A Lot Can Happen In Six Months

Wow, six months flies by.

Hi everyone. To start, I want to apologize for being absent on the blog. There have been a lot of exciting things happening and I haven’t had the time to write. With New York Fashion Week quickly approaching, followed by Dwarfism Awareness Month, I promise that will change.

Six months ago today I turned 26 and six months from now I will turn 27. To say these past six months have been a whirlwind would be an understatement. What has transpired over these past six months has been unexpected and unforgettable, filled with life changes, new friends, and incredible opportunities.

The biggest regret of 26 (so far)? I’m not sure I have one, and I’m not just saying that.

This year has been a rollercoaster filled with many ups and downs. There are things I wish would have happened differently, but I would not change a thing. I would not have gotten to this point in my life had things gone another way.

The biggest struggle of 26 (so far)? Dealing with imposter syndrome.

Despite the opportunities and successes, a part of me feels like what I’m doing and what I’m trying to do isn’t going to make a difference. I think part of that comes from always feeling like I have to work and fight twice as hard to earn half as much. There have been days where I’ve felt like what I’m doing was not enough but did not know how much more I could give.

The biggest risk of 26 (so far)? Launching The Podcast

Starting the podcast was a dream I never thought I would turn into a reality, at least not so soon. Always Looking Up - The Podcast came about after doing the Girl Talk series on my blog. I loved doing the interviews but felt that something got lost in the transcription. It took some time for me to realize that what was missing was the voices of those I was interviewing. I wanted their voices to be heard. I wanted to create a space where other people can tell their story and know that at least one person is listening.

The biggest life change? I (finally) moved to New York City.

After graduating from Rutgers I decided to stay in New Brunswick, living with some of my best college friends. The hour commute to and from New Brunswick was tedious but worth it. After all, I figured, it would only be a year. Enter March 2020. When COVID hit and our office went remote I decided to move home with my mom in South Jersey. I, along with the majority of the country and the world, thought this would last two weeks. As we all know, that did not happen. April of 2021- my mom was moving to a new place and it felt right for me to do the same. I came back to New York City for a week, found my new home, and moved in in May.

My younger self never saw herself living here. After all, New York is not a small city. Its skyline is scattered with soaring skyscrapers, it is spread out over five boroughs- each a mini city in its own right, it is filled with people. Yet, that is what I love about it. New York City is limitless, it is a place where you can reach the highest heights, where you can meet someone new every day, where you can explore endlessly. I love that I finally get to call New York City home.

The biggest moment of 26 (so far)? By far it was being a model in BEING - Part 2.

Right after I moved to New York City a photographer slid into my DMs. Her name was Camila Falquez and she wanted to know if I would be interested in being a model in a project she was working on. After doing some research and seeing her work (She shot Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Jillian Mercado) I decided to meet with her though I was still hesitant. After meeting with her, hearing her vision, and seeing her passion, I said yes. The photoshoot itself was an incredible experience. I was styled as a high fashion, editorialized version of Marie Antoinette, including a wig which put me over 4’00” for the first time in my life. Each and every step of the way Camila and her team made me feel comfortable and confident which only enhanced the image.

Fast forward a couple weeks and I’m sitting on the beach with my cousins. I’m browsing Instagram, when suddenly I saw my image on Vogue Italia’s account and nearly dropped my phone. I did not know that was happening, I did not know about the article there or in Harper’s Bazaar. I had been waiting for the day where I would feel seen in high fashion, where I would see another little person modeling in an editorial. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that when it finally happened it would be my face and my body that I was looking at. The response was overwhelming and I am forever grateful to Camila for allowing me to be a part. To hear more about the experience, what BEING is and the impact it’s made, listen to Episode 11 of Always Looking Up where I sat down with Camila to discuss everything in greater detail.

The biggest gain of 26 (so far)? New Friends And New Experiences

I must confess that I have always been nervous about making friends and finding my people. During high school and college I often felt invisible- that no matter how hard I tried I would always be overlooked and unheard. There were times where I stopped trying. I did not want that to happen when I moved to New York City. I really made an effort to put myself out there, to go to new places where I may know no one, to try new things. In making new friends and re-kindling some old ones I have realized that I am no longer afraid to be myself. I no longer feel like I have to hide. I can be proud to be me.