Destiny is a food justice and vegan activist from the Bronx, New York. She currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada
I used to cover up with foundation, but now I tell myself - “You look how look, and you don’t need to cover up. If someone doesn’t like it, that’s their problem, not yours.”
I realized that people are still going to talk about me whether I meet their standards or not. At that point, I realized that I may as well live life how I want.
With time, I have accepted my acne.
Today, I still experience some anxiety, but I am working very hard on getting out of my comfort zone, and I hope that sharing my experience online like this is a step in the right direction.
I thought covering myself with loads of makeup would cover everything up, but you could still see all of the texture, and eventually, it didn’t seem worth it.
I didn’t know what to do. I just started going to church because that’s what I had been taught. That’s what my loved ones were telling me to do. But one day, I inevitably had to realize - “this is who I am,” and eventually, I even learned to accept that.
Soumi is a community member and a female leader in STEM who lives in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
‘I was forced to meet myself. I was living in my body, but this breakdown led me to getting to know myself for the first time. I just wanted to find a way to express and confront limiting thoughts.”