00:00I've never gotten to experience flipping through a magazine and seeing somebody who looks like me.
00:04This entire shoot is dedicated to Africa. Africa, Africa, Africa! Someone take me to Africa!
00:15This is our first cover shoot of the year, Jan February issue. To see the history of Alima,
00:20born in a refugee camp and now a supermodel. This is the shoot that a lot of the girls in
00:26my community have been waiting for it because it's essence. And I always think of high caliber
00:32women who shot in previous years and it's very iconic. Culturally it's so significant and so
00:38important so to have a hijab wearing model who is also a woman of color who is from Africa,
00:44I think that is so incredible. Sometimes I think when people think of hijab they think it has to be
00:49a black scarf, it has to be really basic, just an abaya. So I want girls to know you know whether
00:54you wear hijab or not you could still look modest because modesty is not just for one specific group
01:00of women. I didn't know much about fashion, I didn't know much about like the publications or campaigns
01:08before entering the industry but I knew of essence. And just all the powerful strong women that have
01:16graced the cover from Michelle Obama to Iman who's also a fellow Somali. So to be among that caliber of
01:24women I'm just so grateful. In our competition she wear a bikini and this bikini changed her
01:32history game of all the beauty pageants industry. I think today hopefully inspire the little girls in
01:38my community and hopefully they'll get the message that you don't have to change who you are, you don't
01:43have to conform. There's enough people who are willing to accept you to work with you just the way that
01:48you are. A good playlist is a must and good vibes because I feel like we play off of each other's
01:56vibes so JD he's a great photographer he's probably one of the fastest photographers I've gotten to work
02:02with but captured all the beautiful shots. It really doesn't feel real yet that I'm on set shooting
02:10with Essence. It's been on my goal list for like the last three years since the beginning of my modeling
02:15career. This is like a career highlight for me. Thanks everyone for joining us this is my Essence
02:26Uncovered and this is a wrap!
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