Highlights of my First day again in Rome:
-Meeting Fabrizio Bartoccioni, Founder of Vertical Fondazione and Modelle & Rotelle! I’ve been communicating with Fabrizio for months now, skyping at crazy times of the day and trying to communicate as he does not speak much English or Spanish and I do not speak any Italian… Finally after months, our vision of working together became a reality!
-Meeting Spokesperson for disabled and all models for Models of Diversity! We’ve been connected online for a while now, and we’ve stayed in touch with each other’s events, and we finally got to meet in person in Italy thanks to this event. Meeting Alessandro Capoccetti, photographer and in charge of Models of Diversity in Italy made this whole experience very enjoyable!–We shared very special moments together with Fabrizio, Verical Foundation, Models of Diversity and I coming together, standing up for beauty in all and for modeling!
-Having the opportunity to host a video that will document what was going on backstage the day before the event, the day of the event, and so much more with lots of interviews with models (sitting and standing models) staff, designers, etc. will only add to this experience, helping it stay alive! I got to meet and converse with so many interesting people and that was such a pure joy!
-Meeting the other sitting model and beautiful girls from other countries was truly EMPOWERING!
-Getting fitted into, haute couture gowns and outfits was interesting and an unforgettable experience.
-Modelle and Rotelle started off last year as a trial. It was just “let’s see how it does” event, but interestingly, they received a ton of support and, therefore, the second edition came so much more powerful, with more presence, more sponsors, including, ALTAROMA, L’oreal, designers such as Renato Balestra, Nino Lettieri amongst other great ones!
-Tomorrow’s fashion show, Modelle and Rotelle (Models & Wheels) is an actual competition and there will one winner! I truly haven’t treated it as a competition only because I wanted to come here looking at the girls just as they are, beautiful girls. I didn’t want to see them as “competition.” Regardless of the outcome, I feel as a winner already simply by being here and be able to do all that I love, meet interesting people, interview and host, and last but not least, model!!!
*Cheers to Saturday December 1st and let the best contestant win! More importantly, let your dreams take you to new heights!!