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There’s simply no way to escape Catherine Levy’s magnetism.
This stunning virgo beauty exudes an aura of knowledge, confidence, poise and charm, which some even the so-called ‘Macho-types’, find intimidating.
Many pundits feel Cathi has revolutionized people’s perception of beauty, with her panache for things human and her frank, pragmatic approach to life.
After reading this interview many with a stereotyped notion of the qualities which make a good beauty queen will change them.
You will see why, in the following interview, done by Jimmy Howard:
JH: You have had a most interesting reign –What do you consider the most remarkable feature of this reign?
CATHI: The Miss World Contest, especially the human aspect – meeting all the girls; getting to know people of different cultures, and keeping in touch with them. Despite the pressure for two weeks I had no choice but to be at my best all the time.
JH: What benefits do you think you have reaped from the contests (The “Miss Jamaica-World” and the “Miss World”)?
CATHI: “To put those on a resume…any resume at all…would be an outstanding contribution to that resume.
Just having been part of Miss World - not everybody does that – so I would say the exposure and the experience gave me a tremendous boost.
The local contest helped me to project myself and gain a lot of self-confidence. Of course, the exposure is a big plus.
JH: If you were to encourage someone to enter Miss Jamaica World, what features would you use to sell the contest?
CATHI: I must be pragmatic here. People like to know that they can acquire things at minimal (financial) cost and any girl who has ever thought of going to finishing school, learning to model, or anything like that, can benefit from a contest such as Miss Jamaica World. The glamour of who you are with and what you do is secondary.
JH: Presumably you set yourself certain objectives when you became a beauty queen. Do you think you have achieved all of these so far?
CATHI: Yes, I did have some objectives. No, I have not achieved all I had set out to do, but I have achieved the more important goals.
JH: What are some of these achievements?
CATHI: I hope I have achieved a little more recognition for deaf people in Jamaica. I believe we still don’t know as much as we should know about the deaf in our community.
But hopefully, just being associated with them this year and last year, will have brought that much more recognition to their organization, the Jamaica Association for the deaf.
I hope that being a trail-blazer in this respect will change people’s perception of Miss Jamaica. I believe also that many young people try to copy the attributes of Miss Jamaica.
Please don’t misunderstand my motives for working with the deaf – it’s not to gain recognition for Cathi Levy. I want to continue working with them. But I felt that with the title I could achieve much more (for the deaf) that without it.
JH: So would you say that you have used the title to achieve positive results?
CATHI: “I hope so, and I intended to.”
JH: Your contributions to children’s charities and your apparent affinity for children make many believe you are quite a hit with them. Is this a part of an act?
CATHI: It’s a fact that children are very honest and open, and very real people. You don’t fool around with them in the sense that they know where people are coming from. It’s hard to fool a child. Children know if you really like them… or if you don’t like them. I love children. I really do.
JH: You have had extensive exposure both locally and internationally. How do you feel your audiences see you?
CATHI: Here (in Jamaica) it’s what they are looking at. Abroad it’s where you are coming from.
I found the audience at home more enthusiastic, and that’s quite a thrill for me because it’s a great feeling being on stage and being referred to as “our Miss Jamaica.” I feel like I am a part of everybody’s family.
Abroad I feel good too because people say: “We want to go where she comes from… we want to see what this place is all about.
JH: I believe your views on dating and marriage should interest many young people. What are they?
CATHI: I think it’s a pre-requisite to dating that adults, (whether parents or older friends) advise young men and women on all the things they need to know before they get involved in a relationship. Dating today differs from dating in the past.
Young people are getting a lot more serious and getting involved in more serious relationships at an earlier age than in the past. But my advice is: “Don’t rush a relationship… grow on each other… let it just flow along. Don’t get tied down at too much of a young age. Listen to your conscience because I don’t think you can go wrong there.
To me marriage is a commitment to continuous devotion to each other and a true test of maturity.
I’ll tell you what I don’t think it means: “I don’t think its slavery, imprisonment or condemnation – it shouldn’t be any of those things at all.
JH: What quality do you look forward to in your partner or good friends?
CATHI: A friend should be witty and have a certain amount of intelligence. My first word in the ideal man for me is “cleanliness” – he has to be clean. To me that’s what I find most attractive, and of course, we have to enjoy each others company and conversation. He should have intelligence, understanding, and be a lover of children and animals.
JH: What of the future?
CATHI: I hope to go to New York … get in an Agency there, hopefully do some work for a few months and eventually go to school.
My main goal, and it hasn’t changed, is to be an animator – I would love to work with Walt Disney Productions.
JH: What is your last word to young girls?
CATHI: It is very important for a young girl to be herself – don’t be influenced too much by outside forces. Try to develop your own personality and be the best of what you can be – your individualism is most important.
Source: 1984 Miss Jamaica World Souvenir Magazine
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