Get QuoteDark Inspirational Quotes App

" There's not many models in the U.S. that have my depth - like, really dark skin - that are also plus size. Skin color has been one of those things we haven't really, really addressed on a large, widespread scale. "

Related Quotes:

" The #SwimSexy campaign is redefining standards of beauty, and I'm proud to be a part of it. My hope is that this campaign connects with women and girls of all ages, body-types, races, and backgrounds. "

Philomena Kwao

Hope

Proud

Women

" I think the fashion industry and the media industry in general have a responsibility to make sure that they celebrate the rich differences in all our backgrounds to make sure we don't fall into the trap of reducing beauty to one specific mold. "

" I think it's just that the fashion industry can only accept one thing at a time. It's like, 'OK, well, if we're going to add plus, then let's keep it hourglass and white.' "

" The curvy community has really given me a voice because people want to see someone who looks like they do. They want to know their beauty is valid. "

Philomena Kwao

Community

Beauty

" Everyone needs to realize the responsibility they hold and realize where they can make a difference. "

" You cannot determine someone's health by the BMI alone. There are many factors that contribute to the health on an individual. If we're going to start using BMI to police straight size models, what's next? The plus size industry? To be honest, if it was down to BMI alone, most plus size models - including myself - wouldn't be working. "

" I try and work out as much as I can because when you exercise, it releases endorphins and makes you feel really good. I also make sure I schedule time with my friends, family, and loved ones because I realize that, as well as your physical well-being, you have to look out for your mental well-being, too. "

" The brands that choose to use me, my agency and social media have given me a face and a voice. "

Philomena Kwao

Media

Voice

" I've been lucky enough to do a few editorials in the U.K., but I've never even been on a casting for mainstream commercial work. When I try to understand it, I think people are scared to try something new. "

" I have a green juice every day because it makes me feel more awake; it makes my skin healthier. "

" I love technology. I love the Internet. "

" I have to congratulate L'Oreal on its True Match foundation range. It's my go-to foundation, and I absolutely love it. "

" I think the real problem is all the negative connotations people have with that term. They think, 'Oh my God! I don't want to be 'plus-size!'' But people attach too much significance to terms. We can't let these terms define us or our beauty. "

" If I'm feeling really, really crappy, it sounds so cliche, but if I wake up extra early in the morning and do some sort of physical activity, I usually feel a little bit better. Or I do other things that make me happy. "

" Beauty, to me, is not a physical thing. It's a feeling. "

" There is beauty everywhere. But if I had to narrow it down, I absolutely adore Beyonce. She's the ultimate icon for me. I also love Naomi CampbelI, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls, Daria Werbowy, and Genevieve Nnaji. "

Philomena Kwao

She

Ultimate

" I grew up in the U.K. and now reside in the United States, and my family is from Ghana. "

Philomena Kwao

Now

United States

" Sometimes you never realise how much of an effect you're having on people until you're told, and the fan mail I receive has made me very aware of the positive effects I have on other people. "

Philomena Kwao

Sometimes

You

" In Ghana, most of the women I know do not identify as sexy, and the reason may be cultural. With imported beauty standards from the West, it seems that many African women feel they need to be fair and slim to be beautiful. "

" We are all beautiful. "

Philomena Kwao

Beautiful

" Celebrate the things that make you individual and unique, and realize that there's no one in this world that looks like you. "

" Magazines don't go far enough to be inclusive and have at least have one model representing every major skin tone. "

" I'm from Ghana, in West Africa, and all the women in Ghana absolutely love shea butter. We use it for everything, head to toe. I've used it all my life. "

" It's refreshing when plus-size styling is exciting and pushes boundaries rather than safe and boring. "

" I am from Ghana, and although Ghana is celebrated as a relatively peaceful country in a historically war-torn region, the issues of development and recovery are still apparent. "

" My journey into modeling began completely by chance. I was in school finishing up my master's degree in health management and policy when a friend entered me into an online modeling competition. "

Philomena Kwao

Competition

Health

" Much noise has been about size diversity but not enough about skin tone diversity. It's time for this to change. "

" One misconception I think is wrong is that being a larger size means, somehow, that you're neglecting your body, or you don't look after yourself, or you don't love yourself enough to lose weight. We've been saturated with the idea that to be happy you must be thin, or to be healthy you must be thin. "

" I try my best to stay healthy by paying attention to the ingredients in foods and trying to make sure my food is organic and not full of sugar or preservatives. I also try to do at least 30 minutes of cardio every day in the gym. "

" My mom and my sisters have helped me to be comfortable with who I am. It's a process of loving yourself as you are. I can say that it's been a journey. I see the changes little by little. "

Philomena Kwao

Yourself

Mom