Los Angeles- Telena Cassell, 24, a graduate of the Ivy League school, Dartmouth College and a resident of Los Angeles, is representing Liberia in the 2008 Miss International Beauty Pageant. The Miss International Beauty Pageant is one the top pageants in the world. The ultimate goal of the Miss International Beauty Pageant is to promote world peace, goodwill, and understanding.

Telena is no stranger to the world of beauty pageants. In 2007 she competed in Miss Earth. This year she has been training rigorously to be a competitive candidate in Miss International. The stage has been set for her to make history. Telena has the beauty and grace to place as a finalist, and, in doing so, would be the first from her country to bring home a semifinalist placing in an international pageant. If she wins she brings home the country's first international crown and the continent of Africa's first Miss International crown. The pressure is on and Telena Cassell is ready for the competition!

Telena has a great team of people behind her. She is bringing a higher level of preparation to Miss International then we have seen from most contestants from her region. There will be many heads turning when Miss Liberia takes the center stage.

Sherry Couture designed her competition gowns. Telena's stunning national attire, also designed by Sherry Couture, includes a headpiece designed by Arturo Rios, a couture hat designer known for his creative and eye catching runway designs. Her after nine wardrobe is designed by Eva Savahl, whose glamorous hand painted pieces are favorites of Hollywood celebrities. Star treatment at the Makeup Mandy Eyelash Bar will ensure she is glamorous throughout the competition!

Stylist, David Bodger, helped in coordinating her wardrobe which will, with no doubt, compliment her natural beauty and polished appearance in the weeks to come. Leaving nothing to chance, Telena trained with celebrity trainer, Mike Truesdale, also known as "Mike T". Mike T has an A-list of celebrity clients that range from the Simmons Sisters of MTV show "Run's House" to Laz Alonso from "Stomp the Yard". She has taken some basic Japanese and Cantonese lessons to help her communicate with the locals. They say preparation makes everything else easy. Telena Cassell is well prepared and is certain to be well received. Amy Holbrook, the 1st Runner Up at Miss International 2004, knows that Telena has what it takes to win the pageant. Amy says. "Telena's beauty goes unmatched. She is very intelligent, well poised, and is a strong ambassador for African nations. It is very likely that Telena will be the 2nd black woman to win the crown in the pageant's 47th year history."

Miss Liberia is intelligent and beautiful, as well as passionate about helping others. She has volunteered in other countries and is also a goodwill ambassador for the Republic of the Gambia. She is applying to law school and hopes to become an international lawyer. She is proud to represent Liberia and says that events like Miss International are "one of the many ways we can come together as a global community and learn more of each other." On traveling to Japan and China she says, "she is excited and admires both countries for their sense of industry and rich culture." Telena has visited both Japan and China previously and is excited to return.


This year's edition of the Miss International beauty pageant will take the beautiful ambassadors of peace from Tokyo, Kyoto, Hong Kong, and Macau. The final competition takes place at Asia's largest Resort, the Venetian Macau, a fitting backdrop for this "Festival of Beauty".

Related Websites:
www.missinternational2008.com
www.miss-international.org
www.sherrycouture.net
www.evasavahl.com
www.arturorios.com
www.makeupbymandy.com
http://beautiesofafricainc.blogspot.com/
www.wrightnow.biz

Special thanks to Liberian United Women in Progress

Press Inquiries:
Wright Enterprises Strategic Communications/San Francisco
415 824.3990
jackiewright@wrightnow.biz
beautiesofafrica@gmail.com



Latest Update:

Miss Liberia is in Kyoto and has participated in a traditional tea ceremony in which the delegates were dressed in Kimonos. The tea ceremony was a press event and showcased the Miss International delegates in traditional Japanese attire. The mayor of Kyoto invited the ambassadors to the event. The next day the girls participated in the "Festival of Ages", in which they wore traditional attire from their countries. Liberia shined brightly in an intricate purple and green lace two-piece outfit. Telena Cassell, Miss Liberia was chosen along with a few other girls to speak at the Miss international forum.

They were chosen based on question and answers submitted by hand after arrival. The three topics were; tell us what makes your country special, give words of advice as to how Japan can increase its tourism potential, and lastly how does sightseeing operate as a medium for cultural exchange. Liberia was chosen to present a one-minute speech on the third question. She emphasized that; "sightseeing engages us by increasing what we know and leaving a lasting cultural imprint on our life experiences." She was eloquent and charming in a black satin skirt suit with a pink floral Eva Savahl corset top.

Telena is representing Liberia well and garnering attention from Japanese press. She along with four other girls while in Tokyo, were chosen for a special photo opportunity for Hong Kong Press. The other delegates chosen were: Miss Taiwan, Miss Hong Kong, and Miss Macua. The four young ladies were singled out for a press clip. Her interview for CharmPress pageant fan website will be released in a few days on http://www.geocities.jp/intlbeautypageant/. Will Africa bring home the Miss International crown this year? If so Liberia will be the country to watch out for during final competition in Macau!