Miss Haiti 2014: Carolyn Desert Crowned at Pageant in Port-au-Prince
On Saturday, writer, part-time model, and Haitian businesswoman Carolyn Desert was crowned "Miss Haiti 2014" during the "Miss Haiti" pageant held at Karibe Convention Center in Port-au-Prince, UPI reports.
"I'm going to support the youth. I'm going to support women. I'm going to support the poor," Desert told the audience who cheered her on with a standing ovation, according to WebProNews.
She continued, "I am a woman who is running after her dreams."
In addition to receiving her newly noted "Miss Haiti" title, Desert is also known for her work as an entrepreneur, philanthropist and freelance writer. At the age of 24, the now 25-year-old beauty queen owned a Mexican restaurant in Haiti's Petionville district in Port-au-Prince. She also involved herself in the work to support many upcoming Haitian artists and poor children.
Among those cheering for Desert during the pageant competition were the 16 girls from the Restavek Freedom Foundation, which helps rescue Haitian youth victims of child slavery, Epoch Times reports.
Prior to her "Miss Haiti" win, Desert also won the "Miss Photogenic" award which made her a fan favorite early on in the competition.
Upon winning the "Miss Photogenic" award, Desert expressed her desire to represent Haitian women for their "perseverance, courage, and resilience" in addition to their beauty, according to Epoch Times.
Although Desert's luminous smile triumphed over her competitors for the "Miss Photogenic" award, her cropped hair look became the topic of controversy and sparked much debate over whether beauty queens should wear hair extensions or sport their natural hair.
Despite the criticism towards Desert's natural hair, many critics and media outlets still embraced the beauty queen's decision to wear her cropped hair, including The Inquistr that described Desert as "a feminist's dream."
Desert will now go on to represent Haiti in the 2014 "Miss World" pageant competition that will take place on Dec. 14 in London.
What are your thoughts on Carolyn Desert's recent "Miss Haiti 2014" win? Share your comments below.
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