2024 Miss Liberation Queen candidates Nakisha Celis, Xeayda Manglona and Chariane Cabrera Dabney pose for a photo with the Liberation Day Committee members at the Saipan mayor’s office on Friday, May 17.
THE Saipan Mayor’s Office on Friday said three young women are vying for this year’s Liberation Queen crown: Chariane Cabrera Dabney, Xeayda Manglona and Nakisha Celis.
Dabney, a 17-year-old from Capital Hill who will graduate from Kagman High School at the end of this month, said she wants the experience of the Liberation Royal Court to be her first taste of pageantry.
“I think this experience will prepare me for the future, knowing that I would like to participate in the Miss Marianas pageant,” Dabney said.
Manglona, a 19-year-old University of Guam student and president of a student organization comprising CNMI students at UOG, is the candidate from Rota.
“It’s all about representation for me,” Manglona said. “Since we’re so small a lot of the youth on Rota think we can’t do the same as the other islands and I really want to change that image.”
As for Celis, a 17-year-old Saipan Southern High School student, she said the experience is about personal growth.
“I joined to be able to experience it, knowing it’s my first time. I want to get out of my comfort zone and encourage others to join as well,” Celis said.
Priscilia Iakopo, the Liberation Day Committee chair, said aside from the opportunity to be the Liberation Queen and participate in this year’s Liberation Day parade, the winning candidate will travel to Guam to participate in the Liberation Day festivities there in late July.
Other travel opportunities include a trip to the Nippon Damannaka Festival in Japan, which highlights thousands of folk dancers from around the country and beyond.
Iakopo said Saipan Mayor RB Camacho also wants to designate the Liberation Queen as an official CNMI cultural ambassador. This may open other travel opportunities for the Liberation Queen, Iakopo said.
The Liberation Queen pageant is a fundraising event in which the candidates retain 10% of the funds they raise.
