PAINFUL WORDS - Farrah Grant Urges Resilience as Questions Arise Over Her Belongingness

Standing atop one of the biggest milestones of her pageant career, Farrah Grant should be celebrating. Instead, the newly minted Miss International Americas 2025 finds herself confronting questions about whether she truly “belongs” in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a debate sparked not by her accomplishments, but by her British accent.

“My accent made some question my identity. My story did not match their idea of what ‘belongs.”

Grant, in a news release, says the criticism has been hurtful, but it has also strengthened her resolve to represent her country with dignity.

Grant, who made history as the first Turks and Caicos Islander to capture the Miss International Americas crown, said in a news release that she will not be deterred by dejected utterances and unfounded assumptions about her identity.

“This moment is the culmination of a journey marked by perseverance, personal discernment, and an unwavering belief in the power of representation,” she wrote.

Grant, who was crowned Miss Caribbean UK 2020, recounted her further ascension through the pageant world, with her appearance as a delegate in the Miss Universe Turks and Caicos Islands competition 2025. Despite not placing, she said she refused to let the outcome define her. Within a month, she became the first-ever Miss International Turks and Caicos Islands, earning the opportunity to represent the nation on an international platform in Japan.

“I travelled to Japan determined to speak our name into rooms where it had never been heard before,” she said. “Today, I return home as Miss International Americas 2025, the first from Turks and Caicos to ever hold this title.”

While her pageant achievements amassed regional pride, Grant said she simultaneously endured scrutiny, comparisons, and doubts, particularly around her accent and time spent abroad.

“My accent made some question my identity. My story did not match their idea of what ‘belongs’,” she said. “There were moments when it became painfully clear that patriotism alone does not guarantee belonging.”

Despite the emotional weight of the criticisms, Grant said they propelled her toward a deeper purpose, especially in her work with young people who tell her she inspires them.

Returning Home and Rediscovering Purpose

The beauty queen said she first felt a profound sense of community after winning Miss Caribbean UK 2020 and returning to the Turks and Caicos Islands for the first time. The warm reception she got at the time, encouraged her to move back permanently, where she has spent the last three years investing in education, youth development, and service to the islands.

“I recognise my privilege and with it, my responsibility to contribute and uplift,” she said.

But coming home also brought challenges.

“At times, I stood alone,” she admitted. “That pain, however, forged a deeper purpose because it led me to the students who now message me saying they look up to me,  and it reminded me who I truly do this for.”

A Call for Unity and National Growth

Grant used her message to call on Turks and Caicos Islanders to confront divisive attitudes and to cultivate a more inclusive national identity.

“A country is not built solely by celebration but by the courage to confront what must change,” she wrote. “Our young people are watching. They deserve a nation that unites, not divides.”

She referenced writer James Baldwin, noting: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

“This Title Belongs to the Next Generation”

For Grant, her historic crowning is a victory she shares with the youth who see themselves reflected in her journey.

“To every young islander who wonders whether they matter, you do. Your dreams are not too big. Your voice is not too small,” she said. “This title is not mine alone. It belongs to the next generation of Turks and Caicos.”

“As Miss International Americas, I stand as proof that belief, courage, and steadfast resilience can reshape the narrative of a life, and perhaps even the soul of a nation. Turks and Caicos, our story is still being written.”