Who:
Azu Kitagawa — @azukitagawa — Japanese/American from Tokyo, Japan — born July 7th — 180 cm / 5’11” — she/her.

Where:
No Ties Models (Los Angeles – mother agency), Bravo Models (Tokyo)

— Share a bit about your background and upbringing.
I was born in Yokohama, Japan, and I moved to the States when I was 2 years old. I grew up speaking both Japanese and English! I moved to Tokyo when I was 18, and I love exploring my Japanese side.

— What’s an essential part of your daily routine?
I have the same breakfast every day. Greek yogurt with chia seeds, bananas, and kinako (soybean flour). It is the perfect way to start my day and keeps me full until lunch!

— If money wasn’t an obstacle, what would you be doing with your life?
I would open a restaurant. I love cooking for friends. I worked in a restaurant in high school and enjoy making people happy through acts of service! Ideally, it would be a Japanese restaurant serving healthy, clean Japanese food!

Who:
Carina Sun — @carinasunn — American from Pipersville, Pennsylvania, USA — born February 27th — 178 cm / 5’10” — she/her.

Where:
Tina Kiniry (Hartford – mother agency), STATE Management (New York), Le Troch Management (Barcelona)

— How did you become a model?
I was touring Yale University during high school with my parents and came across a random open casting. I decided to join for fun, and my agency scouted me there.

— Tell us about your hometown.
I grew up in Doylestown, PA, a suburb next to Philadelphia. As I was growing up, I thought it was so boring (think typical Target and Starbucks runs every weekend). But now, I cherish every moment I get to go back and visit. My favorite parts of going home are getting to eat my grandparents’ niu rou mian (beef noodle soup) and going for walks in our local park with my parents and dog. I’ve really grown to appreciate the tranquility in the slow pace there compared to NYC.

— Can you tell us about your happiest childhood memory?
I lived in Singapore for about three years when I was young, and I vividly remember one night when my grandparents took me out to see the fireworks. I can still smell the brisk, post-rain air and feel the excitement as my grandma and I, hand in hand, rounded the corner, and I saw the glimmer of beautiful fireworks. I don’t remember much from my time in Singapore, but this moment has always stuck with me.

Who:
Jiaqi Li — @ljqqjiaqi — Chinese from Nanning, China — born June 3rd — 178 cm / 5’10” — she/her.

Where:
SMG MODEL MANAGEMENT (Guangzhou – mother agency)

— Tell us about your hometown.
I’m from Guangxi Province, China. It is surrounded by mountains and rivers. Fruits [from there] are delicious and cheap, but I think the educational resources need to develop more. Hopefully everything gets better in the near future.

— If money wasn’t an obstacle, what would you be doing with your life?
I will travel around the world. Life is short. If money is not a problem, I will always explore this world.

— Can you tell us about your happiest childhood memory
During the Spring Festival, when our family was together. I was very happy to go back to my grandmother’s house to play fireworks with my best friend.

Who:
Jules Santiago — @the_family.jules — Filipino/American from San Francisco, California, USA — born August 13th — 180 cm / 5’11” — she/her.

Where:
Major Model Management (New York – mother agency), Stars Model Management (San Francisco)

— How did you become a model?
I was studying abroad in Hong Kong when a photographer, now a close friend, scouted me while I was clubbing in LKF. I did a few more shoots with the people I met on that set, and from there, I was hooked. A few years later, back in San Francisco, a woman walked into the Sephora I was working at and asked for my Instagram. It turned out she had forwarded it to my first agent, and I finally got a contract.

— Who is someone you admire and why?
Dara Allen. She’s one of the few Filipino models around and is taking over the entire industry with her styling. I’ve been a fan since her debut at Marc Jacobs. Also, Andrea Pejic–she is a legend.

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
Trans Rights. Period.

Who:
Keona Castro — @kay4rlz — Guamian from Inalåhan, Guam — born May 5th — 171 cm / 5’7″ — she/her.

Where:
Blair Models (mother agency), Supreme Management (New York), Women Management LA (Los Angeles)

— Share a bit about your background and upbringing.
I was born and raised on the Micronesian island of Guam. My dad is Native Chamorro from Guam, and my mom is Native Hawaiian, so I had a rich islander upbringing filled with good food, beach days, and lots of family time.

— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
When I was little, I insisted on always wearing a pair of pink rain boots. My family nicknamed me “Boots” because of that and still refer to me as this today.

— Tell us about your hometown.
I grew up in the rural village of Inalåhan on the Island of Guam. Guam is located in the Pacific Ocean and is a little under Japan on a world map. The best thing about both my village and the island is its green scenery. I’d wake up and see a beautiful jungle outside my window every morning. The worst thing about having lived there was how far everywhere else was.

Who:
Tiera Smith — @tiera.ss — American from San Diego, California, USA — born November 13th — 175 cm / 5’9″ — she/her.

Where:
Ford Models LA (Los Angeles – mother agency), Ford Models Chicago

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I recently got my degree in Computer Science & Information Systems at Cal State University San Marcos! I like to play Wild Rift a lot, sometimes a little too much… But I enjoy it more than League of Legends, as the games are shorter. A fun way to kill time with friends if we’re bored at a party or at home.

— The most interesting thing about your family:
My mom is a refugee from Cambodia. She came to the US with her parents and siblings at the age of 10, as her aunt sponsored them at the time. She would tell me stories of how she would have to go through jungles in Thailand while being guided by armed guys and how she’d have to sleep on the floor. None of them knew any English, so they struggled at first, but they overcame it. Most of her dad’s side of the family fled to Australia and other countries, so I have a lot of family members around the world.

— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
My parents love telling everyone how hard it was to raise me as a baby. I would constantly cry and want to be held. It got to a point where my mom had to quit her job to be home with me (sorry, mom!)