“In the Desi community and culture, dark-skinned women are often left in the shadows, and yes, representation is growing but at a very slow rate. Instead of relying on other creatives to include and allow dark-skinned women to take up space, we took the initiative to create some magic.”

Colourism is alive and well in the Filipino beauty pageant culture as witnessed in the recent Miss Universe 2020 controversies. Journalist Nicole Marie Valdez discusses personal experiences, the colonial history of the Philippines, and the need for human compassion in times like these.