MRS. S.A. 2022, JO JUDNICK-WILSON, SHOWS US IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO FOLLOW ONE'S DREAMS

We open up to new worlds with Mrs South Africa Jo Judnick-Wilson who’s on a mission to slay her goals and be fully present for those she loves.

The year end has been especially festive for the dynamic finalists in the Mrs South Africa programme which just crowned Jo Judnick-Wilson as the winner. Their six month journey of self-development to become voices of change within their communities has been worth every minute for the class of 2022. 

“I was terrified of entering and hesitated until the very last minute, when I realised that it was essential for me to enter because I was letting fear guide me instead of being courageous,” reveals Jo Judnick-Wilson,  Mrs SA 2022.

The pageant is so much more than the glitz, glam and modelling swimwear. It’s an empowerment platform and sisterhood uniting brave and determined women. 

“There has been so much controversy about why pageants are important in today’s day and age, especially with women being so empowered. But if you look at the past Mrs South Africa’s and everything that they stand for – they are role models in our community. They are women that are married and have families, and still actively contribute to society and being positive role models for our young girls,” comments Kim Jayde, TV Host & Founder of KJ Productions.

The qualities which have seen previous queens crowned are those that endure and they were plentiful in this year’s field. Self starters, charismatic communicators, business innovators and caring personalities who stand up for their values. 

Jo Judnick-Wilson, fondly known as “JoziMom”, stood tall among these dynamic women. She’s a married mother of two boys, entrepreneur and content creator with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Science.

She lives in Joburg with her husband of 16 years, David Wilson and their two boys, Jesses and Chad. It’s here we had the opportunity to find out more about her journey to the crown and priorities for the festive season. 

“It’s never too late to follow your dream. I’m 40 years old and here I am,” encourages Jo, before adding. 

“My Mrs South Africa journey wasn’t so much a pageant dream as an opportunity to re-fuel and recalibrate my life and my purpose. As a mother, you get side tracked. We dedicate our lives to our children… I have a special needs son, so I spent years pouring into him. We got to a point where I realised that he is a very capable, very confident young man, and so I could give myself permission to go after some of my dreams and ambitions again. I have women empowerment goals that I want to achieve and this is my time to do that.”

The past two years have been challenging for everyone, and Jo and her family didn’t escape the impact. Jo turned it into a life lesson.  

“2020 really gave me an opportunity as a mother and a wife to assess what was really important. What’s important to me is that my husband and my children see me as happy. It’s more about a mother that’s confident in her space and able to give to my children. As mothers, there’s something called mom guilt. I’m trying to break that cycle and encourage others to do the same. It’s less about being perfect and more about being present for your family,” she shares. 

Being more fully present for those you love, what better wish could there be. May this wish come true for every single South African family.

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