The Miss BC Blog

This is a Love Revolution and all are invited to take part. Actions speak louder than words and faith without deeds is dead- so we are going outside of our comfort zone to love all people- everywhere.

This is a love that is counter cultural. This is a love that has the power to transform.

To this end, I must explain the course of actions that I chose to take last weekend. I have been under heat by some very loving and well meaning Christians who do not understand why I chose to walk in the Vancouver Pride Parade last weekend. It was not about compromising in my faith as a Believer of Christ, but it was following the mandate of Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

To witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the remotest part of the earth… is to GO outside of the “Christian circle” and to love those who have been shunned by the religious community. We cannot pick and chose who to show mercy and love to. We are to share the love and redemption of Christ to all creatures.

The fact is, we are all sinners- I know I am. Therefore I have no right to grade sin according what is most offensive to God- all sin is wrong. The Lord knows how good I am at sinning and how much I need His grace and forgiveness. I would not be a Christian today if loving Godly people had not chosen to reach out their hand and love me regardless of the sin that I was living in.

As Christians we are representing the body of Christ; we are to be His hands and feet- to go. We are to spread His love to our broken and lost world. I was broken and lost- I needed, and still need, God’s grace, love and forgiveness. Yet it breaks my heart to know that the reputation of modern day Christianity is that of a group of contemptuous, self righteous individuals who think that they are better than others in the name of Christ. This is not the reputation that we were called to. We were designed to be “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13-16) to shed the light of hope to those who are seeking a better way to live life.

Often following Christ means challenging the status quo- Jesus himself was counter cultural for His time. For goodness sake, they crucified the son of God because they believed him to be a blasphemer and a heretic! Sometimes walking in obedience to God means that you will be asked to do something unconventional or misunderstood by Christian culture.

The bottom line is that God loves everyone and does not discriminate according to sexual orientation. He came to show love and mercy to all people.

John 3:16-17“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.

One of the most wonderful things about the Miss BC pageant – I know all the contestants have heard it before (and likely will again; I’m nothing if not repetitive!) – is that even after it ends, it doesn’t.  It’s not just the titleholders who remain involved in the program and continue to work with charity and speak out against injustice – all of the Ladies of Miss BC (to quote our Pride-going contingent) contribute and keep in touch and are exactly the role models we wish for the young women (and men) of our province.

Christy

One year ago, I took it upon myself to ensure that I would treat my titles as Miss Philippines of British Columbia and 1^st Runner-Up for Miss Philippines of the World as jobs and not merely as an excuse to wear high heels, a crown and sash. I’ve carried with me the responsibility of being an active ambassador in the Filipino community and a role model for younger generations whose dreams are embedded with visions of breaking down barriers and diminishing stereotypes as Filipinos continuously prove their abilities and share their talents with Canada and the rest of the world.

 Up until the late 20^th century, the percentage of Filipino immigrants made up only a sliver of Canada’s population. Today, we are the largest Asian-Canadian group in the nation and since 2006, have been the largest Southeast Asian group in the country. Discovering more than ever that strength lives in the depth of numbers, Filipinos are determined to share their culture with Canada as we show our appreciation for the true north – strong and free – that we can proudly call our home.

 On August 14^th from 10am to 4pm at St. Patrick Ground, 2881 Main Street, Vancouver, B.C., there will be a grand showcase of the first ever Filipino Fiesta (“Unang Hirit”) that will fill the streets of Vancouver and will be open to the public for free. The fiesta parade will represent various regions from the Philippines and will be coloured with Filipino culture from food/trade exhibits and unique costumes to entertainment featuring local bands and aspiring artists.

 On behalf of all the various Filipino associations, business, professional and civic groups, and of course the rest of the Filipino community involved, I invite you to join us in this special event that will educate and display glimmers of our culture that has much to offer.

 Here is to our country, rich with global cultures, and to the celebration of all races coming together as one as we all continue to be the driving force behind the progression of Canada.

Yours truly,

Janelle Velo
Miss Philippines of British Columbia 2009-2010

WOW is all I can say.  What a wonderful experience it was to be in the Vancouver Pride Parade on August 1, 2010. To me, this parade is not only about bringing together the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, it is about supporting each other and accepting all our differences. This year there were over 150 floats all decorated with such fine details, it was captivating. Everyone who was there to support the parade was happy, smiling, dancing, and supportive of each other. I got the pleasure to walk around and see all the different floats prior to the parade and talked to some amazing people. The one thing I noticed everyone had in common was confidence and pride in who they are and what they believe in. This is what I want to share with the world.  We all should be proud and confident of whom we are. All our flaws and insecurities are what set us apart from the person next to us. Be proud of our differences because that is what makes us individuals and makes each and every one of us special and unique. We are all on this planet for the same reason, to do our best to live our lives. With this year being the Year of Change, it is time we change the perspective we may have on ourselves. We need to accept ourselves for who we are before we can accept others. The Pride Parade is just the beginning of a beautiful path for acceptance, what are you going to do to continue this journey?

Be proud of who you are, dare to be different.

<3 Dionne Ng

Miss Greater Vancouver

The women of Miss B.C 2010-2011 are here to change what has been repeated in the past. We are here to make a difference not only in our lives but in women and youth around the world. Miss B.C was an unreal experience and I would just like to say thank-you to those who have helped me; friends and family, and I would also like to say thank-you to Gloria, Darren, Gary, Christy and the other beauty queens who have paved the road that we know walk on. You have paved the road to success. You all have given us a tool to better ourselves, our surroundings and our communities, thank-you so much for all that you have done and all that you do. My life would not be the same without you. Silence must be diminished in the YEARS of change to come. Its our turn to be heard, its our turn to stand up and speak up for those who can not speak for themselves.

Miss BC 2010- The year of Change

Sandra Gin, Miss BC of 2009 lead the Year of Hope…This year as Miss British Columbia 2010 I want to carry that hope and move it into action- bringing about change in our world! As Dionne said, we have declared 2010-2011 to be the Year of Change! This movement is not about beauty queens in tiaras…. it is about a group of people working together and standing up for what is right.

We are not just going to talk about it anymore, we are going to take action! Millions of lives around the world depend on it and here in Canada we have the freedom to speak out- no longer will we remain silent! Join us in this campaign, a revolution that will change and transform our country, our world and our lives.

Join us,

Tara Teng, Miss BC 2010-2011

Courage is all it took…
Without courage I would not have been able to get through the obstacles that ran in front of me, without courage I would not have been able to compete in Miss B.C and without courage I would not be who I am today.
After Miss B.C and meeting the 45 other young women with the same drive and passion for change as I do, has been inspiring and it has changed me completely. I have to say thank-you to those 45 other women that I now call my sisters, we are the sisters movement and we will not stop until we see change! =D
I will be the keynote speaker at an Empowering girls and women conference in October with the YMCA.  At this conference we will be discussing sexuality, self-esteem, racism and diseases, all of the obstacles that young women face, and that I try to push to the surface. I am so honored to have the title of Miss. Vancouver Island. In August I will be volunteering at the Local soup kitchen,at the end of August I will be the Team Captain for the Kidney walk here in Victoria.  I am wanting to start raising money for AIDS research(I have ideas floating around in the air, any ideas let me know). In September I will be going to all the high schools across Victoria and talking to them about getting out there in there community and helping them find there voice, standing up for what they believe and making sure they know someone is here for them. Someone knows the hardships and the struggles that youth face in today’s society. I can’t wait to make a difference not just here in Victoria but across Vancouver Island. I am starting things here and I am also collecting toiletries, shoes(shoes are a major thing without them the children can’t go to school) clothes, condoms (etc) for the Dominican Republic when I in March. My mother and I have a contact down in the Dominican, and I will be sending these items throughout the year. If anyone has anything they never use or would like to get rid of contact me =), More from me later
Keep, strong, brilliant and beautiful
Your path is golden

The Year of Change

After being crowned Miss Greater Vancouver, nothing really changed, but I feel completely different. I now feel that I have the responsibility to be the best person I can be so I can inspire and be a role model to others around me. As I continue on with my daily activities such as school and work, I was thinking to myself, “What can I do with this title”? Last year, the Miss BC title holders called their mission “The Year of Hope” and raised money for their charities of choice. The first thing that came to my mind for this year was change. Why not call this year “The year of change”. Instead of hoping for something different, I want to stand up for what I believe in and start change today, not tomorrow, or the day after, but TODAY I will do something. I always hear people saying they are afraid of change, or scared of the unknown or anything that is different from the ordinary. I always found that strange because as humans we are constantly changing. Every aspect of our life includes change. We start as babies and we grow to become adults. We go from preschool to high school, from looking for our first jobs to hoping for the day of retirement to come sooner. Our bodies are constantly growing, cells are renewing but we still feel that change is bad. It is time that we all accept change. Not as good or bad but as a part of life.

There are eight Miss BC title holders and we all come from different places and have different missions with our titles. But this year being “The year of change”, we can all work together and support the different things we each want to change in this world.

I am extremely excited to be a part of this amazing campaign, to be a catalyst in this chain reaction of amazing things to come. Please join me in making this world a better place by making the changes you want for tomorrow starting today.

<3 Dionne Ng

Miss Greater Vancouver

Be the change you want to see in others & yourself -Ghandi

I wanted to take  a moment and introduce myself as the new Miss Fraser Valley of 2010.
My name is Vanessa. I am 23 years old and CBC (Canadian born Chinese). I currently work at English Bay Batter (yummy cookies!), and on my way to completing the Marketing Management Program at BCIT. I am also building my own business as a Mary Kay Consultant.
In addition, I can now add the title of Miss Fraser Valley in there, which is such an honour.

The Fraser Valley region covers communities such as:
Abbotsford, Agassiz, Chilliwack, Cloverdale, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Mission, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody, White Rock & my hometown Surrey!
I look forward to being involved and serving each community this year.

Miss BC & the regional title holders have many ideas and experiences we want to share with you, so please come to visit our blog often!

If you have any questions or inquiries about my upcoming year as Miss Fraser Valley, you can contact me at missfraservalley@missbc.ca

Cheers,
Vanessa To
Miss Fraser Valley 2010

Hello Everyone!!

I am inviting you to be a part of changing history. Currently there are 27 million people living in the world today as modern day slaves. More than at any other point in time in human history! This needs to stop- things need to change! I am asking you to join me in the fight for freedom. Stand with me as a voice speaking out against injustice.

There is much to be done. If you are committed to standing up for what is right, I invite you to join this movement. It will take commitment and long hours of dedicated work but change is possible!

Our first meeting to discuss plans and events for the next year will take place on JULY 30TH at 7pm. We are meeting at 21164 88th Ave in the community clubhouse.

This meeting is not exclusive to Miss BC titleholders, it is for all people who are committed to seeing justice triumph in our world and who are dedicated to making that happen!

Please RSVP with me so that I know how many people to expect. There is strength in numbers- invite everyone to join this revolution!

With conviction,
Tara Teng, Miss BC