by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Mon. June 3, 2024
On Saturday, June 1st, the much-anticipated Ms. Rural Belize-Queen of the Bay pageant took place at Tubal Auditorium in Ladyville, featuring four talented delegates. From among them, Deanni Janae Laing emerged victorious, earning the title of Miss Belize Rural Queen of the Bay for 2024-2025.
In an exclusive interview, Deanni shared her thoughts on the experience and her achievements during the competition.
“Coming out of the competition victorious as Miss Belize Rural is still an experience and a moment that I’m processing,” Deanni said. “Just knowing the amount of work that went into executing on Saturday night, and coming out with not just the crown but with six of the eight awards, it’s still a heartwarming experience that I’m soaking in.”
Diani won several prestigious awards, including Miss Eloquent, Best Talent, Best Formal Wear, Best Courtesy, Miss Photogenic, and the Miss Social Media Portrait Competition. “I was really surprised by the four that were selected from the judges’ scores,” she shared. “Every time they called my name, it was still mind-blowing. Knowing that I got the high score for the four categories that the judges had to select, I am truly in awe.”
The supportive environment played a crucial role in her success as Deanni noted that the friendship among the contestants was uplifting. “From the moment we met in March, we all automatically clicked. Our committee encouraged us to refer to each other as queens. The whole environment was very uplifting. We sang together, had karaoke moments together, fixed each other’s makeup, and wiped each other’s tears. It was an embodiment of true sisterhood.”
Deanni also praised the former queen, Kendall Morgan, for her support, especially as she added to the sisterhood that the fellow delegates all had established. Their final activity, she recounted, was an all-pink paint and picnic, which was along with Queen Kendall.
Deanni hails from Western Paradise Village, also known as Eight Miles. While she had always enjoyed attending pageants, she never dreamed of participating in one. “I love pageantry from the standpoint of attending and supporting delegates. I never dreamed of being part of a pageant. But because of my love for it from a different perspective, I decided to give it a shot to help my advocacy through my business, Five Minutes with Dee.”
Her advocacy focuses on empowering youth through entrepreneurship. Deanni, 22, comes from a family with two sisters and holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Belize, where she graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors.
She also looks up to several inspiring figures, including Khadija Assales from Kaj Expressions, Joyja Estrada, and Kalilah Reynolds, who have all shown how you can transform a dream into reality.
Looking ahead, Deanni is preparing for the Queen of the Bay nationals under the mentorship of her director, Miss Katalina Moody. “It’s just a matter of training as hard as I was for this title. Besides the hard work, I’m looking forward to the creative ways I can be of service to the Belize rural communities,” she added.