Until the Miss Jamaica Universe 2005 competition, Raquel Wright had never been in a beauty pageant. Still, she was not nervous. She had confidence in her personality, her intelligence and even her looks. She knew that she could win.

On Sunday, she did.

“My really good friend Sanya [Hughes] won the competition in 2002, and she encouraged me to enter,” said Wright, who graduated from Ithaca College last May with a degree in sociology. “I was reluctant because of the stereotypical views that are attached to beauty pageants. Then I realized that I wanted to represent my country to the world.”

Senior Jewel Roman never expected Wright to enter any type of beauty pageant, let alone the Miss Jamaica Universe competition. Roman is also from Jamaica, and she and Wright attended the same high school. When they came to Ithaca College, they both felt a bit homesick. Seeing each other on campus helped to ease the loneliness, and the two quickly became friends.

Wright always had confidence, but her dream was to be a lawyer, not to be in a beauty pageant, Roman said.

However, Wright said that she hopes to use her position as Miss Jamaica Universe to help make a difference in Jamaica. As a developing nation, Jamaica faces many political, social and economic problems. One of the things that Jamaica lacks is a sense of national and political pride, especially among young people, Wright said.

“Young people in Jamaica see the government as nothing but corruption, and they don’t want to be a part of it,” Wright said.

Since graduating, Wright began tackling these issues of national pride through her involvement in one of Jamaica’s political parties as well as through her job as an administrative and reservations manager for a luxury tour company. Earning the title of Miss Jamaica Universe, however, gives Wright a unique opportunity to face the issues of her community and provide a voice for the people.

“I think that messengers are just as important as messages,” she said. “Sometimes when the average person says, ‘Let’s do this,’ it gets overlooked. But when a prominent figure like Miss Jamaica becomes a proponent, people get excited and want to act.”

Wright also said as a candidate for Miss Universe 2005 she will be advertising Jamaica to the rest of the world, helping to put Jamaica back on the map in people’s minds. “When we came to Ithaca, people asked us, ‘Do you live in the beach? Do you live in trees? Do you not drive? How do you communicate?’” said Roman. “To tell you the truth, Miss Jamaica has never done much for the country in the past. But I think with her drive and determination, Raquel will try to do something.”

Wright said: “Everything in life is a connection. When I work for the tour company, I’m selling Jamaica as a travel destination to people, which can generate more jobs and national pride among Jamaicans. As Miss Jamaica, I hope to draw attention to my country and get people excited about these same issues.”

Traevena Byrd, director of affirmative action and equal opportunity the college, became close friends with Wright while giving her advice about her hopes for a law career.

“I really think it’s very phenomenal that someone is taking an opportunity like [being named Miss Jamaica] and using it to help her country,” Byrd said.

Wright was the vice president of campus affairs for the Student Government Association last year.

Wright will be traveling to Bangkok, Thailand for the Miss Universe Competition which will be broadcast on May 30 at 9 p.m. on NBC.