Matapang at matatag ang tingin ng publiko kay Michelle Dee, pero lumitaw ang malambot na bahagi ng pagkatao niya nang mapag-usapan ang kanyang ina, ang aktres at 1979 Miss International na si Melanie Marquez.
Si Michelle ang isa sa mga bisita sa Fast Talk With Boy Abunda nitong Miyerkules ng hapon, February 22, 2023.
Nang kumustahin ni Boy Abunda ang kanyang ina, ipinagtapat ng beauty queen na may nangyari sa kanilang pamilya noong nakaraang taon.
Isa raw ito sa dahilan kung bakit siya sasali muli sa Miss Universe Philippines ngayong taon.
Lahad ni Michelle, “My mom, she’s in the States now, she had to take a break ‘coz naaksidente po siya. My dad as well, naaksidente, na I had to take on the responsibilities of both families.
“Last year was a very difficult year, actually one of my most difficult years, that’s why I’m here. I am joining the pageant again because I feel like I have so much to share and so much to prove and so much inspiration to share to people that look up to me.
“The crown is really more just than a title.It’s really a platform for change… for positive change.”
Ang ama ni Michelle ay ang dating action star at movie producer na si Derek Lee.
Pinigil ni Michelle ang pagluha nang ikuwento nito ang mga karanasan nang manirahan sila noon sa Utah ng kanyang kapatid na si Maxine.
“Hindi pa uso ang social media then so I don’t know if alam ng mga tao na my mom and my dad had a rough marriage. Kaya kami lumipat sa States is to get away from that trauma.
“That’s why I grew up in the States coz my mom wanted to protect us from the noise. But, of course, since it’s marriage, laging nag-aaway yung mom ko, my stepdad."
Pagpapatuloy niya, "And I actually grow up with parent figures or people around me that would criticize every move that I make.
“People don’t know that me and my sister, we were the only two Asians in Utah, so we were subject to a lot of racism. And to top that off, I grew up with two autistic siblings, so parang medyo Addams Family yung atake.
“But I’m so grateful for my mom. I’m so grateful for my dad, my grandmother, especially my mom because she taught me how to be strong, to believe in the goodness and your worth and to show that to people.”
Ibinahagi rin ni Michelle ang bullying na naranasan niya sa Utah.
“I was bullied. Siyempre, hindi kasi hindi pa ako ganoon katangkad before.
“I wouldn’t say as far as like beaten up, but siyempre, we live in a very small paper town in Utah so they really didn’t understand Asian culture.
“[They] didn’t understand bakit why do I have values? Why do I say prayers? Why do I have these routines of... I love eating with my hands growing up.”
MICHELLE DEE JOINS MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES AGAIN
Si Michelle ang hinirang na Miss Universe Philippines Tourism noong 2022, pero muli siyang sumali sa 2023 edition ng naturang beauty pageant dahil marami pa raw siyang pangarap na nais matupad.
Sa tanong ni Boy kung bakit karapat-dapat na siya ang manalo na Miss Universe Philippines 2023, ito ang sagot ni Michelle:
“I deserve the crown because I’ve worked my whole life to build a platform. To really inspire people to become their best self.
“I am so grateful for everything na napagdaaan ko pero hindi pa ako tapos. Hindi pa talaga because I’m a go-getter. I have dreams, I have aspirations.
"Kahit marami na po akong na-accomplish — entrepreneurship, show business and pageantry — feeling ko kulang pa rin.
“I still owe it to my future self, to my future kids to really do something about it and really make my mark in history.”
Sa tanong naman kung may bago siyang game plane sa muling paglahok sa Miss Universe Philippines, sinabi ng Mga Lihim ni Urduja star na itinuturing nito ang sarili bilang worst critic niya.
Saad ni Michelle, “Ako kasi, I am my worst critic. I appreciate constructive criticisms through and through and I take it hard.
"Pero last year kasi, I really fell na I fell short sa relatability ko.
“Hindi ko na-share ang stories ng struggles ko and kung bakit ako matapang or kung bakit ako strong like my mom.
“So there is a side of me that I really need people to see. That I am not as privileged as people think that I am. That I do had a hard childhood also.
“Ayun po, that’s what I’m gonna work on is really to make sure that people hear that.”