Ever since I can remember, I have always had a love for fashion, but have only recently come to terms with my own personal style. At a young age, I always felt I had to perform femininity and subscribe to a white, heterosexual notion of beauty: straight hair, straight teeth, straight, straight, straight.
Photography by Eric White
As I grew older and into my sexuality and identity, so my personal style evolved. I became proud of things that made me different. I realized that I can mix elements of both the masculine and the feminine. The wonderful thing about fashion, sexuality and gender expression is that it can be fluid. As a model with Muse NYC, I don't have to pin down who I am, and I can constantly change how I express myself. Gender and sexual expression doesn't have a fixed point, and never should.
Social media has really highlighted the fluidity of gender, the many ways queer people can be represented, the way we want to represent ourselves, and the beautiful diversity of our community. I know so many amazing queer people, especially queer people of color, who have built themselves a platform and have given themselves a voice through social media.
Photography by Eric White
My platform has allowed me to speak on issues that I'm passionate about and facilitate a dialogue between me and others. I have the ability to learn through others' experiences and listen to their point of view. But most importantly social media can make people feel less alone. So many younger queer black girls have contacted me, saying that through my platform they not only felt more confident in their identity but also in themselves.
Video by Paul Bui
A movement that is important to me is queer representation in the arts. The LGBTQ community has made some many amazing contributions to the art world, but are rarely recognized. Art Hoe Collective is an online art gallery that was made to shed light on queer artists of color. It was started by a group of queer black people who realized the disparity between the representation of artists of color online versus in traditional art spaces. When you go to the museums you are presented with work by cis white men documenting their experiences and their beliefs. Where is their room for an alternative narrative? A narrative that so many people live in their day to day lives? Art Hoe Collective was made to remedy that blank space.
Everyone needs a voice, and everyone needs to be heard. That is what Pride means to me.
Shop the Pride Collection at H&M.
