Joan Smalls paved the way to represent a different type of Latina. Sure, we had girls like Gisele, Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio – three highly recognizable Victoria Secret models who all happen to be Brazilian – but they represented only some (read: white) of us.

Smalls came to New York from Puerto Rico after graduating college to pursue a modeling career in 2007, but her breakout moment came at the 2010 Givenchy Couture show. Perhaps unbeknownst to her at the time, her landmark appearance in Riccardo Tisci’s cast quickly became a new symbol of inclusion and change.

The industry, even more so back then – and especially in Paris – was a completely different world for girls who looked like her: Black, Latina, Woman, Puerto Rican (and all the other nuanced parts that make up her identity).

But there’s growing suspicion on who exactly gets represented under Latinidad, and with good reason. In a world that habitually and systematically chooses to prefer the lightest and whitest versions of people, the broad racial diversity within the Latinx community isn’t being reflected properly; not on catwalks or in telenovelas, movies or music, despite the deep Afro roots in each sector of our culture.

But saying she’s Latina is important for Smalls, and she owns it, despite running the risk of erasure by the relentless anti-Blackness in our global culture. There’s no separating the two for her.

In a video with British Vogue where she brings us back to her homeland in Hatillo, Puerto Rico, Smalls self-identifies as a jíbara, a loaded and complicated Puerto Rican word used to describe humble rural people on the island. But she reclaims it, using her God-given ability to seamlessly code-switch from English to the specific Caribbean Spanish of her people, a dialect with integrations of thousands of indigenous Taíno and African words and pronunciation habits. As small as it may seem, her intrinsic mixed-use vernacular and sprinkles of Spanglish, whether she’s on set or doing an interview with Condé Nast, prove to be an ultimate act of resistance and beautiful testimony to her roots.

“I am a proud Afro-Latina because my culture, my family, and everything around me shaped me into the woman I am today,” said the model, expressing gratitude for all the experiences, good and bad, that have brought her to where she is today.

Ultimately, Smalls is a trailblazer, and if there’s something she wants us all to know, is that with hard work and determination, you can accomplish anything.

“It was never handed to me,” she said. “I discovered myself.”

What are your thoughts on the current state of Latinxs in the fashion industry, and how can we empower and make room for diversity in the pipeline?
As an industry, we must seek out the opportunities to elevate people, and that absolutely includes the Latinx community. Not only models, but photographers, editors, makeup artists and other creatives. Leaders in the industry cannot wait for these groups to just come to them, they must actively make the effort to find them and give them the opportunity to prove themselves. It is time for us to see more color and cultural diversities on set, whether it’s a fashion show or campaign, and in corporate structures. All sizes, shapes, and colors should be represented. Sadly, this doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time, planning and a conscious, genuine attempt at change. It’s going to take a lot of work, but it is so worth it.

Latinxs is an all-encompassing label that includes an incredibly diverse group of people across many races and ethnicities. How can we make sure we are honoring all the walks of life that make up our community?
Listening. We must listen and learn and hear those around us when they speak. Give them space to share their voice and their culture with us. Recognize that there is not just one way of doing something, or one type of person in the world. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we are all so unaware of the world around us and the people that inhabit it. We are blind to the struggles of others and we have all been silent in one way or another. It is time for everyone to find their voice and for those that don’t understand, it is time for you to listen. Let us all acknowledge what we do not know and find a way to understand with compassion and grace. It has been a rough year but one that I believe has changed the way so many people think and take in the things around them. It has opened people’s eyes and ears to the reality of things, and I hope that this cultural education continues.

How have you seen the fashion and modeling industry change in terms of diversity and inclusion from then to now? Were there ever instances you encountered in your early career where you felt challenged or discredited for being Afro-Latina?
I, like many others, have seen my fair share of discrimination, whether my skin was too dark or my hair too unruly, but I looked that adversity in the eye and said, “I don’t accept this!” I let that discrimination be my fuel, my fire to succeed. I wasn’t going to let anyone stand in my way. And I was fortunate to find those within the industry who did see me, who recognized my talent and ambition and gave me the chance I needed, the chance I deserved.

It is up to those within the industry who run shows and campaigns to be cognizant of those around them and recognize discrimination as it happens and stop it in its tracks. I don’t care if the person is well-known or seemingly respected, racism should not be tolerated in any way, shape, or form in any industry. Whether you’re a model or on Wall Street, race and ethnicity should have no effect – it should be on your talent, knowledge and willingness to succeed. Haters can hate but they’re not going to win.

Why is it important to be proud of our Latinidad, and why is it important for us to celebrate and observe Latinx Heritage Month?
Pride in who you are and where you come from is a remarkable thing but it takes effort and acknowledgment of your differences – the things that separate you from others, but thank God for those! How boring would it be if we were all the same? Our world would be so bland – no color, no music, no liveliness. I am so thankful for my experiences, my life and my heritage, as we all should be! Let us celebrate who we are, let us celebrate our differences and our similarities. Let us come together and raise our voices to thank those who came before us and taught us our way of life and where we came from. We are a group of incredible people who deserve to be seen, heard and celebrated. We are vibrant and our lives are profound.

Talk about anything you’re working on, something/someone you want to spotlight, or share a message you’d like to send.
Something I am super excited about is that I recently partnered with Voto Latino to encourage the Latinx community to register to vote. Our community is strong in numbers, and we need to see change come November. I want to encourage everyone I know – Black, white, Latinx, etc. – to vote. This is such an important time for our country and for the world and it is up to all of us to do our part and use our right to vote.

I also started DonateMyWage.org back in June of this year in response to everything I was seeing in the Black Lives Matter movement. It provides people with a place where they can learn about some organizations within the movement and donate a portion of their wages directly to the organization or organizations of their choosing.

It’s time for all of us to be a force for change.

Editor’s Note: This feature is part of an ongoing editorial series celebrating Latinxs in fashion during National Latinx Heritage Month.  Click here to access the series.