Meet Tejera Magee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tejera Magee.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Tejera. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, but around 6th grade, my mom, my brother and I moved to the San Pedro and that’s where we stayed. And where I currently am raising my family alongside of my husband. Growing up, I was always the one to make everyone laugh. It was just a natural thing for me. Always cracking jokes, In HS I actually got class clown. I don’t think I’ll tell my kids about that one haha.

Having such a great sense of humor is what actually help me to navigate through teenage years growing up as a fat girl. To be honest, I never thought I’m a million years I would end up being a plus size model or inspiring others through my transparency but life is funny like that. When I was in the 10th grade my mom became very sick. Bedridden sick. She went from being a very active, health conscious woman to being diagnosed with a rare illness called polymiosits. This changed my life. But like always having a great sense of humor and faith I dealt with it pretty well. However, I barely graduated from HS because I missed so many days taking care of my mom.

A few years after High school modeling kind of fell in my lap. Someone reached out to me via Facebook to take pictures and I did. I enjoyed it so much I thought. Maybe I should give this a go. SO I DID! the first agency I actually submitted to signed me. Brand models, I remember being so excited, but once I got signed I was humbled by the lack of work I actually received because I was a larger size plus model. When I started modeling I fell in love with the idea of being this fat girl who no one really seen as beautiful growing up to being someone who was now getting paid for unapologetically being me in my skin. Once I got on Instagram and found my people and seen other women who felt like me, who was inspired by my confidence, it changed how I felt about it. I didn’t just love it because of what it did for me but I love it now becomes it inspires other women. It says hey sis. If I can feel beautiful in my body so can you!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nothing about my journey has been easy. My mom is still very ill, my brother was diagnosed with a mental illness several years back. And that really was tuff on me. Shortly after my brother diagnoses, I became a wife and a mother of twin boys. I could no longer give my mom the full care she needs. So she now lives in a facility. That was the hardest for me. I felt ashamed, and looked down on, although I had committed ten years to her health. although my brother was not physically sick I had never experienced mental illness. It took me on an emotional roller coaster. It’s almost like I had to mourn my brother who was actually physically still here. I remember at times feeling like my health was almost a punishment.

Sometimes you get it the hardest when you are the closest, and your wellbeing is sometimes overlooked because hey, you’re not sick. My light, fun, playful sense of humor no longer was carrying me out of my hard space. On top of that modeling brings a lot of rejection, and a lot of no’s and that can be really hard on your self-esteem. Adding that on top of a body that you have to relearn and love after baby is tuff. But through God, prayers, and meditation any obstacles you can overcome.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I inspire. I model, and I share my testimony with whoever will listen. I’m so comfortable in my skin and in my journey in real life that I can say hey! I suffered from depression, hey I deal with anxiety, hey I have moments of self-doubt, Sometimes I feel down about my body, but that don’t last forever. If you are willing to do the work. And if I can get in a better space with self-esteem and mental health you can too. And the reason I say in real life is because I feel like the #selflove is a trend. A great trend! But loving me off social media, without the likes. That is what I’m most proud of. Who I am in social media is who I am in real like. If you see me with my friends at a party I’m most likely doing the robot to my favorite song as toy will also see on my social media. I feel Like what sets us all apart is that we are all unique. There are other beautiful models, other people sharing their struggles and living in their truth but what sets me apart is there is only one me, and no one can do me how I do me.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I look forward to doing more modeling. Getting a billboard, some big campaigns. Hopefully putting together an empowerment event this year, and definitely growing my YouTube channel I started with my cousin chit chat. I want it all. I’m putting big things in the universe for myself!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwSyrDYF9tz/?igshid=1vwl4hhp2pg8b

Image Credit:
Shannon Laurine, Smash shoes, Glam app

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