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Keri-Ann Greenwood has had a difficult few years. She lost her mother in 2020 and her father three years later after a battle with cancer. But amid her grief, she found the strength to press on and moments of note and celebration.
“I was very lost after they both passed, and I didn’t know what the next step would be. I remember spending many nights crying uncontrollably, unable to sleep, not doing anything at all at a point. And somehow in all of that, I found pageantry,” she continued.
Pageants gave Greenwood new hope and filled her with a new love and passion that she had never considered before. This passion brought her all the way to Thailand, where she placed second at this year’s staging of the international Miss Global competition.
“I won’t lie. It feels really good. It felt so surreal during the first few moments while on stage. But I had no clue that I would make it – not even to [the] top 20,” she told The Sunday Gleaner with a laugh.
“But I knew I put in the work. I knew I was trying my best, and I had a lot of faith. I never left God out of my plans – whatever He chose for me is what I would have accepted, and that was my fate.”
This was the Kingston native’s first time competing in an international pageant but her second time making it to the big leagues after winning the Miss Universe Jamaica East title last April and placing third in the 2024 Miss Universe Jamaica competition.
There are a few lessons Greenwood explained she brought that helped her on the journey.
“Miss Universe Jamaica East really taught me the importance of sisterhood. I was very close with my East girls, and we all supported each other throughout the competition. I feel like that is something I took with me here,” she said.
“Being in an international pageant for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve heard a lot of stories about some of the contestants at pageants, but I didn’t really experience anything bad here…The girls were so friendly, and everybody wanted to help each other, and that feels good to know that I now have friends from all over the world thanks to this experience,” Greenwood continued.
Speaking of Miss Universe Jamaica East, franchise holder Jermaine Blair couldn’t be prouder of Greenwood’s success.
“I was a proud parent within those first few moments, and even now. Just imagine your firstborn or secondborn getting all the accomplishments you were hoping they would achieve. That’s how I feel,” Blair told The Sunday Gleaner.
“On top of that, this is the first time in all my years of pageantry that I am sending someone to an international competition, so I am even more proud when I consider that,” he continued.
He shared that the Miss Global Organization had reached out to Miss Universe Jamaica East to request Greenwood’s participation in the international competition.
“The Miss Global Organization reached out to us to ask if we were willing to have Keri-Ann represent Jamaica in that competition. This was probably about a month before she actually left for the competition. It was all very exciting, but considering she is a Miss Universe Jamaica Top 3 and a Miss Universe Jamaica East crowned queen, we just had to ensure we got the proper approval and support from the Miss Universe Jamaica Organizers – and they were very willing and happy to give that,” Blair explained.
The East regional franchise holder has the opportunity to strike gold twice as the Miss Universe Jamaica East’s coronation day approaches on April 5 at the Wolmer’s Boys’ Auditorium in St Andrew. He explained that this year’s contestants are so competitive that another international star may soon be on the horizon.
“So we are inviting everyone to come on out and see what is going on in East ‘cause we have a lot planned, with some really amazing talent,” the franchise holder added.
The Miss Global beauty pageant was established in 2013 not to be confused with the Miss Global International beauty pageant, owned and founded by Montego Bay businessman Lachu Ramchandani. The reigning Miss Global 2025 is Nguyen Dinh Nhu Van of Vietnam.
This is Jamaica’s highest placement in the competition, having entered on four other occasions: Celine Walters in 2023; Pickqueena Burrell in 2022; Elisha Jolly in 2019 and Kiane Ashman-Swaby in 2017.
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