Keemayah Ford, Jazmine Samuel, Ne’keya Fraser Crowned 2024 Carnival Royalty

On Saturday night, seven girls took to the stage, competing for three crowns in the junior Carnival pageants for St. Thomas 2024 - Petite Princess, Princess, and Junior Miss.

The youngest contestants were five-year old Keemayah Ford and Nahkiya Jeffers, who began by welcoming the audience to the night’s “cultural tour like never before.” Keemayah was dressed in a pink and white majorette costume while Nahkiya wore a carousel costume, the panels of which depicted various scenes associated with Carnival and culture.

Princess contestant #1 Amiah Motta introduced herself wearing a madras-trimmed chef’s uniform, signaling her focus on highlighting VI cuisine. Kaysiah Charleswell was also wearing madras, fashioned into the blazer of a flight attendant’s uniform as she welcomed patrons aboard the “VI Nice” airline. Meanwhile Jazmine Samuel wowed the audience by displaying her ability to shift between characters at lightning speed, as she carried on a 2-sided conversation with a hybrid outfit and voice changes to match her dual role.

Junior Miss contestant #1 Ne'keyah Fraser translated the theme into her portrayal of an AI GPS computer, programmed to guide passengers to the best experiences of Carnival 2024, while contestant #2 D'nae Todman chose to serve as a “cultural culinary guru”, highlighting local cuisine but this time from the perspective of a food tour guide.