Former Festival Queen Selected as Fellow in US Community Solutions Programme

Former Miss Jamaica Festival Queen, Kyesha Randall, has been selected as one of 76 fellows to participate in the prestigious Community Solutions Programme (CSP), sponsored by the United States (US) Department of State.

She is also the only Jamaican participating in the programme this year and was among more than 11,000 global applicants.

The CSP, implemented by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), is a yearlong global exchange initiative that brings together community leaders from around the world.

It offers them executive leadership training and practical experience in the US, enabling them to return to their countries equipped with transformative strategies and solutions.

Ms. Randall, who is a passionate advocate for mental health, tells JIS News that her journey to the fellowship has been long and determined, having applied twice before without any success.

“I never made it past the interview rounds, that is how competitive this programme had always been. I had my mind [and] heart fixed on it, so every time I applied and was turned down for participating in that year, what I did was went back, found a certification course that I could do online,” she says.

She informs that by doing those courses she was putting herself in a better position to reapply the following year, while also learning some of the skills she hoped to gain from the programme.

“I also wanted to look like the type of leader that keeps learning, that keeps growing and shifting,” Ms. Randall adds, noting the importance of setting a personal goal for herself, which later manifested in an acceptance letter.

Reflecting on her selection for the 2024 cohort of the CSP, the former festival queen expressed a mix of emotions, from excitement to gratitude.

“However, more than any of those things, I feel like this was my time and my year,” she tells JIS News, adding that she is thankful for the opportunity to learn, grow and connect with changemakers from around the world.

Ms. Randall, who is also founder of Motivate JA, notes that her participation in the CSP marks a significant step towards expanding her impact on mental health and conflict resolution in Jamaica.

Motivate JA was launched in 2016 as Ms. Randall’s national project when she won the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition, organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).

The 2024 CSP fellow points out that her work with Motivate JA centred around mental health advocacy, but over the years, she has noticed a strong connection between mental health issues like anxiety and depression and unresolved conflicts.

With this realisation, Ms. Randall wanted to do more, and not having a background in psychology or social work, she felt it necessary to upskill herself.

“So, when I heard about this programme and some of the thematic areas that they focused on – peace and conflict resolution [and indirectly mental health] – I decided this is my sign to participate in a programme that will offer me mentorship as well as develop my global leadership skills and allow me the opportunity to grow my non-profit in a way that can help more people in my hometown, community and country the way I want to,” she says.

As part of her fellowship, Ms. Randall is expected to develop and implement a Community Action Plan upon her return to Jamaica.

Her vision includes organising a four-week youth camp focused on emotional management, conflict resolution and stress management.

“I also want to do training in emotional management support. So, this is where I think I’m going to need to really pay attention and buckle down in the experience and the practicum that I am having here,” Ms. Randall continues.

She further indicates her desire to create and distribute resources that provide practical steps for managing emotions and information on accessing professional help when needed.

Her ultimate goal is to transform Motivate JA from an initiative into a well-established non-profit organisation that can consistently provide support and resources to individuals in need.

“In this programme there is a lot of help. We are paired with alumni members, activators and mentors who have either gone through the fellowship programme before or are partners with CSP and IREX,” Ms. Randall adds.

She is currently in the US undergoing the practical component of the programme.

She is expected to return to Jamaica in December to execute her Community Action Plan.

Since 2010, the CSP has supported 832 fellows from 89 countries in becoming more effective leaders.