Last week on our "Pageant Vixen Talks," we got to know two Miss Earth candidates. They were Siria Bojorquez (Miss Earth - USA) and Valerie Remillard (Miss Earth - Canada). This week, we would get to know another Miss Earth beauty. She represented United States Virgin Islands in three pageants namely: Miss Supranational, Miss World and Miss Earth. She's currently a model and she's a person who is very friendly and know how to deal things in certain perspectives. Let's get to know Carolyn Whitney Carter!
UBC: Describe Carolyn Whitney Carter in 3 words and explain each.
Whitney: Adventurous: I appreciate independence and I thrive off new journeys
in my life. I have a natural admiration for rich cultures and I enjoy
submersing myself into a country’s unfamiliar customs. I think it is
always important to step out of your routine and be adventurous, as it
helps to continually maintain a fresh perspective on life. Pushing
yourself out of your comfort zone is a superb way to grow.
Creative: Since a child I have submersed myself in the creative arts,
developing an intense love for painting. I am easily inspired by our
island’s bold colors, picturesque views, and exotic flowers. Painting
is one way I enjoy expressing emotions, and through it I find inner
peace and a true connection with the world.
Down-to-Earth: Being raised in the Caribbean naturally lends itself
to an easy-going lifestyle. I appreciate simplicity, and I approach
life with a “go-with-the-flow” mentality.
UBC: How were your childhood years?
Whitney: My childhood years were amazing. My family and I were very active,
living in many different states until we settled in the US Virgin
Islands. St. Croix was a perfect fit for our family because we
appreciate the year round sunshine and the slower-paced lifestyle the
islands provide. My parents are educators and founded a private school
in the US Virgin Islands, which I attended from second grade until
graduation. It was a unique experience to be the founding student. Our
motto, “The Fire Burns Within”, has given me the strength to face
life’s challenges passionately and without fear.
UBC: How did the passion for pageants developed in you? Have you always dreamed of becoming a beauty queen?
Whitney: Although pageants are highly celebrated in my country, being a beauty
queen was never a dream of mine. In 2010, I was approached by a
modeling agency about representing the US Virgin Islands in the Miss
World 2010 pageant in Sanya, China. At the time, I had already been
accepted to a prestigious year-long art program in Florence, Italy,
however I found the offer to represent my beautiful country in the Miss
World Pageant to be too unique to pass up! Miss World 2010 was my first
real pageant ever. Afterwards, I realized the impact Grand-Slam
pageants have, and how I could use pageants to promote my cause: raising
awareness of our three shining emeralds in the Caribbean, the US Virgin
Islands. This is where my passion for pageants developed. It brings
me immense joy to promote and give back to the very islands that helped
raise and mold me into the woman I am today.
UBC: What pushed you to join Miss Earth - US Virgin Islands?
Whitney: I am an extremely proud Native American, a Chippewa from the Fond Du
Lac tribe. Our culture and lifestyle is intensely intertwined with
nature. In the US Virgin Islands we are made up of rainforests,
turquoise seas, emerald hills, and stretching blue skies. From a child I
have been inspired by our environment, and as a painter I have found
most of my muses in nature. I come from a family with generations of
people with the gift of the “green thumb”. At our house, I grow
everything under the sun: cucumber, bitter melon, squash, beans,
eggplant, peppers, arugula, carrots, etc! The tropics are a superb place
for farmers. I have been working for two years with an after-school
program that helps children coming from low socio-economic environments
succeed academically. This year, we developed a sustainable organic
garden (Project H.E.A.L.: Health Education & Agricultural Learning)
together from ground up. This special project taught planning, healthy
decisions, environmental awareness, and math! With all this said, I
believe Miss Earth is the next natural step for me; it is a combination
of all my passions. I have a deep love and appreciate for our Earth, a
platform that I am passionate about and have been involved in for years,
and a strong background in pageants.
UBC: When you won the title, what was the first thing you do?
Whitney: I updated my Facebook status! :)
UBC: How are you preparing for Miss Earth 2012?
Whitney: It has been an intense preparation for Miss Earth! Many people may
not realize the vast amount of work and time it takes to prepare a girl
adequately to compete in an international pageant. It is a big
commitment! I have immense respect for other girls who compete
internationally. I still work full time with the children, which is the
first priority, but in between I find time to attend photo shoots,
video shoots, and prepare the necessary items I will need to bring with
me to compete. It has been intense, but “the fire burns within” and it
inspires me to work hard to fulfill my dreams.
UBC: What environmental advocacy are you promoting?
Whitney: This year the Miss Earth Pageant is promoting the “International Year
of Sustainable Energy”. My personal platform is the promotion of local
organic sustainable farms, which plays a big role in the US Virgin
Islands in the promotion of clean energy. We have to import most of our
food products from the USA, which uses fossil fuels and produces
massive amounts of waste from packaging. As a country, we have a goal
to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels by 60% by the year 2025. We
are taking many initiatives to reach this, and I believe the promotion
of local production is another way to reduce our carbon footprint.
UBC: What do you expect in your stay in the Philippines for the pageant?
Whitney: I expect friendly hosts, breath-taking views, and of course amazing
food! I hope to be able to interact with locals and be submersed in the
culture, which I believe is the only true way to understand a country.
UBC: How will you develop a friendly competition?
Whitney: I have brought 100% recyclable gift bags with goodies for each
contestant, a warm gesture from the US Virgin Islands Department of
Tourism! I hope to share with these lovely ladies how special our
islands are, in hopes that they will always remember us positively. I
truly enjoy meeting new people, so I view this as an opportunity to make
new friends!! It is a blessing to be surrounded by so many talented,
powerful women, and I am thankful to be given the opportunity.
UBC: After the pageant, what activities are you involved in your reign?
Whitney: After the pageant I will be involved in fundraisers pertaining to sustainable energy, sustainable farming, and children.
UBC: Any advice for our "aspiring Earth Warriors" like you?
Whitney: My advice would be to find what your obsession is, and work
passionately to develop it. If it inspires you, there will naturally be
an inner drive that will lead you to a life of happiness and
fulfillment.
UBC: Beauty Tip To All.
Whitney: “A smile is the best make-up a girl can wear.” Let your inner
beauty shine through and it’s guaranteed to light up the room. Smiles
are contagious; you never know whose day you may brighten by a few kind
words and a genuine smile.
UBC: Message to your fans.
Whitney: Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know me!
I want to thank you for all of your positive vibes and encouraging
words, I truly appreciate them. I hope to represent my country well and
make everyone proud! Also, please take a minute to visit our country’s
website:
http://www.visitusvi.com/
Thank you so much Whitney for sharing to us so many things. From your pageantry experiences, to you advocacy and to your being Miss Earth - USVI. UBC wishes you all the best. We will support you in you career that you'll take.