Page 45 - holmag SS2021

When I finally opened that letter five years later, I had written to myself
“if you’re NOT a model by now,
drop everything and go after your dreams”. I literally quit college and had a part-time job, while modeling on the side. My first runway was the beginning of everything. I remember walking down the runway thinking “this feels right, this feels me, this is what I want to do”. And I did, working with multiple local fashion designers along the way. I walked many shows and met a lot of awesome people. As my dream was getting bigger, the stakes were higher, and I needed
an agency to represent me. As I researched agencies, however,
I learned the ugly truth about
the industry. It was manipulative, ruthless, and mentally damaging. ‘Slave contracts’ were in existence. It also didn’t help having been raised by strict Haitian parents who didn’t support my dreams. All of that added to the obstacles I was facing. That
is when I decided to take a break.
I went through a depressive stage that I didn’t know I was in at the time. Until one day, I snapped out of it and decided to become a lead dentist/ orthodontic assistant who does YouTube on the side. I also hope to purchase my dream car soon. Stay tuned...
Maya: Hi, I am Maya ‘goddess of indecisiveness’ (laughs). Let’s see, I wanted to be a model as well, but then my insecurities got the best
of me and I decided it wasn’t the right fit. I thought I wanted to be a
fire fighter, then changed my mind. I wanted to be an E.M.T until I saw how intense it was. It also didn’t help that I had a previous traumatic experience with blood. I then decided I should become a Police officer. Finally (you guessed it) I changed my mind again (laughs)! No, in all seriousness, I
did almost became a cop. I sent in my application, but the following week turned into the beginning of a downward spiraling roller coaster that I was powerless to stop. I now live by the mantra “be careful what you wish for”. I remember when my
sister and I were sixteen, we were acting out and our mother kept telling us how hard it is raising twins. We kept arguing every single day.
I started saying “I will never have kids. I will never have kids. On God, i will never have kids”. Well, little did I know, wishes come true. After multiple misdiagnoses and several surgeries, on May 22, 2017, I had a hysterectomy (the removal of my uterus and cervix). It means that I am unable to have kids now. Long
story short, it was a long and painful experience that I will never physically or mentally recover from. I am taking it day-by-day. Now I am a medical assistant in nursing school, doing Youtube on the side.
What’s next for us?
Honestly life is unpredictable and tomorrow is not promised. We are going to try living our lives to the fullest. Hopefully COVID-19 goes
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