True Beauty Unveiled: Miss Canada International and Miss America Are Changing The Face Of Beauty in North America.

By Carly Bolson

Is it a coincidence that both Miss America 2001 and Miss Canada International 2001 are of Asian descent? Perhaps not. Perhaps it is a sign of the times, for what was once an Anglo-Saxon dominated arena in North America is now, or at least this year, dominated by women of color. Increasingly, we are seeing an expansion in beauty criteria and standards where beauty is no longer biased towards Anglo-Saxons. In the media there has been a flourishing of cultural minority representation. Businesses, organizations, and schools are all making an effort to present a more racially diverse composition. It is refreshing to see that this diversity is now influencing the face of beauty.

Miss Canada, Christine Cho, exclaims that upon winning the Miss Canada International title, she initially did not pay any attention to the fact that she was the first Asian woman to ever hold this position. Only when others started to draw attention to it did Cho begin to feel proud about that particular accomplishment. Cho feels that by winning this pageant, she is helping to change the face of beauty in the twenty-first century as well as opening the doors for ethnically diverse Miss Canada International contestants in the future.

Cho's platform is to educate and encourage young women; promoting confidence and self-esteem. She emphasized the importance for young minority women to exhibit even more self-confidence and endurance and to never let their heritage or culture be a hindrance or blockade when pursuing your dreams.

Cho experienced these barriers herself. Her parents are first generation Korean immigrants to Canada and thus deal with the struggle of trying to fit in to a culture that is alien and unfamiliar. Cho expresses the fact that many families facing the task of assimilation are afraid to put themselves out there and at risk. For Cho, winning the Miss Canada International title helped to conquer that fear, and she says that now many strangers come up to her and congratulate her on her triumph, "not only for Asians," Cho emphasizes, but "for ethnic minorities everywhere."

Through the Miss Canada International program, Cho has had the experience of a lifetime, traveling across the country, meeting many people, and being able to speak to young women and promote her cause. When Cho steps down from the Miss Canada position, she plans to finish up her Bachelors degree in English at the University of Toronto, and looks forward to pursuing a career in broadcast journalism.

Miss America 2001, Angela Perez Baraquio also did not understand why people made such a "big deal" about her win because she did not see her culture as a barrier. Baraquio felt that she did not win because of her race but because of her merit. For Baraquio, the accomplishment of attaining the Miss America 2001 title was not rooted in the fact that she was Asian, rather because she demonstrated the best qualifications.

Immediately proceeding her win, Baraquio participated in a question and answer conference where she was asked if she thought she would be the subject of racism while she traveled representing America. Baraquio replied "No, people should not judge you based on your ethnicity." Growing up in Hawaii, she expressed the uniqueness of living on the islands, "Everyone is colorblind" she states, where it doesn't matter what is on the outside but what is on the inside. She stressed the importance of ancestry and having pride in that, but it is not limited to it either. "Be proud of who you are, but do not exclude others" Baraquio advises. Baraquio believes judgement based on skin color is absolutely wrong and she is proud of her accomplishment and feels very welcome wherever she travels.

Graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education, Baraquio's platform is to "encourage educators, parents, and students to make character education an integral element of their school's culture and curriculum." And she believes that character education and multicultural education in schools go hand in hand because they espouse the same universal values, acceptance, tolerance, and respect.

Baraquio, a second generation Filipina, is the eighth of ten children, all of whom her parents managed to college educate. Baraquio's voice softened when speaking about her family, whom she is obviously very proud of. She also enthusiastically shared plans for a trip with her and her family to the Philippines where it will be the first time meeting her aunts and uncles that live there.

Baraquio expressed frustration that some Filipinos have doubted her "authenticity" remarking that "she is not a real Filipina - she does not even speak the language." She feels sorry that some people have this close minded view, but does not let that impede her effectiveness in getting her cause across and reaching out to others. Through Miss America, Baraquio is given a forum to voice her opinions, and she knows she is making a difference. Future plans for her include obtaining an MA in Education, and a possible career as a principal or even Superintendent of Education for Hawaii's public schools.

It is truly encouraging that these two women are exemplary representatives of their titles as well as positive role models for minorities. Through their accomplishments, both women have realized their potential and are encouraged by the limitless possibilities set before them. As well, they are paving the way for future racial diversification in pageants and the way that we define beauty in North America.

Carly Bolson was born and raised in Hawaii, and is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools, a private school for Hawaiian students. She is currently a junior at Columbia University majoring in English. Her interests include running, reading, tutoring, cooking, and spending time with her family. She is a regular contributor to Urban Mozaik Magazine and being multi-ethnic herself (Hawaiian, Chinese, Dutch, English, and Irish), Carly enjoys celebrating the myriad of cultural experiences as well as sharing some of her own. Please direct comments or questions to carlybolson@yahoo.com.