Last Updated on September 18, 2026, 11:34 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Monique Smith, a citizen of St. Kitts, will be representing the federation at the at the Miss International World pageant. Smith is currently based in Florida and works as a community advocate, educator and artist.
She will participate in the pageant which is being hosted from September 17 to 21, 2026 at the Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel. The officials have shared that the event will feature a number of activities for the five day pageant.
The first event which is to be organised as a part of the pageant is the Parade of Costumes. This section of the pageant will be hosted on Friday. The main event of the pageant, which is the star-studded Dinner Show & Crowning, is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, 2026.
The officials have shared that Roman Cody Foster, Jennifer Rosario, and Dr. Akshata Prabu will serve as the hosts for the event. The representative of St. Kitts and Nevis is non speaking and communicates through ASL, Augmentative and Alternative Communication and writing.
Talking about herself through the speech application, Monique Smith introduces herself as a proud native of St. Kitts and Nevis. She said that she is entering the pageant as a way to challenge herself. She also highlighted that as a non speaking woman who primarily communicates through a speech application (AAC) and ASL, she wants to show the world that the voices of persons like her can be powerful in various different ways. She also asserted that she wants to show the world that no obstacle should limit our dreams
She wants to celebrate her journey during this pageant and inspire others.
In 2018, Smith was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer and she underwent surgery for the same. In the aftermath of her illness, she was left with bilateral vocal cord paralysis which affects her ability to speak, breathe and swallow.
She reflected on her journey after her diagnosis and surgery and claimed that it was challenging. But she has refused to let her cancer define her. She said, “My experience taught me resilience, gratitude, and the importance of advocating for your health. Today, I use my story to encourage others to stay hopeful, get checked, and never give up.”
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
