Miss World Bahamas Ashley Hamilton is a true representation of an island beauty with roots spanning a number of islands -- Long Island (courtesy of her maternal grandmother), Cat Island (courtesy of her maternal grandfather), Abaco (through her paternal grandmother), and even a little Jamaican spice (from her paternal grandfather).
The 24-year-old who was born in New Providence but represented Long Island in the recent pageant says she hopes to have the Bahamian support behind her as she begins the journey to the 66th Miss World Stage to represent The Bahamas in December in Washington, D.C. Her goal is to make Bahamians proud.
Having not been born with a "silver spoon" in her mouth, she believes she represents an island girl who knows what it means to work for what she wants which she says many people can relate to.
Days after being crowned Miss World Bahamas 2016, Hamilton said winning the title gave her a sense of pride, and was a long time in the making. It wasn't the first time she had sought a beauty crown. Hamilton was first runner-up in the 2008 Theodore Elyett's Miss Teen Bahamas World and walked away with the Miss Teen Bahamas Earth title.
That experience she believes set her up for her successful run at the Miss World crown.
"It [teen pageant] was a good growing experience. It was my first time, and my parents [Lavelle Hamilton, deceased, and Joanne Brown-Hamilton and I did it on our own," she said.
Hamilton then took a break from pageantry to pursue her education and gained "life experiences" through travel, which she said was of utmost importance to her.
In 2014 she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Florida. She was the recipient of the Shelby Davis Scholarship in 2011 and holds an International Baccalaureate Certificate from Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific, Victoria, British Colombia, Canada. She was also granted the United World Scholarship in 2009.
She believes the experience she got through her studies and travels will serve her well in her ambassadorial role and that she will bring exposure to the title that many queens have not had.
"I bring that international experience, knowing that these 700 islands and cays that we call home is not the world, but this 700 islands and cays have so much to offer, and I hope I bring that to the stage when I take on Washington. You have to know how to adapt, and appreciate what it means to be Bahamian."
Hamilton also said the best preparation a girl can have for pageantry is knowing that she should not jump from pageant to pageant, but to prepare properly for each one, and to gain life experience.
While you have to be confident going into a pageant, she says you can never go into a pageant over-confident and that she certainly didn't.
"You have to know that whatever you put forward, that it's your best," said Hamilton who is six feet, one-inch in height.
She said on the Miss World Bahamas stage there were eight other girls who could have done just as good as she did.
"Every girl was deserving of that crown -- we all performed and slayed on the stage, but I'm proud to come out on top."
Her win she also said took a team effort.
Representing her maternal grandmother's island of birth, and bringing a title to Long Island she said made her proud.
"In December, months after Hurricane Joaquin I visited Long Island and I saw firsthand that although they were rebuilding, the devastation that island faced, and I'm so ecstatic to know that I represent a group of industrious people like myself who are willing to work hard and get the job done," she said.
Winning the Miss World Bahamas title did not come without its own share of heartache for the queen. She was crowned without her beloved father to witness the momentous occasion. She dedicated the win to him. His death she said put her once two-parent household -- one in which both parents were equally involved in their children's lives -- into a tailspin.
"My mother became a single mother instantly to three girls. I was going to pursue a law degree, and [one] sister was in her final year of university, and another sister was in her last year of high school, so financially, emotionally and physically it was more of a strain on us. My mother was stretched more, I gained more responsibility, and we're still getting adjusted to it."
The queen said she and her mother and her two siblings, Cymone and Alexis-Zaria miss him daily. And while they may not show how much they miss him externally, inside the home they let their emotions flow.
"I dedicated this competition to my father from day one. I said daddy you may not be here with me physically, but spiritually and emotionally I feel you every step of the way, and I had a sense of calm knowing that he was standing right next to me, and I was making him so proud," said Hamilton.
The new Miss World Bahamas said she grew up with her parents telling her she was special in their house, but outside that she was just a number and that she had to have a sense of pride in whatever she accomplished.
Her advice to young women who have visions of a crown being placed upon their head is to always remember that pageantry is a lot of work, with many sleepless nights. But she said once they have a good support system behind them they could make it work.
"It's so important to young girls to know that everyone is rooting for them and cheering for them as well, because social media portrays a very negative image, especially for young Bahamian women who may not fit a model size, and they need to know that they are loved and that they are important."
The new Miss World Bahamas said people who don't know her should realize that she's a quiet person, but the experience of losing her father made her stronger; and that when she's onstage she transforms.
"I try to live my life as an open book, but a lot of persons don't know that I'm very introverted, and pageants and modeling is how I express myself and shine."
Winning the title didn't sink in quickly for her either. On Monday following her win, she went to her legal assistant's job and went about her normal life. She said it would take a while to get adjusted to her different role, including the fact that she now gets interviewed.
She will depart in mid-November for Washington, D.C., for the scheduled December 18 pageant and says in the interim period she will continue with the regimen she had already set in place for her skin and keeping abreast of current affairs.
"To me it's more of a mind game to get prepared," she said.
To win Miss World, a contestant must score the highest points awarded for a range of activities and events that take place from the moment the contestants arrive at the competition. Five challenge events take place in the run-up to the final -- beauty with a purpose, multimedia, sports, talent and top model -- which offer the chance for the contestants to shine, giving them the opportunity to win important points.
One of the most crucial parts of Miss World is the interview round. Towards the end of the month long Miss World event, the contestants all take part in interviews with the judges who delve into the minds of the hopefuls to see what they are truly made of.
As for her crown, it's in a place of pride in the foyer of her home. And she has received a prize package said to be worth approximately $80,000.
En route to taking the title, Hamilton also took home a number of awards -- best national dress, best in evening wear, best in swimsuit, top model and Haus of RvR spokesmodel winner.
Miss Bahamas Organization President Michelle Malcolm said Hamilton would be a "wonderful queen" as she seems levelheaded and goal-oriented and knows how to get the job done.
"Miss World is just a few months away, so we don't have a lot of time. We're going to start preparing her in every way that we can for that competition. We're going to ensure that she gets coaching, the proper wardrobe, we're going to do everything that we can to make sure she's fighting ready come December and that she will finally bring home the Miss World crown to The Bahamas," said Malcolm.

Awards
Miss Photogenic -- Shanice Burrows
Miss Amity -- Aria Romer
Best National Dress -- Ashley Hamilton
Best in Evening Wear -- Ashley Hamilton
Best in Swimsuit -- Ashley Hamilton
Most Talented -- Pischia Adderley
Multimedia Award -- Bryneeah Gray
The People's Choice -- Rotalya Williams
Outfit of the Day Challenge Winner -- Shanice Burrows
Miss Popularity -- Geena Thompson
MBO Spirit Award -- Aria Romer
Miss Bahamas Top Model -- Ashley Hamilton
Haus of RvR Spokesmodel winner -- Ashley Hamilton
Myles Munroe Beauty with a Purpose Scholarship -- Rotalya Williams

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