Miss Heart and Soul 2016 Kriti Chopra talks about her transformation from being a victim to a fighter against bullying.
Imagine stepping foot into a foreign country only to be met by the taunts and intimidating behaviour of your peers. Now picture that in the form of classroom bullying, where the oppression comes from classmates of the same ethnic background as you. This is the reality BC’s 2016 Miss Heart and Soul Kriti Chopra faced when she immigrated from her wonderfully-upscale life in New Delhi to a similar cultural surrounding in Surrey at the young and impressionable age of just 10 years old.
Unfortunately, although a majority of her classmates looked the same as her, many of them took the opportunity to oppress and alienate her from feeling like she belonged. To make matters worse, Kriti recalls that the teacher – the individual who is meant to watch over the well-being of the students – was disinterested in helping her overcome these daily struggles.
Despite the fact that traces of bullying followed her throughout her elementary and high school years, Kriti did not succumb to the mindless taunts of her aggressors. She rose above her peers, and even offered her support and guidance to other students in her grade and below who were bullied. “I wouldn’t change a thing about my past, because those painful experiences are what led me to become the person I am today,” says Kriti, who overcame the obstacle and transformed herself into an extremely well-rounded and socially-responsible young woman.
Her brave and caring spirit is one that cannot be missed within seconds of engaging in conversation with her. Her efforts to help troubled youth in the community include: volunteering in the RCMP mentorship program, the homeless shelter, and teaching English to international students. Her devotion to giving back to a community which was initially rather unwelcoming has not gone unnoticed; at the recent Miss BC pageant, Kriti was selected as Miss Heart and Soul 2016.
When asked what this title means to her, she recounts her belief that, “Everyone has the capacity to be in charge of their own destiny.” She could have faltered and fallen into the wrong way of life, due to feeling ostracized by “her own kind,” yet she channeled all of those hardships into positivity and decided to dedicate an impressive amount of her time to helping others.
The inspirational young woman credits her survival through the tough times to her “very devoted and wonderful parents.” It was through their persistent interest in her well-being and support that she found the strength to become a bigger and better person than those attempting to stifle her happiness.
