When the lights fade, Region 5 Amerindian Queen Venezia Adrian keeps pushing ahead

In the moments when there is no anchoring light, no spotlight illuminating the footsteps of a pageant queen, what happens when the world can no longer see her?
More often than not, the woman beneath the crown is still being pulled forward by the hooks and claws of freedom, ambition, expectation, and sacrifice – each one tugging at her every step, even when the cameras stop rolling and the lights fade.
It is a feeling experienced by some of the world’s most celebrated pageant queens; global icons such as Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra – women whose journeys have shown that the crown is not simply worn beneath the spotlight.
For Venezia Adrian, Miss Region Five representative to this year’s Amerindian Heritage Pageant and a proud daughter of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), those footsteps never seem to stop trekking in a positive direction, even when the lights fade.
A prolific presence on the red carpet and catwalk, Adrian has mastered the art of walking as though she were forever beneath the lights. Whether the cameras are flashing or the stage has gone dark, her stride carries the confidence of a woman who knows she belongs in the spotlight.
To attain this level of determination can only be cultivated from years of practice and being brought up by key leaders in her life. Thus, whilst speaking to this publication in a telephone interview, the Heritage Queen revealed that she began her pageantry journey at the age of 10.
Reflecting on what inspired her to enter the world of pageantry, she credited her older sister.
“My bigger sister inspired me to join pageantry, just at the primary school level. From there, I built and built until I reached this age, where I had the opportunity to represent Region Five in the Heritage Queen [event] 2026.”
In fact, her journey has been anchored by her core beliefs, which encompass some of the fundamental values that she stays true to as a young woman in this pageantry field.
“So, after the first time, which was at the primary school level, after that, I started to join more pageants within the village. And I eventually developed a love for pageantry until I reached this age. So, as a young woman advocating for others, my core values are empathy and courage – having the courage to speak out about things that are bothering not only myself, but my fellow Indigenous youths; my cultural pride, equality, and empowerment.”
When the light fades, it’s a detailed path that she hones herself to.
“So, I advocate for the Indigenous youths with my established platform. As I go to represent not only Region Five but myself, I have an established platform as I go to represent not only Region Five but every Indigenous youth. So, based on my platform, what I plan to do next, after the pageantry, is to start an Indigenous Youth Awareness Initiative. This is whereby I, given the opportunity, and other Indigenous communities will focus on self-confidence and cultural pride, bullying and discrimination awareness. I also plan to take the message into schools, which are things I have already connected to through education.”
A platform in pageantry is a specific cause, issue or advocacy that a contestant champions and works to support during and after the competition.
Meanwhile, in terms of Indigenous youths, she stated why she thinks it is important to inspire them, look out for them and fight for their rights.
“So, my platform, which is awareness of social stigma and discrimination – what inspired me to choose to advocate for this is not just what I have witnessed around me, but what I have personally experienced and observed as a young Indigenous woman. Growing up in an Indigenous community, I have seen how some Indigenous youths can feel ashamed of their language, their culture or where they come from because of the negative stereotypes and judgement they face.”
“I have also experienced moments where being Indigenous made me feel that I had to explain or defend parts of who I am. Those experiences taught me something very important, which is that when society repeatedly tells a young person that their identity is something to be ashamed of, eventually they begin to believe it themselves. This is why I chose this platform. I want to use my voice to remind Indigenous youths that our culture is not a weakness, our heritage is not something to hide, and our identity should never be a reason for anyone to treat us as such.”
According to her, as she embarks on the journey to represent Region Five, she is not only representing herself; she is representing every Indigenous young person who has ever felt unheard, judged or ashamed of who they are.
Even as the spotlight is not on her, she is not walking freely without any mission in mind; rather, she has a sacred goal she seeks to accomplish.
“My mission is that I want to turn shame into pride, silence into confidence, and discrimination into understanding, because an Indigenous youth who knows their worth becomes an Indigenous youth who can confidently carry their culture, their community and their future forward.”
Meanwhile, she stated that another challenge she anticipates is changing mindsets. Stigma and discrimination are often deeply rooted in stereotypes and beliefs that people carry for years. So, changing those beliefs will not happen overnight.