World Class Beauty Queens Magazine would like to welcome amazing Rida Aleem Khan Miss Diamond Australia 2021-2022.
Full name: Rida Aleem Khan Pronouns: She/Her
Title/Year:
Miss South Asia Australia Miss Community Winner 2020
Miss Diamond Australia 2021-2022
Miss Diamond Australia Ambassador (Lifetime)
Pageant System: Unsure what is being asked
Age: 28
Education Level: Bachelors of Social Work
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
Hobbies:
- Long drives
- Watching Netflix, Urduflix, Chickflix
- Drawing, watch Draw My Life here: https://youtu.be/XjdoWLEGMpM
Platform: Miss & Mr Diamond Australia and International
Years competed: Unsure what is being asked
Countries visited: Australia, Pakistan, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore
Likes:
- Meeting new people
- Chai with cardamom
- Meditating to Melbourne sunsets
Dislikes:
- Provocation in order to obtain a reaction
- Last minute changes
- Vegemite (sorry!)
Status: (Recently) Married
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: Please tell us about yourself.
Born in Pakistan, first language Japanese (Dad is a scientist and was saving birds in Japanese rainforest in 1990s) yet finished high school in a small rural town called Horsham in Australia with green meadows and waterfalls. A true-blue Aussie at heart with ancestral roots from Balochistan where a bunch of cameleers came to serve and built Australia in the 1860s and our Baloch tribe has been here since! Better known to my friends as a "hybrid" brown kid with X-men-like mutant special powers. If only I could build a school for third culture young people like me just like Professor Charles Xavier!
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: Please tell us about your education.
A very bumpy road considering all brown kids are destined to be doctors or engineers and I rebelled to become a social worker. Started my career at the age of 16 as a radio host of a show called "Colourful Australia" where I spoke about issues affecting people from multicultural backgrounds. Story-telling and writing is my strength.
I also completed Certificate III in Aged Care and Home & Community Care as we require young bicultural health care workers to look after elderly and those with special needs.
Currently in my final year of Bachelors of Social Work at Charles Sturt University. Studies were slightly delayed due to responsibilities of looking after family (mother and two younger brother and sister).
Do read my book "Living and Loving in Diversity''- an anthology of Multicultural LGBT+ people living in Australia.
For more information on my projects, visit; https://ridaaleemkhan.com/
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What does women Empowerment means to you?
A world where we scream more equalism and less feminism. A world where Muslim women like me are not forced to label ourselves with terms we are not comfortable using. A world where Indigenous and tribal women like us from Balochistan are heard, respected, recognised and rewarded. Today only 2% of girls in rural Balochistan obtain education whilst 90% remain unschooled.
Source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/296680/provincial-deprivation-%E2%80%9890-of-girls-in-rural-balochistan-remain-unschooled%E2%80%99
Women empowerment to me means to see Balochistan with 100% women and third gender people completing high school with employability skills. Further the longest serving mayor of Australia is Nancy Joy Baluch AM, an Iron Lady yet unknown to mainstream Australian society due to selective focus on history.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: Tell us about your pageant history.
In 2020 and 2021, Melbourne became the world's most lockdown city. And as I was falling into depression, I decided to participate in Miss South Asia Australia 2020 pageant online and became the first ever Miss Community. Following year, I participated in a charity pageant of Miss Diamond Australia raising awareness regarding complex trauma highlighting the work of Blue Knot Foundation.
Read more here: https://proasiatic.pk/journey-of-a-saraiki-speaking-baloch-girl-from-d-g-khan-to-miss-south-asia-australia-miss-community/
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What inspired you to do your first pageant?
In a world where Baloch people are portrayed as angry, violent and illiterate, I as a Baloch woman wanted to be seen as calm, kind and educated. Pageant was a way for me to give voice to every Baloch Girl.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: Why did you choose to compete for your current title?
I did not compete with anyone. I just participated to obtain recognition of our Baloch community. I am grateful that I won the title of Miss Diamond Australia 2021-2022.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: To those unfamiliar with your pageant system please tell us what is it about?
MDAI 2021 had several rounds including:
1: Talent Round (show your talent via a video)
2: Charity Round (Wear your charity outfit) + total fundraising for the chosen charity.
3: Fashion Round (Express your personality/ culture via your outfit and walk).
4: Evening Wear Round (wear an evening wear outfit)
5: Media / Publicity Round (had to showcase your media interviews/appearances)
6: Public Choice Round (where facebook likes determine who gets the most vote)
7: Personality/ Powerful Character Round (where fellow contestants voted based on how you treated them during the pageant).
8: I think there were more rounds and challenges but I would have to review the handbook!
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What makes your director different from others?
Morgan and Charlie are kind. And try to be fair.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: Tell us about your experience during the competition.
Overwhelming. Exciting. Neurotic yet full of friendships!
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: Tell us about your platform or what cause do you volunteer for.
I chose Blue Knot Foundation as my charity during MDAI 2021 as complex trauma among migrant and refugee communities requires more research and better translated resources to support the survivors. Moreover it is encouraged to use Indigenous, tribal and cultural methods of healing to help people overcome complex trauma. As a person who has dealt with difficult mental health, I believe combining culture, Western medicine and self-esteem boost through healthy activities can heal us all, can heal this world!
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What appearances have you done with your title?
Met various Victorian Parliamentarians.
Celebrated various cultural events.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What are some of your achievements?
- Recipient of Sir John Monash Youth Leadership Award 2018
- Miss South Asia Australia Miss Community Winner 2020
- Finalist in the 7 news Young Achiever Award 2022
- Ambassador of various organisations and causes.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: Tell us about the moment your name was called out as the winner.
I was speechless but proud.
Heart beating fast, and said
Baloch, you came around!
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What does it mean to you to be a Beauty Queen?
Being a beauty queen means to be bringing Baloch cultural attire back in fashion and setting trends!
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: How did pageants helped your self-esteem and body image?
- I felt accepted in a world where Muslims are not always accepted.
- I felt accepted as a Baloch in an Australia where our history is forgotten.
- I felt accepted as a Baloch in a Pakistan where we are misportrayed and misunderstood.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: You are an inspiration to all the girls out there. How does it feel?
- I am humbled.
- I am grateful
- Life is but a dream.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What is your on stage strategy to win the judges over?
- Pray.
- Hope and remember that I have done the best I can.
- Being a judge is a tough job!
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: How did you prepare for your competition?
- Read the handouts that were given by MDAI.
- Built a team to help me such as the photographer, media publishers, family and friends to help with charity.
- Had an active social media account from prior years.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What are your tips for learning better pageant walk?
- Practice in the shoes you will do the runway in.
- Smile.
- Even if you wobble a little. Just continue walking.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What are your tips for choosing right pageant dress?
- Comfort (wear what is comfortable in your skin).
- Culture (or any symbolism you want to display should be considered when choosing an outfit, but wear your culture only, do not wear other people's culture and fall into the cultural appropriation danger zone).
- Colour (choose a colour that brings you out instead of hiding you).
Bonus: Order your clothes in advance as I do with Muslim Evening Wear gowns!
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What are your tips for winning interview?
- Be honest. If you don't know something, say so. Don't pretend!
- Your accent is a unique part of your persona. Own it.
- Wear your culture, your brand, your colour.
World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What is one mistake that you've done during competing you wish you could redo and fix it? I require a lot of practice on the runway in thinner heals. I am a fan of wedges! World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What other mistakes are made by girls during the contest? We judge others by their actions but we judge ourselves by our intentions. I do not feel I am fit to comment about other girls. World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: Any modeling or acting experience? - As part of Miss South Asia Australia, I model for South Asian Bridal wear, International Women Day Campaigns etc. - As Miss Diamond Australia, I have done runways and photoshoots presenting Muslim Fashion or Modest Fashion. - Although I have done plenty of radio, tv hosting, reality tv shows and behind the camera production. Acting is yet to be experimented with. More available on my website under the tag "Media". World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What are your plans for 2022/23 as a Queen? - Continue working with PAGE (Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education) as an Ambassador. - Continue to support, coach and guide other girls through Miss Diamond Australia International as an ambassador. - Continue networking globally and let the world see that there is more than one Malala in Pakistan and together we roar, we laugh, we achieve big! World Class Beauty Queens Magazine: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? A legacy of proactive, positive change for all. A legacy of preservation of culture and spirituality. A legacy of a Baloch Girl. International Director: Morgan & Charlie Mancini Pageant website: https://www.missdiamondaustralia.com/ Name of the Photographer: Rukietu Chapin Other credits: To my mother, Kokab Khan (Mama Koko) for always encouraging me to participate and follow my passion. World Class Beauty Queens Magazine would like to say thank you for this wonderful interview.
Rida Aleem Khan Miss Diamond Australia 2021-2022, World Class Beauty Queens Magazine, Photo by Rukietu Chapin
Interview by Derek Tokarzewski
Owner/Editor in Chief
Mr WorldClass 2023
Mr United Nations 2018
Platform: Women Empowerment
Ambassador to International Foundation for Orphans iffocares.org
Miss WorldClass and WorldClass Ambassadors.
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