The Miss World Canada competition is a national platform for most, but Angela Han has international aspirations.
The Prince George resident recently won the title of Miss Northern British Columbia World during preliminary qualifying in Vancouver. (Marissa Hill of Terrace held this region's crown in 2017.) Han is now off to Toronto for the grand finale in July.
The pressure of the finals won't be as intense as this past semester when Han was completing her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and political science at UNBC while also advancing through the Miss World Canada qualifiers. She was also simultaneously earning her way into Harvard Extension School to pursue a master's degree in museum studies beginning this fall.
Oh, and there is the small matter of being an intercultural business liaison. Her father is an investment banker based in Shanghai and her life-long residency in Canada created a sense in Han that she could help her two nations as part of the family business.
"He would like to bring many investors from China to northern B.C., and I am helping be a bridge between people my father knows there and people here in this area," said Han, 22. She spent her early childhood between Shanghai and Vancouver but moved full-time to Canada six years ago to focus on post-secondary education. She fell in love with UNBC when she saw it and now considers it the home of her heart.
"I can say Prince George is my favourite town on earth," she said. "Living in Vancouver and Shanghai has been nice, but I felt crowded in those places. When I came to Prince George, the spaces were amazing, the people were all friendly to me, the bus drivers say 'good morning' and strangers smile at you. People are having happy days and they encourage you to be happy. Prince George also had the opportunities and the personalities that suit what is important in my life."
The wilderness is an obvious trait of Prince George, and B.C. in general. She embraced the great outdoors by tackling one of Canada's best-known camping excursions, the Pacific Crest Trail that extends all the way to Mexico. Han hiked the 4,265 km trail in 2016 and used the adventure to raise awareness of environmental degradation.
Applying her personal skills to philanthropy is a constant mission in Han's life. She applied her philanthropy at UNBC to raising funds for clean water in remote villages and school supplies for children in need.
Harvard has a relationship with an organization in China that Han has taken to heart. The Stepping Stones agency helps disadvantaged kids in China and Han has taken special note of the disconnected children of criminals cut off from their parents. Stepping Stones works to provide those children with the basics of life and, when possible, support a relationship with the incarcerated parent.
"These children are like orphans, but not typically defined orphans," Han said. "They have a parent, but one that's unable to provide the supports of life, and these children have no other people looking after them, so it is to fill those needs for those children. The most important part of what's provided to them is education, so a difficult upbringing can be overcome, and in many cases their parents can also receive mentorship."
Han is an enthusiastic supporter of the causes affiliated with the Miss World Canada organization: the Cardiac Kids initiative of SickKids Foundation and the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. She has taken part in fundraising and awareness raising as part of her advancements towards the Miss World Canada finals.
"This experience is a way for me to develop my personal confidence and learn more skills for building community," she said. "I want northern B.C. to do more business, attract more investment, and be part of a positive future here in this place I love."
Han is three weeks away from the Toronto finals. She invited northern B.C. residents interested in being tourists in Toronto to come at that time. Perhaps catch a Blue Jays game, perhaps attend Canada's Wonderland or catch a major concert, and take in the Miss World Canada events running July 22-28.
She urged her supporters to consider voting for her in the online poll that can leapfrog Han past some of the qualifiers in the Miss World Canada finals. Go to the event's website to vote from July 25-28.
"I want to help my community, so if there are events going on that I could attend, to help draw attention and raise money for charities, I am happy for you to contact me," she said.
Han can be reached at [email protected].
