Quotes from Adwoa Aboah

I knew that modeling could open doors, and I would be able to travel and forge my own path. Being able to support yourself is amazing, and I think that was one of the things that appealed to me, but I didn't want to be in front of the camera at first.

I don't mean to sound cocky, but I just wear what I like and don't try to focus too much on trends.

I just wanted to jump out of my body sometimes and be someone else.

A sexy selfie can be incredibly empowering - but remember that, while a Snapchat message might expire, nothing on the Internet truly disappears.

I always believed that I had to pretend to be happy. But what I've learned is that it doesn't matter what race or class or demographic you come from. I truly believe that sadness is relative.

When you want someone to notice you, there's one fail-safe way of making sure that they do: by plastering pictures of yourself across social media. Your motive might seem obvious, but so what?

With modeling, social media is such a humungous part of it now. You get jobs because of the amount of followers you have.

There are times when you're being judged on your appearance and you're not feeling your best self. It hurts, but as I always say, I try and be 100 percent myself all the time. So if I'm rejected, it just hurts that little bit less because at least I was myself.

My go-to protective thing is isolation. It's turn off the phone, don't speak to anyone, lie in bed all day, and then maybe go out at night and do the same thing over again.

What I would say to anyone who wants to be a model is, have something else. This shouldn't be your be-all and end-all in life: there are so many other amazing things to be done in the world. I also think that the industry really celebrates a woman who does something else. So keep at it, but always have something else.

What drew me to modeling was this idea of being independent.

I don't think the people in power realize how detrimental it can be to a way a girl looks at herself if she flips through a magazine and only sees one type of woman.

How can our industry better represent the reality of our larger community and provide our next generation a proper example of what they see around them every single day? This representation should also look beyond race and include those of all body types, religion, sexuality, and gender identification.

It has to be something people prioritize - it should be the number-one priority: representing all types of beauty, all types of shapes and sizes.

School was unbelievably painful. It was five years of being pretty sad.

I have a very bad memory. So I would like a chat bot to just remind me of everything I forget. I spend my entire life on Google trying to remember stuff.

No one had ever educated me on mental health. I really didn't understand why I would be feeling high on life, and everything was brilliant, and then suddenly I would be crashing into a deep hole.

I love being a mixed-race woman in 2017. I feel part of something big. There's this understanding that we're all in it together.

It's not a secret - I'm literally one of the best dancers in the world! I mean, not everyone would necessarily agree with that.

I spent so long trying to be other people, and it made me really deeply unhappy.

I've learned to appreciate looking unique and not having long, blond locks... at last.

Diversity can't be a fashionable thing: it should be here to stay.

Boarding school was a really pivotal moment. Before I went there, I was so happy. I'm not sure I was ready for it. I was only 13. My parents didn't send me away; it was my choice as well. But I definitely shouldn't have stayed for five years.

I've always been obsessed with fashion.