jamie herrell
AMIDST the issue of reported racism which happened during the Los Angeles Fashion Week, Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell has encouraged Filipinos, especially those working outside the Philippines, to continue pursuing their dreams.
The 23-year-old Cebuana beauty queen issued her comment in a Facebook post on Wednesday evening after she, along with singer Kiana Valenciano and five other Filipina models, were barred from walking during the opening of the LA Fashion Week.
“One man doesn’t define a whole nation. Yes, racism is still an issue and what has happened shouldn’t have happened but not all people are the same,” she said at the start of her Facebook post.
A source told Cebu Daily News that Herrell has been in Los Angeles, California, USA for a vacation even before the LA Fashion Week.
During Herrell’s stay in America, she recalled that she met wonderful people of different race and color including Americans.
“This one man will not taint my image of the good people I have met in this country,” Herrell said.
“So for the women and men who want to make a career here, please keep that hope and give yourself the chance to make your dreams come true.
Filipinos are strong ay heart and let’s continue to show that to the world,” Herrell said.
She ended her post with: “Let’s celebrate our differences and break away from the prejudice because life is freaking beautiful.”
To recall, Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, manager and mother of singer and model Kiana Valenciano, shared in a series of Instagram posts what happened.
Kiana is the daughter of Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano and singer Gary Valenciano.
An organizer allegedly told Herrell, Kiana and fellow Filipino models, “No Filipinos allowed to walk on the ramp.”
“We want to ask WHY? It was bad enough that you didn’t want to allow the girls but was there a need to publicly humiliate them?” Angeli said on her Instagram post as she shared a video of her daughter Kiana.
There were three designers during the fashion show. These are Elie Madi, and two Filipino designers Resty Lagare, and Rocky Gathercole.
“Confusing that the designers, Rocky Gathercole and Resty Lagare are Filipinos and they could not have Filipina models,” Kiana said in a video.
The 25-year-old singer and model said, “This is just going to make us toughter. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”