Briauna Mariah isn’t a parent herself, but she doesn’t need to be to understand and grasp the importance of self-esteem and body image that develops at an early age. It’s nothing new, as a society we’ve been bombarded with what we ‘should’ look like. From air-brushing in fashion magazines, plastic surgery, models that are stick thin and social media at our fingertips with drastic filters to alter our appearance – it’s everywhere.
Mariah is the CEO & Founder of We Speak, a non-traditional modeling agency which began in New York and has now expanded here in Seattle. Mariah is taking a novel approach to modeling and embracing ‘real people.' “Our Ideals of body image start so early, having a healthy, positive support network from an early age would do worlds of good. There are all these stats out there about young people not liking their bodies and it's heartbreaking. I believe change starts within the media and fashion industry,” Mariah says.
The whole point of We Speak is to showcase healthy, relatable women in the media. Mariah believes that it’s important to recognize that health comes in all shapes and sizes. They don't praise one body type or size over another. Instead, they celebrate healthy living and body diversity. So far, Mariah says Seattle is loving the approach, “We’ve had a very welcoming response in Seattle and we're excited to dive into the Seattle fashion market even further. If Seattleites ever want to know more about how to support and spread our mission, they can visit our website. Locals can also help by encouraging their favorite local brands to hire healthy models.”
As of right now, all the models for We Speak are adults but Mariah hopes to add some children into the mix down the line. “People come in all shapes, sizes, colors and backgrounds," she says. "It's important for young people to have relatable role models they can look up to. I believe this is the start of spreading more beauty awareness as well as helping young people realize what they, too, can be capable of.”
Talking to your kids about their body image can be tricky, for more tips on how to approach the subject visit Girlshealth.gov.
