Miss Universe® Canada 2008 - The Magic Continues

AGE: 24 | HEIGHT: 5'8" | HOMETOWN: ABBOSTFORD, BC

Sasha Amira Abunnadi was born and raised in Abbotsford, B.C. She is a culturally diverse individual - her mother is native to Montreal, and her father is from Palestine. She is fluent in French and English, and hopes to pursue her studies in the Arabic language.

At an early age Sasha has shown an interest in pageants - at age 4 she entered a local "cutest baby" contest and successfully won the title. Throughout her life she has felt nothing but support from her friends and family and feels this has been a huge impact on the woman she is today.

Sponsored by: Dana Dorsch - Personal Trainer, Larissa Van Dam - Stylist, J. Beethoven's Pizza, Greek Islands Restaurant, Valley Master Mason, Symons Tires, Knock Outs Hair Studio, Little Green Apple Produce, Numbers LTD., Mango Tree Restaurant, Olympic Communications Inc., Rite Way Fencing, Alamwala Farms, Jamie Dahl , Hub's Sports, Rapid copy, Family and Friends.

Biography (click to open) ±

Sasha is a passionate individual. Once she is acquainted with an organization or cause she's attached for life. In the past she has worked/volunteered for a number of local events as well as a number of charities. The two main foundations that Sasha has worked with are the Rock Solid Youth Violence Prevention Program (aims as education youth across Canada grade 3-8 about violence prevention and mediation) and the L.I.F.E. Women's Recovery Center (a live in facility for women living with addiction to rehabilitate themselves). Sasha is also an avid blood donor for Canadian Blood Services.

Keeping busy is important to Sasha - there is too much life to live to waste it and likes to utilize every minute. Should Sasha have the opportunity to be chosen as the next Miss Universe Canada, she would like to spend as much time working with organizations that prevent child poverty both in Canada and overseas. Two main organizations that Sasha feels strongly for and would like the opportunity to work with are the Make Poverty History organization, as well as Nine Million. The children are our future - without them we wont exist.

Questionnaire (click to open) ±

Are you currently a student? Yes
If yes, where? University College of the Fraser Valley
Area of study: Biology

Are you currently employed? If yes, what is your occupation?
Yes. Restaurant Manager

Have you completed secondary school? If yes, where?
Yes. W.J. Mouat Secondary - French Immersion

Have you completed university/college? No

Have you completed any technical/professional school? No

Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
English & French - spoken, written and read

In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
When I was in Middle School I played soccer for a couple years and I played baseball for Approximately 5 years. I also played sports in high school - Volleyball being my best.

Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.
I am currently attending the University College of the Fraser Valley, studying Biology. I am working to completing a Bachelor degree.

What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?
Over the past two years I have been involved with organizations such as the Rock Solid Youth Prevention Program (Vancouver Island). It is an organization that's main focus is to educate children (elementary and middle school) on violence prevention - it helps educate the students how to mediate and resolve their differences rather then result in violence. Another organization that I have contributed to is the Canadian Blood Services program - every individual over the age of 18 is able to donate every 56 days - I have donated many times since I was 18 years old.

The most recent organization I have been involved with is the L.I.F.E. Women's Recovery Centre. L.I.F.E. is a rehabilitation centre for women living with addiction - it is a live-in facility for minimum three months which helps the women overcome addiction and begin to rehabilitate to function in typical society away from substance abuse.

What would be your "dream job" in life?
My dream job would be in the Public Relations/International Relations field. I would like to work as a Canadian as an Ambassador.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?
My father's parents are the greatest influences in my life - I never had the opportunity to meet my grandfather, and I spent only limited time with my grandmother, though the stories I have heard from my family, and the photos I've seen, I am in awe at their accomplishments, their strength to place their children before themselves no matter the conditions and their unconditional love and pride for their families. Nothing means more to me than family and cultural love and pride, and I feel these are qualities are instilled in me for who my grandparents were and how they touched my heart though my fathers stories, photos and spirit.

What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)?
I have been a blood donor since I was 18 years old. Blood Services Canada offers a program as encouragement to donate across Canada - the program allows the formation of a team in which individual donations are tracked as well as overall team donations. There are monthly updates and status's to indicate which teams are improving (the firemen and the police teams compete to donate more than the other).

Having teams in place adds a little friendly competition to a good cause. A few years ago I organized a team of individuals of all ages to being donating - I had sent out flyers, posted flyers around my University and other locations, and emails to team members notifying everyone of donation dates and times. Donating is a way to help people all over Canada in times of need. One donation has the potential to help up to three separate people. It is rewarding to see how many donations a team can make in one year let alone in a lifetime.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
My goal is to visit as many countries as possible - I love learning about new cultures, and meeting new people from all walks of life. I hope to one day have the opportunity to work in an environment that is involved with international relations. Working for the Canadian Embassy would be ideal for me at this time, traveling back and forth between Canada and other nations, working with different cultures and constantly learning about other countries.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I grew up with my younger sister, my mom and my dad. Camping, fishing, and cycling were our main activities. My family is very much and outdoors family - my first camping trip was at 6 months! We have always enjoyed spending time together, no matter the activity.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
Last spring I had the opportunity to teach elementary school children after school science - the program was called Mad Science. It consisted of arriving at different elementary schools throughout the week to teach students (grade 1-3) different fun science related facts. Crafts were always involved - one week we made take-home solar systems, another week we made rockets that we shot about 50 feet in the air. It was a great learning experience for both myself, and my students.

List any volunteering you have done.
I have been involved with a number of events over the past few years. I have volunteered for events such as the Show Of Hearts Variety Club Telethon, The Beat Cares Christmas Drive, The Terry Fox Run, and The Rock Solid Youth Prevention Golf Fundraise & charity night. I've also judged some student events (historical fair, etc) at my University.

Where is the most interesting place you have been?
The most interesting place that I have been was to my father's childhood home. In 2000 my father, sister and I traveled to my father's hometown, a city my father had not returned to since he was fourteen years old. We had the opportunity to see where he grew up, and even had the opportunity to see inside his house. The family living there now was extremely hospitable - they even invited us in so my father could show us where he grew up. The stories I heard as a child came to life as he showed us their old house and yard.

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
Canada is a young country full of culture and diversity - I represent an individual who possesses culture and diversity. My mother is native to Montreal - my grandmother being English and my grandfather of Arabian and Metis decent, and my father is from Palestine. I am fluent in both French and English, and understand conversational Arabic. I am unique in the way that I understand and believe in the family and cultural values of the Middle East as well as those of Canada. I am Canadian.

What is your philosophy of/in life?
Stand for something before you fall for anything.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
I hope to be traveling around the world in 10 years - weather it be work related, or for leisure. I enjoy traveling and hope always have the opportunity to visit other countries.

Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
I am not normally as gutsy as my sister - though when we were in our mid teens she decided she was going to go skydiving. I didn't have the courage to go, until the others were teasing me that my younger sister was braver than I - so to prove my self, I got on that plane, and went skydiving! I was glad that I went - it was quite the experience and definitely worth the effort.