One of my FAVORITE parts of reading books, specifically memoirs, is seeing the author’s personal photos included, connecting a visual to the beautifully written words. So, for those readers that share this photo-love, below are some photos from the journey I’ve shared in my memoir: Black Recovery.
In the subsection titled “Ford (a short story)” I share about the day I got signed with Ford Models at 14 years old – one of my fondest memories and most joyous experiences that came at a time when I felt hopeless in my young life. The following excerpt provides a snapshot of this day, and these photos were taken just moments before I was shocked to hear the life-changing statement, “We definitely want to sign you so let’s go get your mom.”
Chapter 3: Teen-Life Crisis
“Natalie took polaroids of me doing a series of poses. Poses like me jumping straight up and down with my arms stretched at full length above my head, and as Natalie had to step all the way back to capture my full length she said, “Wow,” in a way that made my Spirit feel accepted. I exhaled for what felt like the first time in a long time.” p.19
When I first moved to New York City I lived in the Ford Models “model’s apartment,” a place I called home for several years before eventually finding my own apartment in The City. Below is a photo of me in my new home as a teenager and an excerpt from my memoir describing this time in my life just starting out as a Ford Model.
Chapter 4: I’m All the Way Up
“I spent my professional career from the age of 14-16 splitting time between staying at home with my mom in our Panorama City townhome…and the Ford Models apartment in the lower East side of Manhattan, NY before moving into my own NYC apartment. The New York model’s apartment back then was a penthouse highrise that the agency owned and rented to us models as a type of luxury dorm-style living space for girls living in the city for work.” p.27
The social accolades and material achievements I sought in an attempt to fill the void in my young soul were coming to fruition at this time in my life. A journey briefly depicted in the photos below along with another excerpt.
“I first traveled the country for work, and then the world, within the first few years of my fashion career, shooting magazine editorials and advertising campaigns, walking runways, and booking commercials while often working with people who became and still remain close friends. Life was more than I could have ever imagined for myself.” p. 27
The Wrap-up
Despite all of the luxuries of my new professional lifestyle and material success, I still found myself lacking the fulfillment I so desperately believed achieving all of these “things” would satisfy. I share on this experience in Black Recovery as described in the following excerpt.
“The social life I pined after had finally come to fruition. I was actually living the life that I had only imagined in my wildest dreams, surrounded by celebrities I admired, disposable income flowing in (by my standards anyway), and all of the social and public accolades I once sought. I loved my life, but yet and still – none of it worked. I found myself still suffering and discontented inside…” p.27
There I was, desperate and hopeless once again after still not having found That Missing Something.