Finalist Miss Canada 2021

Hello,

My name is Jade Sofia, I am 19 years old and I belong to a category of people which represents approximately 1% of the world population; I am Asperger’s. Since this is a personality contest I figured I was going to be completely transparent with you. Because I see it as part of my personality and not as a weakness. Like most women in my case, I was diagnosed quite late, which made my personal development quite unstable at times in my life. One appeal of my personality that comes with my ASD is this launching into projects that can become self-destructive.
This is why my family and friends are so important to me … since they have been by my side through the best and worst times of my life.
One of my greatest personal accomplishments would be a fairly mundane thing for some but extremely symbolic for me; to have graduated from high school. Even though I am far from having finished my academic career. I am currently in pure science at Cégep St-Laurent. My goal with this program is to get into a profession that helps others. So despite the difficulty of the task I found on my way different way to adapt to the change and blend in with the crowd. For example, “blending in with the crowd” is no longer my goal. My goal today is to give a voice to those who have been withdrawn.

I grew up in Montreal … where even though we are lucky enough to live there thanks to the peace we find there, some would not say the same thing. They just have to open your eyes a little wider to find them. What is obvious first, especially if you frequent the city center a lot, is the treatment that homeless people receive. I am particularly sensitive to this subject since many of them have a reason that is related to mental illness. A situation that I could have stinky myself in if it wasn’t for my family and friends.

A project last winter that was designed to help Montrealers being homeless gave me a better perspective. This project called “For the hood” gives us the chance to distribute 400 meals and essential food to people in need. The people who impressed me the most were the first nations people. So I started to wonder how they found you there and why is she right? Is it really for reasons as simple as the rumors said … I got my answers after the first five minutes of conversation I had with the manager of the PAQ center (Quebec Native Project) in Montreal. Now everything is clear, the topic that I have chosen to share with you in this competition relates to the history of Aboriginal people in Canada and the injustices they have suffered. I now volunteer with the PAQ once a week and plan several more meetings with victims of residential schools. To better understand the why and how. ”

“By voting for me you are helping demystify mental illness and show that it is not just a disability. ”

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