You might not know Amy Deanna yet, but she’s bound to become a household name after this! The Texas native was just named the new face of CoverGirl‘s #IAmWhatIMakeUp campaign for its TruBlend foundations, making her the brand’s first spokesperson with vitiligo.
Though you might have seen her featured in spreads for Atlas Magazine, it’s a huge opportunity for the up-and-coming model to help make the beauty industry more inclusive, starting with the first video ad which was unveiled Tuesday morning. In the clip, Deanna is featured not covering up her spots but instead using two of the brand’s foundations to make both of her skin’s hues look absolutely flawless.
“Inclusivity is important—not just for people of different backgrounds and ethnicities, but also people of all sizes,” she told People. “That’s why I was so excited to partner with CoverGirl on this project. Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. Let’s face it, together we are a mosaic—that in itself is beautiful. We should celebrate that.”
Though the mega model in the making is helping to further break down beauty barriers, she notes that the industry still has a ways to go when it comes to diversity. “I believe that inclusiveness will challenge unrealistic beauty standards within the beauty industry and in humanity,” she told the glossy. “I remember seeing Queen Latifah on TV as a CoverGirl when I was young. That was so inspiring.”
In fact, many of CoverGirl’s famous faces, including Queen Latifah, Rihanna, Issa Rae, and Zendaya, are stars she looked up to as she began her modeling career and is now following in their footsteps. Not to mention joining the likes of fellow model Winnie Harlow and the legendary Michel Jackson who have shared their struggles with vitiligo, a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches that can occur all over the body as well as the hair and the inside of the mouth, according to The Mayo Clinic.
“At the end of the day I am just like everyone else, I just happen to have spots. It’s a part of my identity, but it doesn’t define who I am … For there to be so many of us and so little representation, it’s truly disheartening,” Deanna said. “I work with CoverGirl; I’m a black woman; I have vitiligo. That is empowering.” And that is a badass way to put it — congrats Amy!