THE ADVENTURES OF THE MONTREAL BEAUTY QUEEN tells the stories of my eccentric Filipino grandmother, "Mamang" Mary Diocson as she sashays along Montreal sidewalks and church basements with her sass and trusty shopping cart in tow. Sifting through memories coloured with chismis, The Montreal Beauty Queen brings together three generations of women storytellers navigating themes of immigration, family conflict, and reinvention, poised against the backdrop of dance parties, cable TV and sequins. Go ahead, throw on your best party dress, turn up the cha-cha and follow the urban tales of Montreal's self-proclaimed Beauty Queen!
Stories and words by Charlene Sayo, illustrations by Alejandra Zamudio.
Read the first chapter at ISSUU!
Portrait by Alejandra Zamudio
This is where my bio goes, but you already know me! The Adventures of the Montreal Queen actually began in 2018 with me exploring my mother’s chic Montreal fashion collection and sewing skills. I learned how to sew from my mother, and she learned how to sew from her mother, the family matriarch and seamstress extraordinaire. Through phone calls and emails, my mother told colourful stories about my Mamang (grandmother in Illongo): her love for dress-up, her award-winning volunteer work, her stint as a cable TV star and more! In 2020 I teamed up with the whimsical and wildly talented artist Alejandra Zamudio to recreate the queendom of the Montreal self-proclaimed Beauty Queen.
Portrait by Alejandra Zamudio
Alejandra Zamudio is a Colombian artist and feminist currently based in Montreal. In 2019 she graduated from Concordia University with a degree in Visual Arts. Recently she has immersed herself in the world of comics, since it integrates her love of storytelling and drawing.The Adventures of the Montreal Beauty Queen series is her first collaborative and long-form comic. Her other upcoming zine project, Creadoras, will focus on highlighting the work of women artists and creators in history. This will be released in the summer of 2021. In the near future she hopes to own a Riosograph printer so she can make more of her DIY publishing dreams come true. To follow current and upcoming projects follow her on Instagram @peluzator.
Thank you / Salamat gid!
Mom: For sharing Mamang’s stories factually, with the care, acuity, and precision of a top-notch nurse and dedicated daughter.
Tita Minerva: For animating Mamang’s stories with the expertise that only a skilled chismosa and charismatic grio possess.
Dad: For adding a detail here, a detail there.
Wing Diocson Yap: For quickly responding whenever I needed help—or had questions.
Alejandra: For being the best collaborator, co-creator, and co-writer; for bringing to life my grandmother’s adventures, for allowing me to fall in love with her all over again. Gracias.