08/25/2026
FACESOFHAITI COVERAGE | Meet Tatenda Rameau, Haiti has a new representative for the Miss Universe stage.
Tatenda Josephina Rameau was crowned Miss Universe Haiti 2026 on Sunday, August 23, in Miami, succeeding Melissa Queenie Sapini. She represented the arrondissement of Les Cayes.
Beyond pageantry, Rameau is an actress, writer, producer, former corporate speechwriter and graduate journalism student, with much of her work centered on storytelling and representation.
Born in Syracuse to a Haitian-American mother and Jamaican-American father, she grew up across the United States, France and Ghana, shaping her multicultural perspective.
Rameau graduated from Wellesley College, where she competed in track and field, and is now pursuing a master’s degree in journalism at Georgetown University. She previously worked as a speechwriter for Fortune 500 companies.
Her acting credits include All’s Well with My Soul and The Other Skye, continuing a creative career built around writing, performance and storytelling.
That same focus drives her platform, Found in Translation, which uses cultural exchange and the arts to help people feel seen, heard and connected.
Through the initiative, she has led anti-bullying acting workshops, storytelling activities with senior citizens and advocacy for greater access to the arts.
Rameau also entered Miss Universe Haiti with pageant experience. Earlier this year, she competed as Miss Embassy Row in Miss District of Columbia 2026, finishing third runner-up and among the Top 5.
She will now represent Haiti at the 75th Miss Universe competition, scheduled for November 24, 2026, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Tatenda Josephina Rameau enters her reign with a background combining pageantry, journalism, performance and community advocacy, and a clear commitment to using storytelling as a way to connect people •
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