Who is the first Indigenous woman to win Miss Universe Canada?

CTV National News: Miss Universe Canada 60 women are looking to represent Canada on the international stage at the Miss Universe competition. Rachel Crowspreadingwings reports.

Ashley Callingbull, a member of Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta, is the first Indigenous woman to win Miss Universe Canada.

Not only does she hold a crown, Callingbull is also an actor staring is show like APTN’s “Blackstone,” and an in-game television host for the National Hockey League, National Lacrosse League, and even the Canadian Football League.

Here's what Callingbull had to say to CTV News' Rachel CrowSpreadingWings in an interview. The responses have been edited for clarity.

Rachel CrowSpreadingWings: What does this win mean for you, personally?

Ashley Callingbull: I've always wanted to achieve, but I know that it's bigger than me because it represents all Indigenous people. You know, when one of us wins, we all win. That representation is so needed and finally, we are being seen and heard in such a mainstream space and a place like where no one told me I belong before. So this means a lot to me.

Rachel: Do you think that breaking those kinds of barriers is going to be inspiring the youth, not only in Canada, but around the world?

Ashley: 100 per cent. I know this whole path of breaking barriers and overcoming adversity has taught me so much to myself, but it will also be a good example for others as well of what they can overcome. It doesn't matter where they come from, what they've been through, the dream is attainable. Simple. As long as you put in the work and the effort and believe in yourself. So yeah, it's still eye opening for me. I'm still in shock, honestly.

Rachel: When you are pursuing your dreams, do you feel like that also makes you push through any fears that you may have?

Ashley: Oh, yeah. There's a lot of fear I have to overcome to chase my biggest dreams, you know? And to me, it's just a mentality. It's getting past my own thoughts. And once I get past that, I feel like I'm unstoppable. I'm the only one holding me back. That's what I had to realize. I'm the only one holding myself back. And I only need to focus on myself. So training for this pageant, it was pretty much a years of preparation to get to this point. But when I found out I was officially competing last year, it's been months and months and months of training and finally, when the day came, all that hard work was so worth it. All that dedication, everything I poured my heart and soul into this and then just hoped that the stars would align for me.

Rachel: Absolutely. And during your preparation for the next part, which is the Miss Universe pageant, what kind of special plans do you have going on?

Ashley: Well, I have a lot in my schedule of different communities that I will be visiting. I'll be travelling all across Canada and the United States going to different reserves, which is really exciting to bring that crown around and doing a lot of different women's empowerment workshops and conferences and different events, and also like promoting the other things that I do in my life, acting and whatnot. But, preparation for Miss Universe, it is starting now because it's coming up in November in Mexico. So my preparation is going to be everything like it was for Miss Universe Canada, but amplified so much more. And now, knowing that I'm going to be representing all Indigenous peoples on the stage in Mexico, all First Nations, all peoples of Canada. I know I have a lot of work to do, and I want to do it right. I want to do it properly.

Rachel: Tell me a little bit about your win in 2015, and getting into Sports Illustrated.

Ashley: When I won in 2015, that also was a big surprise to me. I was just happy to be there. But to make history, I knew that it was important to use my voice at the same time. Instead of just winning and going home and celebrating, I thought, 'what more can I do with this my opportunity?' And after that, I couldn't believe the response I got from people. It was overwhelmingly positive. And I felt like, wow, I can really do so much with my voice. I realized that after I won that pageant, whether I be using it for, you know, to be empowering or using it to be political and speaking for issues that people need to hear about Indigenous peoples.

After that whole whirlwind, I thought that was honestly it for me, for pageants. I thought I was done because I aged out and Miss Universe only allows up until 28 years old. So I actually volunteered and mentored my time by coaching different girls in the pageant world. Indigenous women. And one of them actually made history and is reigning in the same year as me. Like Emma Morrison, who I was able to mentor and coach. She's currently Miss World Canada, she's Indigenous, I'm Miss Universe Canada. We're Indigenous. That's never been done before.

So the impact of pageantry and the doors I've been able to open have led to this, where there's now multiple women representing in different pageant spaces. After that, you know, making history, being the first Indigenous woman in Sports Illustrated, that was a huge dream and accomplishment of mine. I never would have thought. And it made me feel really good because Indigenous women should be seen as beautiful and strong and representing and feel seen. And before we haven't been, you know, there's a lot of stereotypes on us.

And I felt like that was the time for me to really break that, and I did. Now, our Indigenous women are rising, thriving, and we're being seen. But most importantly, we're being heard for what we stand for. And it's crazy, because who knows what's more to come, right? I feel like there's an army of strong Indigenous women coming through, and it makes me so proud that I'm one of the ones that are leading the way. But knowing that I won't be the last is like the most impactful feeling I have in my heart

Rachel: Is there anything else that you'd like to add that I didn't ask that you think is important?

Ashley: Oh my goodness. Wow. There's so much going on in my life. It's crazy. Like even during the pageant, my magazine cover for FASHION Magazine came out at the same time. All these things are happening at the same time. It's crazy because a lot of people are asking, 'when did this all start your journey?' And I was looking back at photos, and I remember when I was a little girl, when I was a Tiny Tot Princess for Enoch, that was my first pageant I ever did. And now that was on my reserve. That was the only pageant that I'd known, you know, winning Tiny Tot junior and senior Princess and then telling myself one day I'm going to be a queen. I want to be a queen. And I posted these photos the other day of me and my mom, and was like, 'Mom, we did it. Just like I said, when I was little', I was like, we're going to go to Miss Universe.

And so for me and my mom, to overcome everything that we did together, all the poverty, abuse, everything that we went through and finally get to this point in our lives where after I was crowned and she came on stage, I was like, well, we did it because I felt like we did it together.

So, yeah, that empowerment is so important, so, so important. And I felt like this is just the beginning of my dream, you know, now that it's here, I have to put in the work to chase that that bigger dream.

The following is a statement of support issued by the Enoch Cree Nation leadership:

On behalf of leadership of the Enoch Cree Nation, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Ashley Callingbull on her extraordinary achievement in winning the Miss Universe Canada crown.

“We are all proud of you for giving our future generations a voice and for inspiring our iskwewak that anything is possible.”

This journey is a testament to her grace, talent, and dedication, and it fills our Nation with immense pride. Ashley’s success highlights the strength and resilience of our people, serving as a powerful source of inspiration for us all. We offer our blessings and prayers as she moves forward to compete for the Miss Universe crown, confident she will continue to represent Enoch Cree Nation with respect and integrity. May the Creator bless her journey and guide her steps to further greatness.

Enoch Chief and Council