Ireland‘s national beauty pageant has been in operation since 1947 and this year, a Black woman took the podium for winning the title of Miss Ireland 2021.
This is history unfolding in front of our very eyes, as the beauty contest that has been around for over 70 years has elected its first-ever Black woman winner. Pamela Uba is the 26-year-old making history by achieving this feat and building more representation for the 1% of Black people that live in Ireland.
Uba is a former master’s student at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and has earned her degree in medical science. She grew up in Ireland with her family and used sports and her educational curriculum to give her comfort in a country where she felt like an outcast.
“People shouldn’t be made to stand still for years and years,” Miss Ireland 2021 tells the Irish Times. “I was in it for 10 years, not knowing what was happening or when my life could start. People need to be able to live their lives. I hope Ireland continues to help people, but the direct-provision system needs to be rethought and possibly removed.”
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Pamela Uba is a hospital worker who helps take care of COVID-19 patients in Ireland and monitors the health status of potentially infected patients. She loves her job in the sciences and is leading the way towards the 70th Miss World competition that will be held in Puerto Rico in December 2021.
Uba was raised in Galway and Ballyhaunis, where she spent most of her time with her family, trying to integrate into the country of Ireland and its customs. Uba earned her citizenship in Ireland after her community members referenced her and supported her along her journey.
“We are all human, and we all deserve the same love and respect,” Pamela Uba tells her local Irish news outlets.
The Black beauty pageant winner will surely inspire the other small percentage of non-white residents in the vast country of Ireland. Her win is a win for her African Irish community, and this historical feat will propel Ireland towards more equality for their Black residents.
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