Who:
Julia Jorgensen — @julia_gracenote — American from Los Angeles, California, USA — born July 12th — 175 cm / 5’9″ — she/her.

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

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I’m a software developer for a company that makes neuronavigational devices and technology. Our tools help neurosurgeons calculate and realize the best possible trajectories to their targets in their patients’ brains. I find it so rewarding to be part of a team that works to improve neurosurgical outcomes.
2. I’m vegan (for the animals)!
3. I’ve recently been learning bouldering and dance for fun! My dance videos here are from Angel’s class at Drip Creative Studio in San Diego – I go every week to learn her choreography, improve, sweat, and make friends!

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
I love The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington. It’s a surrealist adventure about a nonagenarian whose family sends her to a nursing home. I love how it rejects binary categorizations of all kinds — e.g., male vs. female, human vs. nonhuman animal, Heaven vs. Hell. I don’t want to say anything else about it because I don’t want to spoil it!

— What’s one non-physical thing you’d like to change about yourself?
I’d love to speak Mandarin fluently! I’m Chinese on my mom’s side, but I grew up speaking only English with my whole family, including my mom’s parents, who immigrated to the US from Taiwan in the 1960s. I have taken a few Mandarin classes throughout my life (as a child and in college), but haven’t done much since graduating besides listening to the occasional Mandarin-learning podcast. One of my goals this year is to practice and improve my Mandarin.

Who:
Kainoa Kukahiko — @kaikukahiko — American from Fullerton, California, USA — born August 20th — 186 cm / 6’1″ — he/him.

Where:
Photogenics LA (Los Angeles – mother agency)

— Can you tell us about your happiest childhood memory?
One of the happiest childhood memories was making music with my friends. It started as just us recording songs and turned into a creative space where we could make anything we wanted, from music to media to fashion. It gave me a sense of freedom and creativity that I still appreciate and cherish today.

— How did you become a model?
I actually grew up pretty shy and wasn’t very confident in myself, so modeling was never something I imagined doing. I decided to give it a shot as a way to challenge myself and step outside my comfort zone, and over time, I fell in love with the creativity, confidence, and self-growth that came with it.

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
My favorite film is Parasite. I used to be really into film, and I’ve always appreciated how well it tells its story and the way everything is layered and portrayed. I’ve probably seen it more than 10 times, and it’s one of those movies I could keep rewatching because I always notice something new.

Who:
Nico Paule — @nicopaule — American from Long Beach, California, USA — born January 27th — 187 cm / 6’1.5″ — he/him.

Where:
His Laboratory Management (Los Angeles – mother agency)

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
Giving more accessibility to passionate young athletes. Oftentimes, kids are unable to play their desired sport because the entry cost is simply unreasonable. When I am able to, I’d want to have a program that helps make motorsport more accessible to everyone who is passionate about the sport.

— Can you tell us about your happiest childhood memory?
My dad taking me out of school to watch the Long Beach Grand Prix free practice. I can remember how loud the cars were and the vibrations going through my body.

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I’m a diehard Los Angeles Lakers fan. They’ll bounce back next season.
2. I really like cars and motorsport. One of my favorites is Kansai-style drifting.
3. I’m a big sneakerhead. First, it was all basketball shoes, but now it’s all different types.

Who:
Ravleen Varghese — @ravleen_v — American from Kerala, India — born September 12th — 181 cm / 5’11.5″ — she/her.

Where:
JAG Models (New York), Anima Creative Management (Mumbai – mother agency), MMG Models (Dubai)

— If you were to choose a song that symbolizes this current phase of your life, what would it be and why?
This might be a bit unexpected, but lately I’ve been hooked on “Ordinary Girl” by Hannah Montana, and it feels really relevant to my life right now. There’s this contrast between the modeling, traveling, being in front of the camera, and who I am at my core. The song reminds me that no matter how much changes, I’m still grounded in who I’ve always been. It’s about holding onto that sense of normalcy and not losing yourself in everything around you, which feels especially important to me in this phase.

— What’s an essential part of your daily routine?
Having a moment to myself, no matter where I am. My life can get very fast and very external, so I try to create small pockets of quiet, whether that’s journaling, listening to music, or just being alone with my thoughts. It helps me stay connected to myself, especially in an industry where you’re constantly being perceived.

— How did you become a model?
I was actually scouted through Instagram while I was still in college, and at first, I didn’t take it seriously. I think a part of me didn’t believe I could exist in that space, so I turned down quite a few agencies in the beginning. It wasn’t until I met the right people, an agency that really saw the hidden passion and talent in me, that something shifted. I’ve had countless learning curves throughout the journey, and modeling has become less about fitting into something and more about discovering parts of myself I didn’t know were there.