Breaking Beauty Standards: Paige Billiot's Birthmark Advocacy | myFace, myStory

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg speaks with Paige Lauren Billiot, a birthmark advocate, model, and film producer redefining beauty standards. Based in LA, Paige uses her platform to create representation for those with facial differences, celebrating her birthmark as her superpower. Featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, and Glamour, she challenges societal norms and empowers others to embrace their uniqueness with confidence. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on self-love, advocacy, and the power of authentic representation.

 

TRANSCRIPT 

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Hello, and welcome to My Face, My Story,

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voices from the craniofacial community.

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I'm Dena Zuckerberg,

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your host and director of

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family programs at My Face.

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Like many of you listening,

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I have a craniofacial difference.

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I was born with a cleft lip,

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a hearing loss,

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and no vision in my left eye.

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My Face,

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My Story is about people like us

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being seen and heard,

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about sharing stories

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within the craniofacial

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community and with others.

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This podcast episode is made

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possible through support

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from the Integra Foundation,

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committed to improving lives.

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By the way,

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whether you're watching on

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YouTube or listening

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through Apple Podcasts,

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click subscribe now and

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we'll keep you updated on

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future episodes so you never miss out.

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And if you're a fan of My Face, My Story,

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please rate and review the

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program on Apple Podcasts

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so we can get our message

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of inclusivity and

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empowerment to more people.

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Today, I am joined by Paige Villiat.

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Paige is a birthmark advocate, model,

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and film producer,

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creating global birthmark

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representation and

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awareness within the beauty, fashion,

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and media industries.

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She uses social media to

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highlight her birthmark

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with makeup, props, graphic design,

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and VFX.

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Her influence has been

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recognized in many magazines,

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including Harper's Bazaar, Seventeen,

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Glamour, and Women's Health,

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earning her a spot on

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Glamour's fifty

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Instagrammers you need to

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follow right now.

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When she isn't advocating

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for the birthmark community,

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she loves taking her

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forecast on walks in their

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strollers while expanding

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her chai tea latte palette

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and Scooby Doo collection.

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Welcome Paige.

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Hi,

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I really look forward to our

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conversations.

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Hello.

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Yes, I'm so excited to be here.

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When you asked me to join,

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I could not wait to have a

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conversation with you.

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I'm excited.

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So can you share a bit about

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your personal journey and

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how you came to embrace

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your birthmark as your superpower?

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Oh, man.

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I mean,

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that's I think any self accepting

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journey is quite the ride, I'm sure,

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as you know, and a very long one.

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I still feel like it's, you know,

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I'm still learning about myself.

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I'm still learning deeper

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levels of love and acceptance.

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But, yeah, I for most of my life.

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I would say up until, you know,

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a little outside of high

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school is when I started to

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get a little bit definitely

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more consistently comfortable with,

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you know,

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just kind of going outside the

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house without makeup just to run errands.

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I remember the end of high school,

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I stopped wearing like, you know,

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more full coverage

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foundation and just doing

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kind of like powder over the birthmark.

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So it was a very gradual

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process of accepting and

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then fully embracing.

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And how ironically life can

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be with having a birthmark

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on half of my face,

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I wanted to be an actress

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at a very young age.

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And I did that at high school.

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I was a performing arts

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major at Las Vegas Academy

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of Performing Arts International Studies,

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which was actually really,

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really fun and really great

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for the self-confidence and

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just being able to perform.

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I had my birthmark covered,

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but still being on stage

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and just being in that environment.

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And then when I moved out to LA in,

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very much the intention of

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being in front and behind the camera,

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always wanted to be a

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filmmaker to some capacity.

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And I took two years of

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trying to do the thing,

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trying to get an agent, the auditions,

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the managers,

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I'm trying to get into just short films,

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student films, whatever I could get into.

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And, you know,

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it was a very consistent

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pattern of confusion.

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And, you know,

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some of the same comments of just,

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we don't know where to put you.

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You're too distracting.

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You know,

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like we're very confused on like

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where to place you.

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Yeah.

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and I got you know I reached

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a threshold at a point and

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I got really frustrated at

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the process and I just

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realized you know what I

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just kind of have to make

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something on my own which

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really isn't that different

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of a story that I I think

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everybody in l.a ends up

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coming to realize at some

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point anyways that like you

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just you're gonna have to

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just kind of make your own stuff right

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So being really frustrated, I didn't,

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I couldn't make a film overnight,

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but I could take a photo.

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And I,

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that's when I started the Instagram.

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This was like mid-TwentyFifteen.

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I just, I felt

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really conflicted.

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I wanted so badly to be a

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representation in this space,

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but just also just in general.

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But at the same time,

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I was still struggling on

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my own of just how to be

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seen and be seen confidently,

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what my voice was, where to share it.

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And so the Instagram,

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I started the Instagram and

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started taking some photos

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where my birthmark was kind

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of the highlight.

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Sorry,

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I can kind of hear my cat in the

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background.

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He's supportive, cheerleading in the back.

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There you go.

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And yeah, the focus was the birthmark.

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And that was the main

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highlight of the photo.

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And I was showing it in ways

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that was just really

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empowering for me specifically.

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But I was hoping that it was

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creating a new perspective

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on how we see flaws.

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So I was highlighting it with makeup.

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I think I actually started

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doing it with graphic

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design and overlaying it

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with graphics of space.

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just really fun, beautiful, just like,

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just elements like nature,

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like rain and fire and all

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this fun stuff.

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And it really shifted my,

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like it next level as far

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as acceptance and, and embracement.

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Like I wanted to even know

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that was like an option.

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I felt so silly in that moment being like,

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oh my God, like I could,

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I could highlight this.

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Like that was never an

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option presented to me.

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Never,

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you know, taught like, you know,

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when we go to doctor's office, it's,

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it's here.

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Well,

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thank God there's maybe some things

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that can help cover it up

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or to help get rid of it, to help,

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you know, give you somewhat of a, um,

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Comfortable life, a semi-comfortable life.

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It was never, well,

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why don't you try embracing it?

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Why don't you try putting glitter on it?

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Why don't you try doing some

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kind of like empowerment

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activity where you can

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actually see it as art or

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see it as something positive?

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just really cool and

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different you know

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different can be cool um so

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that was a huge huge moment

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in my life was like oh my

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god I didn't even know this

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was like a thing that I

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needed permission to do um

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I think I was twenty around

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twenty five or something like that okay

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I don't know.

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And so, yeah,

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that was like I that was just

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a whole new world.

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And I everything then was like,

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how do I highlight this?

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Like, oh, that would be such a cool idea.

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Oh, I love that color.

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What an inspiration for like, like,

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you know, fill this in with or.

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And I never, never, ever thought that way.

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So that.

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Yeah.

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Next level made it be like, man,

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this is like actually like

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kind of like my superpower

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because I have a superhero now.

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And with some of these looks,

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I kind of look like one.

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And so that's that.

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That's kind of where we're

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at now is like finding

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different levels of creativity,

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things that I can do with it,

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but also how I can see it

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and just much more fulfilling, impactful,

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beautiful ways that I that

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I didn't really get the

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chance to do so when I was younger.

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Yeah, I love your Instagram.

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So what was the response you

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got when you started

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posting on social media?

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Response was wonderful.

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People really, really loved it.

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I mean, of course,

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you're going to get your your

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offhand person who has a

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comment about how the best

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peach in the world is disgusting.

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But no,

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the response was incredibly supportive.

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A lot of inspiration, actually.

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I think that really was a domino effect.

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I think I started to see people

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you know, comment like, wow,

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I didn't know you could do this as well.

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I've never seen a birthmark

00:10:25.714 --> 00:10:26.815
like this before or I've

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never seen a birthmark in general.

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And then people with facial

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differences in the

00:10:31.859 --> 00:10:33.058
birthmark community kind of

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starting to do similar thing,

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which was really, really amazing to see.

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And that's still to this day

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very much still get

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comments or just messages

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from people that they've never,

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ever seen anybody else that

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looks like them, which is, you know, it's

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completely understandable

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with the lack of

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representation and awareness that we have,

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but at the same time,

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for how long that we've had social media,

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it's still sometimes quite a surprise.

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But yeah,

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just overall incredibly

00:11:00.232 --> 00:11:03.413
supportive and it inspires

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a lot of people to see

00:11:06.594 --> 00:11:08.434
whatever it is that they're dealing with,

00:11:08.495 --> 00:11:09.394
whether that's a physical

00:11:09.434 --> 00:11:11.514
difference or an internal or, you know,

00:11:11.634 --> 00:11:16.155
just very like, just a self...

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They're in their own self-love journey,

00:11:19.096 --> 00:11:19.879
wherever that is.

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It's just something they

00:11:21.763 --> 00:11:23.326
haven't seen before and they...

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it shows that people are very much wanting,

00:11:28.398 --> 00:11:31.219
they desire to see one

00:11:31.278 --> 00:11:32.379
different in general.

00:11:32.458 --> 00:11:34.980
I think everyone's very sick

00:11:35.041 --> 00:11:36.160
of just seeing the same

00:11:36.181 --> 00:11:37.402
thing over and over again,

00:11:37.422 --> 00:11:39.243
the same type of sexual appeal,

00:11:39.283 --> 00:11:41.264
the same type of main character energy.

00:11:41.283 --> 00:11:44.205
And we wanna see what our

00:11:44.264 --> 00:11:45.466
world actually looks like.

00:11:45.546 --> 00:11:46.846
And I think people are

00:11:47.647 --> 00:11:48.486
becoming more and more

00:11:48.527 --> 00:11:50.008
vocal about that desire.

00:11:50.854 --> 00:11:51.094
Yeah.

00:11:51.754 --> 00:11:53.957
And I feel like it is a journey.

00:11:54.038 --> 00:11:55.658
I feel like we're always on that journey.

00:11:56.880 --> 00:11:58.602
It doesn't just stop one day,

00:11:58.842 --> 00:12:00.465
like even as we get older.

00:12:01.245 --> 00:12:03.087
And I feel like there's so

00:12:03.148 --> 00:12:07.613
much more people advocating

00:12:08.052 --> 00:12:09.634
and speaking up.

00:12:10.652 --> 00:12:11.952
than when I was growing up.

00:12:12.293 --> 00:12:13.693
It just feels like people in

00:12:13.714 --> 00:12:14.815
their twenties and thirties

00:12:14.855 --> 00:12:16.635
are so much more out there

00:12:16.655 --> 00:12:17.756
than I ever was.

00:12:18.477 --> 00:12:18.898
So,

00:12:20.119 --> 00:12:21.539
and I think a lot of that has to do

00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:22.581
with the people who come

00:12:22.640 --> 00:12:25.442
before us or before who

00:12:25.602 --> 00:12:26.884
have sort of paved the way.

00:12:26.943 --> 00:12:28.304
But I feel like also with

00:12:28.345 --> 00:12:30.125
social media and all these things,

00:12:31.787 --> 00:12:33.028
it seems like it's easier

00:12:33.107 --> 00:12:34.668
to get the messages out there.

00:12:34.688 --> 00:12:35.950
And it makes me so happy to

00:12:36.029 --> 00:12:37.751
see you and some of the

00:12:37.812 --> 00:12:39.572
others doing that because,

00:12:40.472 --> 00:12:44.674
I think it's hopefully helping to, um,

00:12:44.934 --> 00:12:48.177
normalize facial differences in some way.

00:12:48.197 --> 00:12:48.817
Definitely.

00:12:49.076 --> 00:12:49.236
Yeah.

00:12:49.256 --> 00:12:49.456
I mean,

00:12:49.476 --> 00:12:51.258
I think even just seeing people

00:12:52.097 --> 00:12:54.158
just happy living their lives,

00:12:54.359 --> 00:12:55.779
even like if they don't have a difference,

00:12:55.820 --> 00:12:56.700
you know, they're just,

00:12:56.740 --> 00:12:58.020
just woke up from bed,

00:12:58.280 --> 00:12:59.402
their hair's a mess.

00:12:59.422 --> 00:13:00.341
They got no makeup on,

00:13:00.381 --> 00:13:02.023
they're breaking out there, you know,

00:13:02.523 --> 00:13:03.844
whatever's hanging out and

00:13:03.884 --> 00:13:04.825
they're just living life

00:13:05.225 --> 00:13:06.686
and they're just living it beautifully.

00:13:06.745 --> 00:13:08.706
And I need to see that.

00:13:09.408 --> 00:13:12.610
I need to remind myself that

00:13:13.509 --> 00:13:14.850
perfection is messy and

00:13:14.890 --> 00:13:16.412
perfection is just existing.

00:13:17.832 --> 00:13:18.673
And seeing other people's

00:13:18.693 --> 00:13:20.375
self-confidence is very contagious.

00:13:20.394 --> 00:13:22.035
Absolutely.

00:13:23.692 --> 00:13:25.394
Representation in media and

00:13:25.434 --> 00:13:27.538
beauty is a huge focus of your work,

00:13:27.618 --> 00:13:27.999
I think.

00:13:28.499 --> 00:13:29.921
And what changes have you

00:13:29.961 --> 00:13:30.981
seen over the years and

00:13:31.022 --> 00:13:32.443
what progress do you think

00:13:32.484 --> 00:13:37.029
still needs to be made?

00:13:37.070 --> 00:13:37.931
Big question, I know.

00:13:37.990 --> 00:13:38.971
Yeah, good question.

00:13:39.091 --> 00:13:40.653
I mean, I...

00:13:45.811 --> 00:13:47.254
Represent yeah, I mean representation.

00:13:47.293 --> 00:13:48.736
We still have a lot of work

00:13:48.756 --> 00:13:51.041
to do like a lot of work to do.

00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:52.322
I feel like in every

00:13:52.442 --> 00:13:54.086
department and every aspect

00:13:54.246 --> 00:13:56.892
of like business and creativity and just.

00:14:01.308 --> 00:14:02.649
I am seeing more brands,

00:14:02.710 --> 00:14:03.671
more makeup brands and

00:14:03.730 --> 00:14:05.371
skincare brands becoming

00:14:05.491 --> 00:14:09.335
more inclusive with how

00:14:09.414 --> 00:14:10.336
they're marketing and who

00:14:10.355 --> 00:14:11.336
they're marketing to.

00:14:13.578 --> 00:14:14.599
And I was actually lucky

00:14:14.619 --> 00:14:16.000
enough to be part of a

00:14:16.041 --> 00:14:16.900
makeup brand called It

00:14:16.941 --> 00:14:19.322
Cosmetics where that was a

00:14:19.363 --> 00:14:20.703
big push of their latest

00:14:20.724 --> 00:14:22.765
campaign for their CC cream was having...

00:14:23.666 --> 00:14:24.547
a little bit more of

00:14:24.846 --> 00:14:26.187
inclusivity in their models.

00:14:27.227 --> 00:14:28.609
And so you can actually see

00:14:28.629 --> 00:14:30.049
my face in Sephora and Ulta.

00:14:30.070 --> 00:14:32.951
I know, I love it.

00:14:33.312 --> 00:14:33.611
And, you know,

00:14:33.631 --> 00:14:35.013
like I haven't seen that before.

00:14:35.773 --> 00:14:36.894
And I think IT Cosmetics

00:14:36.974 --> 00:14:38.094
actually did something

00:14:38.313 --> 00:14:39.975
similar maybe a few years ago,

00:14:40.535 --> 00:14:42.716
maybe not as big of a scale, but like,

00:14:43.586 --> 00:14:44.589
I'm hearing more and more

00:14:44.609 --> 00:14:45.730
from makeup and skincare

00:14:45.750 --> 00:14:47.854
brands that this next push

00:14:47.933 --> 00:14:51.099
within beauty industry is

00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:52.480
facial differences.

00:14:54.684 --> 00:14:58.327
I think within the media and film industry,

00:14:58.388 --> 00:15:00.068
disability is the next push.

00:15:01.090 --> 00:15:02.530
That's what I have been hearing from.

00:15:02.571 --> 00:15:04.373
I'm part of the SAG Disability Committee,

00:15:04.452 --> 00:15:06.033
and being as a producer,

00:15:06.274 --> 00:15:07.875
I do ask around a lot of these questions.

00:15:09.056 --> 00:15:10.157
But it's still so niche,

00:15:10.177 --> 00:15:11.918
and it's still so incredibly difficult.

00:15:12.999 --> 00:15:14.039
You really have to have a

00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:16.022
brand that really believes in that.

00:15:16.062 --> 00:15:18.423
You really have to have a producer that...

00:15:19.344 --> 00:15:21.184
you know has some type of

00:15:21.284 --> 00:15:22.565
personal experience even if

00:15:22.644 --> 00:15:23.384
it's just within an

00:15:23.445 --> 00:15:24.725
extension of somebody else

00:15:24.785 --> 00:15:29.408
like they're it's like the

00:15:29.427 --> 00:15:30.927
the door is opening for the

00:15:30.988 --> 00:15:33.168
conversation to be had so

00:15:33.208 --> 00:15:34.009
much more and I think the

00:15:34.048 --> 00:15:35.809
conversation has is being

00:15:35.850 --> 00:15:38.270
taken more seriously um

00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:41.364
But yeah, I think the work is just,

00:15:42.304 --> 00:15:43.606
I don't think it's any easier,

00:15:43.726 --> 00:15:44.447
to be honest.

00:15:45.269 --> 00:15:46.490
We have these doors open for

00:15:46.530 --> 00:15:47.451
these conversations,

00:15:47.471 --> 00:15:48.413
but then you see all of

00:15:48.453 --> 00:15:49.774
these DEI policies and

00:15:49.815 --> 00:15:51.477
initiatives that are rolling back.

00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:54.440
You see that the disability

00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:57.361
community is very much one

00:15:57.402 --> 00:15:58.523
of the marginalized

00:15:58.562 --> 00:16:01.945
communities that is being attacked,

00:16:02.065 --> 00:16:02.725
essentially,

00:16:02.865 --> 00:16:04.005
as far as their rights and

00:16:04.025 --> 00:16:04.886
their benefits.

00:16:06.388 --> 00:16:07.509
We have discrimination

00:16:07.568 --> 00:16:08.808
policies in place for a

00:16:08.869 --> 00:16:10.370
very specific reason,

00:16:10.770 --> 00:16:11.910
and people with visible

00:16:11.951 --> 00:16:13.471
differences experience that

00:16:13.572 --> 00:16:14.533
every single day,

00:16:14.572 --> 00:16:15.653
and they do experience that

00:16:15.693 --> 00:16:17.315
in their workplace and our opportunities.

00:16:18.394 --> 00:16:20.577
The fight, I mean, if anything,

00:16:20.618 --> 00:16:22.320
I think is probably even stronger.

00:16:25.003 --> 00:16:26.825
So I think it's just,

00:16:27.605 --> 00:16:28.866
I don't really know all

00:16:28.907 --> 00:16:29.687
that it would take.

00:16:29.748 --> 00:16:31.791
I think it would take so incredibly much,

00:16:31.870 --> 00:16:33.471
but seeing more and more

00:16:33.552 --> 00:16:37.056
people advocate in their respected space.

00:16:38.431 --> 00:16:40.932
is, I think, the first best step.

00:16:41.734 --> 00:16:42.735
We're talking about it.

00:16:43.034 --> 00:16:46.277
We're sharing about the information,

00:16:47.498 --> 00:16:49.139
the experiences that we deal with,

00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:50.780
the help that we need from the community.

00:16:50.841 --> 00:16:52.361
We're sharing about this on social media.

00:16:52.381 --> 00:16:53.263
People are becoming more

00:16:53.302 --> 00:16:55.063
aware of our struggles

00:16:56.725 --> 00:16:58.307
while also trying to

00:16:58.386 --> 00:16:59.947
advocate for those opportunities.

00:17:01.288 --> 00:17:03.090
there are those people that

00:17:03.350 --> 00:17:04.691
have those resources that

00:17:04.750 --> 00:17:05.912
have that funding and that

00:17:06.031 --> 00:17:07.333
have that passion and that

00:17:07.393 --> 00:17:08.933
intention to create those

00:17:08.973 --> 00:17:10.054
opportunities for people

00:17:10.074 --> 00:17:12.556
like us there's just you

00:17:12.576 --> 00:17:14.876
know not as many people as

00:17:14.916 --> 00:17:16.337
we would hope and now that like

00:17:16.909 --> 00:17:18.130
these challenges that they

00:17:18.250 --> 00:17:19.511
even have to now face when

00:17:19.531 --> 00:17:20.432
they're just trying to do

00:17:20.492 --> 00:17:23.816
something good um it's it's

00:17:24.016 --> 00:17:25.438
it's it's hard but you know

00:17:25.518 --> 00:17:26.719
we we just keep pushing and

00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:28.980
we keep got this project

00:17:29.040 --> 00:17:29.961
we've got you know a slate

00:17:29.981 --> 00:17:31.083
of feature films that we're

00:17:31.123 --> 00:17:32.585
working on in TV series

00:17:32.605 --> 00:17:33.405
where the roles are

00:17:33.625 --> 00:17:36.228
incredibly inclusive and and

00:17:36.307 --> 00:17:38.269
fun um and I know people

00:17:38.289 --> 00:17:39.330
there are people out there

00:17:39.351 --> 00:17:41.011
that will fund it it's I'm

00:17:41.051 --> 00:17:42.113
not gonna knock on any

00:17:42.173 --> 00:17:43.874
studio doors though like I

00:17:43.933 --> 00:17:44.835
know where my avenue is

00:17:44.855 --> 00:17:45.675
gonna be it's gonna be

00:17:45.715 --> 00:17:46.997
completely private funding

00:17:47.037 --> 00:17:48.076
where someone who believes

00:17:48.096 --> 00:17:49.258
in that message who wants

00:17:49.278 --> 00:17:50.298
to see that message come

00:17:50.378 --> 00:17:51.960
out there and then once

00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:53.321
studios see the success

00:17:53.342 --> 00:17:53.902
because everything's

00:17:53.942 --> 00:17:55.722
business once they see it's

00:17:55.782 --> 00:17:57.144
less of a risk assessment

00:17:57.224 --> 00:17:58.865
on their end then someone

00:17:58.905 --> 00:17:59.605
might you know you

00:18:00.406 --> 00:18:01.366
come on board and come

00:18:01.406 --> 00:18:02.488
behind and now we can make

00:18:02.528 --> 00:18:03.667
it more of a bigger message

00:18:03.708 --> 00:18:04.607
but it's getting to that

00:18:04.647 --> 00:18:05.688
point which is always the

00:18:05.788 --> 00:18:08.929
most difficult um but we're

00:18:08.949 --> 00:18:11.170
getting there yeah I think

00:18:11.230 --> 00:18:12.890
two points two thoughts I

00:18:12.930 --> 00:18:13.930
had while you were talking

00:18:13.970 --> 00:18:15.871
is one is that um it is

00:18:16.550 --> 00:18:17.790
definitely a little

00:18:18.510 --> 00:18:20.791
nerve-wracking or even scary the

00:18:21.913 --> 00:18:23.354
potential of the DEI

00:18:23.414 --> 00:18:24.775
rollback and what that's

00:18:24.815 --> 00:18:26.736
going to mean for people

00:18:26.776 --> 00:18:29.036
with disabilities and facial differences.

00:18:29.096 --> 00:18:30.856
And also,

00:18:31.096 --> 00:18:33.178
I think that the other thing I

00:18:33.198 --> 00:18:34.218
think a lot about is that

00:18:34.278 --> 00:18:36.778
we're not quite part of the

00:18:36.999 --> 00:18:39.220
bigger conversation on

00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:41.400
disability and differences yet.

00:18:42.280 --> 00:18:43.500
But I feel like we're

00:18:44.278 --> 00:18:45.459
breaking for a little bit.

00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:46.880
Like I think this, as you said,

00:18:46.900 --> 00:18:48.099
there's still a lot of work

00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:50.642
to be done in this field.

00:18:50.721 --> 00:18:53.242
And I think also not a lot

00:18:53.262 --> 00:18:55.243
of people know about facial

00:18:55.263 --> 00:18:57.306
differences or clasps or

00:18:57.405 --> 00:18:58.605
craniofacial differences.

00:18:59.146 --> 00:19:00.086
And I think so,

00:19:01.647 --> 00:19:03.108
I think awareness and

00:19:03.648 --> 00:19:07.332
advocacy is so important in doing that.

00:19:07.372 --> 00:19:08.051
But I feel like it's

00:19:08.112 --> 00:19:09.413
happening much more than

00:19:09.593 --> 00:19:10.973
when I was growing up for sure.

00:19:12.021 --> 00:19:13.702
Definitely.

00:19:13.883 --> 00:19:16.244
Yeah, a hundred percent.

00:19:16.265 --> 00:19:17.006
To our audience,

00:19:17.066 --> 00:19:18.247
I hope you're enjoying this

00:19:18.307 --> 00:19:20.048
episode of My Face, My Story.

00:19:20.249 --> 00:19:21.249
Whether it's your first time

00:19:21.288 --> 00:19:22.410
joining us or you've been

00:19:22.430 --> 00:19:23.631
with us since the beginning,

00:19:24.211 --> 00:19:25.452
make sure you're subscribed

00:19:25.512 --> 00:19:26.634
to our YouTube and Apple

00:19:26.673 --> 00:19:28.454
podcast channels and sign

00:19:28.494 --> 00:19:29.776
up for our mailing list at

00:19:29.855 --> 00:19:33.798
myface.org slash my story.

00:19:33.838 --> 00:19:34.119
So

00:19:35.944 --> 00:19:38.230
How do you navigate the

00:19:38.270 --> 00:19:40.076
challenges of working in the fashion,

00:19:40.115 --> 00:19:41.700
film and beauty industries

00:19:41.740 --> 00:19:43.684
while advocating for inclusivity?

00:19:45.892 --> 00:19:47.752
Um, you know, so I,

00:19:47.772 --> 00:19:50.494
I just signed with Zebedee or ZBD.

00:19:52.695 --> 00:19:55.178
I think it was the beginning of twenty,

00:19:55.377 --> 00:19:57.159
was it twenty, twenty four?

00:19:57.179 --> 00:19:58.200
Yeah, it was just, you know, so it's,

00:19:58.319 --> 00:19:59.140
it's still pretty recent.

00:19:59.780 --> 00:20:01.422
Um, prior to that, you know,

00:20:01.461 --> 00:20:02.623
it was whenever,

00:20:02.722 --> 00:20:04.324
whatever gigs I could get, you know,

00:20:04.344 --> 00:20:04.923
on my own.

00:20:04.983 --> 00:20:06.984
And even now it's usually

00:20:07.025 --> 00:20:08.766
brands and companies that are, that are,

00:20:08.846 --> 00:20:10.426
you know, they go to a company like ZBD,

00:20:10.446 --> 00:20:10.667
which

00:20:11.748 --> 00:20:13.848
represents mainly different

00:20:13.888 --> 00:20:16.670
inclusive types of models

00:20:16.710 --> 00:20:18.211
like so they're obviously

00:20:18.270 --> 00:20:19.651
going for that type of look

00:20:19.671 --> 00:20:21.471
and that creative so it

00:20:21.491 --> 00:20:22.811
doesn't feel like you know

00:20:22.832 --> 00:20:24.432
there's a lot of work to

00:20:24.492 --> 00:20:25.814
push for advocacy when the

00:20:25.834 --> 00:20:26.814
brands already kind of come

00:20:27.074 --> 00:20:27.594
coming for you

00:20:29.674 --> 00:20:30.935
But when I would reach out

00:20:30.996 --> 00:20:32.498
to makeup companies,

00:20:33.698 --> 00:20:36.119
kind of cold email with sponsorships,

00:20:36.140 --> 00:20:37.721
with social media sponsorships,

00:20:39.563 --> 00:20:40.544
going with companies where

00:20:40.564 --> 00:20:41.724
their messaging was already

00:20:41.785 --> 00:20:43.185
in lined with differences,

00:20:43.546 --> 00:20:44.606
but didn't have any models

00:20:44.646 --> 00:20:45.528
to represent that.

00:20:46.228 --> 00:20:47.568
And that would definitely be

00:20:47.588 --> 00:20:49.530
my pitch is to kind of be like, hey,

00:20:49.550 --> 00:20:50.030
if you're gonna be

00:20:50.070 --> 00:20:51.152
representing or say that

00:20:51.172 --> 00:20:53.233
you represent these types of people,

00:20:53.273 --> 00:20:54.134
then you really need to

00:20:54.174 --> 00:20:55.435
represent these types of people.

00:20:56.256 --> 00:20:58.519
um sometimes it was oh wow

00:20:58.538 --> 00:20:59.339
you're absolutely right we

00:20:59.380 --> 00:21:00.181
would love to actually do a

00:21:00.221 --> 00:21:01.402
sponsorship with you and

00:21:01.541 --> 00:21:03.223
I'm the first you know

00:21:03.585 --> 00:21:05.307
facially different type of

00:21:05.346 --> 00:21:06.268
model that they've done any

00:21:06.307 --> 00:21:08.049
type of work with others

00:21:08.190 --> 00:21:09.751
where that's just not where

00:21:10.792 --> 00:21:12.714
their marketing and focus

00:21:12.734 --> 00:21:14.757
is is quite at um

00:21:15.805 --> 00:21:19.146
So it's a handful of things.

00:21:20.107 --> 00:21:21.347
But the brands that are

00:21:21.428 --> 00:21:22.989
somewhat interested, like at Cosmetics,

00:21:23.009 --> 00:21:24.150
when they come to us

00:21:24.210 --> 00:21:26.451
looking for inclusive models, oh,

00:21:26.832 --> 00:21:27.551
I'm right there.

00:21:27.692 --> 00:21:28.952
Go into the social media

00:21:29.393 --> 00:21:32.154
person or any type of

00:21:32.535 --> 00:21:34.115
creative producer where I'm like,

00:21:34.135 --> 00:21:35.076
how do we make this bigger?

00:21:35.517 --> 00:21:37.298
How do we have a bigger

00:21:37.518 --> 00:21:39.459
lasting relationship?

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.599
And I'm not just talking me.

00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:41.820
I'm not just talking birthmarks.

00:21:41.881 --> 00:21:43.481
I'm talking X, Y, and Z.

00:21:44.321 --> 00:21:45.482
Um, how do we,

00:21:45.643 --> 00:21:47.144
how do we do a campaign together?

00:21:47.203 --> 00:21:48.884
Like it's, it's how to, it's,

00:21:48.964 --> 00:21:49.865
I'm always trying to look

00:21:49.905 --> 00:21:50.885
for how do we make this a

00:21:50.925 --> 00:21:52.287
more lasting relationship?

00:21:52.346 --> 00:21:53.387
It's not just off.

00:21:53.448 --> 00:21:54.769
I do think I have done

00:21:54.788 --> 00:21:56.509
things for free just to get

00:21:56.569 --> 00:21:57.570
my foot in the door with

00:21:57.590 --> 00:21:58.971
the brand to just show, Hey,

00:22:00.011 --> 00:22:01.294
This is how well it can go.

00:22:01.374 --> 00:22:02.434
This is how well it can do.

00:22:03.756 --> 00:22:07.701
Here's just a little taste

00:22:07.901 --> 00:22:10.222
of opening a door into

00:22:11.144 --> 00:22:12.945
having a market of specifically,

00:22:13.366 --> 00:22:15.829
eight hundred new million customers.

00:22:16.329 --> 00:22:17.211
There's over eight hundred

00:22:17.230 --> 00:22:18.692
million people with birthmarks.

00:22:19.292 --> 00:22:20.212
over twenty four million

00:22:20.252 --> 00:22:21.012
people in the world with

00:22:21.053 --> 00:22:22.273
propion stains that's a

00:22:22.314 --> 00:22:23.894
really big open market that

00:22:23.953 --> 00:22:25.054
no one's really I have no

00:22:25.134 --> 00:22:28.015
idea birthmarks you know

00:22:28.035 --> 00:22:29.134
I'm not even talking about

00:22:29.836 --> 00:22:30.935
all craniofacial

00:22:31.316 --> 00:22:34.076
differences and I think

00:22:34.176 --> 00:22:35.676
it's kind of just I try to

00:22:35.717 --> 00:22:37.037
present it more in that way

00:22:37.116 --> 00:22:37.777
just in more on their

00:22:37.817 --> 00:22:38.958
language of like this is

00:22:39.038 --> 00:22:40.278
here's a business model and

00:22:40.317 --> 00:22:41.738
here's some numbers that

00:22:41.758 --> 00:22:43.679
you're missing out on and

00:22:44.818 --> 00:22:46.640
It's also creating projects

00:22:47.520 --> 00:22:50.282
and trying to get into new avenues.

00:22:51.103 --> 00:22:52.744
I've created a pitch for

00:22:52.765 --> 00:22:54.266
Mattel for Birthmark Barbie

00:22:54.326 --> 00:22:55.026
and trying to get

00:22:55.066 --> 00:22:56.527
representation and advocacy

00:22:56.547 --> 00:22:58.989
within that space,

00:23:00.250 --> 00:23:01.349
trying to get representation,

00:23:01.411 --> 00:23:02.310
advocacy in my own space

00:23:02.351 --> 00:23:03.471
that I work in within, you know,

00:23:03.731 --> 00:23:05.272
films and producing and

00:23:05.313 --> 00:23:06.593
creating a slate of films

00:23:06.692 --> 00:23:08.554
and finally have a roster

00:23:08.713 --> 00:23:09.973
of individuals where I can

00:23:10.074 --> 00:23:11.094
actually take this to and

00:23:11.134 --> 00:23:11.835
something could actually

00:23:11.855 --> 00:23:14.855
happen successfully with fingers crossed.

00:23:15.855 --> 00:23:16.836
So there's there's a lot of

00:23:16.895 --> 00:23:19.217
projects and avenues where in books,

00:23:19.297 --> 00:23:19.557
you know,

00:23:19.596 --> 00:23:21.857
different spaces that birthmark emojis,

00:23:21.938 --> 00:23:22.097
you know,

00:23:22.137 --> 00:23:23.038
facially different birthmark

00:23:23.057 --> 00:23:25.019
emojis where we submitted,

00:23:25.219 --> 00:23:25.979
they all got denied.

00:23:26.838 --> 00:23:27.500
But so we're working.

00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:27.700
Yeah.

00:23:29.099 --> 00:23:30.861
That would be amazing to have emojis.

00:23:30.961 --> 00:23:32.481
Yeah, right.

00:23:33.022 --> 00:23:33.323
Yeah.

00:23:33.343 --> 00:23:35.805
So it's, it's seeing kind of, you know,

00:23:36.005 --> 00:23:37.945
where it lacks, which is everywhere,

00:23:38.066 --> 00:23:39.186
and just seeing where I can

00:23:39.227 --> 00:23:41.488
personally tap into where I

00:23:41.509 --> 00:23:42.409
have expertise.

00:23:43.109 --> 00:23:44.369
But that that also extends

00:23:44.390 --> 00:23:46.011
to medical and physical.

00:23:46.872 --> 00:23:48.073
you know actual like

00:23:48.173 --> 00:23:49.334
policies and just

00:23:49.453 --> 00:23:50.894
discrimination policies and

00:23:51.835 --> 00:23:53.855
going to the the medical

00:23:53.875 --> 00:23:54.836
boards and having a bit of

00:23:54.856 --> 00:23:56.798
a refreshed actual medical

00:23:56.857 --> 00:23:58.219
model and one how we

00:23:58.298 --> 00:23:59.920
educate people about facial

00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:00.880
differences or just you

00:24:00.900 --> 00:24:01.961
know really differences in

00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:03.662
general but facial

00:24:03.682 --> 00:24:04.962
differences is a is a

00:24:05.002 --> 00:24:05.982
really big thing and I

00:24:06.083 --> 00:24:08.124
actually talked to um

00:24:09.265 --> 00:24:10.425
I was doing this commercial

00:24:10.486 --> 00:24:12.267
for figs it's a high-end

00:24:12.406 --> 00:24:14.067
scrub company and so we had

00:24:14.127 --> 00:24:15.709
it was twelve plastic

00:24:15.749 --> 00:24:17.028
surgeons and doctors and

00:24:17.068 --> 00:24:18.609
nurses and all in all these

00:24:18.630 --> 00:24:19.371
different fields and there

00:24:19.391 --> 00:24:20.290
was a few dermatologists

00:24:20.310 --> 00:24:22.031
there and I asked them just

00:24:22.071 --> 00:24:22.833
like hey I'm just so

00:24:22.873 --> 00:24:24.713
curious so like currently

00:24:24.753 --> 00:24:25.513
erwin when you were in

00:24:25.594 --> 00:24:28.355
school like what was the

00:24:28.375 --> 00:24:29.296
the educate the medical

00:24:29.336 --> 00:24:30.797
education that you got off

00:24:30.876 --> 00:24:31.998
of birthmark she obviously

00:24:32.018 --> 00:24:32.837
knew what her birthmark was

00:24:32.857 --> 00:24:33.898
because she's dermatologist

00:24:34.278 --> 00:24:35.880
but she was like you will laugh and

00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:38.461
We have one thirty minute

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:40.760
lecture to cover all three

00:24:40.780 --> 00:24:44.021
thousand plus skin conditions.

00:24:46.461 --> 00:24:47.002
And that's it.

00:24:47.502 --> 00:24:47.603
Yeah,

00:24:47.623 --> 00:24:50.242
I guess I keep saying we need to do a

00:24:50.282 --> 00:24:52.344
better job of educating the

00:24:52.403 --> 00:24:53.723
medical community and

00:24:54.223 --> 00:24:55.865
getting in front of them,

00:24:55.884 --> 00:24:57.125
because I remember years ago,

00:24:58.785 --> 00:25:00.226
three or four of us from

00:25:00.266 --> 00:25:01.185
the facial difference

00:25:01.205 --> 00:25:02.726
community actually went

00:25:02.826 --> 00:25:05.067
into a medical school and presented.

00:25:05.750 --> 00:25:07.852
And they said they don't

00:25:07.912 --> 00:25:09.053
have that opportunity to

00:25:09.093 --> 00:25:11.933
hear from people themselves

00:25:11.953 --> 00:25:12.534
because they're just

00:25:12.734 --> 00:25:14.174
reading it in a textbook.

00:25:14.756 --> 00:25:16.556
And that experience just was

00:25:16.655 --> 00:25:17.757
life changing for them.

00:25:17.777 --> 00:25:19.718
And I just feel like every time I do it,

00:25:19.778 --> 00:25:20.018
I'm like,

00:25:20.057 --> 00:25:21.159
we need to do more of this

00:25:21.199 --> 00:25:24.740
because I think it's so important,

00:25:24.780 --> 00:25:25.701
especially getting them

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:27.402
when they're just starting out.

00:25:28.343 --> 00:25:29.923
So even just to know what

00:25:29.943 --> 00:25:31.585
the proper terminology is

00:25:31.904 --> 00:25:34.067
or what words to use, what not to use,

00:25:34.688 --> 00:25:35.788
and thinking about that

00:25:35.848 --> 00:25:37.250
person as a human being

00:25:38.391 --> 00:25:40.932
beyond just the textbook person.

00:25:41.252 --> 00:25:43.914
And so I think that I would

00:25:43.976 --> 00:25:46.217
love to do more in the medical community.

00:25:46.738 --> 00:25:46.958
Yeah.

00:25:49.619 --> 00:25:52.182
So what advice would you

00:25:52.222 --> 00:25:53.624
give to someone struggling

00:25:53.644 --> 00:25:55.144
with self acceptance due to

00:25:55.224 --> 00:25:56.165
their visible difference?

00:25:56.205 --> 00:25:57.968
And maybe what would you say

00:25:58.008 --> 00:26:00.730
if they wanted to do what

00:26:00.750 --> 00:26:03.333
you're doing and get out

00:26:03.353 --> 00:26:04.994
there and do acting or

00:26:05.174 --> 00:26:07.136
social media in a big way?

00:26:07.176 --> 00:26:08.377
Like what would you say to them?

00:26:10.266 --> 00:26:15.388
um so much um I think you

00:26:15.409 --> 00:26:16.308
know one of the biggest

00:26:16.328 --> 00:26:17.609
things that took the

00:26:17.650 --> 00:26:18.849
longest for me and it

00:26:18.910 --> 00:26:20.310
seemed the most simplest

00:26:20.351 --> 00:26:20.951
and one of the most

00:26:21.010 --> 00:26:22.432
powerful was just don't

00:26:22.471 --> 00:26:23.913
wait to ask for permission

00:26:23.972 --> 00:26:24.813
no one's going to give it

00:26:24.833 --> 00:26:26.653
to you um you will wait

00:26:26.673 --> 00:26:28.734
your entire life for it um

00:26:31.258 --> 00:26:32.439
start doing the things that

00:26:32.499 --> 00:26:33.479
interest you now.

00:26:33.659 --> 00:26:37.080
Start acting like the person

00:26:37.141 --> 00:26:38.820
who you know that you

00:26:38.961 --> 00:26:40.402
envision yourself to be.

00:26:40.461 --> 00:26:41.261
There's this,

00:26:41.301 --> 00:26:42.782
they call it the Batman effect.

00:26:43.303 --> 00:26:44.604
And I love this.

00:26:44.884 --> 00:26:46.403
And I did this growing up,

00:26:46.785 --> 00:26:47.825
not even knowing this is

00:26:47.865 --> 00:26:48.664
what I was doing.

00:26:48.765 --> 00:26:52.307
But you embody the character

00:26:53.047 --> 00:26:54.428
that you are either

00:26:54.488 --> 00:26:55.968
envisioning or that you

00:26:56.028 --> 00:26:57.828
deep down know that that's who you are.

00:26:58.108 --> 00:26:59.529
You pretend to be

00:27:00.509 --> 00:27:03.491
a character that you are too

00:27:03.531 --> 00:27:05.153
fearful to already kind of

00:27:05.913 --> 00:27:06.815
actually claim.

00:27:06.875 --> 00:27:08.016
So you pretend it.

00:27:08.817 --> 00:27:10.637
And when you pretend to be

00:27:10.678 --> 00:27:12.799
this confident person going

00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:13.740
into the grocery store,

00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:15.281
I'm not going to let anybody bother me.

00:27:16.162 --> 00:27:18.203
I'm this main character from

00:27:18.344 --> 00:27:21.046
this movie and that I really love.

00:27:22.646 --> 00:27:24.108
And I'm going to go and this

00:27:24.148 --> 00:27:25.670
is how I'm going to go do my groceries.

00:27:26.916 --> 00:27:28.959
It works a hundred percent of the time.

00:27:30.339 --> 00:27:31.401
Sometimes you get out of it

00:27:32.082 --> 00:27:33.462
because it kind of will feel silly,

00:27:34.063 --> 00:27:35.744
but you practice it a little bit.

00:27:35.805 --> 00:27:36.625
And before you know it,

00:27:36.645 --> 00:27:38.027
you start becoming that,

00:27:38.186 --> 00:27:39.208
you start embodying those

00:27:39.268 --> 00:27:40.608
actual characteristics and

00:27:40.628 --> 00:27:41.369
those behaviors.

00:27:42.871 --> 00:27:43.711
To an extent.

00:27:43.911 --> 00:27:45.912
But if that's your goal is confidence,

00:27:45.991 --> 00:27:47.593
you will start to embody that.

00:27:47.673 --> 00:27:49.992
So you totally fake it till you make it.

00:27:50.212 --> 00:27:51.513
I think it is one of the

00:27:51.594 --> 00:27:52.874
best psychological tricks

00:27:52.913 --> 00:27:53.733
that one can do.

00:27:54.115 --> 00:27:55.734
I still do it myself to this day.

00:27:56.095 --> 00:27:57.435
I'm not feeling in a great mood.

00:27:57.855 --> 00:27:58.875
I do the Batman effect.

00:27:58.895 --> 00:27:59.635
I love that.

00:27:59.736 --> 00:28:02.997
I love that concept.

00:28:03.057 --> 00:28:03.436
I'm excited.

00:28:03.537 --> 00:28:03.958
Yeah, I know.

00:28:03.978 --> 00:28:04.718
Because it'll...

00:28:06.286 --> 00:28:07.487
Just like an actor, you know,

00:28:07.507 --> 00:28:08.488
the show must go on.

00:28:08.807 --> 00:28:09.929
If the stage rolls up,

00:28:09.969 --> 00:28:11.230
you gotta go on stage.

00:28:11.250 --> 00:28:12.311
You gotta go and pretend to

00:28:12.332 --> 00:28:13.132
be that character.

00:28:13.172 --> 00:28:14.173
So I think it can be really

00:28:14.212 --> 00:28:15.835
great in moments where you

00:28:15.855 --> 00:28:17.536
need to turn it on immediately like that.

00:28:18.037 --> 00:28:20.479
It's great for a gradual, you know,

00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:23.441
results to get to from point

00:28:23.461 --> 00:28:26.462
A to point B. And it really helps,

00:28:26.583 --> 00:28:26.883
I think,

00:28:26.903 --> 00:28:28.584
kind of take away that fear and

00:28:28.604 --> 00:28:29.585
that seriousness,

00:28:29.605 --> 00:28:30.484
because you're just playing,

00:28:30.644 --> 00:28:32.425
you're just in,

00:28:32.445 --> 00:28:33.807
you're pretending to be

00:28:34.407 --> 00:28:36.028
kind of someone else that

00:28:36.048 --> 00:28:38.130
you're able to then do this thing with.

00:28:38.750 --> 00:28:40.010
which can really be helpful

00:28:40.050 --> 00:28:42.592
to then get you to maybe

00:28:43.271 --> 00:28:44.451
outline your difference for

00:28:44.491 --> 00:28:45.232
the first time.

00:28:45.333 --> 00:28:47.532
It might help you go and

00:28:47.573 --> 00:28:49.114
post the photo for the very

00:28:49.173 --> 00:28:50.493
first time to talk about it

00:28:50.513 --> 00:28:51.214
with somebody.

00:28:52.335 --> 00:28:54.476
If you want to be some type

00:28:54.556 --> 00:28:56.936
of – any type of work

00:28:56.957 --> 00:28:58.196
that's going to make you

00:28:58.938 --> 00:29:00.597
stand out in your

00:29:00.637 --> 00:29:04.750
authenticity and not hide –

00:29:03.512 --> 00:29:04.252
I think that's a really,

00:29:04.272 --> 00:29:06.454
really great way to do that.

00:29:06.914 --> 00:29:08.155
And the only other thing

00:29:08.175 --> 00:29:09.676
that I would give advice on

00:29:09.737 --> 00:29:11.057
is that no matter what you do,

00:29:11.096 --> 00:29:11.877
but especially if you're

00:29:11.897 --> 00:29:12.998
going to get into a space

00:29:13.038 --> 00:29:13.638
where you're going to be

00:29:13.679 --> 00:29:15.579
showing yourself to others

00:29:15.619 --> 00:29:18.000
and to the public and want to inspire,

00:29:19.442 --> 00:29:22.644
have you be your only audience.

00:29:22.943 --> 00:29:25.884
and post and talk about and

00:29:25.924 --> 00:29:28.506
do the things that you

00:29:29.086 --> 00:29:31.906
right now would like, would comment on,

00:29:31.946 --> 00:29:33.326
would say, would go, yes,

00:29:33.366 --> 00:29:34.247
I absolutely love this.

00:29:34.287 --> 00:29:35.147
I would watch this.

00:29:35.468 --> 00:29:36.688
Or your younger self would

00:29:36.728 --> 00:29:38.528
feel incredibly inspired,

00:29:38.788 --> 00:29:41.529
would love to see that, would feel X, Y,

00:29:41.549 --> 00:29:43.970
and Z with you doing

00:29:44.109 --> 00:29:45.651
whatever it is that you're doing.

00:29:46.310 --> 00:29:47.571
That takes out all the noise

00:29:47.672 --> 00:29:49.011
of worrying about anybody else.

00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:51.080
anybody else's opinions,

00:29:51.121 --> 00:29:52.801
whether they're known or stranger,

00:29:53.481 --> 00:29:54.823
any doubt that you're going to have.

00:29:54.962 --> 00:29:55.042
Oh,

00:29:55.063 --> 00:29:56.002
I wonder if anybody's going to like this,

00:29:56.022 --> 00:29:56.903
if they're going to find it funny.

00:29:56.963 --> 00:29:58.104
Oh, it's probably really, really stupid.

00:29:58.124 --> 00:30:00.085
Who cares if you get,

00:30:00.224 --> 00:30:01.286
and if maybe your younger

00:30:01.365 --> 00:30:02.326
self would have loved it

00:30:02.365 --> 00:30:03.247
and felt inspired,

00:30:03.967 --> 00:30:05.448
post all the stupid stuff,

00:30:05.647 --> 00:30:06.888
say all the stupid things,

00:30:06.929 --> 00:30:08.449
because if your audience approves,

00:30:08.469 --> 00:30:09.890
which is you at the end of the day,

00:30:10.450 --> 00:30:10.931
you're solid.

00:30:10.951 --> 00:30:13.612
What great advice.

00:30:13.632 --> 00:30:14.372
I have to take this advice.

00:30:14.392 --> 00:30:17.193
I don't know myself.

00:30:17.253 --> 00:30:17.614
Yeah.

00:30:18.455 --> 00:30:19.576
It's a daily practice.

00:30:19.596 --> 00:30:19.676
Yeah.

00:30:19.696 --> 00:30:19.777
Yeah.

00:30:20.196 --> 00:30:20.876
Yeah.

00:30:20.998 --> 00:30:22.478
I love that.

00:30:22.498 --> 00:30:23.318
So what has been one of the

00:30:23.358 --> 00:30:24.259
most meaningful and

00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:25.519
memorable moments in your

00:30:25.559 --> 00:30:27.942
advocacy journey?

00:30:28.061 --> 00:30:28.382
Oh man,

00:30:28.402 --> 00:30:32.243
there's been a lot from moms

00:30:32.284 --> 00:30:33.924
messaging me about their

00:30:34.045 --> 00:30:35.826
daughter and then their

00:30:36.406 --> 00:30:38.067
daughters did second grade,

00:30:38.107 --> 00:30:39.368
their first day for second grade.

00:30:39.808 --> 00:30:41.529
And they ended up, I got this fly.

00:30:41.990 --> 00:30:43.050
It's like a guest star here.

00:30:44.114 --> 00:30:45.215
They'll send me a photo of

00:30:45.276 --> 00:30:46.196
like their birthmarks all

00:30:46.217 --> 00:30:47.258
highlighted for the first

00:30:47.298 --> 00:30:48.839
time ever that they've done

00:30:48.859 --> 00:30:49.901
that out in public.

00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:50.801
And now they're like the

00:30:50.842 --> 00:30:52.063
most popular kid in their

00:30:52.083 --> 00:30:55.626
grade in school to see my

00:30:55.688 --> 00:30:57.630
face in Sephora and Ulta.

00:30:57.750 --> 00:30:58.009
I mean,

00:30:58.190 --> 00:31:00.853
I like I never actually would have

00:31:00.893 --> 00:31:02.055
thought what would have

00:31:02.095 --> 00:31:04.257
happened and be a possibility so that.

00:31:05.253 --> 00:31:06.494
was a huge,

00:31:06.535 --> 00:31:08.616
huge accomplishment and a

00:31:08.656 --> 00:31:10.117
moment that I'll definitely never forget.

00:31:11.679 --> 00:31:13.339
But yeah, there's, there's, it's,

00:31:14.520 --> 00:31:15.560
I think another one too

00:31:15.580 --> 00:31:16.682
that I also just can't,

00:31:16.761 --> 00:31:17.702
I can't get over is just

00:31:17.803 --> 00:31:18.544
meeting other people,

00:31:19.104 --> 00:31:19.703
whether they're in the

00:31:19.723 --> 00:31:21.625
birthmark community or like, you know,

00:31:21.826 --> 00:31:22.727
with my face and the

00:31:22.767 --> 00:31:23.747
craniofacial community,

00:31:23.787 --> 00:31:25.367
which I guess birthmarks and, you know,

00:31:25.387 --> 00:31:26.809
especially on the face, it's kind of,

00:31:26.849 --> 00:31:28.990
they, they fall within that same category,

00:31:29.030 --> 00:31:29.611
but just, yeah,

00:31:29.652 --> 00:31:32.594
meeting other people like us, like it's,

00:31:32.733 --> 00:31:32.933
it's,

00:31:33.653 --> 00:31:35.054
that never gets old.

00:31:35.134 --> 00:31:40.519
That has been one of the most impactful,

00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:45.083
inspirational, most powerful, like family,

00:31:45.183 --> 00:31:48.807
like just those moments mean so, so, so,

00:31:48.846 --> 00:31:49.366
so much.

00:31:49.667 --> 00:31:51.910
Um, so it's, it's, yeah, it's,

00:31:52.009 --> 00:31:53.250
it's been a journey of,

00:31:53.590 --> 00:31:55.833
of all of it being pretty amazing.

00:31:55.873 --> 00:31:56.394
Yeah.

00:31:56.513 --> 00:31:56.673
Yeah.

00:31:57.694 --> 00:31:58.516
I always say,

00:31:58.635 --> 00:32:00.076
and I think it's so true here,

00:32:00.196 --> 00:32:01.176
that there's power in the

00:32:01.196 --> 00:32:02.178
shared story and knowing

00:32:02.198 --> 00:32:03.518
you're not alone and the

00:32:03.557 --> 00:32:04.919
connections you make when

00:32:05.078 --> 00:32:07.519
you share your journey and someone says,

00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:08.721
oh, I totally get it.

00:32:08.820 --> 00:32:09.902
I can understand because

00:32:10.321 --> 00:32:11.241
they're on that same

00:32:11.281 --> 00:32:13.123
journey and it's just so powerful.

00:32:13.624 --> 00:32:16.125
And so that connection that

00:32:16.525 --> 00:32:18.066
other people may not understand,

00:32:18.465 --> 00:32:20.166
they haven't grown up with

00:32:20.186 --> 00:32:21.968
that or experienced it.

00:32:22.810 --> 00:32:23.790
Right.

00:32:23.951 --> 00:32:25.112
So, Paige,

00:32:25.152 --> 00:32:27.551
you are the host this year of My

00:32:27.571 --> 00:32:30.073
Faith Celebrates Gala on June fifth.

00:32:30.292 --> 00:32:32.212
So exciting in New York City.

00:32:33.273 --> 00:32:34.773
And so what does that mean

00:32:34.794 --> 00:32:36.314
to you to do that?

00:32:37.013 --> 00:32:43.316
Oh, man, that means like more.

00:32:43.395 --> 00:32:45.195
I mean, yeah, it really means a lot.

00:32:45.296 --> 00:32:47.317
I'm very, very honored to be able to

00:32:48.751 --> 00:32:50.674
just even speak in a space

00:32:50.714 --> 00:32:51.797
like that with the

00:32:51.836 --> 00:32:53.419
individuals that are gonna be there.

00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:53.799
I mean,

00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:55.201
there's some powerhouses that are

00:32:55.221 --> 00:32:55.923
gonna be there,

00:32:57.105 --> 00:32:58.287
people that I look up to

00:32:58.307 --> 00:32:59.588
that I'm inspired by.

00:33:00.691 --> 00:33:02.073
So to even kind of like,

00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:05.280
announce anything and host anything.

00:33:05.661 --> 00:33:06.521
It feels really,

00:33:06.561 --> 00:33:07.842
really fun and really incredible.

00:33:09.163 --> 00:33:12.023
I'm ecstatic to just see

00:33:12.064 --> 00:33:13.184
people that I've already met there,

00:33:13.545 --> 00:33:14.846
meet new people that I haven't met there.

00:33:14.865 --> 00:33:15.586
Because again,

00:33:15.665 --> 00:33:16.906
meeting communities like this,

00:33:17.366 --> 00:33:19.067
there's nothing else like it.

00:33:19.087 --> 00:33:20.528
You don't walk into a room

00:33:21.534 --> 00:33:23.795
feeling like this in any other space.

00:33:24.115 --> 00:33:27.017
It's where you actually feel

00:33:27.096 --> 00:33:27.916
seen and heard and

00:33:27.957 --> 00:33:29.077
understood and you know

00:33:29.097 --> 00:33:30.538
that people are looking at

00:33:30.577 --> 00:33:32.919
you in such a different way.

00:33:36.201 --> 00:33:37.642
That's a feeling that I've

00:33:37.682 --> 00:33:40.282
craved for so long growing

00:33:40.383 --> 00:33:41.222
up because I never,

00:33:41.282 --> 00:33:42.923
never got that just until a

00:33:42.963 --> 00:33:43.664
few years ago.

00:33:44.005 --> 00:33:44.105
Yeah.

00:33:45.586 --> 00:33:47.067
So being in that space alone

00:33:47.167 --> 00:33:48.789
is just probably what I'm

00:33:48.829 --> 00:33:49.911
most excited about.

00:33:49.991 --> 00:33:51.693
But to just, yeah,

00:33:51.713 --> 00:33:53.055
to kind of just soak up the

00:33:53.095 --> 00:33:55.097
inspiration from everybody

00:33:56.900 --> 00:33:58.622
is what I think is going to mean so,

00:33:58.682 --> 00:33:59.222
so much to me.

00:33:59.242 --> 00:34:02.165
Yeah, it's one of my favorite evenings,

00:34:02.246 --> 00:34:02.846
I can say that.

00:34:03.334 --> 00:34:04.575
And we are giving the

00:34:04.654 --> 00:34:06.836
Courage Award to Adam Pearson,

00:34:07.355 --> 00:34:09.117
who starred in A Different Man.

00:34:09.177 --> 00:34:11.297
So that's also very exciting.

00:34:11.898 --> 00:34:13.039
Very, very exciting.

00:34:13.059 --> 00:34:14.739
I'm a huge fan of Adam's,

00:34:14.760 --> 00:34:16.721
so I'm so excited to meet

00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:18.581
him after his autograph, the whole thing.

00:34:18.762 --> 00:34:19.521
I know, right?

00:34:19.922 --> 00:34:20.561
Yeah.

00:34:20.862 --> 00:34:22.463
If you'll have time for me, you know.

00:34:23.643 --> 00:34:24.184
Exactly.

00:34:24.985 --> 00:34:25.065
So...

00:34:28.081 --> 00:34:29.541
How can people support

00:34:29.623 --> 00:34:31.164
greater representation of

00:34:31.204 --> 00:34:32.664
facial differences in media

00:34:32.684 --> 00:34:35.648
and everyday life?

00:34:35.728 --> 00:34:36.027
Yeah,

00:34:36.068 --> 00:34:39.331
support your influencers and your

00:34:39.371 --> 00:34:40.833
advocates on social media

00:34:40.873 --> 00:34:41.893
that are doing this,

00:34:41.954 --> 00:34:44.135
that are speaking about this.

00:34:44.695 --> 00:34:46.077
Having a platform,

00:34:47.338 --> 00:34:50.382
having an audience for us is huge.

00:34:50.702 --> 00:34:52.963
It's because brands still look at that for

00:34:54.364 --> 00:34:55.824
opportunities and and for

00:34:55.846 --> 00:34:56.746
collaboration and for

00:34:56.786 --> 00:34:58.545
sponsorship producers they

00:34:58.585 --> 00:34:59.365
still look at that when

00:34:59.385 --> 00:35:00.507
they want to fund a project

00:35:00.547 --> 00:35:01.367
okay well who's in it how

00:35:01.387 --> 00:35:02.306
many following do they have

00:35:02.567 --> 00:35:04.708
it seems silly but and not

00:35:04.827 --> 00:35:05.947
all people work that way

00:35:06.027 --> 00:35:07.628
but a lot of people still

00:35:07.849 --> 00:35:09.369
do okay well what what kind

00:35:09.389 --> 00:35:10.750
of audience do you have if

00:35:10.769 --> 00:35:11.869
you have a voice well how

00:35:11.909 --> 00:35:12.909
many people are actually

00:35:12.989 --> 00:35:13.730
following and wanting to

00:35:13.769 --> 00:35:16.070
hear what you have to say so follow them

00:35:16.615 --> 00:35:18.237
like and comment their posts,

00:35:18.257 --> 00:35:19.117
share their posts,

00:35:19.177 --> 00:35:21.298
help them create a community,

00:35:21.338 --> 00:35:23.280
help them create a support,

00:35:23.320 --> 00:35:24.641
because that helps open up

00:35:24.721 --> 00:35:26.342
so many doors for us to

00:35:26.382 --> 00:35:27.842
have access to be able to

00:35:27.882 --> 00:35:29.202
speak in other places so

00:35:29.242 --> 00:35:32.244
that our faces and bodies can be seen in,

00:35:32.485 --> 00:35:33.204
you know,

00:35:33.244 --> 00:35:34.505
the clothes that we wear and the

00:35:34.525 --> 00:35:35.427
movies that we watch,

00:35:35.467 --> 00:35:36.206
the books that we read.

00:35:39.199 --> 00:35:40.659
Yeah, I would say that the most.

00:35:40.699 --> 00:35:41.400
I mean, of course,

00:35:41.641 --> 00:35:43.682
foundations need donations

00:35:43.983 --> 00:35:45.643
to keep with the initiatives.

00:35:45.764 --> 00:35:46.905
If people ever feel like

00:35:46.925 --> 00:35:48.206
they've got money to spend,

00:35:49.166 --> 00:35:51.489
we will absolutely, you know,

00:35:51.748 --> 00:35:53.331
it goes to amazing causes.

00:35:53.371 --> 00:35:54.891
It goes to people who really need it.

00:35:54.931 --> 00:35:55.833
And it's a community that

00:35:55.873 --> 00:35:57.233
we're trying to create

00:35:57.273 --> 00:35:58.275
representation for.

00:35:59.896 --> 00:36:00.635
But I, you know,

00:36:00.717 --> 00:36:01.456
I think money is always a

00:36:01.916 --> 00:36:02.918
hard subject for a lot of

00:36:02.938 --> 00:36:03.579
people these days.

00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:05.280
So I would just say go support,

00:36:06.041 --> 00:36:08.483
just go follow these influencers and

00:36:09.963 --> 00:36:11.164
you know, like, like what they're,

00:36:11.224 --> 00:36:12.085
what they're fighting for.

00:36:12.626 --> 00:36:13.427
And that actually helps a

00:36:13.467 --> 00:36:14.547
lot more than I think a lot

00:36:14.568 --> 00:36:15.228
of people realize.

00:36:16.869 --> 00:36:17.530
Absolutely.

00:36:18.711 --> 00:36:20.454
So you touched on this before,

00:36:20.514 --> 00:36:21.474
but what would you say to

00:36:21.494 --> 00:36:22.637
your younger self knowing

00:36:22.657 --> 00:36:23.478
what you know today?

00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:26.300
Um,

00:36:30.822 --> 00:36:33.344
I think your cat has an opinion on that.

00:36:33.364 --> 00:36:34.085
My cat has a few things, yeah.

00:36:34.105 --> 00:36:35.445
He's got a few ideas.

00:36:36.146 --> 00:36:40.590
Yeah, I mean, I'll say this again,

00:36:40.610 --> 00:36:41.550
because it was just such a

00:36:41.610 --> 00:36:42.391
big moment for me,

00:36:42.431 --> 00:36:44.373
but just to don't ask for permission.

00:36:45.414 --> 00:36:46.394
It really felt like the

00:36:46.554 --> 00:36:47.815
silliest thing when I kind

00:36:47.856 --> 00:36:48.737
of figured that out.

00:36:50.338 --> 00:36:51.780
But also, like, you know, without judgment,

00:36:51.820 --> 00:36:52.480
because I was like, well,

00:36:52.500 --> 00:36:54.181
of course you didn't know

00:36:54.222 --> 00:36:55.282
you had permission to

00:36:57.242 --> 00:36:58.923
stand out and you didn't

00:36:58.943 --> 00:36:59.804
have to just blend in.

00:37:06.393 --> 00:37:08.275
And I think the other thing

00:37:08.335 --> 00:37:09.436
I would have told her was

00:37:10.097 --> 00:37:12.320
that the uncomfortability

00:37:12.360 --> 00:37:13.702
that you make people feel

00:37:13.742 --> 00:37:15.445
for just existing will never go away.

00:37:17.164 --> 00:37:19.826
to learn which I think you

00:37:19.846 --> 00:37:21.286
know I think you know us in

00:37:21.306 --> 00:37:22.186
the situations that we were

00:37:22.206 --> 00:37:23.268
in I think we were forced

00:37:23.307 --> 00:37:24.527
to learn this pretty

00:37:24.568 --> 00:37:26.608
quickly but there there for

00:37:26.628 --> 00:37:27.869
a while I fought that

00:37:27.909 --> 00:37:29.090
feeling though I thought

00:37:29.150 --> 00:37:32.251
that like that oh I won't

00:37:32.291 --> 00:37:33.333
be surprised next time

00:37:33.393 --> 00:37:34.293
maybe that was the last

00:37:34.333 --> 00:37:36.153
time you know oh well yeah

00:37:36.173 --> 00:37:37.094
it won't come from a doll

00:37:37.195 --> 00:37:38.795
or you know whatever it is um

00:37:39.795 --> 00:37:41.900
And this being surprised and

00:37:42.001 --> 00:37:44.726
having my expectations be

00:37:44.766 --> 00:37:46.409
squashed were always really

00:37:46.449 --> 00:37:48.034
difficult to recover from.

00:37:48.233 --> 00:37:48.414
Yeah.

00:37:49.070 --> 00:37:50.271
So I think that would have

00:37:50.291 --> 00:37:52.711
been learn how to use that

00:37:52.771 --> 00:37:54.072
uncomfortability to your

00:37:54.092 --> 00:37:56.052
advantage a little quicker

00:37:56.293 --> 00:37:59.855
and learn to kind of get

00:37:59.914 --> 00:38:01.416
comfortable with other

00:38:01.456 --> 00:38:02.655
people's uncomfortability.

00:38:02.956 --> 00:38:04.617
And now it's at a point where I'm like,

00:38:04.717 --> 00:38:06.137
I'm really into it,

00:38:06.918 --> 00:38:08.318
maybe a little too much.

00:38:08.739 --> 00:38:10.099
Now I got to kind of learn

00:38:10.119 --> 00:38:11.481
to step back a little bit

00:38:11.501 --> 00:38:12.681
because I feel like I'm

00:38:12.721 --> 00:38:14.422
like this little demon of like,

00:38:14.802 --> 00:38:16.083
Ooh, someone's uncomfortable.

00:38:16.163 --> 00:38:17.623
Like how exciting.

00:38:18.864 --> 00:38:20.744
So I got to tone it back a bit, but those,

00:38:20.764 --> 00:38:21.405
those would have been the

00:38:21.425 --> 00:38:22.166
things I would have told her.

00:38:23.967 --> 00:38:24.947
I love the quote.

00:38:25.007 --> 00:38:26.188
I think it's from wonder why

00:38:26.208 --> 00:38:28.110
blend in when you were born to stand out.

00:38:28.369 --> 00:38:29.469
And somehow that reminds me

00:38:29.489 --> 00:38:30.490
of what you were just saying.

00:38:31.532 --> 00:38:32.612
So who do you see when you

00:38:32.652 --> 00:38:33.592
look in the mirror today?

00:38:35.271 --> 00:38:38.735
Oh man, I see this badass, unapologetic,

00:38:39.376 --> 00:38:44.742
like just like superhero, like woman.

00:38:44.822 --> 00:38:45.063
Yeah.

00:38:45.103 --> 00:38:45.523
I just,

00:38:46.304 --> 00:38:48.186
I see someone who's fun and who's

00:38:48.226 --> 00:38:51.431
like really enjoying themselves and,

00:38:51.672 --> 00:38:52.992
and who they are.

00:38:53.193 --> 00:38:54.014
And, um,

00:38:56.586 --> 00:38:57.827
Yeah, I just see someone who has,

00:38:57.887 --> 00:38:58.588
who would be like really

00:38:58.608 --> 00:38:59.349
fun to hang out with.

00:39:01.110 --> 00:39:03.012
So my last question is,

00:39:03.391 --> 00:39:05.652
what are your dreams for the future?

00:39:06.253 --> 00:39:07.295
And then where can people

00:39:07.335 --> 00:39:08.996
find you on social media or

00:39:09.996 --> 00:39:10.577
anywhere else?

00:39:12.085 --> 00:39:14.007
My ultimate dream would be

00:39:14.088 --> 00:39:16.911
that this is no longer a conversation,

00:39:17.351 --> 00:39:19.693
that this is no longer work

00:39:19.833 --> 00:39:21.275
and initiative and an

00:39:21.315 --> 00:39:22.777
intention that I'm trying to do,

00:39:22.858 --> 00:39:24.179
that inclusivity and

00:39:24.260 --> 00:39:25.981
diversity is something to

00:39:26.021 --> 00:39:26.822
fight for and that

00:39:26.862 --> 00:39:28.003
representation awareness is

00:39:28.023 --> 00:39:29.226
still a thing that we have to make.

00:39:30.065 --> 00:39:31.166
I would just hope that that

00:39:31.427 --> 00:39:33.646
now then exists and I can

00:39:34.108 --> 00:39:36.867
maybe move on to just

00:39:36.927 --> 00:39:38.489
creating normal stories

00:39:39.048 --> 00:39:40.088
that still include us,

00:39:40.128 --> 00:39:41.309
but normal has just kind of

00:39:41.329 --> 00:39:43.431
shifted to what reality truly is.

00:39:45.690 --> 00:39:48.032
But on a small scale, I mean, yeah,

00:39:48.172 --> 00:39:50.452
I would love to see people

00:39:50.472 --> 00:39:52.353
who look like me in my movies.

00:39:52.972 --> 00:39:54.153
I would love to see people

00:39:54.173 --> 00:39:57.514
who look like me in more dolls,

00:39:57.574 --> 00:39:58.355
Barbie dolls,

00:39:59.855 --> 00:40:00.815
on the billboards of the

00:40:00.856 --> 00:40:01.735
clothes that we wear.

00:40:03.936 --> 00:40:06.456
Those are smaller goals,

00:40:06.976 --> 00:40:08.518
but ultimately would just

00:40:08.538 --> 00:40:09.458
be that this conversation

00:40:09.518 --> 00:40:11.239
really doesn't need to be had anymore.

00:40:13.364 --> 00:40:14.786
And yeah, you can find me on Instagram.

00:40:14.826 --> 00:40:16.606
I'm on TikTok and YouTube,

00:40:16.626 --> 00:40:17.807
but my main platform is

00:40:17.847 --> 00:40:19.068
Instagram at flawless

00:40:19.188 --> 00:40:20.670
underscore effect with an

00:40:20.871 --> 00:40:23.452
A. Website's kind of being

00:40:23.492 --> 00:40:24.492
redone at the moment.

00:40:24.512 --> 00:40:28.496
So I'm the most active on the IG.

00:40:28.596 --> 00:40:29.197
I did go to the,

00:40:29.836 --> 00:40:31.117
there was a Barbie exhibit

00:40:31.237 --> 00:40:32.079
in New York City.

00:40:33.400 --> 00:40:34.641
And they had all the Barbies

00:40:35.340 --> 00:40:39.123
with different disabilities.

00:40:40.411 --> 00:40:41.853
But I was thinking as I was

00:40:41.873 --> 00:40:42.454
looking at them,

00:40:42.675 --> 00:40:44.036
how amazing it would be if

00:40:44.056 --> 00:40:45.699
there was a Barbie with a

00:40:45.739 --> 00:40:46.521
facial difference.

00:40:47.021 --> 00:40:48.422
They have with hearing aid

00:40:48.664 --> 00:40:51.306
and not with an actual facial difference.

00:40:51.347 --> 00:40:52.148
So I agree.

00:40:52.228 --> 00:40:53.170
That would be huge.

00:40:53.826 --> 00:40:54.206
Yeah, I mean,

00:40:54.246 --> 00:40:55.226
there's there I was actually

00:40:55.246 --> 00:40:57.606
surprised how many dolls

00:40:57.646 --> 00:40:58.588
they kind of had in their

00:40:58.608 --> 00:40:59.768
diversity collection.

00:41:00.288 --> 00:41:01.108
Like, I think, you know, obviously,

00:41:01.128 --> 00:41:02.009
they have it a Lego,

00:41:02.068 --> 00:41:04.150
they have disabled Barbie in a wheelchair,

00:41:04.210 --> 00:41:04.309
right?

00:41:04.329 --> 00:41:06.530
I think they have limb difference Barbie,

00:41:06.550 --> 00:41:08.632
like a deaf Barbie.

00:41:09.231 --> 00:41:10.152
I think they have got blind

00:41:10.172 --> 00:41:13.012
Barbie to Barbie.

00:41:13.693 --> 00:41:15.014
So yeah, I mean, it's like,

00:41:15.233 --> 00:41:16.494
the next one in line is

00:41:16.534 --> 00:41:17.715
like a facial difference.

00:41:17.755 --> 00:41:18.635
Like, come on.

00:41:18.655 --> 00:41:20.476
Exactly.

00:41:20.536 --> 00:41:20.695
Yeah.

00:41:21.530 --> 00:41:22.429
Thank you, Paige,

00:41:23.050 --> 00:41:25.911
for sharing your story and your advocacy.

00:41:26.070 --> 00:41:27.811
And I love what you're doing

00:41:27.891 --> 00:41:30.652
on Instagram and your messages.

00:41:30.972 --> 00:41:32.833
And I can't wait to see you

00:41:32.994 --> 00:41:34.273
at My Face Celebrates on

00:41:34.313 --> 00:41:35.735
June fifth in New York City,

00:41:36.454 --> 00:41:37.755
where you will be our host.

00:41:37.855 --> 00:41:39.315
And we have Adam Pearson

00:41:39.356 --> 00:41:40.655
getting the Courage Award.

00:41:41.215 --> 00:41:43.317
And on My Face Stars Performing,

00:41:43.356 --> 00:41:45.378
you are going to love that part.

00:41:45.418 --> 00:41:46.398
It's my favorite part too.

00:41:47.211 --> 00:41:49.695
So if people are interested,

00:41:49.715 --> 00:41:51.016
you can learn more at

00:41:51.175 --> 00:41:52.918
myfacecelebrates.org.

00:41:53.038 --> 00:41:55.099
So thank you again, Paige.

00:41:55.119 --> 00:41:55.980
Thank you so much.

00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:56.981
I appreciate your time.

00:41:57.021 --> 00:41:58.402
This was so lovely and so,

00:41:58.503 --> 00:42:00.704
so excited to see you June fifth.

00:42:00.925 --> 00:42:02.606
It's going to be great.

00:42:02.626 --> 00:42:03.367
It's going to be so much fun.

00:42:03.387 --> 00:42:04.628
It's going to be the best.

00:42:04.648 --> 00:42:05.309
Thank you.

00:42:05.349 --> 00:42:05.989
Okay.

00:42:06.050 --> 00:42:06.829
Bye.

00:42:06.909 --> 00:42:07.271
Bye.

00:42:11.038 --> 00:42:12.639
Paige is an inspiration to

00:42:12.719 --> 00:42:14.481
me and everyone she meets.

00:42:14.681 --> 00:42:15.681
Everyone has a story,

00:42:15.742 --> 00:42:17.023
and I'm hopeful that by

00:42:17.083 --> 00:42:18.463
sharing stories like these,

00:42:18.923 --> 00:42:20.744
we can create a kinder world.

00:42:21.485 --> 00:42:22.766
For more than seventy years,

00:42:22.827 --> 00:42:24.228
MyFace has been dedicated

00:42:24.268 --> 00:42:25.509
to changing the faces and

00:42:25.548 --> 00:42:27.190
transforming the lives of

00:42:27.269 --> 00:42:28.670
children and adults with

00:42:28.952 --> 00:42:30.152
facial differences by

00:42:30.333 --> 00:42:32.693
providing access to holistic,

00:42:32.713 --> 00:42:35.757
comprehensive care, education, resources,

00:42:35.836 --> 00:42:37.418
and support that pave the

00:42:37.458 --> 00:42:38.679
way for better outcomes.

00:42:39.349 --> 00:42:42.170
To learn more, please visit myface.org.

00:42:42.771 --> 00:42:43.672
If you would like to learn

00:42:43.711 --> 00:42:44.853
more about the MyFace

00:42:44.873 --> 00:42:45.992
support groups so that you

00:42:46.012 --> 00:42:47.253
can connect with others in

00:42:47.293 --> 00:42:48.795
the craniofacial community,

00:42:49.376 --> 00:42:51.257
please visit myface.org

00:42:51.777 --> 00:42:53.938
slash online dash groups.

00:42:54.599 --> 00:42:55.920
Be sure to subscribe to

00:42:55.960 --> 00:42:57.541
MyFace My Story on your

00:42:57.581 --> 00:42:59.601
favorite podcast app and on

00:42:59.641 --> 00:43:01.384
YouTube to get notified of

00:43:01.423 --> 00:43:02.623
our next episode.

00:43:03.284 --> 00:43:04.324
If you'd like to receive

00:43:04.465 --> 00:43:06.586
email reminders of new episodes,

00:43:07.335 --> 00:43:10.617
Sign up at myface.org slash mystory.

00:43:10.777 --> 00:43:13.820
That's myface.org slash mystory.

00:43:14.721 --> 00:43:16.021
Thank you for joining us for

00:43:16.061 --> 00:43:18.443
this episode of My Face, My Story.

00:43:19.543 --> 00:43:20.045
Remember,

00:43:20.244 --> 00:43:22.286
it takes courage to share your story,

00:43:22.686 --> 00:43:29.030
so be brave and stand out.

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg speaks with Paige Lauren Billiot, a birthmark advocate, model, and film producer redefining beauty standards. Based in LA, Paige uses her platform to create representation for those with facial differences, celebrating her birthmark as her superpower. Featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, and Glamour, she challenges societal norms and empowers others to embrace their uniqueness with confidence. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on self-love, advocacy, and the power of authentic representation.

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