Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine January 2019 | Page 28

I am most proud that
I became comfortable
expressing myself on stage.
I was quite accustomed to
playing supporting roles in
performances, and to muster
up the courage to step into the
spotlight and be scrutinized by
the crowd and an impressive
panel of judges was mortifying
to me at first. It made me so
nervous that I began to second
guess my decision to enter the
pageant. When I started looking
at it as a learning opportunity,
I decided that I couldn’t pass it
up.
About some of the things
she hopes to accomplish
during her reign. I hope to
start a foundation centered
around mental health advocacy.
The narrative surrounding
mental health in the West
Indian context seems to be one
of avoidance, filled with stigma,
almost taboo. Mental wellbeing
is an inextricable part of an
individual’s health and should
be given as much importance
as physical health. I would
like to be part of a solution
that creates an environment
where people feel empowered
to stand up and take charge
of their mental wellbeing
or that of their loved ones,
without having to worry about
discriminatory reactions from
the public.
About the other face of
Mikeela, her academic
side. I love reading and
have been doing so for as
long as I’ve known myself.
It made me a very curious
child and I fell in love with
learning. I would describe
myself as a lifelong student.
I was awarded a scholarship
and studied psychology and
linguistics at Trent University,
in Peterborough, Canada. I am
nearing the end of study at the
postgraduate level in the UK.
I have an interest in the link
between physiological and
psychological processes and
how this allows us to identify
or manage issues related to
mental wellbeing. It pushes
us to take a more holistic
approach to health care. I hope
to continue research in this area
in the Caribbean.
Academics overlaps with a
lot of my personal interests,
so studying linguistics was
borne out of a love I have for
languages, and my experience
as a secondary school French
and Spanish teacher. It allowed
me to test my creativity as a
writer and helped to inform a
lot of the spoken word I wrote
and performed.
About her other interests.
I enjoy the performing arts in
general – the All-ah-Wee Young
Theatre Players was a great
outlet for this. There was no
single focus in this group… we
all participated in drama, dance,
poetry and singing. I also did
backing vocals with my friends’
band, 12th Avenue over this
past summer.
While in Canada, I became
actively involved in the Trent
African and Caribbean Student
Union, often participating
in dance and other types of
performances for cultural
exhibition shows like Afrobana.
I was able to learn a lot about
the cultures of various African
countries through this group,
even learning traditional and
contemporary elements of
different types of African dance.
About Anguilla, post-
hurricane. Anguilla is well on
its way to thriving once again.
The collective resilience of its
people is clearly shown in their
swiftness and willingness to
adapt to the changes brought
about by the hurricane. Several
schools were completely
relocated to allow for complete
reconstruction and the single
secondary school was able to
implement a shift system to
meet the needs of all high-
schoolers on island. Despite
this, performance at the
regional exit exams (CSEC)
was commendable. Several
Photo Credit: @j.austinpro (Jonathan Gumbs)
Anguillians and Anguilla lovers
abroad also organized for
aid to be sent to the island to
supplement school supplies and
even went so far as to donate
generators!
There was swift regional and
international response and aid
in restoring power to the entire
island within 3 months of the
storm. Ports of entry were also
up and running fairly quickly
post-Irma. Following a slightly
delayed re-opening of the
tourism sector, Anguilla was
voted the #1 destination in the
Caribbean by Travel and Leisure
Magazine . . . in 2017 and 2018!
About her all-time favourite
thing to do on the island. Visit
Little Bay! It is a breathtaking
alcove accessible by boat, a
swim over from nearby Crocus
Bay or by a rather exciting climb
down a cliff side (my favorite
method). It’s the perfect place
for adventurous, yet peaceful
moments. Watching the sunset
from atop the cliff is my favorite
part.