I was raised with a healthy body image, however, like for many people growing up in Black southern families, weight was a thing that people thought they were free to tease you about. Sometimes it hurt. But, most of the time, it just went in one ear and out the other. This has pretty much been the nature of my detachment as it relates to other people’s unsolicited opinions. If being a naturally aloof Leo with toward ideas that don’t suit my personal self-image was not enough to protect my self-esteem, I traveled. I traveled young and often.
I traveled to places where my body was appreciated and even desired. My first trip to Jamaica let me know very early on that standards of beauty varied significantly from country to country. If ever a Black American woman that is pleasantly plump needs a bit of an ego boost, just take a week in West Africa; she won’t have a shortage of date proposals. While this may seem frivolous, experiencing yourself outside the limited borders of the United States can shift your entire self-perception. And that extends beyond vanity. This is why I started to shoot with photographers in every country that I explore. People need to see me, as me, curves and all, out in this vast world, truly enjoying my life, as myself. So when I hear people tell me they are waiting to lose weight to take pictures, it pains me in my soul. We are ALL Instagram ready, as we are. Be free…LIVE.
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