our strength, the way we care for other people. The way I represent this to others is just by showcasing this in my everyday walk of life. ” when asked, “What does representing the Caribbean mean to you, and how would you showcase its diversity?”

Finally, Vargas answered “Who is a Caribbean role model that inspires you, and why?” with “My mother. She showed me strength and resilience, and she pushes me to do everything I can do every single day.”

Russel was announced as the winner of Miss Caribbean 2026 by the 2025 winner, . The event ended with the club’s E-Board introducing themselves to the audience and thanking them for attending. Friends and family of the contestants were very happy with the result, proud to see their loved ones displaying such grace and talent.