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.

Miss Ysabelle Tumaneng is Miss Vancouver World 2020, and she has written this letter explaining her story, her understanding of pageantry, and in how she was able to connect back to her Filipina roots.