Little Miss and Young Miss Dorchesters excited to be in Dorchester Day Parade
DORCHESTER - There's no place quite like Dorchester. Don't believe me? Just ask the three girls who have the pleasure of representing the community they love.
"First, I have to say congratulations!" WBZ TV's Courtney Cole exclaimed.
"Thank you!" Roisin Dillon said.
Roisin, 8, is Little Miss Dorchester 2023.
"Tell me how you're feeling?" Cole asked.
"I'm feeling very excited!" Dillon said.
"I'm definitely excited...I'm almost kind of nervous," said 12-year-old Savannah Washington.
"What do you think is your favorite part?" Cole asked.
"I would probably say meeting everyone here, and doing all of the essays," said 10-year-old Ryleigh Mahoney.
Savannah and Ryleigh were crowned in 2022 and both will serve as Young Miss Dorchester 2023.
"Don't be scared to try! Even if you lose, it's all about having fun! It's not about winning or losing," Washington told Cole.
You've seen the tiaras and the sashes, but this is no beauty contest. Although the young ladies are beautiful inside and out, what makes this event so special is that it's celebrating the beauty of the community of Dorchester.
This contest – a cornerstone of Dorchester pride—encourages young ladies to hone those public speaking skills and share a little bit about themselves. They also have the opportunity to share the essays they've written about what they like most about the largest neighborhood in Boston - and also one of the most diverse!
"I said the people...that people are very kind, they helped a lot during Covid," Savannah said.
For Dillon, it's Master Swaby's Taekwondo class.
"With him, I feel much more confident of myself, with him. He's really nice. He's very, very...when I said in my essay – he's the nicest person ever, it's true!" Roisin exclaimed.
Roisin's mother, Nicola, couldn't be prouder!
"I did it when I was a kid, her older sister did it, and she's like, 'Is it my year to do it?' So, we're like yeah, it's your year to do it!" Dillon said proudly.
"My sister's kids will do it, my kids will do it, and it's going to be so fun!" Roisin confidently told Cole.
"I love it! She's going to keep it in the family, mom!" Cole responded.
Annissa Essaibi George is the Chairwoman of the Little Miss and Young Miss Dorchester competition.
"I love Dorchester! I love everything about Dorchester!" George said with a smile.
She was radiating with excitement as she explained the important tradition to Cole.
"For me, I know the joy that Dorchester Day Parade continues to give me. I'm excited to celebrate everything that makes Dorchester special," George told WBZ.
George's younger sister is a former Little Miss Dorchester.
"And that was about the time I also started getting involved in activities. I had gone to an event with her, I think actually-- in this building [First Parish Church in Dorchester]--there was a meatloaf dinner, so my mother said she'll come with us," George shared.
George said one of the volunteers told her that she should get involved in the Dorchester Day Historical Society, celebrations committee and parade committee.
"I'm like OK, I'm 19 years old...I was. And I haven't looked back!" George said.
She said it's a good example of how important togetherness is. "How important it is to be in community with one another" said George.
For those who live in Dorchester and those who recognize the neighborhood as a special place.
"It's a homecoming, too, for lots of people," George said.
People the young ladies tell me they can't wait to see, at The Dorchester Day Parade.
"It just feels so fun to be in a parade, because you get to meet people, and sometimes in the parade, you might see your old friends there," Roisin told WBZ.
Little Miss and Young Miss Dorchester are a part of the activities leading up to The Dorchester Day Parade.
Be sure to come out and celebrate with us! WBZ is a proud media sponsor – and Cole has the pleasure of co-hosting the parade live, which you'll be able to stream live on Sunday, June 4th.