You cannot determine someone's health by the BMI alone. There are many factors that contribute to the health on an individual. If we're going to start using BMI to police straight size models, what's next? The plus size industry? To be honest, if it was down to BMI alone, most plus size models - including myself - wouldn't be working.
Everyone needs to realize the responsibility they hold and realize where they can make a difference.
You can't say you're inclusive when you only have one plus-size, hourglass white model.
Because of social media, it's bridged the gap between the advertisers and fashion and allowed people to find their group. It really widens what people are viewing and allows brands to see what the public wants to see.
My journey into modeling began completely by chance. I was in school finishing up my master's degree in health management and policy when a friend entered me into an online modeling competition.
I try not to assign labels to myself. Sometimes I shop in the plus section, and sometimes I don't. I feel we attach too much significance to labels, and ultimately, it doesn't really matter.
I believe I'm beautiful because I'm me. I also believe that if you can find beauty in everything, you can allow that to change your mind-set, and doing so makes you a happier person.
Torrid has given me an amazing opportunity. I can reach out to different girls and help them realize that they are beautiful, too.
Growing up, I had body confidence issues, not really so much because of size but my skin color. I had trouble recognizing that the depth of my skin tone is really beautiful because whenever people referred to a beautiful black-skinned woman, you'd see Beyonce and Rihanna.
There's not many models in the U.S. that have my depth - like, really dark skin - that are also plus size. Skin color has been one of those things we haven't really, really addressed on a large, widespread scale.
I have to congratulate L'Oreal on its True Match foundation range. It's my go-to foundation, and I absolutely love it.
My hair is extremely dry and fragile, so moisture is key. I love black castor oil, shea butter, and lots of water.
Magazines don't go far enough to be inclusive and have at least have one model representing every major skin tone.
Much noise has been about size diversity but not enough about skin tone diversity. It's time for this to change.
It isn't hard to see how the lack of representation affects the self esteem of many women world wide.
War and armed conflict disproportionately affect women and can turn what is supposed to be a joyous and beautiful experience - childbirth - into a horrific or even fatal one.
No woman anywhere should be denied access to quality healthcare because of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
I grew up in the U.K. and now reside in the United States, and my family is from Ghana.
My mother was born in Ghana, but she moved to the U.K. when my sisters and I were born.
Women are hit especially hard in regions of ongoing conflict. Before, during, and after conflict, women bear the brunt of the consequences of war. They are left as the providers and guardians, responsible for rebuilding their country one family at a time.
