BECOMING HER.

With Miss Port-de-Paix, Miss Universe Haiti 2026 Candidate

You’ve probably seen her many times on my page, but let me formally introduce you to Pharlandia Fleurimond, representative for Port-de-Paix at Miss Universe Haiti 2026. To those who know her, she’s “Fafa”: R&B enthusiast, foodie, global health advocate, and devoted friend. I met Fafa during our undergraduate years at Florida International University, where we spent countless hours studying and finding ways to advocate for global health.

Today, we’re talking with someone who did the thing, you know, the one you’re afraid to do. What happens when you stop wondering and see where it takes you?

Welcome to The Ambitious Women Series, a collection of stories about women becoming who they were meant to be. Here's Pharlandia’s experience. 

At Her Core

A first-generation American/ Haitian woman, Pharlandia knows firsthand what it means to find her way in a place where the possibilities can feel endless. The harder part, in my opinion, is knowing which opportunities to pursue and when to take them. For someone still figuring it out, seeing another person take the first step in pursuit of their dreams can be the reminder they need to take a chance as soon as the opportunity becomes available.

There is a quiet privilege in having someone close to you who wholeheartedly pursues their ambitions. It is something not often talked about, yet witnessing someone boldly pursue who they are meant to become can be life-changing. In Pharlandia's case, her influences are right at home: her parents. Their commitment to growth has shaped the way she views both ambition and purpose. She shares, “What inspires me most is that they never stopped challenging themselves to grow. My father is currently pursuing his PhD, and my mother has continued her education while also building her career.”

Sometimes, the wind hits certain plants in a way that carries their pollen, creating opportunities for thousands of other plants to grow and pollinate, a beautiful and indefinite phenomenon. “I grew up watching them constantly give back to our community, whether through community service, helping families in need, or creating opportunities for others.” For her, success is not simply about personal accomplishment. It is about using what you achieve to make an impact beyond yourself. Reflecting on the example her parents set, she says, “Watching them pursue education, serve others, and continue to dream at every stage of their lives taught me that success isn’t just about what you accomplish for yourself, it’s also about what you can give back.”

Today, Pharlandia works in healthcare as she continues to pursue her goal of becoming a physician. “I’m passionate about medicine, public health, and ultimately using my knowledge and skills to serve underserved communities around the world. “

Beyond her professional endeavors, she loves to sing, dance, and play tennis. “I’m always looking for new experiences. One day, I’d love to check skydiving and scuba diving off my bucket list! “ she says. 

As long as I’ve known her, she is always searching for something new to add to her repertoire of hobbies. I think that’s where our friendship really blossoms: in that shared curiosity about the world and everything still left to experience. One of her favorite pastimes includes traveling. She has currently traveled to 13 countries and hopes to continue learning about the world around her.

A natural facet of the public health realm is politics, and as someone who wants to make an impact in this area, Pharlandia also finds an interest in it. “I’m fascinated by how government decisions, economics, and public policy can directly affect people’s everyday lives, especially when it comes to healthcare. I don’t claim to know everything, and I’m certainly not a political expert, but I believe it’s important for people to understand the basics of how our government works and how policies can impact their communities,” she explains.

In an era where everything is at your fingertips, keeping up with politics has become more accessible than ever. Pharlandia adds, “I think being informed allows us to become more responsible citizens and make thoughtful decisions about the future of our communities.” I do have to agree with her. Everything that occurs now has a way of affecting us later, even if we don't see it at the moment. So, pick up your favorite drink and your most trusted political outlet. This fall, we’re making brushing up on politics trendy.

Why not you?

There are times when you want to pursue something so ballsy that it almost sounds unrealistic, so you give up and leave it as a dream that could have been. I’m personally not a fan of those stories. The lingering “what if” can feel almost more uncomfortable than the experience itself ever could have been. Who knows? Maybe you take that leap of faith and discover it was better than you could have ever imagined. There is something so empowering about watching women take that leap for themselves. For Pharlandia, that leap meant pursuing pageantry.

“I’ve always been fascinated by pageantry. Growing up, I would watch women walk across the stage with so much confidence, speak about the issues they cared about, and represent something bigger than themselves. But for a long time, I never imagined that I could be one of those women.”  She reflects. 

When you don’t do what you want in life, you run the risk of never truly self-actualizing. There is something deeply human about wanting more from your life and having the confidence to pursue it.

“As I grew older, my confidence and sense of self grew with me. When I saw the opportunity to compete for Miss Universe Haiti, I decided to stop wondering whether I was capable of doing it and actually give myself the opportunity to try.”

In the world of pageantry, Ms. Fleurimond chose to amplify her voice on an international stage. For her, pageantry became another way to amplify her voice, particularly around access to healthcare. In many parts of the world, having access to regular medical care is nearly impossible. “Where you are born or how much money you have should not determine whether you have access to a physician, basic medication, or the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilling life,” She explains.

Pursuing something like this gives women an opportunity to experience the empowerment that comes with stepping into full glam, while representing their culture and using their voices to speak about the issues they feel passionate about. It’s about getting out there and standing for something.

Pharlandia: “Pursuing the Miss Universe crown is ultimately about more than winning a title. It’s about challenging myself, representing my country with purpose, and using the opportunity to make my voice and the voices of the people I hope to serve heard."

Women need other women, to represent us, to inspire us, and to call each other to action. Pharlandia’s inspiration in pageantry came from one extraordinary woman, Olivia Yacé, who represented Côte d’Ivoire at Miss Universe 2025.“What stood out to me was not only her beauty, but the way she carried herself. She had such a strong presence, elegance, and confidence, and she was very intentional about what she represented.” she explains. 

Maybe the most striking kind of confidence is the kind that quietly shapes the way a woman carries herself and what she chooses to stand for. There is something grounding about knowing what lies at your core. Watching Olivia gave Pharlandia a vision of that kind of woman, and perhaps, a glimpse of who she could become herself.

Pharlandia: “Watching her made me realize that you can walk into a room with grace while still standing firmly in who you are and what you believe in. That really resonated with me, because that is the kind of woman I want to become not just someone who wears a crown, but someone who knows what she stands for and represents her country with purpose.”

One Small Leap for Womankind

Personal development is a part of being human. The work we put into developing ourselves rarely stops with us. As Pharlanida continues to grow into herself, she hopes people will see her empathy beyond any title.

“I believe that many of the problems we face in the world come from our inability to understand perspectives that are different from our own. When we take the time to listen, understand, and have compassion for others, we create room for solutions instead of division. I hope people see someone who genuinely cares about others and wants to use her position not just to be seen, but to make a difference,” Says the young Miss Port-de-Paix.

For younger women, it takes time to come into yourself. Sometimes it takes until your mid-twenties to really develop a sense of self-assurance. I, however, believe that the future depends on women's willingness to go for what they want.

  I chose Pharlandia because she did something she had been thinking about for a long time. “There were moments when I was nervous and questioned whether I belonged here, but I learned that confidence doesn’t always come before the opportunity. Sometimes, confidence is built because you had the courage to take the first step.” She says about her experience competing in Miss Universe Haiti.

Everyone experiences this feeling when they do something that pushes them beyond what they know. It is a normal part of growth. Sometimes, you have to begin before you feel ready. That’s not to say your dreams don’t deserve the hard work to back them up, just that there needs to be a starting point.

“I’m still learning to become comfortable with uncertainty and to trust myself enough to take that leap, but I’m proud of myself because I showed up. Once I did, I realized I was more capable than I had given myself credit for,” notes Pharlandia.

Not only did she take a step towards becoming HER, but she also created the possibility of inspiring other women to begin.

Her message to other women and girls is just that.

Pharlandia: “That is something I’ve learned throughout this journey. There were moments when I didn’t have all the support I hoped for, and I questioned whether I should keep going. I realized that I had to be the first person to believe that I was capable. Sometimes we wait for permission, validation, or for someone else to tell us that we’re ready. But you don’t always need permission to pursue something that is meant for you. Believe in yourself, take the first step, and let your courage introduce you to the people who will eventually believe in you too.”

Women need representation, financial freedom, and the ability to self-actualize because we are all human beings first. Becoming isn’t about perfection or reaching some final version of yourself. It’s about recognizing that there is more within you and having the courage to find out what that is. So what about you? What’s something you’ve been putting off, and what would happen if you stopped asking whether you were ready and simply took the first step?

Maybe that is where becoming HER begins.