Miss Universe® Canada 2008 - The Magic Continues

AGE: 23 | HEIGHT: 5'9" | HOMETOWN: PIERREFONDS, QC

A proud Montreal native born to Trinidadian parents, Lateesha has always been mesmerized with the art of dancing. As a young girl she was involved in classical ballet. As she grew older her main interest then shifted towards her education, where she recently earned a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Concordia University.

The 23 year old enjoys traveling, learning new cultures and languages. She is currently adding to her basic teachings in Spanish, and learning on her own time, hoping to be trilingual. This is very important to her seeing that along with her black descent, her background includes a mix of Venezuelan, as well as Chinese and Scottish.

Sponsored by: Orchid Nightclub & Lounge, Concordia Caribbean Students Union, Community Contact, St-Laurent Coiffure, The Main Supperclub, Gigi Restaurant, Family and Friends.

Biography (click to open) ±

Recently, Lateesha worked as a youth animator in a drop-in centre, where she formed a girls youth group in Montreal's Little Burgundy community. She organized leisure activities, but most importantly, she held workshops that discussed issues pertaining to self-esteem, sex and body image. This experience has inspired Lateesha to one day open her own centre. She wishes to provide the proper resources, including moral support, so that the people can expand their knowledge, and continue their education. Not only is this a personal project, but also this is her dream, a dream that will hopefully fulfill that of others.

Lateesha feels honoured and blessed to be a part of Miss Universe Canada. If she were to hold the title, she hopes to stick to her dream of being an educator and hope that this dream can influence Canadians. She truly believes that education determines our future and this country has so much opportunity for us. "We all need something to believe in, without them there are no goals".

Questionnaire (click to open) ±

Are you currently a student? No

Are you currently employed? Yes
If yes, what is your occupation? I am an agent for Air Canada/Aeroplan at the Montreal headquarters.

Have you completed secondary school? Yes
If yes, where? I attended Riverdale High School in the West Island of Montreal. I graduated in class 2001.

Have you completed university/college? Yes
If yes, where? I attended Concordia University in Montreal.

Have you completed any technical/professional school? No

Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
English and French

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).
I danced ballet for 5 years. I took private Spanish lessons, and still learning on my own.

In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
Unfortunately I was never an athlete. However I do love to watch soccer, basketball and my new found favourite sport is football.

Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.
I attended Dawson College (CGEP). In April 2003 I received my diploma in law and society (social sciences).
I attended Concordia University for 3 and half years. On June 18th 2007, I received my bachelor's degree in psychology.

What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?
Unfortunately I do not have any experience with charities. However now that I have finished school I do plan on spending my time doing charity work.

What would be your "dream job" in life?
My dream job would involve traveling all over the world, and establishing educational programs in underprivileged communities.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?
I would say my own sister. She is seven years older than me, and the same way she has watched me grow, I've seen the same for her. I saw her experiences. Her ups and downs, and they are all things that I learned from. She has taught me, in her own way and probably without realizing, the certain paths I should take in life. One thing she has recently taught me is to be positive. If you think it, it will happen, which is something that I will forever keep in mind.

What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)?
My proudest accomplishment is getting my bachelors degree. Education is something that I truly believe in, but I know that it's not always the easiest thing. It has its challenges, which is why I take my hat off to anyone that finishes school.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
I plan on returning to school, and continuing in the psychological field. With that, I also plan on directing my own community/educational center. I would mostly target the youth, but also to those who have missed out on opportunities and want to get back on track.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I was born and raised in Montreal. I grew up in the West Island of Montreal, which are mostly suburbs. I use to enjoy the rollerblading and bike rides in the summer. My childhood involved dancing classical ballet every Friday night, and coming home to watch "TGIF". It involved taking road trips every other weekend with my family, to visit more family.

It was dancing to Paula Abdul's music on my front lawn, and trying to fit in with my older sister and brother because I am the youngest. It was about taking art classes after school at Westpark Elementary, and looking forward to every Christmas and every birthday. And believe it or not, it was watching Miss Universe Pageants and pretending I was one of the girls while I walked up and down my hall. I lived a very simple childhood, and I'm thankful for that.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
The most interesting job was when I worked as a dance animator for an entertainment company. I danced at children's birthday parties. It was interesting because I never thought people could have so much fun doing simple dance moves. At times it felt like I was teaching aerobics. Regardless, it was a great experience and something to look back on.

List any volunteering you have done.
I had a few experiences volunteering for the Coloured Women's Club of Montreal.

Where is the most interesting place you have been?
By far, I would have to say Trinidad. The most interesting part is the various ethnic groups coming together to form the Trinidadian culture. Hence it's nickname "the rainbow island".

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
I believe my multi racial background makes me different. It allows me to appreciate and relate to various cultures.

What is your philosophy of/in life?
Everything happens for a reason. Every experience, good or bad, is significant to our lives. We are just unable to see it at the moment. For example, I truly believe that people cross paths so that they may learn from each other providing they are perceptive enough to recognize it.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
I hope to have accomplished my previous mentioned goals. I also hope to be a role model for youths, because I believe that they are our future and that they need to believe in themselves.

Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
In fall 2006, I decided to try a career program at Dawson College while I was finishing my university degree. Although I was only there for one semester, it was the most memorable semester of my life. On September 13th 2006, I was present at Dawson College where gunman Kimveer Gill, entered the school and began a shooting spree that ended with the life of student Anastasia De Sousa, the injury of seven others and his suicide. This experience allowed me to think about just how vulnerable we are. It also gave rise to the realization that from birth we spend the rest of our lives trying to survive. It has changed me as a person.