Samantha Rampersad: Proud to represent Enterprise

Founded by the M.O.R.E. Organisation, a non-profit organisation established in TT with the aim of increasing awareness of societal ills in an effort to find solutions to effect change, the Miss Teen Awareness pageant seeks to empower young women between the ages of 14 and 19 years old as instruments and ambassadors for such change.

The pageant’s mission reads, “To make a meaningful contribution to the empowerment of women,” a mission that Samantha exudes. She shares that her belief in herself is what has made all her strides possible.

The young titleholder acknowledges there are several areas of societal justice that need attention in TT, saying, “Some of these issues that I aim to change and bring awareness to … are racism, sexism, [domestic and child] abuse, gender inequality and [LGBTQ inequality].”

Samantha is no stranger to the experiences – and sometimes-unwarranted backlash – of living in a marginalised community. She speaks of the challenges of representing Enterprise, a community that continues to face negative attention given widespread media coverage of the community’s criminal activities and elements, with some potential personal pageant sponsors voicing their concern that she could’ve represent more affluent areas in the borough.

After becoming a delegate of the Miss Teen Awareness Pageant, she was given the choice of selecting another area to represent so that she would not have to bear the “shame” of carrying the title of Miss Enterprise, “but I saw this as an opportunity to prove to others that Enterprise is not a bad area and there’s good people who are willing to make positive changes in society,” she says firmly.

Before competing in the pageant, she organised a candlelight peace march through Enterprise “with the aim of spreading peace, love, happiness, unity, and also raising the topic of domestic abuse.”

Videos and photos of the march appeared online and Samantha remembers droves of citizens from around the country coming together to make the walk a success, including persons from Tobago.

Her analogy for marginalised communities is: Every bunch has spoilt grapes. “But do we throw the entire bunch away? No,” she says adamantly of the need for members of the citizenry to not throw such communities at the wayside and label them lost causes. “Why is it that we condemn entire communities because of a few distracted minds?”

She does not dismiss the levels of crime in her community but highlights that on the flip side, there are community members that pray everyday for an end to such occurrences.

To others from communities such as hers, Samantha has only words of encouragement. She understands the struggle of being blacklisted because of something as anomalous as an address and believes the best battle against such ignorance is to be the change you want to see in society, starting at home and in communities.

“Don’t accept the stain that’s been placed on you because you’re from Enterprise or [other communities]. Prove to the misinformed speakers that you are not who they class you start helping to eliminate the problems that your community faces and make it so great that they no longer have anything negative to say,” is her advice.

She says these journeys may start alone but do not have to continue in such a way; she calls on the youth of such blacklisted communities to ask relatives, neighbours, or friends to join in upholding and uplifting the good.

As for the activism, she feels passionate about, she speaks of gender equality, an end to sexism, and equal rights for all citizens, including the queer community. She says many would agree with the statement “we all deserve equal rights regardless of our age or gender” but, contradictorily, when the question of sexuality is introduced opinions change. She believes much of this is related to religious views that deem homosexuality a “sin”.

“Cheating is considered a sin yet when a man sleeps outside of his marriage his friends cheer him on and society calls it a part of life,” she says of the glaring double standards that society perpetuates.

“Sometimes people get so caught up on giving their opinions on others that they forget that they’re responsible for their own actions.” She says we all have the freedom to choose and that our choices and compassion are what truly defines us. “I’ve had my own personal struggles that I’ve overcome,” Samantha divulges.

Keeping the future she dreams about and her ultimate goals in mind constantly motivates her to move forward no matter the obstacle. Her dreams of pursuing Law in England after secondary school were dashed after her parents faced some challenging times. She also speaks of the many opportunities she turned down because she lacked the support of her mother who saw such opportunities as “irrelevant”.

She always dreamt of modeling and entering pageants as a way of bringing awareness and change to key pockets of society. “Some of my family members just didn’t believe that I was capable of accomplishing the things that I wanted,” she elaborates on the lack of support she felt.

“To women that have faced these kinds of doubts and questions from persons close to them, I urge you to not give up on your dreams; the only person that needs to believe in you is yourself,” she offers to her sisters who may be in similar circumstances. She continues that the support you give yourself is irreplaceable and says the key is taking the first – but sometimes hardest – step toward goals and that it’s never too late to live life on your terms.

She knows her terms already. She aspires to become a model, an actress, an entrepreneur, and a lawyer (to name a few). She hopes to live a full life so that she will be remembered for inspiring change in the world and inspiring others to follow their dreams, beyond circumstance and struggle.

“It matters not where you come from but the decisions you make to get to where you want to be,” she echoes. “Always remember that if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change.”

To see what Samantha has been up to, you can search for her Miss Teen Awareness Facebook page, “Miss Teen Awareness 2016 – Samantha Rampersad.”