At just 19 years old, Mikalia Seymour is already preparing to lead. As the newly crowned Miss St Mary Festival Queen 2026, she hopes to use the Festival Queen platform to inspire young women growing up in communities like hers to believe in themselves, embrace their culture, and pursue their dreams.Growing up in the close-knit, coastal town of Annotto Bay, Seymour said she learnt the values of compassion, resilience and service that continues to shape her leadership journey. Those experiences have inspired her to celebrate Jamaica’s rich cultural heritage while creating opportunities for young women to realise their full potential.“I entered the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition because I want to be a voice for Jamaican women and youths,” Seymour said. “This pageant is more than beauty; it’s about culture, service and leadership. I want to use the platform to showcase our heritage, inspire young girls to be confident in who they are and give back to the communities that raised me. Jamaica’s story lives in us, and I want to help tell it.”Central to her vision is Queens in the Making, a mentorship initiative designed to empower girls between the ages of 12 and 17 in under-served communities across St Mary.Through monthly workshops, participants will receive mentorship as they explore self-esteem, financial literacy, leadership development, personal hygiene, and Jamaican arts. Seymour hopes the programme will equip young women with the confidence and practical life skills needed to make informed decisions about their futures.“My community project is about helping girls see their worth early,” Seymour explained. “I want them to know that where they start in life does not determine where they can finish. If even one girl avoids teen pregnancy, stays in school, or starts a small business because she felt seen, supported and empowered, then the project has achieved its purpose.”Looking beyond her year as Festival Queen, Seymour hopes to establish the Seymour Foundation, a charitable initiative that would provide financial assistance to students facing economic hardship so they can complete their education.“I know education changes lives,” she said. “My dream is to create opportunities for students whose only obstacle is financial hardship. I want the Seymour Foundation to become a source of hope for families and a pathway to brighter futures.”Seymour also plans to use the national platform to celebrate Jamaica’s culture through school visits, community outreach and cultural showcases highlighting the island’s music, food, language, traditions and heritage.“Our culture is our power,” she said. “I want young people to be proud of who they are and where they come from. Whether I’m visiting a school in Jamaica or representing our country abroad, I want the world to experience the richness of our heritage.”For Seymour, becoming one of the youngest parish queens in this year’s competition is both an honour and a responsibility.“The crown isn’t for me; it’s for the people I can lift while I wear it,” she said. “I want to leave Jamaica better than I found it.”As she prepares to represent St Mary on the national stage, Seymour hopes her journey will encourage other young women to step confidently into leadership, proving that age is no barrier to making a meaningful difference in their communities.entertainment@gleanerjm.com