Diversity in the Modeling Industry

Register for Mingle Mastermind

Join us for a very honest conversation about what it’s like to be a person of color in the modeling industry. Our Mingle Mastermind panel features fashion and beauty industry veterans who’ve worked at the highest levels of the industry, while dealing with overt racism, stereotyping, and prejudice, all because of the color of their skin.

Our panel will share their stories of what it’s like to work in the modeling industry, as a person of color, as an entrepreneur, and while working with worldwide corporate brands. We’ll openly discuss the problems and share solutions on how corporate brands, white-owned businesses, and consumers can be better allies and push the fashion and beauty industry to be a leader for diversity around the world.

Register for Mingle Mastermind

5 THINGS YOU WILL LEARN


  1. Why brands consider race in their marketing campaigns.
  2. What is “colorism” and how it affects beauty campaigns.
  3. Fashion Week's systematic racism backstage and on the runways.
  4. How allies can combat bias against models of color face in the workplace.
  5. How to demand change at the corporate level of fashion and beauty.

Fashion Mingle is a global network for fashion industry professionals and the "Diversity in the Fashion Industry" series is designed to provide a platform for our members to continue this important conversation. We will feature regular Mingle Mastermind webinars with experts on issues of diversity and invite essays from our members about their experiences and ideas for how the fashion and beauty industry can be a leader in the world-wide cultural shift toward equality and justice.

We encourage you to become a member of Fashion Mingle prior to this event so you can quickly send messages to any of our panelists through our chat system. You’ll be joining your local fashion community and the largest independent fashion business directory in the world.

During the webinar you’ll be invited to ask questions via chat to our Mastermind panelists and network with attendees by sharing how you’re working to be an ally in your own life and career.

Meet Our Panelists

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Arkeah S. Jacobs
New Faces Director of HOP Models & Talent Agency

Arkeah S. Jacobs is the New Faces Director of HOP Models & Talent Agency, a full service agency representing models, actors, athletes and celebrities across the globe. Her expertise as a business strategist has yielded her opportunities to work with top-tier companies as she unveils New Faces for opportunities in editorial, print, fashion, runway, commercial, advertising, film, television, and voice over.

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Dale Noelle
CEO of TRUE Model Management

Dale Noelle is the CEO of TRUE Model Management where she works with brands such as Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Gap, Victoria’s Secret, and more. Dale Noelle has been featured in Bloomberg, Forbes, Fox Business News, Worldwide Business with Kathy Ireland®, The Huffington Post, and New York Times.

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Kenya K. Smith
Founder of Planet Zero Motorsports

Kenya K. Smith is a New York City architect and fashion designer who is the founder of Planet Zero Motorsports, an innovative motorsports equipment and apparel company blending the lines between safety and Haute Couture. Smith is an award-winning designer who is a veteran of New York Fashion Week and featured in Fashion Ave News, the Village Voice, Billie Blunt Magazine, and FOX Business News.

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Runa Ray
Fashion Designer, Fashion Environmentalist, Documentary Designer, Writer, and Activist

Runa Ray is a fashion designer and New York Fashion Week veteran who established her brand as a sustainable fashion company with commitments to fair trade garments, organic fabrics, and zero waste initiatives. Ray is a fashion environmentalist, documentary designer, writer, and activist for the United Nations on issues of climate change, colorism, nuclear war.

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Tiffany Tate
Publisher of Linger Magazine

Tiffany Tate is the publisher of Linger Magazine and an award-winning creative media professional with 15+ years of writing, editorial and publishing. Linger Magazine has been ordained by PR Couture as one of '8 Digital Fashion Magazines You Should Know' and praised by Niche Media as one of the 'Top 10 Niche Magazines.

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Beverly Peele
Supermodel, Actress, and Domestic Violence Advocate

Beverly Peele is a supermodel, actress, and domestic violence advocate who began her modeling career at the age of 12 years old. Beverly has been on the cover of over 250 magazines and featured in ads for Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Versace, and more. Beverly has appeared in sitcoms Sister, Sister and Girlfriends and film Sweet Friggin’ Daisies.

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MSDENISHIA
Top Model Coach and Owner of The Model Boutique

MSDENISHIA is a top model coach and owner of The Model Boutique, representing diverse models, actors, dancers, and singers. MSDENISHIA has been a model and actress for over 20 years, landing jobs for Aveda, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Mac Cosmetics and Macy’s. She has appeared in fashion shows for designers Bob Mackie, St John, and Tommy Hilfiger and ad campaigns in Vogue, Essence, and Vanity Fair, and many more.

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Hilary Jochmans
Government Affairs Consultant, Founder of Jochmans Consulting, and Founder of PoliticallyInFashion

Hilary Jochmans is a government affairs consultant based in Washington DC. Before starting her boutique lobbying shop, Jochmans Consulting, she worked on Capitol Hill and in New York State Government. She is also the founder of PoliticallyInFashion, a community focused on legislative issues of importance for all people interested in fashion. The mission is to: Educate, Empower, Engage. She also serves on the advisory board of the Model Alliance.

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Morgan Freeman
Fashion & Commercial Model

Morgan Freeman works as both a Fashion & Commercial Model exclusively through TRUE Model Management for brands such as Tiffany's, Equinox, SKIMS, Dick's Sporting Goods & Target. Morgan played D1 collegiate volleyball and is a talented model and athlete. She is an advocate for healthy living and diversity who was named after Morgantown, West Virginia (not the actor!).

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Ilianna Ayala
Model & Influencer

Ilianna Ayala, also known as Illy, is a successful model represented by TRUE and an influencer with a passion for dance, knowledge about makeup artistry, and a voice in the body positivity movement. Through her social media platform, she inspires thousands of women to be confident, unique and love themselves naturally, despite what society says. Ilianna celebrates beauty in all aspects. Her platform showcases natural hair tutorials, hairstyle style inspiration, on trend makeup looks, plus size fashion and modeling. She has been featured in Plus Model Magazine, El Diario NY Newspaper, Harlem World Magazine, and People StyleWatch Magazine. Ilianna’s mission is to make brands aware the beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and hair types.

Meet Our Panelists

Image

Arkeah S. Jacobs
New Faces Director of HOP Models & Talent Agency

Arkeah S. Jacobs is the New Faces Director of HOP Models & Talent Agency, a full service agency representing models, actors, athletes and celebrities across the globe. Her expertise as a business strategist has yielded her opportunities to work with top-tier companies as she unveils New Faces for opportunities in editorial, print, fashion, runway, commercial, advertising, film, television, and voice over.

Image

Dale Noelle
CEO of TRUE Model Management

Dale Noelle is the CEO of TRUE Model Management where she works with brands such as Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Gap, Victoria’s Secret, and more. Dale Noelle has been featured in Bloomberg, Forbes, Fox Business News, Worldwide Business with Kathy Ireland®, The Huffington Post, and New York Times.

Image

Kenya K. Smith
Founder of Planet Zero Motorsports

Kenya K. Smith is a New York City architect and fashion designer who is the founder of Planet Zero Motorsports, an innovative motorsports equipment and apparel company blending the lines between safety and Haute Couture. Smith is an award-winning designer who is a veteran of New York Fashion Week and featured in Fashion Ave News, the Village Voice, Billie Blunt Magazine, and FOX Business News.

Image

Runa Ray
Fashion Designer, Fashion Environmentalist, Documentary Designer, Writer, and Activist

Runa Ray is a fashion designer and New York Fashion Week veteran who established her brand as a sustainable fashion company with commitments to fair trade garments, organic fabrics, and zero waste initiatives. Ray is a fashion environmentalist, documentary designer, writer, and activist for the United Nations on issues of climate change, colorism, nuclear war.

Image

Tiffany Tate
Publisher of Linger Magazine

Tiffany Tate is the publisher of Linger Magazine and an award-winning creative media professional with 15+ years of writing, editorial and publishing. Linger Magazine has been ordained by PR Couture as one of '8 Digital Fashion Magazines You Should Know' and praised by Niche Media as one of the 'Top 10 Niche Magazines.

Image

Beverly Peele
Supermodel, Actress, and Domestic Violence Advocate

Beverly Peele is a supermodel, actress, and domestic violence advocate who began her modeling career at the age of 12 years old. Beverly has been on the cover of over 250 magazines and featured in ads for Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Versace, and more. Beverly has appeared in sitcoms Sister, Sister and Girlfriends and film Sweet Friggin’ Daisies.

Image

MSDENISHIA
Top Model Coach and Owner of The Model Boutique

MSDENISHIA is a top model coach and owner of The Model Boutique, representing diverse models, actors, dancers, and singers. MSDENISHIA has been a model and actress for over 20 years, landing jobs for Aveda, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Mac Cosmetics and Macy’s. She has appeared in fashion shows for designers Bob Mackie, St John, and Tommy Hilfiger and ad campaigns in Vogue, Essence, and Vanity Fair, and many more.

Image

Hilary Jochmans
Government Affairs Consultant, Founder of Jochmans Consulting, and Founder of PoliticallyInFashion

Hilary Jochmans is a government affairs consultant based in Washington DC. Before starting her boutique lobbying shop, Jochmans Consulting, she worked on Capitol Hill and in New York State Government. She is also the founder of PoliticallyInFashion, a community focused on legislative issues of importance for all people interested in fashion. The mission is to: Educate, Empower, Engage. She also serves on the advisory board of the Model Alliance.

Image

Morgan Freeman
Fashion & Commercial Model

Morgan Freeman works as both a Fashion & Commercial Model exclusively through TRUE Model Management for brands such as Tiffany's, Equinox, SKIMS, Dick's Sporting Goods & Target. Morgan played D1 collegiate volleyball and is a talented model and athlete. She is an advocate for healthy living and diversity who was named after Morgantown, West Virginia (not the actor!).

Image

Ilianna Ayala
Model & Influencer

Ilianna Ayala, also known as Illy, is a successful model represented by TRUE and an influencer with a passion for dance, knowledge about makeup artistry, and a voice in the body positivity movement. Through her social media platform, she inspires thousands of women to be confident, unique and love themselves naturally, despite what society says. Ilianna celebrates beauty in all aspects. Her platform showcases natural hair tutorials, hairstyle style inspiration, on trend makeup looks, plus size fashion and modeling. She has been featured in Plus Model Magazine, El Diario NY Newspaper, Harlem World Magazine, and People StyleWatch Magazine. Ilianna’s mission is to make brands aware the beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and hair types.

Register for Mingle Mastermind