R Magazine, Ex-TeenArt_Issue 1_Authenticity Ap. 2014 | Page 91

What generaLLy
montrÉaL?

defines

miss africa

Miss Africa Montréal is a fiery young
woman with integrity, true to her
roots and core values and, most importantly, willing to defend and develop them.
Why do you think ary sidibÉ, miss
guinea, Won the titLe?
After completing the Miss Africa
Montréal journey, all of our finalists
are winners in their own way and of
course ambassadors for the continent. Each one of them, in their own
unique and specific way, makes us
proud. We had the difficult task of
choosing one to carry the torch, and
it was Ary Sidibé that won over the
jury, with her theatrical performance
during the UMFAZI Gala but also due
to her exemplary performance during
the whole 6 months.

in certain countries, such as france Where the
miss bLack festivaL is heLd, there is a Lot of
controversy surrounding these events. What

WouLd you say to those Who think these events
are nothing more than an eXampLe of the community cLosing in on itseLf, or of positive discrimination, or simpLy questionabLe in its ideaLs?

We would say that the appreciation of any
culture and/or continent is a noble task,
which we have taken to be our mission. The
election of a Miss Africa Montréal – which is,
in fact, rather particular and even unique – is
one of many ways for us to achieve our goal
without becoming ghettoized or closing in
on ourselves as a community, to use your
words.
When can We eXpect a mister africa montrÉaL?
That’s a question we hear often, since the
first edition of the event! For now, it’s not in
our plans for the near future. We are however
always open to suggestions, as long as they
don’t take away from our mission statement.
What proJects are in the Works?
We’re already preparing the 5th anniversary
of Miss Africa Montréal, which will take place
in 2014-2015. We have big surprises in store
for the occasion. We’re taking the opportunity to thank everyone from around the
world who follows what we do, but also the
media outlets such as yours that act as a ‘gobetween’ linking us and the rest of diaspora.

TEEN’ART Magazine - Roots