Melody Ghaderi Miss Maple World 2020

Melody Ghaderi Miss Maple World/2020, World Class Beauty Queens Magazine, Photographer: Dave Hynes Makeup: Muavee Makeup Studio-Melanie Viger Hair: Diana Beauty Art Studio: Studio 202 Wardrobe: Amanda Lina's, BCBG Max Azria, Jimmy Choo, Stitch Master-Hori Sabet, Ted Baker

World Class Beauty Queens Magazine would like to welcome amazing Queen Melody Ghaderi Miss Maple World 2020.

Full name: Melody Ghaderi

Title/Year: Miss Maple World 2020

Pageant System: Miss World Canada

Age: 25

Zodiac sign: Scorpio

Hobbies: Singing, exercising, travelling, reading, exploring restaurants/cafes, trying new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone!

Platform: Integration for Immigrants and Refugees

Years competed: 2020

Countries visited: Iran; Turkey; Mexico; San Jose (Costa Rica); Nicaragua; United States; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Quebec

Likes: Music, performing, laughing, spas, helping others, self-care, self-growth books, spending time with loved ones, chocolate ice cream, podcasts, adventures, meeting new people

Dislikes: Cold weather, messy rooms, periods, cramps, discrimination,

Status: In a committed relationship

World Class Beauty Queens: Please tell us about yourself.

My name is Melody Ghaderi. I live in Maple, Ontario, Canada. I am a Kurdish Iranian Canadian, one of the largest ethnic groups without an official state. All my life, I have dedicated my volunteer and educational background to working with immigrants and refugees. Aside from my past volunteer and educational experiences, I have a passion for singing. Since the age of sixteen, I have been involved in local community events by performing and networking. In the past, I have participated in various causes, including the MS walk to fight multiple sclerosis and raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network. While I was in Cuba, I donated clothing and school supplies. I also spent time with the children at a foster care facility outside of Havana.

World Class Beauty Queens: What does women Empowerment means to you?

For me, women’s empowerment means not necessarily always lending a helping hand to one other but instead means showing someone the resources available to them so they learn to do things on their own and live independently.

World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your pageant history.

Miss World Canada 2020 will be my first pageant experience. I am very excited to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself! My goal is to have fun, be myself, and find a balance.

World Class Beauty Queens: What inspired you to do your first pageant?

In 2020, I had planned to dedicate my entire year travelling until Covid occurred. I was thinking of other creative ways to keep myself busy and make the best out of the circumstances. I found Miss World Canada and became very interested in trying something new.

World Class Beauty Queens: Why did you choose to compete for your current title?

Before entering the pageant, I was enticed by the emphasis on inner beauty. I love the overall message of Michele Weswaldi, the director of Miss World Canada. I wanted it to be an experience that would allow me to share my passion. As a singer-songwriter with a strong background in immigration, I wanted to be a voice for my community.

World Class Beauty Queens: To those unfamiliar with your pageant system please tell us what is it about?

I believe that Miss World Canada is a platform focused on encouraging women to be themselves and be confident in their skin. Per my understanding, the system emphasizes the importance of sisterhood, elegance, and good manners.

World Class Beauty Queens: What are you being judged on during the competition?

I believe that I am being judged on my individuality—the ability to accept and love myself without letting external situations affect my decisions, personality, morals, and behaviour.

World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your experience during the competition.

Our provincial competition included two days of practicing, learning, and meeting my sisters for the first time. I thought that the process would involve a lot of note-taking; rather, it mostly required physical movement. I have always been fascinated by runway walks. Developing an essential skill in the entertainment industry is such a blessing. Aside from that, I connected with many passion-driven women.

World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about your platform or what cause do you volunteer for.

My platform involves working with immigrants and refugees to help them integrate into Canadian society. I believe that this is a very important topic that deserves a lot more attention, especially with the pandemic’s impact. While volunteering at the Welcome Centre for Immigrants and Refugees and the YMCA Employment Centre, I noticed that migrants sometimes did not have access to the resources they needed to reach their goals. Every day, I would observe things that would make it challenging for migrants to access these resources, including a lack of transportation, language barriers, and limited operating hours, to name a few. I am currently volunteering at Youth Assisting Youth (YAY). I am also running my employment mentoring program via Zoom to accommodate those who do not have access to transportation. Besides that, I am volunteering at the Together Project to assist new immigrants with the services they need.

World Class Beauty Queens: What appearances have you done with your title?

To date, I have done photoshoots, collected donations for organizations, and attended BBQ back-to-school and charity events. I have recently connected with The Greater Toronto Kurdish House and I have many more projects coming up.

World Class Beauty Queens: What are some of your achievements?

When I was younger, I did not excel at school, and I got low marks. I had a special education teacher who helped me grasp school material. I was able to raise my marks by continually seeking help. I graduated from university with honours and received 95 percent in one of my immigration classes. It makes me very proud to see how I have grown to understand that success requires hard work and dedication. My biggest musical achievement was when I released some of my own original songs, including “Khobe Halam,” which I sang with another talented Persian artist and has reached over 2 million streams.

World Class Beauty Queens: What makes you stand out from all those other beautiful girls?

Miss World Canada is filled with inspiring, beautiful ladies. My goal has always been to embrace my identity and be truthful to others and myself in everything I do. Integration is a topic that I am passionate about and is hardly spoken about. The vast majority of Canada’s population are immigrants. I have observed how important the issue of integration is through my past interactions and encounters.

World Class Beauty Queens: Tell us about the moment your name was called out as the winner.

The moment my name was called out as the winner in provincials it felt like a scene straight from the movie Miss Congeniality. It felt quite unreal and magical, like I was a character in a movie scene and then the past and future suddenly became a blur as I walked to the front of the stage to be crowned.

World Class Beauty Queens: What does it mean to you to be a Beauty Queen?

For me, becoming a beauty queen means having a chance to represent my community. I feel honoured to be a voice for not only my Kurdish brothers and sisters but also Canada in general. Being a beauty queen is a privilege that I plan to use truthfully and wholeheartedly.

World Class Beauty Queens: How did competing in pageants helped your life?

It has helped me develop balance and harmony in my life. While I was in university, I was too focused on one area of my life, to do well in school. What I had not realized is that all aspects are equally important, and finding a balance is essential. This competition and past events have made me understand that fitness, a healthy diet, and making time for loved ones are as equally important as working hard. I feel like every day is a new chapter, and I feel so energized to start my day.

World Class Beauty Queens: How did pageants helped your selfesteem and body image?

Miss World Canada has helped me gain the skills I need for my stage presence and to feel comfortable in my own body. During our provincial training, we learned how to walk in our bikinis, pose, and interact with others with body language, facial expressions, and tone. Before the competition, whenever I performed, I was not aware of my stage presence and would not engage with the crowd. Now, I have been making eye contact with my audiences, using gestures to make my musical performances intimate. World Class Beauty Queens: You are an inspiration to all the girls out there. How does it feel?

It feels like a blessing to be able to represent my team of girls. It is an opportunity that I will never take for granted. I love interacting with my supporters and hearing their feedback. Their love and support mean a lot to me.

World Class Beauty Queens: What is your on stage strategy to win the judges over?

All I can do is be myself and laugh off any mistakes I make. Be original, smile, and most importantly, be human.

World Class Beauty Queens: How did you prepare for your competition?

I have been asking for feedback from others on what my greatest weaknesses have been throughout the competition. For instance, my poses and walks are my greatest weakness. I have been watching YouTube videos, taking lessons with my mentors, and practicing on my own to improve them.

World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for learning better pageant walk?

I do not feel as if I am in a position to give tips for better pageant walking at the moment. This is something I am continually striving to improve. I have flat feet, which makes it harder for me to balance myself at times. The practice has helped.

World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for choosing right pageant dress?

I do not have any specific tips for different colours, and shapes are all according to personal preference. However, I will know the right pageant dress the moment I see it. I can describe it as the “it factor”. The moment I see the dress, I know it is the right one, and I have to do everything to get my hands on it. The dress needs to reflect my personality to be the “one”.

World Class Beauty Queens: What are your tips for winning interview?

For the provincial competition during the interview, I was genuine, truthful, and respectful and talked to the judges like I would talk to any of my friends or family members. It helped a lot when I viewed them as my teammates rather than authority figures. I was able to connect my feelings and personal experiences to my responses.

World Class Beauty Queens: What is one mistake that you've done during competing you wish you could redo and fix it?

There are many mistakes that I have made that I choose not to dwell on. Instead, I can learn, take accountability, and apply what I have learned to improve in the next competition. It is absolutely impossible for me to make no mistakes unless I suddenly turn into a robot! My goal is to be mindful and present in the now rather than ruminate over past or future events.

World Class Beauty Queens: What other mistakes are made by girls during the contest?

I do not think that I am in a position to point out other girls’ mistakes. I make a lot of mistakes, myself. I think focusing on myself should be my main goal. What are the ways in which I can improve rather than focus on others?

World Class Beauty Queens: Any modeling or acting experience?

I do not have any professional modelling experiences. When I was in Istanbul, Turkey, I walked down a runaway to showcase real leather jackets. I have also been filmed in a couple of music videos for my original songs including "Gotta Go". Aside from modelling, I took acting lessons at ALZA Acting Studio and at Michael Gordin Shore's Shore's Get-CAST. World Class Beauty Queens: What are your plans for 2020 as a Queen?

My plan for 2020 is to collaborate with as many nonprofit settlement organizations as possible in expanding my employment mentoring program. Right now, 14.8 percent of immigrants and refugees are either unemployed or lack the training or education they need to succeed in their careers of interest. Minimizing the contemporary barriers they face by offering them an online mentoring program is my overall goal. This mentoring program is a bridge for immigrants and refugees to develop the skills they need while minimizing language barriers, transportation, and long waiting lists. Besides that, I am also preparing to release new songs, update my website, attend events, network, and perform in Maple, Ontario. I am also currently working as a team with a few Kurdish organizations including, The Greater Toronto Kurdish House and the Kurdish Canadian Community Association.

World Class Beauty Queens: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

I would love to be remembered as a sweetheart. I love going out of my way to see others happy. I love other people’s success and assisting them with the right resources to make life decisions on their own. I know that, although my aim is to be remembered as a sweetheart, everyone’s perception is different. All I can do is make the best of every situation and know that I did the best I could.

National Director: Michelle Weswaldi

Your Local Director: Michelle Weswaldi

Pageant website: www.melodyofficial.com