After spending her early childhood in Baltimore and then growing up in Connecticut, today’s guest Tanaye White had a winding journey through undergraduate and graduate education and corporate America before finding herself in the modeling industry. While her childhood was filled with challenges as a young person of color that struggled with mental health, she unpacks how it influenced her unique identity.

“My first attempt to take my life at twelve was significant because not only did it remind me, ‘I don’t want to be here,’ – not in life but like, ‘I don’t want to be in Connecticut’ – but also, now looking back, I realize that that experience is very unique because it sort of established the fact that I will never be the same as anybody else. I will also be unique in a certain way… simply because I have such a unique life experience.” (14:53)

Tanaye also touches on the reality of model life, her experiences in corporate America, why she really loves creating art as part of her profession, traveling the world, and the intense cost of living in New York.

“Because I came from corporate America, I’m used to having a paycheck every week and insurance and health insurance and all that stuff; You don’t have that as a model… I have a whole YouTube series about this, about bringing the realities of the model life to the forefront…” (35:20)

After the difficult year that she’s had, Tanaye joins us on the podcast to share her story, reveal how she’s embracing happiness in the current moment, and offer advice to young, aspiring models of color as well as advice to her younger self.