Long Island: Meet Your Queen
Photo credit: J & L Dream Productions; photographer @KingAaronPhotography.
The newly-crowned Miss Long Island is a model of perseverance, poise, and purpose
Nadgeena Jerome of Baldwin can vividly recall the first time she watched Miss USA on TV as a child. She was utterly captivated by the women on the stage. “I was in love with their confidence—their beauty inside and out,” she says. “I could see that they represented something greater than themselves.” Even at a young age, Jerome saw that pageants provided an opportunity to do something meaningful—and she wanted in on that.
Jerome, now 26, entered her first pageant at age 10, only she didn't win her first title until she was 16 years old. Still, the losses provided an opportunity for growth. “Pageants taught me about persistence, never giving up, and working hard for your dream,” says Jerome, who is a digital producer for News12 Long Island. They also gave her purpose during those challenging teen years, keeping her on “the straight and narrow,” she says. Pageant life also provided an opportunity to shape her very important platform: #ReverseTheStigma.
“It's a platform promoting mental health awareness, and it stems from my experiences growing up in a home affected by mental health issues, as well as my own experiences with mental health,” she says. From a young age, Jerome felt the need to portray an image of perfection while neglecting her mental health. “It was honestly something I was ashamed of,” she says. A major depressive episode in her early 20s became both a rock-bottom moment and an “aha” moment. “I thought, ‘Okay, this a low point in your life, but you don't have to stay here,’” she says. Reversing the stigma is not only about letting people know that mental illness is not something to hide or be ashamed of; it's taking negative experiences and turning them into positive actions within your community and working on yourself, she says.
For Jerome, that has meant working as an advocacy ambassador for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to promote mental health education in schools helping families receive the resources they need. “Especially in communities of color, [mental health] is not something people feel comfortable talking about, and they don't necessarily know they have access to free resources,” says Jerome.
Jerome's platform became even more personal and timely when her idol Cheslie Kryst recently died of suicide. “Unfortunately, Miss USA 2019's story ended very tragically, but yours doesn't have to,” she says. Kryst's death has made Jerome want to push even further to get the word out that “it's okay not to be okay,” she says. “I'm hoping that what happened to Cheslie can be a conversation starter. She's made an even greater impact now,” she says.
What's next for Jerome? She's taking her mental health message on the road to Niagra Falls, where she will compete for the Miss New York title, June 2nd through the 4th. LI Beauty Scene will follow her journey and cheer her on every step of the way.
So, how does a beauty queen get pageant-ready? Here are Jerome's favorite Long Island beauty spots and must-have skin and makeup products.
Hair salon: Reaction Salon, Baldwin. “I love that they do Olaplex treatments and hot oil treatments. They do extensions—they do it all. I've been loyal to them for years.”
Nails: Angel Tips, Baldwin. “I get my nails done and occasionally a quick brow clean-up.”
Spray Tan: Moon 2 Water Spray Tan & Lash Studio, West Babylon, and Sunkissed by Chris. “I love getting spray tans for pageants and vacations. I love my skin color but I like that they give you that glowy, airbrushed look.”
Facials: “The pageant recently started working with VSkinsations Esthetics from Victoria Warren in Smithtown. They have a bunch of really cool, affordable facial options.”
Makeup artist: “I do my own makeup. I took Zoom lessons with Victoria Duke Beauty; I watched YouTube tutorials. I love getting my makeup done, but I think you know what you need and like. If you're taking photos and you're not comfortable with how you look, it's going to come across in the photos.”
Links: Hello FAB Pores Be Gone Matte Primer, $30, Tarte Marajuca Miracle Mist Setting Spray, $23, MAC Cosmetics Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer in NC45, $24, NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Caracas, $49, Amplify by Jordan Michelle Mascara, $24, Pacifica Cherry Gold Highlighter & Blush in Rose Gold, Cherry Spirit, $18, GC Glam Cosmetics Lip Gloss in Dayna, $21.
To see Jerome’s journey, and for more information on her platform, follow her on Instagram @geenajoojoo and also on @longislandpageants.
