{"id":132544,"date":"2020-06-18T13:00:32","date_gmt":"2020-06-18T17:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=132544"},"modified":"2020-06-18T11:58:43","modified_gmt":"2020-06-18T15:58:43","slug":"maeva-marshall-on-how-diversity-can-be-an-instrument-for-greatness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=132544","title":{"rendered":"Maeva Marshall On How Diversity Can Be an Instrument for Greatness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before she ever debuted on the runways of Europe two years ago, Maeva Marshall<\/a> had practice turning a negative into a positive. Her most notable feature, a smattering of freckles across her face, was a result of a rare skin condition that flared up due to medication. Further complications led to a massive health scare but after a long recovery, she was scouted for the very thing that had brought her past pain. As the fight continues to rid the world of what plagues us, Marshall has found the balance between standing up for what is right by using her platform to educate on the Black Lives Matter movement and protecting her aura while in quarantine. Models.com spoke with Marshall while she stays put in her native France about the state of the world and how she’s finding peace, in chaotic times. <\/p>\n

You\u2019ve lived in Miami, Paris, and Senegal but had a health scare before you first came to New York. Tell us about your path and how it first lead you to NY.<\/strong>
\nI was indeed born in Miami and left for Paris at an early age. From Paris, I often went and spent a lot of time in Dakar, Senegal. When I turned 18, I realized I had the chance to have both French and American citizenship. I was a bit all over the place at that time, so I decided I would take back control of my life, which to me translated to booking a ticket to NY so that I could know more about American culture. Back then, it was really hard for me to leave my family and friends, but at the same time, I was super excited to be an adult and go someplace new – to jump into the unknown! Turned out I loved it, then quickly found a job as a bartender on a rooftop, and lived in Bushwick for a year. My health issues first came up in NY and I very suddenly started to feel sick at some point. Eventually, I paralyzed on the right side of my body due to a massive amount of stress I was going through. After a week at the NYU Langone Health, I was repatriated to Paris, where I spent almost a year in a bed, at the hospital.<\/p>\n

What were the circumstances of your discovery as a model? Was it something you always thought about?<\/strong>
\nI always thought of modeling as a cool job, but a goal only a few people could attain, and that it was out of sight for me – I wasn\u2019t very confident as a teenager. I occasionally started shooting for friends that were photographers for the extra money but also for the fun of doing something new. Even then it still wasn\u2019t something I imagined that I\u2019d do full-time. Following my time in hospitals, I developed this rare skin condition that resulted in me growing more freckles on my face as well as other parts of my body. I was at a party when someone came to me and started questioning me about myself, my story, my condition, and eventually introduced me to the team at Heroes Models, which became my first family in this industry.<\/p>\n

How was it navigating the global pandemic in an industry where face to face time is so essential?<\/strong>
\nI can tell that it is hard for everyone – models like me but also photographers, stylists, artists, freelancers…all who are used to being on-set, at meetings, in showrooms, working in teams – it’s essential for them to work. Being isolated is already a tough thing for our business where a lot of people can\u2019t work alone or from home, but isolation further hurts our mental health. Some people are more sensitive to this, which is why I think we need to spread good vibes and messages online, stay connected and stick together to make things easier for everyone.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Maeva (@maevamarshall)<\/a> on