We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Poohnana Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Poohnana below.

Poohnana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

So this goes back to the year 2000’s era 2003 when American’s next top model premiered. That show itself gave me the guidance and the motivation to become a model in Los Angeles. Look! My eyes would be glued to the television every Wednesday night lit up from all the beautiful designers, challenges, go-sees, and abroad destinations they would travel to. And I knew I wanted to do all that. But again what slightly overweight black teenager haves a chance at being a model. As if I didn’t have a personality majority of the time my friends and teachers at school used to always express that to me. Yet being slightly overweight your entire life wasn’t easy as a kid or teenager. After being called “fat-ass, or big” so many times your skin and your responses towards the assholes began to become thick and spicy. If you get what I mean. It was the third cycle season of the show they casted a contestant by the name of Tocarra Jones. And it blew my mind! I never knew you can be a plus-size model. Shit, I never even knew it exist. She was beautiful, black, and had such a big broad personality. I knew I wanted to be her and do what she did. She didn’t win on the show, but she went off to still be successful. She was and always one of the fan favorites. Making an impact was all you ever needed. But as it was hard for her I knew it would be for me.
You can say the LGBTQ+ community raised me. Although I’m a ci-gender heterosexual woman they taught me the rules, and having the look as a model, how to be fierce when I first started. My runway walk,  you can say,slayed and served.

My first opportunity to model as a professional came from a Latina small business owner by the name of Christina Garcia. We used to work together and she approached me back in 2010 and informed me she was starting a plus-size boutique called “Pristine Boutique”. Which is now called “Love your Lonjas” which means love your fat rolls in Spanish. I thought it was dope. She also told me “I’m just starting out, I have no money to pay you, but I can give you a shit load of clothes and all your pictures”. As a fresh model starting out you cannot beat that. And my face was being published on a real website? What! I was so excited yet so nervous because everyone knows once you put yourself out there on social media it can go really bad or be really good.

Yet from the grace of god I was getting really great feedback from friends and family. The pictures were amazing. I learned to love myself and be confident in my skin. So bathing suits, bikini’s, two pieces you name it. A bitch was in it. It sorts of just elevated from there. Christina told me to submit myself further if I wanted to. And hold be hold I took a risk, and seen that an organization called Society fashion week was coming to LA. I bought tickets to the show, had my bro Rell who is into design creation make me some comp cards, and I was just going go to network and promote myself. Just so happen I arrived a little earlier, and a lady by the name of Raven Wilson came out greeting everyone. She shook my hand and I introduced myself informing her I was a plus-size model. Her eyes light up. She asked to confirm “you’re a plus-size model? Can you walk today? and do you have shoes?” Me excitedly I answered. She said okay come with me. We went backstage and it was hundreds of models, photographers, and just people backstage. She brought me to a designer called Rene Dieu. And you wouldn’t believe it I walked my first LA Fashion Week, and then a year later I walked my first New York fashion show with the same designer.

Long story short after manifesting a dream, putting myself out there, working hard at a craft, the ability of learning and networking I knew this was what I wanted to do. A lot of people told me no, and still tell me no. But I know this career is what I want to do and what I am supposed to be doing.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Being a model is like being an athlete damn it! I know you may laugh when I state this but there is some truth in my words. Being a model come with so much discipline. You have to eat right, work out, invest in your craft such as pictures, clothes, travel. Promotions on social media now like creating reels, staying fashionable and creating looks. As well as the most important part finding impeccable model representation, and be relatable. Because if you’re not relatable no one cares. Your just another fashion model on page six with a name they cannot remember. The only issue I’ve came across is agencies not really wanting my look and stating I’m too small. But I do not let it stop me. It’s just confusing as a model because I get bookings from all types of designers wanting me to walk in their shows, and having book several commercials. So it like I am bookable but it’s the feel of be felt invalid of not being wanted. Yet I scroll and see a girl that may be in my same look and range that is also signed. It’s discouraging but I’m going to keep working until it happens. Never give up because they said no.

My most proud accomplishment was modeling for Milan fashion week for a plus-size designer called Sasha Solana Walton. Her designs are called House of Solana. And walking in another country as big as that was something I have never experienced before. And I believe it broaden my ambitions as a model. If I can make it here it shouldn’t matter what LA stereotypes as a model is and how they look at me.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I just started to say fuck society and their beauty standards. I tried conforming to their rules and it got me no where. So I started do my own thing and creating my own lane and brand. SheIsPlusSizeBeauty is for girls and women of every race, creed, ethnicity, and more. I would let my followers see the real me and what challenges I go through as a model. Good or bad. When I started to just be myself the followers and opportunities came naturally: People relate with my brand because I’m a professional, I’m real and I’m genuinely funny lol.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

To become entertainment correspondent. I’m hella good on the mic and bring out peoples personalities and stories. So now I have a video podcast called SheIsPlusSizeBeauty Sundays. A platform that allows my guest to give their followers a more intimate look at who they are as a creator, artist, model, or etc.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheisplussizebeauty/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/PoohnanaB/?view_public_for=1223951724434108
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/PlussizePooh
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCrJC3B3RHHYY5qg_6TV4Qyw
• Other: Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sheisplussizebeauty-sundays/id1641934057

Image Credits
@earlymorninglightstudio @unincorporatedstudios @photos_by_ron_g @shootbyem @j97_photography