05/11/2026
Well said! Much love and respect
I am deeply disappointed to see how many of our own people feel the need to bully and attack each other. The moment one of us begins to do well, someone tries to tear them down. And what hurts even more is how quickly others jump on board without knowing the full story.
I’ve been in the modeling industry for more than 50 years, and the only place I ever experienced this kind of behaviour was in Alberta. It became so toxic that I left Alberta in 1990 — and I walked away from the Indigenous fashion industry at the same time. I didn’t return until 2015, and the reason I stayed away for so long was exactly this issue.
This is also why I created the Fashion Speaks International Signature Model Team. I wanted a team that supports each other, lifts each other, and stands together through hard times. In a world where Indigenous people already face cruelty, racism, and systemic violence, the last thing we should be doing is turning that harm on each other.
Calling people’s employers. Trying to get them fired. Spreading lies. Rallying others to attack someone who is simply trying to do good work. That isn’t strength. That isn’t community. It’s harmful, selfish, and it keeps us exactly where colonial systems want us — fighting each other instead of rising together.
And honestly, perhaps those who feel the need to attack others should focus on healing themselves, instead of tearing down people who are simply trying to do good work. We all carry wounds — but it’s not an excuse to wound others.
I refuse to participate in that. I choose to build spaces where we support one another, where success is shared, and where our people can grow without fear of being targeted. That is the future I stand for.
