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Dr. Patricia Celan is a trailblazer in modern pageantry, redefining it as a platform for empowerment and advocacy. From Hyack Princess to Dr. Universe, her journey has been one of resilience, compassion, and purposeful impact. With a background in psychiatry, she champions mental health, inclusivity, and authenticity, inspiring others through her advocacy. As she prepares to retire, her final project, Royal Reflections: The Lives of Pageant Queens, celebrates the strength, intelligence, and beauty of women who use their influence to drive change. Dr. Celan’s legacy is one of purpose, sisterhood, and transformation.
How has your journey from Dr. World Canada to Dr. Universe shaped your perspective on pageantry and its evolution?
My journey from Dr. World Canada to Dr. Universe has been truly transformative, both personally and in how I view the world of pageantry. In the past, pageants were often seen as merely about beauty and appearance. But I’ve been in pageantry for 15 years now, from teen pageants to the Miss, Mrs., and Dr. divisions. As I’ve moved through different stages of this journey, I’ve witnessed a deeper side to the modern pageant industry, where intelligence, purpose, and advocacy take center stage.
As Dr. World Canada, I was focused on representing my nation and using my platform to promote mental health. Moving to the global stage with Dr. Universe expanded my vision even further. I realized the immense responsibility we, as titleholders, have in shaping how pageantry is perceived and how we can leverage our platforms for meaningful advocacy. Today’s pageants are more about empowering women to use their voices, skills, and talents to make a difference in their communities and on a global scale.
This evolution in pageantry demonstrates that it is no longer just a competition—it’s a movement. It’s a platform that enables women to inspire others, break stereotypes, and highlight causes that matter. I’ve become more passionate about using my platform to focus on advocacy, education, and compassionate inclusivity, and to continue redefining what it means to be a woman of influence in the 21st century. In essence, the journey has deepened my understanding of how pageantry has evolved into a powerful force for good.
Could you share some memorable moments from the Diamond Anniversary Gala and what it meant for you personally?
The Diamond Anniversary Gala, held this spring, celebrated 75 years of the New Westminster Hyack Ambassador Program. It was an evening filled with nostalgia, celebration, and deep personal meaning. As a past Hyack Princess, it was incredibly special to reconnect with so many remarkable women who had walked the same path and contributed to the legacy of the Hyack Ambassador Program. The event felt like a reunion of sisters—women of all ages who had shared in the same experience of service, growth, and community representation.
One of the most memorable moments was seeing the last queen, Miss New Westminster 2023, crown the earliest queen in attendance, Miss New Westminster 1958, as Ms. Diamond Alumni, symbolizing the full-circle legacy of the program. It was a beautiful tribute to the program’s history and the generations of women it empowered.
The alumni reception was another highlight, as it allowed us to reminisce and celebrate the impact the program had on our personal and professional lives. It also reminded me of my own time as Hyack Princess, which served as my gateway into the world of pageantry. More importantly, it was an experience that taught me valuable life skills in leadership and community service—lessons that still guide me today. The program’s motto, “Serving our Community – Representing our Royal City,” instilled a sense of responsibility and pride that I carry with me in all my endeavors. Seeing the final group of ambassadors and knowing that this program would no longer continue was bittersweet, but it also felt like a fitting tribute to an incredible era of youth leadership in New Westminster.
The Diamond Anniversary Gala was a moment of closure but also of immense gratitude. It reminded me of how far I’ve come since being crowned Hyack Princess and how those early experiences laid the foundation for who I am today. The evening was a celebration of all the women who had been part of this journey—women who have gone on to make significant impacts in their own lives and communities. While the program may have come to an end, its legacy of empowering young women, fostering leadership, and giving back to the community will continue to live on in all of us.
Overall, the evening felt like a fitting farewell to a program that helped shape so many lives, leaving a lasting legacy of empowerment, community service, and leadership.
You mentioned seeing a waning interest in pageantry. What factors do you think are contributing to this shift, and how do you think the industry might evolve?
Absolutely, and the end of the Hyack Ambassador Program after 75 years is a great example of this; my traditional hometown has decided to move away from pageantry.
There has indeed been a waning interest in traditional pageantry, influenced by several key factors. First, changing societal values and the rise of social media have given younger generations new avenues for recognition and influence. Pageants were once a primary platform for showcasing talent and advocacy, but individuals now have multiple digital outlets for self-expression.
Second, outdated stereotypes persist, leading many to view pageantry as focused solely on physical beauty rather than substance. Many people see it as a relic of the past, missing the point that modern pageantry is about much more than that. While competitions now emphasize advocacy and meaningful causes, this evolution isn’t universally recognized.
Lastly, the push for inclusivity and diversity remains a challenge. Although many pageants are working toward better representation, there’s still progress to be made in embracing the full spectrum of diversity in society.
That said, I believe pageantry could be making a comeback, as I’ve seen new international pageant systems and national directorships emerging. The greatest challenge will be marketing pageantry in a way that balances traditional values around beauty and femininity while also modernizing to be more inclusive and reflect the issues that matter to women today. Pageants are already incorporating more platforms for social activism, focusing on empowering women through education, entrepreneurship, and leadership. I see the industry moving away from solely valuing beauty to spotlighting those making the greatest impact.
As you plan to retire from pageantry at the end of this year, what legacy do you hope to leave behind in the pageantry world?
As I prepare to retire from active pageantry at the end of this year, my hope is to leave behind a legacy that goes beyond crowns and titles. My goal throughout this journey has been to use pageantry as a platform for advocacy and empowerment—showing that beauty and intelligence are not mutually exclusive, and that pageant queens can be strong voices for social change.
I want my legacy to be one of inclusivity, authenticity, and purpose. I hope my time in this industry has inspired future generations of titleholders to see their roles not just as competitors, but as leaders and role models. I’ve always believed that true beauty shines when it’s combined with compassion, intelligence, and advocacy, and I want to be remembered as someone who embodied that ideal.
I am especially proud of using my platform to advocate for causes close to my heart, such as promoting awareness around various forms of abuse and working to de-stigmatize mental health conditions. I hope future participants will continue this focus on advocacy and view their roles as a way to create lasting, meaningful impact in their communities.
I also want to leave behind a message of resilience. Pageantry, like any competitive space, comes with its ups and downs, but it’s those challenges that shape us.
I hope my journey shows that setbacks can be stepping stones to greater success, and that perseverance is key to achieving one’s goals—both in pageantry and in life.
I hope to have helped shift the narrative around pageantry from one focused solely on appearances to one celebrating diversity, intelligence, and empowerment. If future contestants and winners see themselves as advocates, changemakers, and leaders, then I’ll feel that I’ve left a positive mark on this evolving industry.
And finally, the importance of sisterhood cannot be overstated in pageantry. Above all, pageantry is a place to build connections that can open many doors, whether through business partnerships or lifelong friendships. In that spirit, I’ve led the initiative to compile the first anthology of inspiring pageantry stories. Royal Reflections: The Lives of Pageant Queens, my retirement project, features stories from my pageant sisters across the globe and will be released in early 2025. I am excited for what this book can do to inspire the next generation in pageantry.
@patriciacelan
