El Dorado native Ty'Nasiia Ross to walk for Essence of Curves.
Ty’Nasiia Ross was told throughout her life that she was “model material” and that she came alive in the pictures she would post on social media.
Ross, an El Dorado native, never planned on pursuing modeling, but that didn’t stop her from landing an audition as a plus-size model for Essence of Curves. Her plans were to be a cosmetologist, until she came across Essence of Curves calling for women to model their clothes. She assumed she would pay the $20 fee, try on clothes for a day, take some pictures, and that would be it. The audition was held for women of sizes XL-4X, in the conference room of a Marriott Hotel in New Orleans.
When she walked into the room, she saw women walking a catwalk, which was a complete shock to her.
“I was so stunned, I grabbed my phone and posted on Facebook telling my friends I didn’t know what I had gotten myself into,” she said.
When she saw what was going on, she instantly wanted to leave because she had never walked before and she didn’t believe she was ready to do it. She told the women who were running the audition, “Please take me off the list, I’m leaving.” But they stood up and told her, “No ma’am, you aren’t leaving,” and explained that they would help teach her to walk the catwalk.
The audition was for models who would walk in the Essence Festival in July. A gentlemen who previously modeled for Essence before walked back into the dressing area and helped Ross practice her walk.
“There were 35 women walking, I hoped and prayed that I would be in line towards the end so I could have more time to practice, but I was No. 4,” she said. “Over and over in my head I could just see myself messing it up.”
She said when it was her turn to walk, she was anxious and uncomfortable, but when she walked out and people started cheering her on, she felt more comfortable and loosened up. She walked twice, and said she felt more confident the second time, like she wasn't holding back.
The third walk was the “battle walk,” where she went against a girl from New Orleans, which she said actually helped inspire her more.
“She’s from New Orleans, I’m from El Dorado. I got to show ‘em how we do it. Gotta hold it down for everyone back home,” she said.
When she walked, she said, she felt so natural and like she was supposed to be there. She said she prayed they would keep her in the competition, because she wanted to see where it would go and how far it could take her. She said she repeated to herself over and over again, “There’s nobody but God.” When she was kept in the competition and told she was going to walk in the July festival, she said, “I don’t know how I did it, I can’t believe I did it.”
Ross’ plan originally was to be a cosmetologist. She went to SouthArk for cosmetology, but said it seemed like something in life constantly kept getting in the way of her completing and getting her license. She had even made a plan to move to New Orleans and get her license there.
“It’s crazy how it’s taken off so quick, that I wanted to be a cosmetologist so bad and it seemed like it was taking forever to get to that point, but something that I wasn’t even planning on doing or really didn’t have a passion for has taken off and I see my passion grow stronger every day for it,” she said.
Ross said that throughout the whole day of being at the audition, people were messaging her and telling her that she was there for a reason.
“I was about to leave and would’ve been so upset that I bailed on this opportunity,” she said.
She said she was so grateful for the ones who encouraged her to go forward with the audition.
“If I didn’t have someone there to motivate me, I would’ve left and I am so thankful someone gave me that push I needed,” she said.
After the audition, a woman who runs her own plus-size modeling agency in New Orleans came up to Ross, telling her she wanted to work with her in the future.
“It was crazy because there were people there from all over — New Orleans, Washington, Atlanta, Houston, etc.,” Ross said, adding that she loves Essence because they welcome and
accept everyone for who they are.
“They help you step out of your comfort zone, just like they did for me that day,” she said.
Ross said she struggled a lot with her weight when she was younger. Now at 22, she has gained more confidence and found her self love.
“I always thought I wasn’t as pretty as other girls because of my weight and I finally realized as I got older that that is not true, self love is the best love,” she said.
In Essence, it’s all motivation, she said. No one bashes anyone, and it’s empowering.
“Throughout my life, I always wanted to do cosmetics, while everyone was telling me I was going to be a model but I never saw that. When I was sitting in the audition, I laughed to myself saying people have been telling me this my whole life and look where I am. I just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “If you don’t love every part of yourself, then no one else will either and that’s how I have come to step out of my comfort zone and remain confident.”
Ross moved to New Orleans the day after Thanksgiving 2017. There, she is continuing to prepare for the Essence Festival in July.
“All the way from January up to July is practices,” she said. “I have set up my work schedule around it, because if it’s something you really want, you have to work for it.”
She has to sell five to seven tickets, but she said she has already sold her share because her family and friends want to be there to support her.
“I have to let everyone know because I have to put on for Arkansas and represent my hometown; I’m coming from a small town and New Orleans is so big and there are so many opportunities,” she said. “There is so much good in New Orleans, even though people usually only see the bad. New Orleans is great and I choose to see the good.”
Throughout all of this her confidence has grown stronger and is now unbreakable.
“We can be ourselves and wear what we wanna wear and work it; I will put on anything and go anywhere and be confident,” she said.
She said how girls look to her for inspiration and motivation.
“I don’t want people to look up to me as a role model, but at the same time if I can help someone build their confidence then I want to do it,” she said. “I had to love myself first, be a better me for me. It don’t get any better than that. I’m a big girl and I like food and that’s OK.”
Ross said being from a small town and doing something big has really humbled her, and it is something she is very thankful for.
“I am humble because of where I come from, because I know that at any given point all of this can be taken away,” she said.
Ross describes herself as very head strong and self-assured.
“I’m gonna work until I get it. Either I’m gonna do good and make it, or I won’t make it but I am gonna be back regardless,” she said.
She said she looks for motivation in other people doubting her. She said it’s so exciting being a plus-size model, and that through Essence doors have opened for other modeling gigs.
“I have different companies reaching out to me to model their clothes and do fashion shows for them,” she said. “I have a passion for something I never knew I had a passion for before. This is a big step, and I’m so happy to have the support system that I have back home and all around me through my family and my friends.”
Martha Benton, an employee of the El Dorado News-Times, is a very big part of Ross’ support system. Benton describes herself as the very proud grandmother of her “big baby,” as she likes to call her.
“I knew she was going to be a star from day one. She’s a sweetheart and she’s beautiful inside and out,” Benton said. “We are going to the festival to see her walk. We have people from Michigan and Louisiana that are so excited to see her walk.”
Benton said Ross is going to do well as a plus-size model, noting that she has the heart and mindset for it, on top of being very beautiful.
“She was always independent, confident, she liked to put on makeup and she always liked to fix hair. She was always mature. She was the mother figure,” Benton said. “But she just loved fashion. She was just that fashion girl.”
When Ross told Benton about making her audition, Benton said she couldn’t have been any more excited.
“I was in tears, just happy,” Benton said. “This is something positive. A lot of people need to know that it doesn’t matter what size you are, that you can accomplish anything. If God is for you, then all you have to do is step out on faith.”
Benton said Ross is an example for other plus-size girls.
“Don’t let size stop you. Follow what’s in your heart, and what’s in your mind. She is in New Orleans by herself, she has no family there. She’s working, getting her own place, and she’s okay. She’s never been scared to travel, get in her car and go where she wants to go. I’m so happy for her,” Benton said.
The Essence Festival will take place July 6-8. The Essence models will walk the catwalk on July 7.