Jacqueline Means Crowned Miss Caribbean U.S. at Silver Jubilee Pageant in Philadelphia
February 18, 2025
Wilmington Scholar and STEM Advocate Takes Top Honor at Esteemed Competition
PHILADELPHIA — With poise, intelligence, and a commitment to service, Jacqueline Means of Wilmington, Del., claimed the coveted title of Miss Caribbean U.S. 2025 at the 25th annual Miss Caribbean U.S. Beauty Pageant, held Sunday in Philadelphia. The milestone event, commemorating a quarter-century of celebrating the beauty, talent, and heritage of Caribbean women, reaffirmed its place as a cornerstone of cultural pride and female empowerment.
Miss Means, an Afro-Latina proudly representing Puerto Rico, carries a distinguished heritage interwoven with Puerto Rican and Ghanaian roots. A scholar of remarkable achievement, she is a double major in marketing information systems and neuroscience at the University of Delaware. Beyond academia, she is a steadfast advocate for youth education, having founded the Girls Empowerment STEM Initiative, a program dedicated to inspiring and educating young girls in underprivileged communities about careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Through her initiative, Miss Means has conducted hands-on STEM demonstrations across schools and community centers, igniting ambition in young minds and championing the importance of representation in fields where women of color remain underrepresented. Her advocacy has earned her national recognition, with appearances on The Steve Harvey Show, The Today Show, The View, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and CBS’s Mission Unstoppable, where she is a series regular.
Jacqueline Means Crowned Miss Caribbean U.S. at Silver Jubilee Pageant in Philadelphia. Photo By Platinum Images
“It is an immense honor to represent Puerto Rico and stand on this platform to further my mission,” Miss Means said following her coronation. “I hope to use this opportunity to inspire young girls of color to see themselves as future leaders in STEM and beyond.”
The Miss Caribbean U.S. Beauty Pageant, founded as a nonprofit organization, has long provided a stage for young women of Caribbean descent to showcase their talents and champion charitable causes. Participants embrace their cultural identities while engaging in initiatives that promote leadership, service, and community impact.
This year’s event, marking the pageant’s silver jubilee, highlighted an impressive array of contestants who embodied grace, intelligence, and cultural pride. The pageant’s continued success underscores its unwavering commitment to fostering unity and empowering young women in the Caribbean diaspora.
For a quarter-century, the Miss Caribbean U.S. Beauty Pageant has stood as a beacon of excellence, amplifying the voices of young women and celebrating their achievements. As the pageant moves forward, it remains steadfast in its dedication to uplifting Caribbean women, fostering education, and inspiring meaningful change within their communities.
Miss Caribbean U.S. Beauty Pageant Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing empowering opportunities for young women of Caribbean descent. The organization seeks to promote leadership, cultural pride, and community service while equipping participants with the tools to become positive role models in society.