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Miss BC competition a 㽶Ƶֱcatalyst㽶Ƶֱ for confidence, advocacy

Past winner Tara Teng reflects on her accomplishments as this year㽶Ƶֱs event approaches

More than five years and two children later, Tara Teng still thanks the Miss BC program for instilling in her a lot of the confidence she has now as a mom, blogger and activist.

Teng, originally from Powell River, won Miss BC in 2010.

But she didn㽶Ƶֱt stop there, winning Miss Canada in 2011 and Miss World Canada in 2012.

Representing Canada among 118 competitors on the international stage, she used her new-found courage to shed light on human trafficking 㽶Ƶֱ a cause that㽶Ƶֱs close to her heart.

㽶ƵֱMiss BC gave me the platform to spread awareness on a global scale,㽶Ƶֱ Teng said, 㽶Ƶֱand opened doors to some of the highest offices of influences that might have otherwise been closed to me as a young woman.㽶Ƶֱ

Now a life and style blogger, Teng is the B.C. director for the Joy Smith Foundation and continues to deliver her message in 40,000-seat stadiums and on TEDx stages.

㽶ƵֱAnd it was Miss BC that was a catalyst for all that.㽶Ƶֱ

In addition to her work at the foundation and writing for the 㽶Ƶֱsocially conscious woman,㽶Ƶֱ Teng said she is still part of Miss BC, but now behind the scenes.

A post shared by Tara Teng 㽶Ƶֱ Miss Canada 2012 (@misstarateng) on

She runs leadership workshops for the participants and helped create a new Junior Miss BC category.

㽶ƵֱWe wanted there to be something equally empowering and inspiring for preteen girls,㽶Ƶֱ she said.

㽶ƵֱOur workshops include topics on real beauty, self-esteem, public speaking, leadership, as well as issues such as bullying and online safety.㽶Ƶֱ

Since her days on stage, Teng said she㽶Ƶֱs seen beauty pageants change their approach to what beauty looks like, and believes that Miss BC has led the way.

Some of her fellow competitors have gone on to becoming neurosurgeons, politicians and Olympians.

㽶ƵֱThese are women with a voice, who champion important causes and who are blazing trails and breaking glass ceilings in their communities, education and their workplaces.㽶Ƶֱ

This year㽶Ƶֱs Miss BC pageant, of which Black Press is a sponsor, is set for July 1 to 3 in Fort Langley.

You can vote for your Miss Teen BC pick in the . Votes can be casted online, once per hour, until the contest closes on Friday, June 23 at midnight.



About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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