A couple weeks ago, one of my favorite photographer, Ernie Passwaters, put up a Facebook post. She was asking for women of color to be face models for the Academy of Makeup Arts. I submitted my picture and they chose me! I was impressed that the school wanted to work on women of color. The instructors felt that their students needed to practice on the different tones that are found in our community.

When I walked into the AMUA studio I was met with 20 models, of various shades from toasted vanilla to mocha brown, being worked on by mostly artists who were white. Well! Yes, let’s do it! I know they students were nervous, but the models were nervous too. Most models have horror stories of white make-up artists either ignore them or make them look casket ready (ie ASHY-McGEE!). AMUA is making sure to send their student artist out in the world, ready to tackle ALL skin tones.
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