It’s not enough to just have a voice—you have to know how to use it. Enter: the Internet. While the tried-and-true formula of selfies and self-promotion shows no sign of waning, many models are now utilizing the exposure and audiences they’ve found online to spread messages of social justice. Fed up with the epidemics of police brutality and racism, Calvin Klein model Ebonee Davis penned a moving personal letter on the intersection of fashion and race. Calling for the industry to acknowledge its responsibility when it comes to creating inclusive media and for brands to embrace black people in the same manner in which they often embraced black culture, Davis offered a thought-provoking critique of the status quo, with the hope of spurring readers ­and fashion insiders ­into action. “Because we are an industry that produces media, we have a responsibility. We’re putting out photos and content and with that comes a message,” said Davis. “I want that message to be positive, inclusive, and accurate. Part of that is including social issues and making sure diversity is represented. That’s what is happening right now outside of fashion, so I want to make sure that it is also what is happening in fashion.”

Though the industry has been criticized for its detachment in the face of social issues in the past, recent years have found the intersection between the two impossible to ignore. Models now feel able to speak up about what had once been accepted as unpleasant open secrets, like prejudicial casting practices, or makeup artists unable to offer the correct shades of foundation. For Davis, these changes represent a major shift. “Towards the beginning of my career I felt the need to assimilate,” says Davis, who, after years of straightening her hair and wearing extensions, has been wearing her hair naturally for more than a year. “The European standard of beauty was so very much a force at that time.” These days, Davis feels fashion is at a point where it has begun to embrace the beauty of difference. “When I say ‘love black people as much as you love black culture,’ I mean not just including black people in fashion when it is deemed cool, or acceptable. When I started modeling five years ago there weren’t nearly as many natural models as they are now. They’re working, I’m seeing them in magazines, I’m seeing them in videos, on runways, and I think that is incredible, and I hope for that to continue.”

Even with a greater range of representation on the runway, Davis views the objective as instigating an open dialogue. “One of my biggest goals right now is to gather a group of models and just really have a talk; a panel discussion, where we sit down and have an open dialogue,” says Davis. “If we can sit down and talk, I think that’s going to be the most powerful tool of change—so I’m looking forward to that.” While the impact of systemic racism on fashion is Davis’s call to action, she hopes to see other models talk about the issues close to their hearts, noting her friend Iskra Lawrence, and her activism regarding body image. “It’s beautiful to see when a model speaks out about something she believes in. She’s speaking out about accepting women with all types of bodies; I’m speaking out about accepting all shades and types of beauty, but ultimately we’re working towards the same goal.”

Though expressing her beliefs in such a public forum made her nervous, Davis says it was more than worth it. “I had a fear of backlash, and that people would see me as ungrateful,” says Davis. “I’m so thankful for the success I’ve been able to have, and talented people I get to work with, but I also felt it’s our responsibility to speak up. We have so much influence, and with that influence, we can help create a better society for everyone, where everyone feels included and beautiful.”

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