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Amid the George Floyd protests, on Thursday, June 11, the Puerto Rican model posted a video to her Instagram feed asking the industry she works in to put their money where their mouth is and “give [black people] a real seat at the table” in a five minute clip titled “We Are Not a Trend.”
One way people are showing their solidarity with the black community as the country continues to mourn and fight for George Floyd’s death is by supporting black-owned businesses. Yesterday, Us Weekly’s Stylish rounded up the best beauty brands owned by people of color and today we’re focusing on style. To inspire your next shopping spree, […]
“It is time for this industry to do more than post a black square and say they’ll ‘Do Better!’ It’s time for us to see the change starting from the ground up,” she writes in the accompanying caption. “Give us a seat at the table, include us, give us a chance, because we are worthy, talented and unique.”
The 31-year-old is one of the leading industry favorites and was named number eight on Forbes’ highest paid models list in 2019, earning $8 million last year. She starts the video saying that she wrote down some things she “needs to get off her chest,” taking aim at brands, agents and fashion publications for profiting off of “black and brown people” and using their culture as inspiration without truly supporting it.
Making an impact. As protests continue across the nation over the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the fashion industry is stepping up to support the Black Lives Matter movement in every way possible. Fashion brands, designers and stylists are using their social media platform as a way to inform and empower their followers. They’re […]
“You are part of the cycle that perpetuates these behaviors.” She continues, saying that many of the brands who “jumped on the bandwagon” only did so because they were being held accountable on social media. But she says that the “empty apologies” are not helping change the situation.
While recalling negative experiences such as being told her hair was “an issue,” she says “I don’t need validation from an industry that casts me as the token black girl while ignoring my whole cultural identity.”
What she does ask for is recognition of the systemic issues that exist within “her beloved” fashion industry. She continues, urging companies to give back monetarily to the black community while also implementing policies within their own walls to help ensure more diversity and inclusivity. Smalls also announced that she will be donating 50 percent of her income for the rest of the year to support Black Lives Matter organizations.
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