My name is Mamie Rose, and I'm a disabled model!

By Mamie Rose

For our disabled community, the journey toward employment often looks different and is filled with trials and tribulations, often because disabled people's abilities are so frequently misunderstood or looked down upon.

Globally, we understand it is much harder for disabled people to gain employment. CNBC reported the Bureau of Labour Statistics reported on Feb. 26 an unemployment rate of 7.3% among people with disabilities in 2019.

However, when we embrace disabled people and provide opportunities, we enrich our workforce. Mamie Rose, who lives with Williams Syndrome that is in part a cognitive impairment, shows this.

Mamie's creative spirit, courage, outside the box thinking and boss attitude are all things that have made our work brighter and better. Here, she shares her perspective of her employment journey.

Hello, my name is Mamie rose. I am a model who works for a disability agency called All is for All and advocates for human rights. My work with All is for All started in December 2019 when I was studying tourism at the New Zealand School of Tourism.

My sister Talia had sent me a message on Facebook saying that two women, named Grace and Angela, wanted me to do a photoshoot with them. At first, I didn't know what to think, and I was so shocked that I said no, but then I thought to myself, you know what? I shouldn't let fear get the better of me, and I think I should see what this is all about.

Not long after, I went to a shoot at Showroom 22 and met a wonderful woman named Karen Inderbitzen Waller, who has done photoshoots for big designers like Karen Walker.

Karen asked me, "if you could achieve anything, what would you want to do," so I told her I wanted to be in Italian Vogue one day. A career highlight for me is that in 2020, I was featured on the Vogue Italia website.

Picture: Mamie Rose (@allisforall)

My experience through All is for All has given me acceptance of my disability, called Williams Syndrome. Williams syndrome, also known as Williams-Beuren syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder characterized by growth delays before and after birth. I was diagnosed when I was two years old, and growing up, my confidence was something I struggled with. Working with All is for All has taught me that being disabled is amazing, beautiful, eye-opening, sexy, cute, natural, not marginalised, and present. I hope to continue on this path and look forward to what the future has in store for me.

When I think about dressing for success, being confident comes to mind because when you're confident, nothing can stop you! I feel most confident when I'm wearing blue. So, my go-to outfit choice, if I'm heading to a casting or a meeting with the All, is for All team, would have to be the Tommy Hilfiger T-Shirt in Navy and The Snapit Pants, finished off with the Cropped Trucker Jacket - Denim!