00:00I'm usually a confident guy, but I'm a little bit nervous about going on my first blind date.
00:04The last time I've been on a date, it's been a couple years.
00:07I hope she can look past my facial difference.
00:12Hey, how you doing?
00:13How old are you?
00:14I'm 21.
00:1521?
00:15Yeah.
00:1627.
00:20Getting ready for a blind date, so
00:23picked out my three favorite shirts and gonna figure out which one is best.
00:28I'm not failing at you.
00:29The last time I've been on a date, it's been a couple years, so definitely got some nerves.
00:33I like this one.
00:35My name is Justin Stewart.
00:36I live in Harlem, New York, and I'm a model and a content creator.
00:40Today, I'm going on my first blind date.
00:42I would say the kind of person that I'm looking for is just somebody that is relatable,
00:47can have good conversations, keys.
00:52I'd say it didn't hit me until I got here.
00:54The nerves are starting to kick in a little bit, so.
00:59I'm 27 years old.
01:00I live in New Jersey.
01:02All I know is that my Dayton's got a facial difference.
01:05He's younger than I am, which is kind of interesting.
01:12Hey, how you doing?
01:13I'm good.
01:14How are you?
01:14I'm good.
01:15I'm Justin.
01:15Nice to meet you.
01:16Nice to meet you too.
01:17I'm good.
01:18Can I get your chin?
01:20Your first blind date?
01:21First blind date.
01:21Is this your first one?
01:22This is my first one too.
01:23Okay, okay.
01:24So it's new for both of us.
01:26So we're in it together.
01:27I don't know, we're in it.
01:27We're in it together for sure.
01:28So tell me about yourself.
01:30So what brings you to New York?
01:31Work.
01:32What do you do?
01:34I'm a model.
01:36So I started modeling about two years ago when I graduated from college.
01:41Got scouted by an agency and I've been there ever since.
01:44It just started with me sharing my story on social media.
01:46I just try my best to use my platform to be an advocate for people around the world that have
01:51the same condition as me and just try to educate them and just express some positivity and light.
01:56It's a lot of fun, especially, you know, when you have fun doing something that you love to do.
02:00It doesn't really feel like work.
02:01I feel like that's why I work so much.
02:04No, that's good.
02:05I like your confidence.
02:06I appreciate that.
02:08What would you say your biggest challenge has been?
02:11I'd say it's just being confident in myself.
02:14My mental health has been a very big accomplishment.
02:17Was it hard during, like, when COVID was at its peak, like, in quarantine and stuff?
02:22Oh my God, yes.
02:23Yeah.
02:23We were just stuck in the crib.
02:24We were all stuck in the house.
02:26I hated it.
02:26I was losing it.
02:27I guess I would say I got lucky.
02:29I was with family.
02:30But I think with my parents having, like, four grown kids in the house, like,
02:36they got to go.
02:36Wait, wait, they got four?
02:38So, um, you're the...
02:39I have a twin brother.
02:40Really?
02:41Yeah, his name's Jordan.
02:41That's so cool.
02:42Growing up with a twin brother that didn't have the same condition as me, it was pretty much fine.
02:47In my household, everybody was raised the same.
02:49Everybody was treated the same.
02:51The name of my condition is cleft or frontal nasal dysplasia.
02:55Frontal nasal dysplasia affects people in different ways, but it's mostly
03:01wider eyes, broader nose, the formation of the nose at birth.
03:05Wait, and you are, how old are you?
03:07I'm 21.
03:0821?
03:09Yeah.
03:09I'm 27.
03:10Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.
03:12Take a sip, take a sip, okay.
03:17With the age difference, like, what's your, like, perspective of you on, like,
03:21dating someone older or younger than you?
03:23So...
03:23Uh, I...
03:25Honestly, I think it all comes down to...
03:28I would just say morals and values.
03:31And if you click with the person, you click with the person.
03:33That's, that's true.
03:34Oh, thank you.
03:36I think I might try that, so...
03:38You think I'm drinking food, I'm thinking about a drink.
03:41I think it's going really well.
03:43I think Nana has a beautiful smile.
03:45I love how the conversation is flowing really well, like, it's effortless.
03:48I don't think she had any reactions towards my facial difference.
03:53Welcome back.
03:55So, how would you describe, like, your dating experience or your dating history so far,
04:00in terms of, like, your, your issue as well?
04:03My condition definitely affected my confidence growing up.
04:05I guess, as I got older, my confidence grows and things got better.
04:10I'd say my dating life has been pretty good.
04:12I just surround my people that want to be surrounded by me.
04:15I think that comes down to knowing your worth, too, because I feel like when you don't...
04:18You just allow anyone to treat you anyhow, because you don't really know what your worth is.
04:22So, I agree with that.
04:24Just that genuine connection, because, again, like, y'all...
04:27We don't have to be extremely, extremely similar for us to just connect and vibe on a different level.
04:33I would be impressed by my blind date if she actually took her interest in basketball or anything like that.
04:38I think that would be pretty cool.
04:39So, when you were in school, did you play basketball?
04:43Basketball, to be honest, I think I only started gaining interest in the school when I moved here.
04:48I'd say one of, like, the top five things I want to do this year is go to a basketball
04:53game.
04:54I think especially when I go to a game, I think we can make that happen.
04:59Well, I had a wonderful time.
05:01I did, too.
05:01It was great meeting you.
05:03It was lovely meeting you, too.
05:04And hopefully this isn't the last time.
05:06And I was really lovely meeting you.
05:07You take care.
05:09I think the date went very well.
05:12He's interesting.
05:13He's funny.
05:14Very good conversation overall.
05:16I think we're related on a lot of topics as well.
05:19His facial difference didn't change anything, to be honest.
05:21Do you think you'll meet up again?
05:23I definitely do think we'll meet up again.
05:26I would definitely want to go on another date with Justin.
05:28I think the date went really well.
05:30Well, I don't think Nana really had a reaction to my facial difference, which is good.
05:35I think she just saw me for me, and that's all I really care about.
05:37I think that this experience has taught me to kind of
05:41learn how to step out of my comfort zone again.
05:43It's been a long time, so...
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