Lesslassa Armour Shillingford, Dominica's Miss World Contestant
Lesslassa Armour Shillingford, Dominica's Miss World Contestant

By Tempie Williams Copyright © 2013

Just to think just a couple of weeks ago, then 19 year ago Leslassa Armour- Shillingford of the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Nature Island, set out on a journey that had not been done in Dominica in 35 years. To become the next Miss World 2013 Winner, competing against 130 other contestants from different countries all across the world.

The Miss World's 63rd Year Beauty and Fashion Festival is set in Indonesia, with the contestants visiting iconic places in Bali and Jakarta. The pageant as a whole is meeting the cultural challenges set out and presented almost daily in the media with dignity and respect. What confidence and determination Leslassa has and what a joy it is to see her grow. More and more, day by day she has grown from that of a beautifully talented and deserving contestant being one of the 71,293 people populating the Nature Island of Dominica according to the 2011 Census to now, having become A Beautiful Miss World 2013 Contestant and Ambassador of Dreams that Dominicans at home and abroad as well as friends and fans abroad are exceedingly proud of!

Living up to the meaning of her name and showing the world her talents and passion to help others representing her native people and homeland of Dominica, could not have been spoken any better than from her number one and two fans, her mother Yvonne Amour and Aunt Carla Armour, shortly upon her arrival in Bali on her Facebook fan page on September 5, 2013. Yvonne Armour said, "Fantastic! So proud of you…when all things come together in Harmony"... as you always have done, remember what your name means and live it out! You are a child of God, a blessing to us all... so reach for the stars and shine like a diamond. Your # 1 Fan – Mama" and

Carla Armour said, " I just love this young woman so much she puts such a huge smile on my face. It should also be known that Kayjah Charles our Holistic Education Scholarship Student from Pioneer Prep in Dominica sang the song for Lassa to dance to with our own Cornell Phillip as musician and producer. So who said Leslassa cannot do a totally Dominican performance in Ballet?"

Leslassa, has posted and taken us all along with her on her journey almost every step and event of the way. Here it is now less than seven days, eleven hours, forty minutes and seconds counting down to the finals on September 28th, 2013 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Just to mention a few milestone accomplishments that will forever be with Leslassa are:

1.She celebrated her 20th Birthday in Bali with her newly met contestant friends on September 18, 2013.

  1. She placed second with 2,400 votes in Miss World People's Choice award contest compared to first place, Miss Kyrgyzstan with 3,573 votes.

  2. She was chosen one of the Top 12 Finalist in the Talent Finalist Competition.

  3. As of September 16, 2013 she had received over 6000+ Unique LIKES on Facebook in just a few weeks! Thank you for the continued support! Her new goal became: 10,000.

  4. Shared her own short video of her visit to the Mother Temple of Besakih along with many other photos and videos of historic places in Indonesia.

  5. Shared her ' Hair Interview Video' with BBC London Reporter for the Boroughs of Hackney and Haringey, Valley Fontaine.

  6. Shared her, Beauty with a Purpose Miss World – Dominica...The DREAM Foundation,"an organization she launched to promote and facilitate the implementation of Holistic Education in schools and learning institutions in Dominica and hopefully the rest of the region and the world."

  7. She has already won four titles: Miss Dominica 2013 and three regional crowns , Miss Carnival, Miss Jaycees Queen, Miss Caribbean Culture.

  8. She is looking for her fifth win: Miss World- Dominica on September 28, 2013 in Indonesia!

Per Leslassa's mother, Yvonne Armour, thanking everyone and asking for all to vote as below:

"TO VOTE in the Official Miss World 2013 People's Choice:

1) Download the "Miss World 2013" APP http://www.missworld.com/JoinourClub/

The App is only available for iOS and Andriod devices: iOS (iTunes) for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/miss-world-2013/id668530093?mt=8

Andriod (Google Play) for Android phones and tablets https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.missworld.missworld2013v2&hl=en

2) Go to the Miss World DOMINICA profile

3) Click "VOTE NOW"

4) Click "I would like to use my free vote" * You can also buy additional votes

5) Your vote has been cast! * The winner of the Official Miss World People's Choice automatically secures a spot in the Top 6.

Voting ends on September 28, 7:30AM EST (Dominica time)

All proceeds go to the charities of the Miss World Organisation.

Remember: Only votes cast via the "Miss World 2013" APP count towards the Official People's Choice Award!

Thank you for the continued support!"

As for this American born author and her British born- Dominican reared husband, Albert Williams, are so very proud and cheering Leslassa on from our home here in Crawley, England. She is already a WINNER and we wish her all the blessings toward winning the Miss World-Dominica 2013 Title, simply because she has what it takes, has shown her hard work and dedication and deserve it! We also wish her continued success in life as she is a beacon of light to be seen around the world and a positive role model for so very many! Jah Bless Leslassa!

Sincerely, Ras Albert and Tempie Williams http://www.missworld.com/Contestants/Dominica/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-World-Dominica/168591169992359 http://www.missworld.com/TheCompetition/ http://www.facebook.com/DREAMFoundationDominica