Chelsea T.
Tell us about yourself (where are you from, age, whatever you want to add)
My family is originally from the beautiful islands of Jamaica (mom) and The Dominican Republic (dad)- they moved to the states in their twenties, got married and had my TWIN brother-David and I :) We are 25 years old and grew up in busy city of Houston, Texas. I now work and live in Austin, Texas (only a 3 hour drive from my hometown) at CBS Austin News- doing on air work with our daily morning talk show as well as reporting. David, my twin- is a pilot for United *one of their youngest* and is always flying around domestically. When I'm not working- I am volunteering at St. Davids hospital working with children or competing in pageants :) this year I competed at my first ever Miss Austin USA and Miss Texas USA title and had SO MUCH FUN! Other than that- I LOVE dogs, public speaking, being creative and behind in front of the camera.
What is your biggest dream?
To continue to travel as the years go on- career wise: continue on in the field of news and lifestyle, become the next "Gayle King" or "Stephen Colbert" - have and host my own talk show in years to come. I also think it would be amazing to open up my own dog facility in Texas- another "no kill shelter".
What does it mean to be your own kind of beautiful?
Being your OWN kind of beautiful starts from within. As cliche as this all may sound. TRUE beauty starts with and is a deep inner feeling and belief. It is knowing your worth and not comparing yourself to others. Becoming "beautiful" as it is said has very little to do with actual appearance but everything to do with who you are inside. My favorite quote is "character is who you are when no one is looking" sometimes I like to change the the "character" with other nouns. It applies to everything.
Tell us about your modeling experience.
I would not say that I have A LOT of modeling experience but I do have a bunch of on camera, on live t.v- time spent in front of cameras and in studios experience. I recently did an ad campaign launch with Colgate for their 2020 ambassadorship and also competed in several pageants so I also know runway a bit. I would LOVE to learn more though and do more. I am always trying to learn and grow.
What is your dream brand to model for?
Any "skin" and/or beauty brand. Lancôme has ALWAYS been a huge one for me because my statement look is my bold red lip. I feel most confident in it and have loved their lipsticks for years. I always grew up watching my mom do her makeup and while I love to look "natural" and polished- I truly would love to and dream of modeling for skincare lines or fitness ones.
How would you describe your fashion style?
Sleek and Chic. I try to stay away from "too trendy" and love my basics with slight and subtle statement pieces. I LOVE the monochromatic look and always, always go for classy over chaos. I like to look put together and clean- and try to prove daily that you can be classy and still draw attention.
How important is self-awareness and confidence to you in your everyday life?
Extremely important- especially with my day to day lifestyle as an on-air personality. I have to remain in a confident state, be peppy and encouraging so that others can feel good about themselves too. I STAND very true to my core values as well as being self-aware daily.
What makes you beautiful?
My personality! I have been told time and time again that I lighten up a room. As hard as it is for me to accept compliments- I need to start believing it and embracing the gift and ability to be authentic and genuinely cheerful.
What would you say to another girl/guy your age who is struggling with their confidence?
To focus and WORK ON THEMSELVES. And as hard as it is, not to compare themselves to others. Social media is such an amazing tool and I am thankful for it- but it can also be a soul killer if you let it. I would say to that individual to find beauty in the life, body and spirit that they were given. And to learn to love themselves.