{"id":136068,"date":"2023-06-30T10:40:01","date_gmt":"2023-06-30T14:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068//?p=136068"},"modified":"2024-06-18T12:12:15","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T16:12:15","slug":"proud-to-be-ucf-alumna-miss-universe-jamaicas-caribbean-heritage-is-her-driving-force","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068//proud-to-be-ucf-alumna-miss-universe-jamaicas-caribbean-heritage-is-her-driving-force/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068//","title":{"rendered":"Proud to Be: 麻豆原创 Alumna, Miss Universe Jamaica/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/u2019s Caribbean Heritage Is Her Driving Force"},"content":{"rendered":"

For 麻豆原创 alumna and 2022 Miss Universe Jamaica title winner Toshami Calvin /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/u201919, honoring her Caribbean heritage is fulfilled both on and off the performance stage. Here, the Jamaican model and advocate for children explains how her Caribbean heritage has played a pivotal role in her upbringing, the values she exemplifies, the positive impact she aims to make on the world and more./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

Can you tell us about your Caribbean background and where you grew up?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

I am Jamaican. My parents are from St. Thomas, Jamaica. I was born in Kingston but raised in Bath, St. Thomas, Jamaica. The house I grew up in was so unique. There was a spring around the corner, a river running behind it, and fruit trees, plants and flowers surrounding it./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

What is your fondest childhood memory?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

I was a huge daddy’s girl and loved anything that allowed me to spend time with my dad. Since his passing, all of my memories with him have become something that I cherish and feel blessed to have. He was a football (soccer) coach, so going to practices, cookouts at the river with the team, beach football days (“fi wi sinting”) and watching the fireworks in Kingston to bring in the New Year were all special activities that excited me as a little girl./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

What makes your proud to be Jamaican?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

I am proud to be Jamaican because of our rich culture, food, history and what makes Jamaica fantastic: the people. Our resilience, determination and positivity are unmatched. We are able to endure insurmountable challenges, yet we are among the happiest people in the world. We all seem to unconsciously take a note from the legendary Bob Marley’s playbook, “Every little thing, is gonna be all right.”/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

June is National Caribbean American Heritage Month. What does this mean to you?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

The month is an opportunity to honor and learn about the shared history and similarities between Caribbean countries and the United States. Caribbean people have contributed in various ways helping with the development of the U.S. This shows that being an immigrant doesn/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/u2019t limit you in what you can achieve, disqualify your contribution or your ability to be acknowledged for it. Hard-working individuals of the diaspora are given a moment to be recognized, appreciated and honored for their contribution to the development of the country they now live in./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

How did you become interested in modeling?/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

Modeling is something that I have always been interested in and worked on as a hobby in some capacity. Growing up, I loved watching the reality television show America’s Next Top Model and would follow along as the girls learned how to walk the runway while Tyra Banks taught them how to “smize” /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/u2014 smile with just your eyes /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/u2014 and all her other amazing modeling secrets./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n

Despite having the interest, I was reserved and lacked the confidence to fully explore modeling in a professional setting. Once I became a student at 麻豆原创, I joined the 麻豆原创 Chapter of FACES Modeling Troupe Inc. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/u2014 the largest and most dynamic modeling organization on the East Coast. I learned a lot about print, runway techniques, mechanics, fashion concepts and modeling, which helped to build my confidence. Through FACES, I performed in my first runway show, attended modeling conferences, and gained a network of brothers, sisters and friends./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/136068/n