Aspiring models meet fair trade fashion

“My dream job has always been modelling,” says Daniella Bezil. “It’s not just something that comes out of my head, it’s a way of life.”

Daniella first started modeling in Uganda at the age of 16, lying about her age so she could participate.

“At first I was so scared and nervous in front of the camera,” she said. “But modeling taught me to love myself and my eyes and my face.”

She continued taking classes after her family was resettled to Cleveland in 2018.

Now, Daniella is using her skills to inspire others. She teamed up with Refugee Response this fall to offer modeling classes to a team of Congolese and American young people. The majority of the participants work full-time, and use their Saturdays to take part in the class.

They modeled scarves made my Afghan women living in Cleveland, skirts and jewelry made by Congolese refugees for Butterpear, and social enterprises run by other neighbors in their communities.