It isn’t every day your image graces a billboard in New York City’s Times Square, one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world. But for proud Métis citizen Lorelei Higgins Parker, it’s one honour among many. A veteran of pageantry, Lorelei just won the title of Mrs. Unity World Elite while at the world competition in New Delhi, India. When she found the symbols of her Métis heritage lacking on the international pageant stage — the sash, the language, the unique dance — she set out to bring her culture to the world, with astounding success. At the time of this interview, Lorelei was the reigning Mrs. Unity World Canada. She also served as Mrs. Canada Globe from 2020 to 2023.
In view of the global whirlwind that such recognition often engenders, what keeps Lorelei grounded? As she explains to host David Wylynko, Lorelei always has one foot firmly in the realm of advocacy, acting as a Canadian Indigenous anti-racism consultant and cultural mediator and a positive peace activator. She is also the Team Lead for Indigenous Relations for the City of Calgary. Through all these roles, Lorelei nurtures projects that foster relations with Indigenous communities and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion. She credits much of her accomplished career to a turning point in her youth, when the Rotary Exchange program first took her from her Alberta home and out into the world, an experience that later brought her full circle to a recognition of a long-lost and nearly forgotten Métis heritage.
Resources: