Zakiyah Mofford does not have the physique that most people might expect to see at a beauty pageant in St. Vincent and the Grenadines that is not specifically for full figured women.
But she gave a booster to women who might be struggling with issues relating to their body type when she appeared on stage Friday night as a contestant in Miss P’tani 2016 pageant.
And what she did not win on-stage, the 19-year-old student of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College did bag among the audience and on social media.
“I always loved pageants when I was younger,” Mofford told iWitness News after the show.
The contestant, who was sponsored by Touch of Pearl, said she had reservations at first about having to wear a swimsuit on stage.
“But I got comfortable with it after,” she told iWitness News.
Mofford did not finish among the top three contestants but she won one of the four categories of the competition that decided the winner.
Her evening gown, “The True Essence of Beauty”, outdid all others in that category.
“I am very happy about it because my designer, she is a full figured woman as well and she said it would be awesome if I won, because thick girls rock,” Mofford said.
(Story continues below “Results”)
Results:
- Miss Photogenic — Keishell Robertson – Miss Fanfare Events
- Miss Congeniality: Lourie John – Miss People’s Pharmacy
- Best Swimwear: Regisha Hazell – Miss Dazzle
- Best Talent: Keishell Robertson – Miss Fanfare Events
- Best Evening Wear: Zakiyah Mofford – Miss Touch of Pearl
- Best interview: Lourie John – Miss People’s Pharmacy
- Second Runner-up: Keishell Robertson – Miss Fanfare Events
- First Runner-up: Lourie John – Miss People’s Pharmacy
- Miss P’tani 2016: Regisha Hazell – Miss Dazzle
- Other contestants: Antoria Cumberbatch — Miss Cato’s Heavy Equipment and Stacy Payne — Miss Prime Consulting
Her evening gown was a made of Black silk satin that “hugs her full figured body and emphasizes her curves she is every so proud of,” according to the description read at the show.
“This gown flows away from the body into a fish tail and further extends at the back into a train four feet long. An elaborate peplum attaches at the waist of the gown and cascades down the back, directing into a sea of black silk satin. The black satin represents the strong black woman in her. The strapless bodice is embellished with thousands of golden glass stones and sequin encrusted floral appliqué. The sequins, combined with the appliqué, create the dazzling effect as it interacts with the light,” the description said.
Mofford, a graduate of the Thomas Saunders Secondary School, loves to dance, model, meet new people and take care of children.
Her career goal is to become a cardiologist. “My mommy had a deep vein thrombosis so that led to my passion to help people with vein problems,” she said.
The patrons at Friday’s show displayed much love for the full figured contestant.
“It boosted my confidence more,” Mofford said of the positive energy she got from the crowd.
And during the show, Mofford even found time to interact with persons who responded positively after iWitness News posted on its Facebook page a video of her and other contestants in swimwear.
Pageant lovers may not have seen the last of Mofford. Among her plans is entering the Miss SVG pageant.
Being so grossly overweight at such a young age is mentally and physically unhealthy and does not deserve either respect or applause. That is seems to have received both is another sign that anything goes in our ethically and emotionally challenged society.
And you, sir, are both brave and right on all counts. Alas, it would be vastly different five years from now.