Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo celebrates her skin on social media
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Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo describes her pageant win as a 'celebration of diversity, resilience, and self-acceptance.'
It's still more than a week until the Miss Universe coronation on November 17 (Mexico Time), but country representative Chelsea Manalo is already breaking new ground for the Philippine pageant scene.
In one of the more recent posts on her Instagram account, Chelsea posted multiple photos of herself wearing an outfit that highlighted her skin. In the caption to the post, Chelsea wrote that being the first woman with darker skin to wear the Miss Universe Philippines crown is “more than a personal achievement--it's a celebration of diversity, resilience, and self-acceptance.”
Chelsea would go on to write that the crown wasn't just for her but also for the people who have felt “unseen, unheard, or underestimated.” She also expressed her desire to be a source of inspiration for those people and that they should keep pushing forward and have the strength “to break boundaries, to redefine beauty, and to inspire others along the way.”
Related gallery: Here's why Chelsea Manalo deserves the Miss Universe crown
Chelsea's post comes soon after she achieved a social media milestone of reaching 300,000 followers on Instagram. In the caption to the post, Chelsea called on her fans to “keep the love going” and vote for her in the Miss Universe pageant.
As of this writing, Chelsea has already amassed 318,000 Instagram followers.
Chelsea has also proudly celebrated her darker skin with a photoshoot where she channeled Disney Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog with a gown made by designer Carl Arcusa, who also provided the outfit for Miss Cosmo Philippines Ahtisa Manalo's headshot.
Chelsea is currently in Mexico competing in the Miss Universe pageant and hoping to bring home the country's fifth Miss Universe crown. Before arriving in Mexico, Chelsea spent some time in Los Angeles to train for this year's Miss Universe pageant. She also took time to connect with the Filipino-American community in Los Angeles while there.
Related gallery: Check out Miss Universe PH Chelsea Manalo's stylish outfits in Mexico
