Today we’d like to introduce you to Ezenwa Ilabor.
Hi Ezenwa, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
As I sit here tasked with the prospect of telling the story of Ezenwa Ilabor, I cannot help but to reflect on all of the years of hard work and numerous hours of dedication it has taken me to get to this stage of my life.
For one, it’s hard to believe that my modeling career only began two years ago. The perspective of it all seems so much more lucid now that I am able to take that one step back – exhale a deep breath or two of relief.
I will begin by saying that from a young age, I was always taught by my Trinidadian Mother that it is important to give more of yourself to this world than you take from it. My mother planted a seed of kindness in me – and from this seed grew a tree which now bears the abundant fruits of kindness and strength to give freely to those in need.
At the age of 14, I left my home in West Philadelphia and flew thousands of miles away to live in a village in Ghana until I was 18 years old. As I came to realize very soon after, this was easily the most significant and life-changing event I’ve ever experienced.
Living in Ghana as a teenager exposed me to an entirely different realm of life. I saw things that I never could have imagined. I witnessed suffering that I didn’t realize existed. Yet I experienced people helping each other in ways that I never saw back in Philadelphia. I saw family and friends work together to build communities in such positive and impactful ways. People who have little in the way of material wealth but have amassed the greatest of all wealths – love and community.
This experience had a huge impact on me during these formative years of my life. It was then that I discovered I wanted to lead a life coupled with purpose and influence. I want to help my people to rise and my mission became clear even at the age of 14; I wanted to empower the world with more kindness and love. Fast forward several years to the time when I turned 18 years of age; even as I grew into womanhood, my vision became more clear as I knew what I now wanted. The only problem was that I had no idea on how to get there or even start this journey. I had an idea that perhaps using my unconventional beauty could be some leverage to spread love and kindness and that this could become a reality – I also knew that it could never be achieved alone. During my time in Ghana, I learned that it takes a village to raise a child. We all are children within the heart, but we still need other good people to help nurture that inner child. We all need people. Community. A safe space to grow.
I never once thought modeling would be part of the process of turning my dreams into a reality until I was scouted on Instagram by Kenya Knight, the Founder of Nous Models. Kenya was the guidance I needed to achieve the life I imagined as a child in West Africa. Making the decision to model has changed my life and has become something I am so passionate about, something which has only grown to become my purpose in life. Shortly after, I realized my dreams as I got signed to LA Models. Even at 5’5″ height, I am still very busy getting signed and procuring bookings all over the world. It has now become clear that I have something within me that people can see and that my purpose shines bright like a diamond. Those who have supported me throughout the years continue to believe in me and the vision I’ve worked so hard to build along with my life mission. I now know that community-building is one of the essential pinnacles to building a flourishing life, and I feel so blessed to be in this position so many years later from those days as a young girl in Ghana.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In all honesty, some days, it’s a challenge to wake up each morning and gather the courage needed to believe that I can conquer my day or attain success in the world of fashion and beauty. And other days, it’s hard not to become entangled in the thistle weeds of negative thinking, rejection, and self-doubt. At times, success seemed so far out of reach for me as I emotionally grappled with the belief that I was not good enough and worthy of being a model in today’s world of fashion and beauty. There were even a handful of days where I wondered if it was still worth pursuing my dream.
It’s the people in my village who have supported me throughout the years continued to believe in me. They strengthen me on days self-doubt wants to take control.
I feel so blessed to be in this position of knowing I deserve love and support.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In reflecting on what gave me the greatest sense of pride during the course of my two-year career in modeling – I could easily list multiple accolades that one would find in magazines, on billboards, retail posters, music videos, or television commercials. But in my growing wisdom, I know that the answer to these questions cannot be as easy to answer as simply bullet-pointing personal laurels or accomplishments. I also know that untamed pride sometimes comes before the fall. In searching for a deeper – and more meaningful response – I think that I am honestly most proud of the fact that I still have the strength to follow my passion.
In all honesty, some days, it’s a challenge to wake up each morning and gather the courage needed to believe that I can conquer my day or attain success in the world of fashion and beauty. And other days, it’s hard not to become entangled in the thistle weeds of negative thinking, rejection, and self-doubt. At times, success seemed so far out of reach for me as I emotionally grappled with the belief that I was not good enough and worthy of being a model in today’s world of fashion and beauty. There were even a handful of days where I wondered if it was still worth pursuing my dream.
Through all the high-end make-up, designer clothes, and trained smile – I am now realizing a deeper beauty and strength resides within myself, and it exists as my inner strength and fortitude. With so many other models standing at 5’10” – I have learned to project my 5’5” inner self to greater heights. I have learned that it’s not really how tall you stand on the runway as much as how tall you stand in the face of adversity in anything you do. I am incredibly proud of myself for never taking rejection as an excuse. I am so proud of myself for not giving up during those times of uncertainty. I am proud of not giving in to all those moments of self-doubt. And as I write this – I think my evolving wisdom has now convinced me to pivot my response from pride to gratitude. Gratitude has become a daily, meditative practice I now appreciate and exercise. I am grateful to my family and friends, who continue to motivate me and believe in me. I am grateful to my clients who have shown faith in me and recognized my unconventional beauty. And most recently, I am grateful that I got to showcase my inner strength and deep brown skin to 123.4 million people in a commercial for Poppi Soda during Super Bowl LVIII. Ultimately, I know that it’s not just about being in a Super Bowl commercial but having been present for myself and now having a higher platform so that other women who look like me can see their own potential and know that anything is possible.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Maya Angelou once wrote, “I believe that the most important single thing, beyond discipline and creativity, is daring to dare.” The author of The Bluest Eyes inspired me – a young woman with unconventional looks and a unique beauty to see beyond the conventional standards in the world of beauty and fashion. I have dared to defy these conventions all my life. From the tough streets of West Philadelphia to the drylands of Ghana – I have used my experiences and young wisdom to propel me forth in the modeling world with a determined focus and persistent drive to continue “putting myself out there” for all of the world to see – whether I am accepted or not. However, I have learned that ultimately, I must first accept who I am – and the gifts that were given as I face perhaps the greatest risk of all – the risk from within. It’s a risk to confront yourself and all of your perceived flaws and insecurities. It’s a risk to put yourself out there, knowing you may not fit the conventional norms or molds in modeling and fashion. It’s a risk, even some days, to put one foot in front of the others and convince yourself that you too, can walk the runway with anyone – and that you are good enough. But once I surpassed these internal risks – the ones presented before me in the world seemed more surmountable. I know that I still have a long way to go in my journey to being the model and person that I dream of being. But here I am – standing strong – and steadily walking my journey every day as I continue to follow my new life mantra of “daring to dare” and no longer afraid of the risks that fall before me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ezenwailabor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ezenwailabor/
- Other: https://www.ezenwasworld.com/
Image Credits
Billy Moon
Ari Michelson
Zenna Nwokoma
