From her Facebook page:
Ashley Callingbull is a 25 year old Cree First Nations woman from the Enoch Cree Nation in the province of Alberta. She graduated from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in the Television Program. She is very devoted to her culture and people, and takes pride in her Native Cree heritage, and has shown this through her volunteer work with community elders and aboriginal youth. By the time Ashley reached 10 years old; she had consecutively won all Enoch’s princess crowns. She is a professionally trained dancer in tap, ballet, jazz, pointe and performed in the Nutcracker. Read more here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashley-Callingbull/175682812486772?sk=info&tab=page_info
Watch the interview and hear her story. She is wonderful inspiration and role model. I hope her influences will help bring a lot attention to the murdered and missing women. She will be a powerful voice that really needed.
She has really overcame so many obstacles, as you will read further down the ignorance and racism she has faced and that many First Nations face.
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| Ashley Callingbull, Cree Model and Actress, Is Your New Mrs. Universe!
Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/08/31/ashley-callingbull-cree-model-and-actress-your-new-mrs-universe-161571 |
A 25-year-old from Alberta's Enoch Cree Nation has become the first First Nations woman and the first Canadian to win the Mrs. Universe pageant.
Ashley Callingbull, whose married name is Burnham, was crowned the winner in Belarus Saturday night. "I'm really overwhelmed right now," Callingbull said.
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ashley-callingbull-first-nations-woman-crowned-mrs-universe-1.3209179
She gained attention after becoming the only First Nations contestant in the 2010 Miss Canada pageant. She said that while she got a lot of support, she was also the target of racist comments.
"A newspaper (wrote), 'What is she going to do for her talent, write a welfare cheque with her toes?'" Callingbull said. "Just horrible, horrible things."
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| My MRS Universe 2015 winning gown was created by Las Vegas Designer Joey Galon, Atelier !! He's amazingly talented and has created pageant gowns for many pageant contestants. Check out his work! |
YAY!!! GO ASHLEY GO!!
Mrs. Universe calls on Aboriginal people to vote out Stephen Harper
http://aptn.ca/news/2015/08/31/mrs-universe-calls-on-aboriginal-people-to-vote-out-stephen-harper/
“It’s so crucial that we vote a new prime minister in, because we need a new prime minister,” said Burnham, from Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta. “I believe we need to fight for our rights and we need to vote.”
Burnham, 25, won Mrs. Universe 2015 on Saturday in Minsk, Belarus, becoming the first Canadian and First Nations woman to win the title for married women.
Winning has catapulted the actress and model into the national and international spotlight.
She is using her voice to raise awareness of issues affecting Canada’s Indigenous people.
‘I think my culture saved me’ after abuse: Alberta’s Ashley Burnham after winning Mrs. Universe
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/i-think-my-culture-saved-me-after-childhood-abuse-mrs-universe-winner-says
I just LOVE this dress!!
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| Talent Night at MRS Universe 2015 wearing Lyn Kay Designs. |
Beautiful Regalia- Customized Jingle Dress
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| Canadian Jingle dress & beadwork that showcased her culture. Made by her friend Dabney Warren |
http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/a-perfect-platform-canadian-mrs-universe-on-embracing-first-nations-culture-to-survive-abuse-1.2540503
In the traditional costume segment of the competition, for example, Burnham wore a jingle dress like the one she often wears at powwows, customized in shiny red, white, and silver colours, with maple leaves sewn onto it. And in the talent competition, Burnham wore a buckskin dress and performed a traditional dance.
"I basically tried to showcase my culture throughout the whole pageant, because in Europe, they don't really see that. They just see whatever is in the mainstream," Burnham said.
Here is the Crowning Moment!!
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