Why Bessie?

"When people ask me why I chose Bessie for the Carnaval, I tell them when you meet her, you will know. Bessie is full of life, full of fun! She has the spirit of Carnaval!" - Renato Freitas, Carnaval Organizer, seen above during Bessie's recent visit to Sao Paulo

Bessie's height has always served her well. Here she poses with Thiago Andrade who is 6'5" and is the tallest of the 15 Amazon tribe escorts for Bessie, in her role as "Rainha Amazonia" at the 2008 Sao Paulo Carnaval.

"I have worked with many top international models and if I were to rank her from 1 to 10, Bessie is an 11! - Marlon Corvera, Fashion Photographer

Bessie with two of the Flag Bearers from Escola Nene de Vila Matilde

"One thing you can say about Bessie is that she excels in everything she does.... my favorite success story will always be that of Bessie's." - Butch Francisco, The Philippine Star newspaper