By Sue Vincent Jones.
Darcey’s win is a triumph for brains and beauty.
Well, I’m absolutely chuffed to bits that, once again, our bold little Barry has hit the headline news as a town for its trailblazer talent.
Massive congratulations to local lass Darcey Coria, who has become the first woman of colour to scoop the much-coveted Miss Wales crown – a feat of equality never achieved in its 70-year history.
In addition, the 21-year-old is an active Black rights campaigner so we have one of our residents as a very real role model.
Inspirational Darcey is very closely involved in Together Stronger – the Criminal Justice in Wales Anti-Racism Delivery Plan. She also volunteers for the well-respected Race Equality First, helps women from ethnic minority backgrounds integrate into the community through health and fitness.
The trained Ask Me Ambassador for Welsh Women’s Aid, who works in the care sector, is also a ‘dementia friend’ helping raise awareness and understanding of the condition too.
Brains and beauty – a fabulous and formidable combination.
And with the Miss Wales win, what a perfect platform, and privilege, for Darcey to keep on keeping on with the fight against the racism so often rife in our society.
I am also so sure that this is the start of Miss Wales’ journey into diversity with our very real model for all those young girls who have now seen someone like them lift that coveted crown. Respect to the organisers too for awarding Darcy with the ‘Spirit of Miss Wales’ Award for her tireless work to combat racism.
A girl after my own heart, the newly-crowned winner will spend a year in her role making appearances, representing Wales at Miss World and no doubt spreading the anti-racism rallying cry.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it loudly again, it’s not enough to be passively non-racist, we must be actively anti-racist.
God didn’t give me this big, booming voice as a blessing for nothing, so I intend to keep on using it to shout for racial, and all other, equality. We must all be both visible and vocal if we are to stand squarely in solidarity with our ethnic minority neighbours.
So, thanks Darcy for your activism and, of course, congratulations for the massive Miss Wales win.
Like your many family and friends, we are so proud.
(See Glamorgan Star report on Darcey’s Miss Wales win on page 7 of this week’s printed edition, dated 19.05.22).
- The views expressed by columnists of this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Glamorgan Star, its employees or its proprietors
🌟 This article first appeared in the printed edition of the Glamorgan Star on 19.05.22.
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