Break the Barrier
Hailing from traditional South Asian roots, I took on a nontraditional path with my passion project missioned to increase representation in mainstream media. Throughout my modeling journey, I've been blessed to be part of modeling campaigns for brands such as Express Fashion and Maison Margiela to walking the runway for New York Fashion Week and covering it as Press.
As I grew my platform, I realized so many of us are hesitant in taking that leap of faith because we don’t have visibility to the mentors or guides that we can look up to, ask questions to, or be our support system. As a result, many of us default to the traditional careers that our parents consider successful - but we may be left feeling unfulfilled. I want to take this mission to the next level and introduce successful and happy powerhouse voices in our community who are breaking barriers by pursuing full-time careers outside of what’s traditionally considered successful.
For our younger, current, and older generations: it is never too late to start again or dream a new dream. My mission is to show in a fun, lighthearted way that you can absolutely find happiness in a path less taken. This is my baby: Break the Barrier
Break the Barrier
Let's Talk Modeling with Lana Patel: Trans Model, Activist, and Social Media Personality
I’m so excited to be speaking today with our one and only Ms. Lana Patel, an Afro-Indo-Caribbean trans woman who is a model and has been the face of brands like Pantene, Live Tinted, and HoliChic to name a few. She is also an activist in the LGBTQ+ space and leverages her social media presence to fight for trans individuals to have a seat at the table. Her mantra is that true liberation can only be achieved once each human being is seen as an equal.
I met Lana at a Brown Girl Magazine event back in May, and I loved her humble demeanor. It’s a full circle and beautiful moment for me to have her on the show to share her story.
In this episode, we will highlight Lana’s journey on how she found herself and became confident in her identity, how she decided to pursue modeling and the impact its made in her life, her social media presence and how she leverages it to do good for the world, and what’s in store for her future. Welcome, Lana!!
To contact her for mentorship/guidance:
Instagram: @lanapatelxoxo
Email: milianasingh@gmail.com