{{short description|Canadian former pageant winner (born 1988)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=August 2013}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox pageant titleholder | name = Tara Teng | image = Miss BC Tara Teng.jpg | caption = Teng in 2013 | alma_mater = [[Trinity Western University]] | occupation = Former pageant winner | years_active = 2010–2012 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|08|16}}<ref name="kamloops" /> | birth_place = [[Fort Langley]], [[British Columbia]], Canada | title = [[Miss BC World]]<br />[[Miss Canada]]<br />[[Miss World Canada]] | competitions = [[Miss World 2012]] | website = {{URL|http://tarateng.com}} | module = {{Infobox Chinese | child = yes | t = 鄧愛群 | s = 邓爱群 | w = Teng Oi Kwan | p = Dèng' Àiqún | j = Dang<sup>6</sup> Ngoi<sup>3</sup> Kwan<sup>4</sup> }} }} '''Tara Oi-kwan Teng''' ({{Lang-zh|c=鄧愛群|w=Teng Oi Kwan}};<ref>{{cite web | url=https://acelebrationofwomen.org/2021/11/tara-teng-woman-of-action-2/ | title=Tara Teng – WOMAN of ACTION™ }}</ref> born August 17, 1988),<ref name="kamloops">{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Michele |date=August 16, 2011 |title=Miss Canada stops by to talk about serious cause |url=https://kamloopsnews.ca/kdn-news-city_region/miss-canada-stops-by-to-talk-about-serious-cause/ |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=Kamloops Daily News}}</ref> is a Canadian former pageant winner. She was crowned [[Miss Canada]] 2011 and also [[Miss World Canada]] 2012. During her title reigns she was an [[Human rights defender|advocate]] for [[human rights]] and spoke about [[human trafficking]].
==Early life and education== Teng is the daughter of a [[Chinese Singaporeans|Chinese Singaporean]] church pastor father and a white Canadian mother, and she was raised as a Christian.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Shara |date=September 17, 2011 |title=Q&A with Tara Teng (Miss Canada) |url=https://www.convergemedia.org/qa-tara-teng-canada/ |access-date=October 1, 2022 |website=Converge Media}}</ref> She was [[Homeschooling|homeschooled]] until the age of 15.<ref name="New2">{{Cite news |author=Chua |first=Charlene |date=September 1, 2012 |title=Short in stature, but not on performance |work=[[The New Paper]] |url=http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120830-368638.html |access-date=October 1, 2022}}</ref> She received a [[Bachelor of Education]] from [[Trinity Western University]] (TWU).<ref name="Peace2">{{cite news |author=Sutherland |first=Hannah |date=February 24, 2011 |title=Miss Canada speaks in South Surrey |work=[[Peace Arch News]] |url=https://www.peacearchnews.com/community/miss-canada-speaks-in-south-surrey/ |access-date=October 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yuen |first=Jenny |date=August 13, 2011 |title=Former prostitute calls for trafficking strategy |url=http://www.lfpress.com/news/canada/2011/08/13/18550256.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615182706/http://www.lfpress.com/news/canada/2011/08/13/18550256.html |archive-date=15 June 2013 |access-date=October 1, 2022 |website=[[The London Free Press]]}}</ref>
Teng spent four months studying at TWU's [[Laurentian Leadership Centre]] (LLC) in [[Ottawa]], participating in the Laurentian Leadership Program.<ref name="University2">{{Cite web |date=February 20, 2012 |title=Tara Teng addresses Members of Parliament and Senators |url=http://twu.ca/news/2011/067-teng-addresses-parliament.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819032810/http://www.twu.ca/news/2011/067-teng-addresses-parliament.html |archive-date=August 19, 2016 |access-date=October 1, 2022 |publisher=[[Trinity Western University]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite newsletter |date=October 2011 |title=Student Profile: Tara Teng |url=https://www.twu.ca/sites/laurentian/mansionmusingsoctober2011.pdf |magazine=Mansion Musings |page=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425030222/https://www.twu.ca/sites/laurentian/mansionmusingsoctober2011.pdf |archive-date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=October 2, 2022}}</ref> While in Ottawa, she had a year-long internship with [[Joy Smith]], [[Member of Parliament#Canada|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Kildonan—St. Paul]] in [[Winnipeg]], who had been working to implement laws to reduce the demand for [[prostitution in Canada]] and on improving awareness about [[human trafficking]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=Aug 4, 2011 |title=Miss Canada 2011 Takes the Fight for Justice Across Canada |url=http://www.gospelherald.com/article/ministries/47426/miss-canada-2011-takes-the-fight-for-justice-across-canada.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002123636/http://www.gospelherald.com/article/ministries/47426/miss-canada-2011-takes-the-fight-for-justice-across-canada.htm |archive-date=October 2, 2013 |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=The Gospel Herald: Ministries}}</ref>
==Pageants== In 2010 Teng won the [[Courage Productions|Miss BC World]] contest<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2011 |title=Fort Langley activist crowned |url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=a7e0ff28-8290-4fe8-82a6-efd6b3221040 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422111908/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=a7e0ff28-8290-4fe8-82a6-efd6b3221040 |archive-date=April 22, 2014 |access-date=Oct 2, 2022 |website=[[Vancouver Sun]] |publisher=Canada.Com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-01-02 |title=BC's Tara Teng is Miss Canada |url=https://www.thefilipinopost.com/article/4215-bc%E2%80%99s-tara-teng-miss-canada.html |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=The Filipino Post}}</ref> and the pageant's online People's Choice Award.<ref name=":3">{{Cite newsletter |date=July 8, 2010 |title=Tara missed |url=http://canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/2010/100708briefs.html |url-status=dead |magazine=Canadian Christianity |page=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425030148/http://canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/2010/100708briefs.html |archive-date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=October 2, 2022}}</ref> In 2011, she was crowned Miss Canada.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Brenda |date=March 3, 2011 |title=Crying freedom |url=http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/117365283.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003031944/http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/117365283.html |archive-date=October 3, 2013 |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=BC Local News}}</ref> She won the [[Miss World Canada]] pageant in 2012, and represented Canada at the [[Miss World 2012|2012 Miss World pageant]],<ref name="New2" /> although she did not place as a finalist in the Beauty with a Purpose segment of the competition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sinha |first=Sanskrity |date=2012-08-18 |title=Miss World 2012: Top 10 Beauty with a Purpose Contestants |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/miss-world-2012-beauty-purpose-photos-winners-374984 |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=[[International Business Times UK]] |language=en}}</ref> or as a top 30 quarter-finalist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sinha |first=Sanskrity |date=2012-08-18 |title=Miss World 2012: Top Seven Finalist Contestants and Winner of Miss World Beach Beauty |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/miss-world-2012-top-five-finalist-contestants-375030 |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=International Business Times UK |language=en}}</ref>
==Activism== ===In Canada=== Teng was inspired to begin working against human trafficking when, at age 16, she moved to suburban Vancouver and met a neighbour whose daughter had been lost to human trafficking when she was 14 and prostituted by the girl's then-boyfriend.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Haley |date=2016-10-24 |title=5 ways mothers are transforming the world—from inside their homes |url=https://www.mother.ly/parenting/5-ways-mothers-are-transforming-the-worldfrom-inside-their-home/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Motherly |language=en}}</ref>
In October 2010, Teng met with Canada's Prime Minister, [[Stephen Harper]], to discuss human trafficking.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Yuen |first=Jenny |date=August 13, 2011 |title=Former prostitute calls for trafficking strategy |url=http://www.lfpress.com/news/canada/2011/08/13/18550256.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615182706/http://www.lfpress.com/news/canada/2011/08/13/18550256.html |archive-date=15 June 2013 |access-date=2 Oct 2022 |website=[[The London Free Press]]}}</ref> In November 2011, Joy Smith and [[Bruce Stanton]], Assistant Deputy Speaker of the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]], hosted a reception in Teng's honour, at which she gave a speech to [[Senate of Canada|Senators]] and MPs about human trafficking.<ref name="University2" />
Teng participated in "Buying Sex is Not a Sport", a campaign during the [[2010 Winter Olympics]].<ref name=":3" /> After participating in Toronto's second annual Freedom Walk in March 2011, she organized the Freedom Week campaign in the [[Lower Mainland]], [[British Columbia]] with Todd Hauptman.<ref name="Peace2" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=Aug 10, 2011 |title=Free-Them fundraiser |url=http://www.insidehalton.com/community/article/1055028--free-them-fundraiser |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811142429/http://www.insidehalton.com/community/article/1055028--free-them-fundraiser |archive-date=August 11, 2011 |access-date=Oct 2, 2022 |website=InsideHalton.com}}</ref> That August, she participated in the Ignite the Road to Justice Mission Tour, beginning in [[Vancouver]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kay |first=Barbara |date=August 3, 2011 |title=Barbara Kay: Prostitution is an affliction, not a profession |url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/barbara-kay-prostitution-is-an-affliction-not-a-profession |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411104540/http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/08/03/barbara-kay-prostitution-is-an-affliction-not-a-profession/ |archive-date=11 April 2013 |access-date=Oct 2, 2022 |url-status=live |website=[[National Post]]}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Gathercole |first=Miranda |date=2011-08-10 |title=Cause going across Canada |url=https://www.todayinbc.com/news/cause-going-across-canada/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Today In BC |language=en}}</ref> The tour continued across the country eastwards.<ref name=":5" />
Teng participated in an anti-human trafficking task force in her hometown of [[Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)|Langley, British Columbia]], producing a report on measures the community could do to tackle it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gathercole |first=Miranda |date=2012-05-09 |title=Innocence for sale |url=https://www.todayinbc.com/news/innocence-for-sale/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Today In BC |language=en-US |archive-date=October 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002124757/https://www.todayinbc.com/news/innocence-for-sale/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In April 2012, Teng and Hauptman presented Langley Township with an "action plan" and asked the township to accept the plan's first two stages, dealing with prevention and education.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Claxton |first=Matthew |date=Apr 26, 2012 |title=Young duo fighting against exploitation |url=http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/Young+fighting+against+exploitation/6521309/story.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615182642/http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/Young+fighting+against+exploitation/6521309/story.html |archive-date=15 June 2013 |access-date=2 Oct 2022 |website=[[Langley Advance]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gathercole |first=Miranda |date=January 30, 2012 |title=Tara Teng continues to shine a light on human trafficking |url=http://www.langleytimes.com/community/138364689.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927024315/http://www.langleytimes.com/community/138364689.html |archive-date=September 27, 2013 |access-date=2 Oct 2022 |website=Langley Times}}</ref>
Teng partnered with [[World Vision International]]<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Landerville |first=Troy |date=November 27, 2012 |title=Jubilee Medals: Langley's diamonds |url=http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/jubilee-medals-langley-s-diamonds-1.465552 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425065057/http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/jubilee-medals-langley-s-diamonds-1.465552 |archive-date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=2 Oct 2022 |website=Langley Advance}}</ref> to give speeches at events raising funds for [[International Justice Mission]], which rescues children from [[brothel]]s.<ref name=":8">{{Cite interview |last=Teng |first=Tara |interviewer=Moira Brown |title=What Is Real Beauty? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snC6mkHav5k |date=Nov 14, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 31, 2011 |title=Langley's Tara Teng named Miss Canada |url=http://www.langleytimes.com/news/114943339.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927024333/http://www.langleytimes.com/news/114943339.html |archive-date=September 27, 2013 |access-date=2 Oct 2022 |website=The Langley Times}}</ref>
===In Asia=== In June 2011,<ref name="Circle">{{Cite AV media |url=http://www2.crossroads.ca/fullcircle/player?vidID=22677 |title=Tara Teng |author=Mainse |first=Ann |type=Television production |publisher=100 Huntley Street |access-date=October 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203110847/http://www2.crossroads.ca/fullcircle/player?vidID=22677 |archive-date=February 3, 2014 }}</ref> Teng visited towns and slums in Cambodia and Thailand where families had sold their daughters to sexual slavery.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last1=Goldby |first1=Dylan |last2=Sanchez |first2=Daniel |last3=Lamers |first3=Matthew |date=March 20, 2012 |title='Girls Are Not For Sale' |url=http://groovekorea.com/article/girls-are-not-sale/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111152107/http://groovekorea.com:80/article/girls-are-not-sale/ |archive-date=November 11, 2018 |access-date=Oct 2, 2022 |website=Groove Korea}}</ref> These included [[Patpong]], Thailand where she partnered with Rahab Ministries Thailand to spend time with female human trafficking survivors.<ref>{{Cite interview |last=Teng |first=Tara |interviewer=Ip, Stephanie|interviewer2=Ketchum, Craig |title=Converge talks with Tara Teng |url=https://vimeo.com/36261249 |date=February 5, 2012}}</ref> In [[Chiang Mai]], Thailand, Teng spoke to an audience of 40,000 people at the [[MTV]] Freedom Concert in support of [[MTV EXIT]], a campaign to end human trafficking and exploitation.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Colpitts |first=Heather |date=Jun 16, 2011 |title=Voyage for justice |url=http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/Voyage%2Bjustice/4956747/story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623064748/http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/Voyage+justice/4956747/story.html |archive-date=June 23, 2011 |access-date=Oct 2, 2022 |website=Langley Advance}}</ref> The Cambodia trip was supported by the [[advocacy group]] Traffic Jam<ref name=":0" /> and World Orphans.<ref name=":10" />
In February 2012, Teng was a [[keynote]] speaker at the Freedom and Honor Conference in [[Seoul]].<ref name=":9" /> Later in the year, she travelled to Sri Lanka. There, she visited World Vision's development programs in [[Thanamalvila Divisional Secretariat]] and [[Bogawantalawa]] to help fundraising efforts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Majeeb |first=Abdul |title=Miss World Canada 2012, Tara Teng to visit Sri Lanka |url=http://www.elankanews.com/2012/09/miss-world-canada-2012-tara-teng-to.html |access-date=October 2, 2022 |website=ELanka News |date=September 26, 2012 |publisher=}}</ref>
== Post-pageant life == Teng currently works as a life and style blogger and is the B.C. director of the Joy Smith Foundation, an organization which serves to combat human trafficking and help survivors.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Wadhwani |first=Ashley |date=2017-06-21 |title=Miss BC competition a 'catalyst' for confidence, advocacy |url=https://www.invermerevalleyecho.com/life/miss-bc-competition-a-catalyst-for-confidence-advocacy/ |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Invermere Valley Echo |language=en-US}}</ref> She also works as a life coach in Vancouver working within the [[faith deconstruction]] movement.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Duncan |first=Tracey Anne |date=2022-07-23 |title=Spirituality Has A New Face — And It's Queer As Hell |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/queer-spirituality-revolution_n_62dacdc9e4b03dbb991890b6 |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=[[HuffPost]] |language=en}}</ref> Her book, ''Your Body is a Revolution: Healing Our Relationships with Our Bodies, Each Other and the Earth'' was published in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Your Body Is a Revolution - Dundurn |url=https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459752863-your-body-is-a-revolution |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=www.dundurn.com |language=en-ca}}</ref>
==Honours== In 2011, ''[[Chatelaine (magazine)|Chatelaine]]'' named her one of Canada's "Hot 20 Under 30" women.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hot 20 Under 30 |url=http://site.chatelaine.com/womenoftheyear/top20.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124021349/http://site.chatelaine.com/womenoftheyear/top20.aspx |archive-date=November 24, 2011 |access-date=Oct 2, 2022 |website=[[Chatelaine (magazine)|Chatelaine]]}}</ref> In 2012 she was one of 30 Langley residents to receive the [[Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal]].<ref name=":7" /> That same year the Joy Smith Foundation recognised her work in human rights by giving her its International Freedom Award,<ref name=":8" /> and she was added to the [[Catalyst Conference]]'s Young Influencers List.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lomenick |first=Brad |date=March 13, 2012 |title=Young Influencers List, March Edition |url=http://www.bradlomenick.com/2012/03/13/young-influencers-list-march-edition-4/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824124828/http://www.bradlomenick.com/2012/03/13/young-influencers-list-march-edition-4/ |archive-date=August 24, 2012 |access-date=Oct 2, 2022 |website=Brad Lomenick}}</ref>
== Personal life == Teng married husband Chris Yamauchi in May 2013.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=February 2014 |title=Clearly Canadian |url=https://issuu.com/debcnbc/docs/cnbc-horizon-feb-2014 |magazine=CNBC Horizon |page=23 |access-date=Oct 2, 2022 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> They had two children together.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=About Tara Teng |url=https://tarateng.com/about-2/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607142434/https://tarateng.com/about-2/ |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |access-date=1 October 2022 |website=Tara Teng {{!}} Embodiment as a Spiritual Practice}}</ref> In November 2019, she announced that her marriage had ended and she had been living as a single mother for a full year.<ref>{{Cite Instagram|postid=B4jRJtNArHk|user=misstarateng|title=...I'm just going to come out right and say it: my marriage has come to an end. It's been a year now that I've been a single mom, co-parenting with my children's father....|date=November 7, 2019|author=Tara Teng}}</ref>
Since her divorce, Teng has [[come out]] as [[bisexual]].<ref>{{Cite Instagram|postid=CO_8-4RLCLC|user=misstarateng|title=As a bisexual, Jesus-following woman...|date=May 18, 2021|author=Tara Teng}}</ref> She left mainstream Christianity due to the scrutiny she faced as an Asian bisexual woman.<ref name=":2" />
In November 2021, she announced that she and her fiancé Anthony Lively are expecting a child in 2022.<ref>{{Cite Instagram|postid=CVwIR-bPztG|user=misstarateng|title=My love and I are so excited to welcome a new soul into our family (April 2022)!|date=2 November 2021|author=Tara Teng}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [http://tarateng.com/ Official website]
{{s-start}} {{succession box | before=Sandra Gin | title=Miss BC World | years= 2010 | after=Cheryl Dietrich }} {{succession box | before=[[Mélanie Paquin]] | title=[[Miss Canada]] | years= 2011 | after=Jaclyn Miles }} {{succession box | before=[[Riza Santos]] | title=[[Miss World Canada]] | years= 2012 | after=[[Camille Munro]] }} {{s-end}} {{Miss World 2012 delegates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teng, Tara}} [[Category:1988 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Canadian women human rights activists]] [[Category:Canadian human rights activists]] [[Category:Canadian women's rights activists]] [[Category:Miss Canada winners]] [[Category:Miss World Canada winners]] [[Category:Miss World 2012 delegates]] [[Category:Canadian beauty pageant winners]] [[Category:Canadian beauty pageant contestants]] [[Category:People from Langley, British Columbia (city)]] [[Category:People from Powell River, British Columbia]] [[Category:Trinity Western University alumni]] [[Category:Canadian people of Chinese descent]] [[Category:Canadian people of Singaporean descent]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people]] [[Category:Canadian former Christians]] [[Category:Canadian bisexual women]] [[Category:Canadian women civil rights activists]]