A beauty queen turned boxing reporter is just one of the speakers at a Salford Youth Zone event to celebrate an International Women’s Day.
The event on Saturday, March 7, will feature DJs and creative workshops celebrating women in the local community.
One of the guest speakers is Jasmin Gadsden, Miss Manchester International 2025/26, whose career uniquely crosses two very different worlds, pageantry and boxing journalism.
Jasmin will join a youth panel discussing career journeys before leading a workshop teaching interview skills, confidence and being on camera, which draws directly from her experience covering boxing events.
She said: “As a pageant community, we’re all about charitable causes, helping the community, and inspiring young women.”
While pageantry is associated with glamour and appearance, Jasmin’s work as a boxing journalist places her in traditionally male-dominated sporting environments, a contrast she hopes will challenge stereotypes.
“When I go to a boxing press conference, you might see two or three women in a whole room full of men,” she explained.
“It’s still something we need to tackle”.
She believes combining both roles allows her to reshape perceptions of what women can achieve.
Jasmin emphasised that modern pageants focus on community impact rather than image.
“Pageants today aren’t about beauty standards; they’re about charitable causes and what you can do for the community,” she said.
Her workshop will successfully reflect this balance, introducing young attendees to media skills while encouraging confidence and self-expression.
As part of her advocacy work, Jasmin is also developing a campaign to sponsor a young girl from Salford to enter the pageant system, helping remove financial barriers to participation.
Reflecting on the challenges women still face today, she added: “There’s still so much doubt placed on women, and it’s about breaking those stereotypes.”
Organisers at Salford Youth Zone hope the event will leave attendees feeling inspired, while celebrating women who are redefining expectations.
The day will run into two sessions, with junior members attending from 11am to 2.45pm and senior members from 5pm to 8.45pm.
