Festival Queen wants to inspire young people and strengthen communities

For newly crowned Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2026, Christina Williams, the phrase ‘country girl with global impact’ is more than a catchy slogan. 

It is a philosophy that has guided how the 28-year-old attorney has lived, served and conducted herself, and one that she intends to carry into her reign as she seeks to use the title to inspire young people and strengthen communities across Jamaica. 

Ms. Williams captured the coveted crown in convincing fashion on August 1, sweeping all four sectional prizes – Most Culturally Aware, Most Active in the Community, Most Poised and Best in Gown – at the Festival Queen Coronation Show, organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). 

The victory was particularly significant for Portland, as Ms. Williams brought the title back to the parish for the first time since 1999. 

For her, the achievement was the perfect Emancipation Day gift to her home parish. 

Recalling the moment she learned that she had won, Ms. Williams told JIS News that her first thought was about the significance of returning the crown to Portland after almost three decades. 

“The first thought that entered my mind was, yes! I am able to bring back the crown to Portland after 27 years,” she said. 

“I’m super proud. I’m able to honour family, community, parish, Jamaica, honour all by bringing this title home,” she added. 

While the national title has elevated her profile, Williams is no stranger to service. 

She has participated in several humanitarian initiatives, including recovery efforts following Hurricanes Beryl and Melissa, working alongside local and international agencies to assist students affected by the disasters and in need of support to return to school. 

Her commitment to service is closely intertwined with her passion for culture and heritage preservation. 

“Simply put, yuh must dance a yard before yuh dance abroad,” she explained when asked about the meaning behind her ‘country girl with global impact’ philosophy. 

“My community service… began in [the community of] Fellowship in Portland, in Jamaica, before I did anything internationally,” she said. 

Williams pointed to her experience as Guild President at The University of the West Indies (UWI), where she worked extensively in education, including initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic that helped to subsidise online learning for thousands of students. 

“Now internationally, I am advising UNESCO on how we can advance education agenda globally,” she noted. 

For her, the progression from local service to international advocacy is deliberate. 

“I started here in Jamaica first before I went abroad with my advocacy and just as Miss Jamaica Festival Queen, it will be the same mission,” she said. 

She intends to use her reign to further promote cultural and heritage preservation, particularly among young people. 

“I am big on cultural preservation and heritage preservation, working at JNHT (Jamaica National Heritage Trust) and also in communities and now I want to do that, as well – work with different organisations like UNESCO and other groups to see how we can get more young people involved in preserving the heritage found in their communities,” she explained. 

But beyond culture and heritage, Ms. Williams wants her reign to be defined by accessibility and genuine connection with the Jamaican people. 

She wants to be remembered as “the people’s queen” – one who is not removed from the everyday experiences of Jamaicans or seen only through television screens and news reports. 

Central to that vision is her Path to Purpose initiative, through which she hopes to work directly with young people in communities. 

“I want to go into the communities and provide practical support to our young people to ignite their light and to help them to reach whatever goals they have, whether it’s in career, service, volunteerism [and] entrepreneurship,” she said. 

“That’s how I want to be remembered. The people’s queen, connecting communities and really helping young people to achieve their own path to purpose,” she said. 

Ms. Williams credits much of her confidence and commitment to service to the foundation laid by her family, faith and educators. “Family, faith, all of that is so important to me,” she said. 

Born and raised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, she said her early involvement in church activities helped her to discover the power of her voice. 

“I was a child preacher, I was very involved in AY (Adventist Youth) activities and it taught me that you can be confident, you can present yourself in front of a group of strangers and if you practise and you perfect your craft, you’re able to represent yourself well and your family,” she shared. 

Her teachers at Kenwright Primary and Titchfield High School also played an important role in shaping her. 

A former Head Girl at Titchfield, Ms. Williams was a member of the debate teams at both schools, experiences she credits with helping to sharpen her communication skills, confidence and ability to conduct research. 

“I was a debater at both Kenwright and at Titchfield, and you know, that whole thing about being able to read a paragraph and present it confidently, do your research, all of that really helped me to become Most Culturally Aware,” she said. 

Her involvement in clubs and societies also contributed to her success in the Most Active in Community category. 

“Being very involved in different clubs and societies, that helped me to become Most Active in Community… that all started because I was very involved and I got a lot of training and guidance from primary school, high school and even university,” she explained. 

For Williams, those experiences demonstrate the value of exposing young people to service and leadership from an early age. 

“When we talk about community service, nation-building, I think that every young person must get involved,” she urged. 

She stressed that making a difference does not require grand gestures or significant financial resources. 

“You don’t have to do any big project,” she said, pointing to simple acts such as helping an elderly person across the street or organising a back-to-school treat. 

She encouraged young people not to postpone service until they have attained academic or professional success. 

“You don’t have to wait until you have some big job or you have the degree; it starts now in your community,” she said.