Carmen Carrera

Carmen Carrera is an internationally known television personality and fashion muse. She began her television career on RuPauls Drag Race Season 3 and began transitioning from male to female very shortly after. Her meteoric rise to fame came when fashion photographer Steven Meisel photographed her for W Magazine's "Fake Ads" in 2013 featuring various models and muses mimicking advertisements for beauty products. This "ad" sparked conversations about the possibility of using trans models in future fashion campaigns. With the attention she garnered shooting with Steven Meisel, Carmen was offered a modeling contract with Elite Model Management in New York City. A landmark first for the prestigious agency and the beginning of a conversation about inclusivity that would go on for years to come. She then landed a 16 page spread and fashion film titled "ShowGirl", with fashions dream team, Steven Meisel, Edward Enninful, Pat McGrath, and Gordon Van Stein. Shortly after the release of "Showgirl", Carmen Carrera became an international household name when her fans started a petition online calling Victoria's Secret to cast Carmen Carrera in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show as the first ever transgender VS angel. This catapulted Carmen into mainstream with media coverage around the world including CNN and CNN International, Time Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, and Inside Edition. As diversity and inclusion started to become real in fashion, Carmen began to focus on a healthier mind and body aesthetic. Her focus was to motivate all women to love their bodies through her own experience of discovering who she was as a woman. She signed with Wilhelmina Models, giving her more opportunities to work both fashion and entertainment in the size and aesthetic where she feels her best, on her terms. Carmen also began working as an actress, participating in Jane The Virgin, The Bold and The Beautiful, and What Would You Do? w/ Jon Quinones. She also worked along side Meryl Streep in Ricki and The Flash, making her small debut as an actress in a major motion film. She also has a part in the 2019 film "Prescience". As an activist, Carmen focuses her efforts on LGBTQ+ youth and LGBTQ+ issues in Latin America, volunteering for the Trevor Project, NYC Department of Health, Equality California, History Unerased, GLAAD, and the Human Rights Campaign. She recently shot an episode of HBO's "Outpost", raising awareness of the dangerous and devastating reality trans people face in Brazil which was executive produced by Pharrell Williams. She is currently on the executive board of the Love Loud Foundation which offer youth services for LGBTQ+ people in the Mormon community of Utah as well as produces the "Love Loud Festival", a yearly music festival that creates a safe space for the LGBTQ+ youth in Utah. Today, Carmen maintains her spot as one of the most aspirational transgender women in the world speaking at various LGBTQ conferences as well as Ivy League schools like Princeton University. With determination and hope in her heart, she has worked her way to be the first trans model to walk Miami Swim week and currently has fitness campaigns with Equinox and Puma Women. Carmen Carrera is driven to accomplish her dreams in being the change she wishes to see in the world. Her life is a testimony of what is possible when one believes in living authentically, the value of empowering others to do the same, and by taking the courage to simply be who you are.