Earlier this week we had the chance to sit down with Shannon Smadella and talk with her about her numerous achievments during her reign as Miss Canada. Shannon gave us some great insights how she's trying to make a difference through projects like the Shannon Smadella Initiative www.shannonsmadellainitiative.com and her upcoming participation in the YMCA Canada's upcoming Yoga for Peace event on November 24th.

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in a small town in Northern Manitoba moving to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1999 to pursue my education in Science and Business.  In 2000, while attending University I started running my own business, which I continued to run for seven years.  The next step in my life lead me to working in Radio and TV in Saskatoon, Calgary, Toronto and Los Angeles.  I've always had a love for acting and in 2008 moved to Los Angeles to train at New York Film Academy in Acting for film and has since starred in two feature films.  In 2008 I won the title of Miss Saskatchewan and represented Saskatchewan in the National Pageant, which I also won.  Representing Canada throughout the year was one of my best experiences.  In that time I also wrote two books, worked on three different TV shows, and toured Canada speaking to young women in schools about inner beauty and confidence.  I was not the “typical” beauty queen, and to prove a point I even wore a dress made out of burlap (potato sack) on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards!  After that I was deemed “The Burlap Beauty Queen”.  I believes that the pageant system is a great place for young women to be role modes for their peers and women all around the world.  I've been nominated as a Woman of Distinction by the YWCA in Saskatoon, and is a Celebrity Ambassador for the American Red Cross Santa Monica Chapter

Why Miss Canada?

I believe that pageants (and having the title of Miss Canada) is a great way to reach out to others and help others.  I know that is my purpose and knew that with the title I would be able to help more people.  So I applied.

What obstacles did you face leading up to or during the pageant?

Pageants are graded in a few different areas; fitness, interview, evening gown, and photogenic.  I’ve always been quite athletic, but one of the biggest obstacles was getting in perfect (almost unrealistic) shape for the pageant.  I decided to train like an athlete going to a major competition and ended up training 5 hours a day around working 8-9 hours a day at my full time job.

What were your personal goals during your reign?

To use my title to help other people and to show people that the title of Miss Canada isn’t just that of “beauty” but that of intellect, heart and purpose.

What is your favorite moment/memory during your reign as Miss Canada?

Wearing the Burlap Dress on the red carpet at the Grammy awards, standing up for all women and making a statement for “inner beauty”.  My trip to Ecuador was also a highlight, I was able to visit 15 children that I had found child sponsors for.

Can you debunk one Beauty Queen myth or misconception?

Just one?  I can’t necessarily debunk any misconceptions because all “Beauty Queens” and titleholders are different.  If you were to re-phrase and ask me what’s different about me that what is typically perceived of Beauty Queens, I’d have to say that I’m not a typical “Beauty Queen” and I’m really not a “Beauty Queen” for that matter.  I played a ton of sports growing up, wasn’t really that pretty, didn’t match my clothes, and was more of a nerd.  What’s important to me is that I am always myself and that I don’t try to be someone I’m not.  Most people when they meet me expect me to be mean or “stuck up” because of the title.  To their surprise, I’m quite different than expected. 

How do you handle the pressure of being a role model to young women and if you could say one thing to a young woman about having a positive self esteem-what would it be?

I focus on being myself and treating others with respect.  I teach young women the same.  As women we should support each other not try to bring each other down.  My message to young women is that, “Be yourself, support others, and really beauty comes from within.”

What are your future goals?

Yikes.  How much time do I have? Short term: have my two books published, and my kids book turned into a kids series (about inner beauty and confidence for young women), and start working on my third; after my trip to Nicaragua in Feb, I’ll be hitting the road on a bike ride from Calgary to LA to raise funds for the red cross, and possibly have another movie in the works after that; I am running the Miss Saskatchewan and Miss Alberta pageants to find young women passionate about helping others and being role models for their peers; and a few other things too!  Long term, I hope to find the man of my dreams, have 3 kids, a dog, win an Oscar, and keep doing what I’m doing and more to help others!

What is your relationship with Zasuu?

Zasuu was a clothing sponsor for my international pageant and I’ve also modeled for their 2010 Spring/Summer catalogue.  That have been a great help in assisting me with achieving my goals, while supplying great clothing for me to do it in.

Please talk about current connections with Zasuu

Zasuu (Rick and Tanya) have been great at connecting me with various people throughout the city of Calgary and one of them has been the YMCA.  My desire is to help people, but it’s also Yoga.  I believe that through teaching people yoga I can not only help them with physical ailments, but also to show them a way to balance, connection and peace.  The Shannon Smadella initiative is a project that I work with Zassu on in association with the artist Hermusche from Brazil, in which a portion of the proceeds of his line of handbags are donated to the American Red Cross Santa Monica chapter.   It is very important to me that the majority of what I do in this world is for the benefit of others.

From the team here at Zasuu, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us Shannon!

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