"I feel that the role of Miss Bahamas is a National Treasure,"said, Miss Universe Bahamas 2012, Celeste Marshall. "I am humbled to represent my country and wear the crown of Miss Universe Bahamas before our children, in my community among my fellow Bahamians and on the world stage like many who have done it well before me."
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TheBahamasWeekly.com has randomly selected 10 Bahamians
to canvas their opinions on highlights of The Bahamas over
the year 2012, as well as ask about the upcoming 40th year of independence for The Bahamas, and the direction of the country.
Their comments will be shared over the coming weeks.
It is our way of highlighting Bahamians in our community, as well as sharing a wide variety of opinions.
Our ninth feature is with
Miss Universe Bahamas 2012, Celeste Marshall:
1)
What event do you feel was the most important for The Bahamas in 2012?
The
Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of The Bahamas Women’s Suffrage
Movement was the most important event in 2012 for The Bahamas to me.
This is not only because I am a woman, but because it signifies the
first time that women in this country were deemed equal to men. Since
then, women have made great strides in government, politics, law,
medicine, education and even sports. We have broken many barriers but
still face many as well.
2) Who passed away this year that you feel will be 'most missed' and why?
The
passing of Thomas A Robinson was a very sad event. I feel that he would
be most missed. The impact that Mr. Robinson had on our world of sports
and youth development with his trailblazing as an athlete set the bar
high for others to aspire to. The development of the National Stadium
and his constant efforts to advance national athletic programs have both
illuminated the international spotlight upon us contributing to the
success of several Bahamian Olympic successes, especially in recent
years.
3)
Who was the 'most inspirational / influential Bahamian' in 2012 and
why?
His
journey from humble beginnings in Cat Island to the pinnacle of the
entertainment industry as winner of the National Academy of Motion
Pictures Oscar Award for Best Actor makes Sir Sidney Poitier the most
impactful, inspirational and influential person of 2012. As a native son
of The Bahamas, he has continued to represent the country proudly and
demonstrate that where there is no road, you can cut your own path to
success. Most memorable would be his humility, pride and patriotism as
he welcomed his family, friends and international celebrities to the
renaming of the Paradise Island Bridge in his honor. Truly Sir Sidney
Poitier is the measure of an influential man.
5) What/who do you feel is a Bahamian National Treasure and why?
I
feel that the role of Miss Bahamas is a National Treasure. Each year an
intelligent, poised, attractive, young woman is selected to represent
our country in front of over six million viewers at the Miss Universe
and Miss World competitions. In those weeks, as Miss Bahamas we have an
opportunity to share our culture, development, educational standards,
concept of beauty and our tourism product with the world. It is a title
to be respected, supported, revered and promoted. I am humbled to
represent my country and wear the crown of Miss Universe Bahamas before
our children, in my community among my fellow Bahamians and on the world
stage like many who have done it well before me.
6) Looking forward, where do you feel the country still needs to improve and why?
One
of the keys to building a great nation and our economic, political,
spiritual and social progress over the next 40 years is the empowerment
of our children. We all bear the responsibility to positively impact our
children, better educate them, serve as better moral examples, show
them love and support as well as be more caring and compassionate. We
must also be more diligent in our discipline. Society should be more
focused on "training up a child on the way that he or she should go" so
that 40 years from now we would see more development, growth, economic
strides, genuine spirituality, less crime and more independent thinking
leading to progress.
7) Is there an 'unsung hero' you feel should be recognize? If so, who and why?
An
unsung hero in my life who never gets enough credit is my mother
Lavette Marshall. Like many mothers, they seldom get an opportunity to
receive the fruit of our sincere appreciation and praise for the work
that they do inside and outside of the home. I want to take this
opportunity to thank my mom for all that she continues to do for me, my
father, my sisters and my entire family to make us better and stronger.
She is a shining example of the woman I aspire to be.
8) Do you have a Personal Highlight for 2012?
The
highlight of my personal and professional journey thus far as a pre-med
student, beauty queen and international model would have to be both my
participation in the Miss Universe Pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada as well
as my trip to Nicaragua to model in the Operation Smiles Benefit and
Fashion Show.
Along
with Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes it was indeed a shining example of
"Beauty with a purpose" as, I had the wonderful opportunity to raise
funds and spend time with children who desperately needed reconstructive
surgery to correct major birth defects and deformities. At both events,
I served as an ambassador for my country, met people from all over the
world and was reminded that with every experience comes lessons. With
every lesson should come personal and spiritual growth. It was a
blessing to appear in several TV commercials and articles that aired all
over the world, and be reassured that with hard work, determination and
support you can do anything that you put your mind to.
ABOUT CELESTE:
20 year old
Celeste Marshall is a Bio-Chemistry major at the College of the
Bahamas. She aspires to become one of the best pediatricians in her
native land… The Bahamas.
In addition to pursuing a pre-med degree, Celeste Marshall is
also bilingual. As an exchange student in Guatemala, she spent six
months engulfed in the Guatemalan culture learning to speak the Spanish
language while getting a better understanding of the lifestyle.
Celeste spent summers in New York City receiving professional training to become a model.
Celeste
Marshall is a ‘whole’ student. And, A- line isn’t just a fashion type. She continues to make straight
‘A’s and also lends herself to the community for volunteer services
every chance she gets.
She represented the
nation well at the 2012 Miss Universe Pageant in Las Vegas. Celeste
appeared in 4 international TV and print Miss Universe campaigns which
aired on NBC in over 120 countries. She was also featured by several
blogs, newspapers and websites as an outstanding contender for the
Crown.
Find Celeste on Facebook.
Learn more about Celeste on her blog:
http://diradiocast.com/dinmn/celestem242/.
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