Models (left to right): Tiffany Hill, Bridgett Johnson, Kaila Uli, Ashley Alzate, Aneesha Madhok,
Samantha De Galicia, Deonna Tillman, Jas Monet, Hannah Christina, Zohra Hussein, Madeleine Shelton
Photographer: Nick Ramsay
on losing weight, which consisted of
daily cardio and limiting my intake of
food. I tried to find ways to grow taller,
keep my skin clear and make myself
look like the idolized, blue-eyed and
blonde-haired girl. My looks became
an obsession that consumed my
entire life and it made me hate myself
for who I am not. Casting directors
would exclude me from being booked
because I was not a size 0, 5’8” or
an “all American” girl. I was always
considered too Asian, or not Asian
enough, and put into this category that
suppressed other parts of me. People
would make remarks about Asians
which made me feel like I needed to
think, act, and look a certain way to
fulfill the stereotypes.
ust being Asian in the
modeling industry can
already be perceived as
a disadvantage and I
shamefully resented my
racial identity. Every ounce of my
being was judged by many, and to
J