Liberty Student And Native Bahamian Uses Her Accomplishments To Help Others

Success is not without sacrifice. For one pageant hopeful, sacrifice meant teeth covered in Vaseline, holding up an obligatory smile and aching ankles from 13 hours in heels made to look far better than they feel.   

As then 16-year-old Blandicah Cadet stood on stage alongside her competitors — all as anxious and hopeful as she was — she bunched up the blue tulle her mother had sewn to the bottom of her dress, preparing to step forward at the announcement of fourth runner-up.

However, the announcer called someone else’s name. This cycle repeated for third and second runner-up until only two girls remained. They were asked to walk to the front of the stage, where they held hands to find out who had prevailed.

Suddenly, the announcer said the name of the first runner-up and Cadet froze, realizing the name was not her own. She had won Miss Teen Bahamas Scholar 2018. 

“I was in shock. My face was blank. I was like ‘What the heck is going on here!’” Cadet said. “Everyone is making noise in the crowd. They’re going crazy, and I think ‘Did I just win a pageant?’”

Born in Nassau, Bahamas, and never having competed in a pageant before, Cadet heard about Miss Teen Bahamas Scholar by chance. 

A girl at her high school’s college fair wearing a crown informed her of the pageant, which caught Cadet’s attention as she browsed the table. The girl explained that a Christian college in Virginia — Liberty University — was offering scholarships to participants and a $90,000 scholarship to the overall winner to attend the school. 

Cadet all but begged her mother to allow her to participate and after much convincing, embarked on a 12-week journey that changed her life forever.

Contestants spent the weeks participating in workshops that focused on building communication, modeling and other skills for the four different events, including a talent competition and the highly anticipated “big question” round.

The judges told Cadet after her victory that her answer to the question of how and where she would share her platform with a global audience truly set her apart. Cadet’s platform of choice for the competition was the issue of body shaming. 

She described the pain experienced by children when they are told they do not fit the physical mold to participate in the sports or other activities they want to. Those thoughts can hurt people for years to come, she explained. 

Her answer demonstrated her heart behind all she did for the competition and continues to do with her nonprofit and book, released in October 2021.

“It was something I was passionate about because I thought about little girls who were like me, who weren’t able to do what they wanted to do because people told them they looked a certain type of way,” Cadet said. “It was me overcoming my own fears at the same time while also inspiring other people.”

Cadet’s passion for encouraging young women to understand their value pushed her to start a non-profit called Forever His Vessel. 

The organization exists as a six-month mentorship program for women ages 16-21. Through the program, Cadet uses biblical principles to combat mental illness, shame and rejection. 

The organization recently celebrated its first birthday in January, and Cadet said her goal for the organization as an intimate program of 15 girls remains the same. 

“Our number one mission is no matter what you have seen, experienced or walked through, God can still use you because you are always going to be his vessel,” Cadet said.

Forever His Vessel’s tagline reads “Bestowing crowns of beauty instead of ashes.” This mission statement saw practical application this summer as Cadet dreamt up and organized a conference in the Bahamas called Spirituality 101.

Cadet wanted the young women in her program to have practical steps of what it meant to be new to the Christian faith. She booked expert speakers, found a venue and wrote her own book to guide the program called “Vessel Restoration 101.”

Everything Cadet did started small and has grown exponentially due to her dedication and faith. She and her sister published the book themselves in their home, and it is now available on Amazon.

Cadet emphasized the importance of obedience to God and willingness to follow seemingly crazy dreams.

“Let God use you. There is no one mold of who God can use. Once you are a vessel allowing him to use you, he can use you,” Cadet said. “I don’t care how dirty or clean your past is. I don’t care if you grew up in a Christian home or not, as long as you say ‘yes’ to God, he’s going to use you.”

Now a sophomore at Liberty University, Cadet continues to advocate for inclusivity through her role as an event coordinator for the Caribbean Student Association (CSA). She researched clubs before arriving at Liberty and immediately knew her involvement in the club would be a taste of home. 

“It’s a home away from home. Here, I am far away from home, so it’s nice to have people who understand my struggle, what I’ve been through and just people who keep the Bahamian alive in me,” Cadet said.

Students who are interested in learning more about CSA or its upcoming events can find them @csa_lu on Instagram.

Vires  is a feature reporter. Follow her on Twitter