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This week we feature Young Professional Josefina Nunez
This week’s Young Professional is no stranger to the spotlight as she is a former Miss BVI and had the privilege of representing the Territory at the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas in 2010, but nevertheless is one of the most humble and positive persons, who continues to dream big - Box Office - as she is currently pursuing an acting career in Hollywood.
Meet once again, Josefina Nunez, fondly known as Katty, the once shy girl that suddenly grew up to be a queen (Miss BVI 2009/10) and captured the hearts of many with her captivating smile.
Now off the catwalk, Miss Nunez is dreaming again - to be an actress, even while having her heart also on helping to manage the family businesses - Mckelly’s Beauty Salon and McKelly’s Beauty Supplies, which she wishes to continue if her acting career isn’t realized. She is positive about making the cut in Hollywood but Josefina believes in always having a back-up plan.
“Right now I am helping my mom manage the family business and am doing that when am here because I am basically going to school. I go to Los Angeles City College where I am majoring in Acting. So while I am here I usually help her with the clients and whatever she needs help with. I also take courses at the college including Business Management, Communication, Accounting and Public Relations as well.”
Josefina said the businesses mean a lot to her and family and she would like to see them carried on despite the challenges now. “Ever since I was a little girl this is what I have known. My late father Manuel Nunez managed the accounting side and my mom handled the cosmetology so that is what I would like to do. The business has been in the family for over 15 years and was started by my father, who died in 2007.”
The former queen said she focuses on customer service and even acts as a translator at the salon. “And if my mom has any meetings concerning the business I go along to represent her. “After my father died it was very difficult for her to manage the business alone, however, I try to do my best while I am here.”
The aspiring actress said the experience at the salon has been good but there are also challenges. “Because business is not like how it used to be. When we first started there were about five or six salons but now there are salons on almost every corner and people have more options. But besides that, people still come to Mckelly’s and they really like the attention that we offer. There is a perception among some that there is a language barrier at Mckelly’s but this is not so since most of the employees can speak English well. We also have interpreters. It is the care that we give to people that makes them feel welcomed.”
Josefina’s personality alone makes her a “people puller” and also some persons are just thrilled to meet a former beauty queen. Persons, she said, still come into the salon to request particular hairstyles that she wore at her pageants.
She admitted to VINO that she was never really a “pageant girl”. “All of this came after my father died because I really wanted to make a positive impact on my family following the horrible death of my father. He committed suicide and it was very hard to overcome the tragedy. I saw the pageant as a way to communicate to my family and country that suicide was not the only way out of depression.”
She said pageantry boosted her self-esteem considerably, which benefits her tremendously at the workplace and also at Acting School. And not surprisingly, it was from the pageant experience that Josefina fell in love with the lights and the camera. She was even featured in a music video with Iyaz. “I do want to see myself on the big screen someday.”
Josefina also has aspirations of establishing an acting and modelling school in the Virgin Islands to especially prepare young ladies for international pageants.
Josefina said her mother is her chief motivator, who encourages her daily to pursue her dreams and be disciplined with her studies. Ayana Braitwaite-Hull and Tamara Archibald-Gill are other persons that Josefina said have a positive influence on her.
In leaving a few words of advice to youths, Josefina let us in on one of her favourite quotes “Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible”. And that goes with everything you do. I believe that with faith in God anything can be achieved. A positive attitude too is an important ingredient for success.”_(1)1.png)
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