Annieka Lisa Francis, the mother of four boys, walked away with the coveted title of Mrs Universe Jamaica last Saturday at the Grand Coronation which illuminated the AC Hotel with elegance, empowerment, and a profound celebration of womanhood. A global competition with a proud history spanning more than two decades, Mrs Universe has long been a platform that honours the multifaceted lives of women. Mrs Universe opens the stage to married women, mothers, and mature women, recognising that beauty and influence only grow with experience.
This evolution marks a significant shift in the world of pageantry, embracing a broader and more inclusive definition of what it means to be a queen. In this spirit, Mrs Universe Jamaica is committed to empowering women to realise their full potential, focusing on inner beauty and personal growth. The founder of Mrs Universe Jamaica and the country’s first Mrs Universe, Shannon Green, articulates this vision.
“My inspiration for starting the pageant sparked when I went to South Korea in 2021 to compete as the first Mrs Universe Jamaica and realised there was no representation of any Caribbean woman or any African women ...
I was the only island in the pageant. I thought that there was so much [that] Jamaican women had to offer and I had to get on board,” Green said. As the evening unfolded, each contestant had the opportunity to express her unique personality through her choice of fashion, from the bold and elegant designs provided by Hous.