Brianna - love the skin you’re in

I'm on a mission to show the world that women are beautiful and powerful at every size, shape, age, and color. Every woman is beautiful and it's my goal to show you your own magnificence so you can change the way you see yourself and move towards full acceptance and love for your body and self.

Brianna, along with a number of other women, joined me in my Love The Skin You’re In movement and answered the questionnaire below to help them tap into their own unique truths about beauty, self-image and self-love.

What is your definition of beauty?

*The embodiment of creative energy.

What do you remember learning about beauty from a young age? What impacted you the most that you’ve carried with you into adulthood (positive or negative)?

*As a child I felt unattractive because I knew I was different. I am half black and half Mexican. I was raised by the Mexican side of my family. They had no clue how to style curly hair. I knew that I didn’t look like my family. The first time that I remember seeing someone that looked like me, was when watching Sister Sister. Through practice, I had to learn how to utilize my unique features and highlight my beauty, instead of wishing that I looked like someone else.

Do you think you’re beautiful?

*Yes!

Tell me your story! What life experiences have made you who you are today?

*I was born by accident. My mom cheated on her boyfriend with my dad, told my dad that I wasn’t his, and then left her boyfriend. She started dating a new guy who had HPV. I was exposed to this, resulting in a voice disorder called Recurring Respiratory Papilloma. It is either strain 6 or strain 11 of HPV for which there is no cure. This is my biggest insecurity. I was made fun of my entire life because of how I sound. I’ve also had over 50 surgeries to remove the tumors from my vocal cords, but they keep growing back. Without the surgeries I would lose my ability to speak, or suffocate because my airway would be blocked. Now I have a small YouTube Channel where I share my experience and help others with RRP to feel less alone. I have to used this experience for good.

What is your favorite NON physical feature about yourself? (After all, beauty is a light in the heart!)

*I love that I have the passion for using the ugliness of my own life , and the ugliness of this who came before me, and use it for good. I don’t want anyone’s experiences, particularly trauma, to be for nothing. I want beauty to be born from the adversity.

What words of wisdom, based on your personal experience, would you like to share with others who struggle to see their own beauty?

*You are perfectly made, and all of your “flaws” are purposefully there to allow you to stand out. You were not designed to blend in, and how empowering is it to be chosen to lead?

Why are beautiful photos important for you right now?

*I was an ugly duckling growing up. I finally know how to accentuate my unique beauty, and I want to express gratitude to this season of life. I know physical beauty ultimately withers away. I want to look back on my life and know that I was able to embrace it instead of letting it pass me by.

How does being the woman you are today make you uniquely powerful?

*I remember being a child and seeing a stranger when I looked in the mirror. Now when I see myself with the hair, makeup, and outfit that feels authentic to me, I recognize myself in the mirror. I’m becoming more of myself everyday, and being the most authentic version of myself inside and out, is so liberating.