Being a teenager is a struggle on its own right. But, when you live with the added pressure of visually standing out in the public, it gets hard to climb the ladder of success. Having said that, we have some talented teens around us who seem to have skipped the obligatory awkward phase of letting vitiligo dictate their lives.
Below mentioned are some teen models with vitiligo that are taking the world—and the internet—by storm. They have cultivated a following for themselves, thanks to their legit talent. They’re inspiring and motivating not only other teens with vitiligo but also adults with the skin condition.
April Star | United States
April, from Miami, Florida, was diagnosed with vitiligo at the age of 6. Rather than letting the skin condition stop her from pursuing her fashion dreams, April set out to change society’s perceptions of beauty. She had a dream of becoming a model, which made her start an Instagram page to show off her beauty. The very same Instagram account has more than 103K followers today.
As her images spread across the web, April even got to meet her idol, Winnie Harlow, on an episode of The Real Talk Show. April has been booked for modeling gigs with LoveMyAlannah and Essence magazine.
Ava Bright | Canada
Ava Bright, now a confident 13-year-old, was diagnosed with vitiligo at the age of 4. With scoring a few modeling contracts, Ava is on a mission to change the way we perceive beauty. Modeling was always one of her dreams as she wanted to be a role model for other kids with vitiligo.
So far, Ava has modeled with Matilda Jane Clothing, Walmart, Elizabeth Noel, and Aisabobo. She has been featured in Lemonade Kids Magazine and graced the covers of Efe Magazine and Poster Child Magazine. Her story of becoming a model with vitiligo is published in a lesson plan that is used by teachers in North America to teach kids about visual differences.
Ava has also been named Canada’s one of the most extraordinary children by the Canadian Broadcasting Company. She also filmed a commercial recently that is yet to be released.
James Stewart | United Kingdom
James, a 14-year-old vitiligo crusader, caught netizen’s attention after being featured in ace photographer Brock Elbank’s vitiligo portrait series. James, who enjoys football, kayaking, and paddleboarding, is at present engaged with Zebedee Management as a model. The green-eyed boy has attended a local drama society and has quite the gift for dance.
