This year’s candidates are Joni Francesca Cruz Castro, 15, 9th grader of Saipan Southern High School; Nizelynn Teregeyo Masayos, 17, junior of Kagman High School; and Mariah Dina Indalecio Ada, 11th grader of Saipan Southern High School.
Liberation Queen committee chairwoman Vinycia Seman said the candidates had to answer five questions:
Hobbies/special interest
Castro: My hobbies are dancing, cleaning and singing, and interested in helping out people
Masayos: To keep myself busy, I spend quality time reading novels by Nicolas Sparks, taking part in the community by keeping our island clean, and spending time with my younger siblings
Ada: Being with my family and friends, meet new people, surf the internet, sing and play sports.
Plans and goals
Castro: To graduate high school, attend college and get a degree to become a teacher.
Masayos: It has always been my goal to give back to the community and to ensure that I reach my goal. This summer I will be taking college classes at NMC, taking minor subjects in education to become a teacher and later I plan to major in criminal justice studying in law, and hoping to become a lawyer one day.
Ada: After I graduate high school I want to continue my education by going to college, get a degree and become a teacher.
Why you would like to be the Liberation Queen and what makes you the ideal candidate?
Castro: I would want to experience more of being a great and dedicated representative and role model for the CNMI by celebrating our freedoms.
Masayos: I want to give back to our community for everything they’ve done and provided for me as far as education and ensuring my safety and the safety of others. I’d like to stand out in the community as a role model to the youth of the CNMI and as a Liberation Queen. I’m the ideal candidate because I’ve been the president of my class for two consecutive years and I’m also a member of the honor society and the National Society of High School Scholars. I’ve always been active in the community and is always encouraging the youth to be better.
Ada: I want to experience my surroundings, how it is really like and how it feels to be around other people to help and support to feel how it is from the past, present and future of this Independence Day. I want to understand how and why they celebrate every year even during the calamity time just like what is happening right now till this day.
What inspired you to become a Liberation Queen candidate?
Castro: The thing that inspired me of becoming a Liberation Queen candidate is seeing former candidates having fun and all the excitement they share around the community. Also, I ran as Little Miss CNMI candidate and I would want to experience it again in my life.
Masayos: My inspiration is my aunt Francella who was also a candidate in 1993.
Ada: As I was growing up, my mom had told me about her being the 1986 Miss Liberation Day Queen candidate. She told me to take the opportunity and try it out and become a Miss Liberation Queen Candidate to experience and see how it feels to be around our surroundings and meet new people. It feels good to give than to receive. Just like helping other people when they are in need of help
What issues are important to you? Why?
Castro: What is important for me now is the need to work hard and do my best in every way I can.
Masayos: Issues that are important to me are teenage drinking, teen pregnancy, drinking and driving and domestic violence, The CNMI has lost many lives in drinking and driving incidents. Teen age drinking is inappropriate, irresponsible and unsafe. Teen pregnancy is irresponsible and affects the people around us. Domestic violence has always been an issue but the rates are high and I’d love to take action by preventing it. It hurts and we all need to help and support the victims of domestic violence.
Ada: The calamity here in the CNMI is also happening all around the world and nobody seems to find the answer.
