This past Monday, was my first time shooting New York Fashion Week street style. My friend, Kaye McCoy invited me out and pretty much said "You're kind of like the paparazzi." She was right and after experiencing the thrill of trying to capture somebody's essence in a matter of seconds I get the allure! 

However, bigger issue at hand: where are the black folk and plus-size models? I was out shooting for about 2 hours and can count on one hand how many I saw. Shame! Black and plus-size models are still not getting booked, even though they slay! Think about it, plus-size fashion models, editors, bloggers, etc. are more fashionable and creative because they have less to choose from. Designers aren't designing for them or dressing them at all. You'd be hard pressed to find a high-end designer showing at Fashion Week that carries a size 12? 

Black models, you have super soft place in my heart because I personally know the struggle. We have to hustle smarter because we get booked less. I pushed away from the modeling industry due to the same discrimination against my looks, hair, shape, name and pay rate. When I started modeling, bookers told me to cut my locs because they weren’t “bookable.” That was in 2005. The way locs and natural hair are "trending" now I was expecting to see them woven throughout NYFW, nah b! In 2011 when I traveled to Europe they said “I love your look but we already have a black model on our wall.” WTF, that one black model looks nothing like me nor any of my friends or family.

Yes, I had a blast shooting all the cool kids however, I want to see and be a part of a serious and much-needed expansion in the fashion [every] industry. Shooting and seeing diversity is important to me and it sucks that I saw barely saw folks over a size 6. Where is Obama when you need him?

Note: all photos taken by moi! 

xoxo