Samantha Lal

Height: 5’7
Hometown: Surrey, BC
Languages: English, Hindi (the Fijian dialect)
Occupation: CSA 2

Samantha Lal is from Surrey, British Columbia and is excited for the opportunity to be representing herself at the Miss Universe Canada 2024 pageant! This is Samantha’s first beauty pageant that she will be participating in but she is not new to competition. Growing up, Samantha was a competitive gymnast where she got to compete at the B.C. Artistic Gymnastics Championships in both 2012 and 2013. In her teen years, she was a competitive cheerleader and competed at the World Cheerleading Championships in 2016 and 2017!

What attracted her to this pageant is that she takes a strong interest in issues taking place around the world, especially those concerning children. She completed her Bachelors of Arts Degree from Simon Fraser University majoring in International Studies and minoring in Indigenous Studies. She hopes that her education paired with community service experience from this pageant will help her to better the lives of children on both a national and international scale. Samantha has developed an understanding that children thrive best in environments where they are shown compassion and she makes an effort to exercise this when she is working with the City of Surrey as a Before and After School Care Lead.

As a community driven individual, she has devoted her time to organizations like the Surrey Food Bank, Simon Fraser University Indigenous Studies Student Union and the Canadian Federation of Fiji Organizations. Lately, her central focus has been volunteering with the Ronald McDonald House Family Room where she ensures that the space is clean and welcoming for families who have sick children. When Samantha is not working or volunteering she likes to exercise! Presently, she is enrolled in a Fitness Theory course to learn more about the benefits of physical exercise on the human body. She has hopes of one day being a fitness leader so that she may empower others to know of the benefits of physical exercise in their daily life that go beyond aesthetics. Other ways Samantha enjoys unwinding is through watching movies, playing cards and reading.

What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most?

I have made a routine habit of waking up in the morning and reading a little bit. Currently I am reading Becoming by Michelle Obama. Reading has shaped my entire existence because it has provided me with the ability to appreciate the complexity of people. Reading has helped me to understand others better and has helped me to understand myself. With each book I read I feel like a more cultivated woman because reading is just one of many ways that I like to acquire knowledge.

After work, I like to go to the gym and unwind from my day. I have been engaging in a lot of strength training exercises and I am happy that I created a program that works well for me. Another way I unwind after work is writing in my journal and I like doing this because it helps me manage my emotions efficiently.

Other interests that I have include watching movies. Some of my favorite genres of movies include comedy, romance, drama and biopics. I like watching movies at home, but my favorite place to watch movies is at the Drive In Theater.

Spending time with family and friends is something that I also thoroughly enjoy. As this is my first pageant, I am hoping that after I am finished competing, I can add this to the list of things I enjoy doing as well!

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc.)

• Simon Fraser University- Bachelor of Arts Degree (Major: International Studies, Minor: Indigenous Studies)
• Food Safe Level 1
• Indo-Fijian Youth Wellness Ambassador Retreat Program Certification
• BCRPA- Aboriginal Cultural Relations Module
• safeTALK Certification
• BC Class 5 Driver’s License
• LA Matheson Secondary School- Diploma
• National Coaching Certification Program ‚Äì Level 1
• First Aid & CPR – Level 1
• Fundamental Movement Skills Certification
• High Five Certification

In what sports, if any, have you participated?

In my early elementary school years, I did recreational swimming and recreational Bollywood dancing. My experience through dance helped me to develop confidence while performing as well as my ability to follow music. These skills proved useful in my competitive gymnastics career as well as my competitive cheerleading career.

I began recreational gymnastics at the age of seven and began competing at the age of nine as an interclub gymnast and later transitioned to competitive gymnastics at the age of twelve and stopped at the age of fourteen. I loved gymnastics because it was fun being able to learn how to do cool skills such as back handsprings. Additionally, it kept me in shape through conditioning. My favorite events to compete on were beam and floor as they were both very artistic and had some elements of dance in them. My biggest gymnastics accomplishment was qualifying to compete at the British Columbia Artistic Gymnastics Championships in both 2012 and 2013.

When I turned fourteen, I wanted to change sports and so I joined competitive cheerleading. This sport was fun because I got to continue my love of tumbling and dance in addition to learning a new skill: stunting! This sport provided me with the opportunity to really understand teamwork as it is a team sport. It is also through cheerleading that I learned how to do my makeup and hair. It allowed for me to accept that femininity and athleticism can exist simultaneously. My favorite memory from my cheerleading career was qualifying for and competing at the World Cheerleading Championships in 2016 and 2017!

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life. Why?

Apart from my parents, my gymnastics and cheerleading coaches have had a lot of influence on my life, each of them taught me so much about work ethic, discipline and teamwork. One coach in particular who stands out in my memory was my first competitive gymnastics coach. She was always emphasizing to the team, the importance of professionality in both the gym as well as our competitions. The expectation she laid out for us was that when we would step foot into the gymnastics gym, our focus was to be on gymnastics. It made me understand at a young age the importance of concentrating on one thing at a time and it also allowed me to unwind from any stressors that were taking place in my life that were not gymnastics related.

What is your proudest personal accomplishment (other than participating in this pageant)?

As I believe wholeheartedly that education is a tool that can be utilized as a force for good to better the world around us, I can honestly say that my proudest personal accomplishment was obtaining my university degree. I had been dreaming of graduating university since I was ten years old and was very happy the day it happened.

What is the most interesting or unique thing that has ever happened to you and/or what is the most interesting thing about you?

The most interesting thing about me would easily have to be my personality. As I am outgoing, I am able to engage with strangers comfortably and this gift has allowed me to make swift connections with people. For me, I want to see more community building in this world and I have an intention of utilizing this gift to do so. In years to come, I am hoping to learn more languages so that I can help and connect with more individuals world wide.

Another trait that I possess is my practice of cultural relativism. It has allowed me to be open to people who are different from me which is so important, especially when intending to build strong communities. I am hoping that if I am given the opportunity to be a future Miss Universe, I can showcase to people what cultural relativism looks like in practice when I engage with people in all corners of the world and experience new things.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?

My career ambition is to one day work for the City of Surrey as a Director of Community and Recreation Services. I want to better the lives of children through my work in my community and provide them with opportunities to explore their interests and have a safe environment to thrive in through the programs that we offer. Eventually, I would like to spread my impact globally and work for an international organization such as UNICEF in which I can help children in the Global South have access to opportunities such as quality education. Currently, many children are denied access to education due to circumstances such as war or natural disasters. It is critical that children are provided with an opportunity to
obtain an education to secure a future in their economy, have agency over the decisions made for them and also to have confidence through skill building. Presently I am working with the City of Surrey as a Community Services Assistant 2 which will provide me with the experience I need to fulfill my career ambitions.

Further, I would like to eventually become a personal trainer or fitness leader and am presently taking a Fitness Theory
Course which are early steps towards achieving this goal. I am hoping to one day become an entrepreneur and own a gym. It is important to me to have a career in fitness because I want people to appreciate the benefits of health and fitness that go beyond aesthetics. I think people shy away from attending the gym sometimes because gym memberships can be very expensive.
My goal is to ensure that my gym is affordable for people as I feel that everyone has a right to attain their fitness goals.

What would be your “dream job” in life?

My dream job in life is to become a Miss Universe. I want to be a Miss Universe as it will provide me with a strong foundation for my global career aspirations which is to work for UNICEF one day and help children obtain a quality education. There are a lot of elements that prevent children from having an education around the world such as war, unattainable employment opportunities after graduation, natural disasters etc. Through becoming a Miss Universe, I will be provided with international experience by doing humanitarian work with UNICEF thus strengthening my profile to eventually work for them one day. I am hoping that with the humanitarian skills that I will have obtained from the Miss Universe experience, I will eventually have the knowledge that I need to be able to effectively operate my own global initiative concerning children’s education. I would love to open a school in the global south that would provide children with the education and skills needed to thrive in their communities and reach their full potential.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.

I was raised in an all-girls household in Surrey, BC! My mother and Nani (maternal grandmother) raised me with a lot of love and affection. They always supported my ambitions, and they cultivated my ability to believe in myself. This confidence proved useful throughout my life in regard to academics, athletics and now humanitarian work. My Nani provided her daughters with the mentality that women are to be educated and independent. When I was around my teen years, she began to explain those values to me as well. I am lucky to have seen these values in practice through my mother. My Nani’s advice always stuck with me, and so I made a point of obtaining both a university degree and drivers license, I earn a living and am learning how to maintain a home through cooking and cleaning. I am grateful to have been raised around these women who have given me so much.

As it was only the three of us, the household was mostly quiet and calm. On select days, I went from a family of three, to a family of six when I would visit my father. The dynamics of being with my father, step-mother, step-sister, step-brother and younger half brother was incredibly different from what I was used to at home. There were calm moments, but as there were so many bodies in the home, most of which were children all in very different age categories, there was more room for chaos which made my childhood all the more eventful.

Gymnastics and competitive cheerleading shaped my childhood a lot. Both of these were very fun sports and provided me with a chance to unwind after school. It also gave me a sense of accomplishment and built my confidence through competitions, especially when I would achieve an award. It was through sports that I also learned about discipline, time management, health and fitness. All of which are useful skills and knowledge that I still use today.
When I wasn’t at school, with family or doing sports, I liked to play outside with the children in the neighborhood. Typically, we would entertain ourselves with imaginative play or we would play on my trampoline or my Nintendo GameCube. I am very fortunate to have had a very fulfilled and safe childhood thanks to the adults who were in my life! As I work with children, I am hoping to give them moments in their childhood which they will also be grateful for when they grow up.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.

I worked at a waterpark for two summers in a row in Aldergrove and it was so much fun! An unusual task that I had there included pulling out floaties from the water and dictating when the next person could go down the water slide.

List any volunteering you have done.

I have volunteered with a number of organizations and am looking forward to adding to the list as the years go by!

• Canadian Federation of Fiji Organizations – Youth Committee
• Surrey Food Bank – Food Distribution Line
• Ronald McDonald House Family Room
• Ronald McDonald House –  I made 100 handmade holiday cards.
• Simon Fraser University Indigenous Studies Student Union Secretary

What is your most unusual talent?

My most unusual talent is that I am able to almost always correctly guess other people’s drawings in Pictionary. My family has played this game a lot and sometimes what they draw isn’t super accurate but I often win because I am able to guess well.

Where is the most interesting place you have been to?

The most interesting place I have been to would easily have to be Disneyland and Disney World! There is so much to do there, it is difficult to get bored. They have great rides; my favorite one would have to be ‚ÄúPeter Pan’s Flight.‚Äù It is slow, but there are a lot of things to look at on this ride which makes it fun! Watching the shows, eating the Disney character shaped treats and meeting the characters adds to the magic of the theme park. It is definitely a place that anybody can enjoy regardless of age. I’ll always be grateful for all the memories I made there.

What do you hope to be doing in ten years?

In ten years, I would like to be recognized as a former Miss Universe. I see myself continuing my passion for working with children and families. At this point in time, I would be a Recreation Coordinator, or be transitioning into a Recreation Manager position with the City of Surrey. My ambition of becoming a fitness leader or personal trainer would be achieved and I would be securing my finances through both my full-time job and also my sideline job.

Apart from my career, I would like to continue being someone who gives back to her community through initiatives and volunteering. Becoming a transformational leader on a global scale is something I am hoping to say I accomplished. I want to open a school in the Global South that would provide children with the best opportunities so that they may thrive in their communities. I want the children that attend this school to be diversified in their skills, they are to learn the fundamentals, but also be introduced to art and sports. Hopefully, I can make the world a little bit better for them so that they are able to reach their full potential and give back to the world as well one day.

In ten years, I wish to see myself more confident and continue to enjoy doing the things I love such as exercising and spending time with family and friends. I am hoping that in the next ten years, I can look back at my life and have gratitude for myself in how much I’ve managed to accomplish and continue to remain ambitious towards new goals.