Marilag Odtohan

How Asia Rose Simpson is planting a seed through dance and sports for youth mental health

Long before she wore a national crown, dance and sports had already become part of Asia Rose Simpson's childhood—and eventually, the foundation of an advocacy focused on physical, mental, and emotional well-being of young people.

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<p>For Miss World Philippines 2026 Asia Rose Simpson, the stage has always been more than a place to perform. </p><p>Long before she wore a national crown, dance and sports had already become part of her childhood—and eventually, the foundation of an advocacy focused on physical, mental, and emotional well-being of young people. </p><div id="fb-root"><br/><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0G5WEKSpJuCtPqdCXwHD6gkFAErZGzpRMXBjFY6aryaKah3tuSjSr5cUForNpU9Xbl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="773" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><p>At the center of that advocacy is SED (Sports and Dance Initiative), which Simpson presented in her Beauty with a Purpose project for the 73rd Miss World pageant. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>A CHILDHOOD SHAPED BY SERVICE</strong></div><p>Although born in Hobbs, New Mexico, Simpson spent much of her life in the Philippines. The close encounter of her parents towards nonprofit works had exposed her and her siblings to humanitarian works from an early age. </p><p>As a homeschooled child, Simpson admits that she sometimes found it difficult to establish connections. Dance provided an avenue to change that. </p><p>Simpson began dancing at the age of three, taught by her father, and grew up in a family where performance, service, and community work intertwined. </p><p>Her father and siblings formed the &quot;Simpson Tribe,&quot; which auditioned for &quot;Pilipinas Got Talent&quot; in 2016. </p><p>She later became involved with organizations using the sport to reach communities and encourage young people to become more physically active. </p><p>She has worked with groups including the International Sports Federation, Pickle Lab, Batang Pickleball, and Pickle Bells, while also continuing to use dance and gymnastics in community activities. </p><p>&quot;I encountered different people, heard their stories, and felt their realities. And somewhere along the line, I realized...this was all training ground for the very thing that would take passion from my hands and scatter it to the world,&quot; Simpson reflected.</p><p>What began as something her parents introduced to their children became something that Simpson later recognized as a tool for connection—a realization that is at the heart of SED. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SEEDING CHANGE THROUGH SED</strong></div><p>Through SED, Simpson has reached more than thousands of students in the Philippines, Vietnam, and the United States. The initiative has included sports programs, dance activities, and scholarships, with the broader goal of using physical activity and creative expression to support young people&#x27;s well-being.</p><p>Simpson&#x27;s focus comes at a time when youth mental health has become an increasingly important global concern. </p><p>In her video, she cited the statistics that one in seven children worldwide experience mental health disorders, while also pointing to the World Health Organization&#x27;s finding that a large majority of adolescents do not meet recommended levels of physical activity. </p><p>&quot;Anxiety and depression are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents. And while help exists, not every child knows how to ask for it. But there is one place where a student naturally goes—a court, stage, or field. Because sometimes, before a child can say, &#x27;I need help,&#x27; they must first have a place where they feel safe enough to show up,&quot; Simpson explained.</p><p>She often speaks of her parents as having &quot;planted a seed&quot; and she vows to use this to also plant a seed for different communities, so that, &quot;a child who feels unseen begins to find a new sense of belonging [and] a young person who is struggling silently begins to build a new confidence.&quot;</p><p>In the long term, Simpson aims to keep SED from growing through partnership, scholarship, and sponsorship. She is also currently working with the Philippines&#x27; Department of Education to create a curriculum that will bridge mental health with sports and dance.</p><p>This is the philosophy that Simpson aims to bring at the Beauty with a Purpose competition of Miss World. </p><p>&quot;Mental health is not always visible, but it is always real. And the seeds that we plant today will shape the generation we see tomorrow.&quot;</p><p>Simpson is aiming for the Philippines&#x27; second Miss World crown, after Megan Young in 2013.</p><p>The coronation night will be held on September 5, 2026. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div></div>

<p>Long before she wore a national crown, dance and sports had already become part of Asia Rose Simpson's childhood—and eventually, the foundation of an advocacy focused on physical, mental, and emotional well-being of young people. </p>