An Abbotsford woman will represent the Lower Mainland at the Miss Canada pageant in Laval, Quebec on March 7.
Aman Merdha was named Miss Lower Mainland last year at the 2019 Miss BC competition in Fort Langley, where she created a partnership with the Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF) to raise awareness of skin disorders and skin cancer.
She is continuing to spread that message through her participation in Miss Canada.
Merdha lives with vitiligo, a skin disease that causes the loss of skin colour in patches.
“Growing up with vitiligo, I saw very little representation of what all types of beauty looked like. I always felt like there was a mould I had to fit into,” Merdha says.
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“I want to break away from this mould, and be able to make all women feel empowered and confident in their own skin. I aspire to represent those who suffer from these conditions, and are unable to grasp just how wonderful it is to be different.”
Merdha has also volunteered with other organizations such as the Abbotsford Food Bank and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
She also speaks at schools about confidence and internal strength.
Merdha is studying for her bachelor of arts degree in kinesiology and hopes to pursue a career in the field of science, specifically dermatology.
After participating in the Miss Canada pageant, Merdha will be a presenter at SYSF’s Giving Hope Gala on April 30 in Vancouver and will be supporting the organization’s sunscreen-dispenser program.
Meanwhile, the public can vote for her on the Miss Canada website at misscanada.org/aman-m/