A Woodland woman and chaplain will soon embark on a journey to explore her Irish roots two years following her crowning as Ms. Senior Washington USA.
Mayor Todd Dinehart crowned Caliatra Wright Ms. Senior Ambassador to Ireland for the Ms. Senior Universe Pageant last week. Wright was crowned Ms. Senior Washington USA in September 2022 for her life accomplishments, and she continues to hold the crown.
Wright was one of the few Ms. Senior USA contenders to be chosen by the United Nations as ambassadors for foreign nations. She was requested to fly to the UN headquarters in New York for her coronation but wanted to be crowned in Woodland, where she has lived since 2014.
Wright said being Ms. Senior Ambassador to Ireland allows her to fly to the country she’s always wanted to visit. Her grandmother Genevira McGinty moved to the United States from Ireland. Wright said as ambassador, she hopes to establish a strong female chaplaincy in the country.
Wright served as a law enforcement chaplain for approximately five years, beginning in 2015. She became involved in chaplaincy after her son unexpectedly passed away at the hospital.
“I joined the Cowlitz County Chaplains because I felt that somebody needed to be when they went through that crisis, and they didn’t have a female, and men can’t grab and hold,” Wright said.
As a chaplain, she responded to calls and provided emotional and spiritual support to both male and female first responders and victims. Her first call was responding to a murder, which she said was difficult given her recent loss.
“I was hoping that wouldn’t be the first after losing a son, but crisis is my passion,” Wright said. “I’ve been through a lot, and I want to be there for other people when they’re going through it.”
Wright experienced several difficulties throughout her life. She survived a cancer diagnosis and has been widowed twice, having lost one husband to ALS, a fatal motor neuron disease, and one to pancreatic cancer. Wright said her struggles made her stronger and aided her in supporting her community through chaplaincy. She has been married to her husband, Rolland Wright, for over a year, and currently chaplains at hospice and nursing homes.
“I don’t think I’m any more special than anybody else. I just believe it’s what I’m called to do,” Wright said.
Wright will plan her trip to Ireland after meeting its consulate in Seattle next month. On June 15, she will attend the Planters Day Parade in Woodland on a float prepared by local farms.
The Ms. Senior Universe Pageant celebrates the lives and accomplishments of women over 60. The next USA pageant will take place in Las Vegas in October.
