KAGUYA
Meet Kaguya, a trailblazing Korean American model, influencer, photographer, musician, and entrepreneur. Kaguya, who identifies as nonbinary as well as female, didn’t always plan on becoming a model or influencer, and initially began her career as a photographer. After leaving a physically and emotionally abusive relationship, she began writing diary entries on WordPress before going to Instagram. A year later, as Kaguya’s healing journey was well underway, she had the confidence to post her images on social media, launching her modeling career. “When I started, I never saw any plus-size Asian models, let alone models who were 5’5,” around my age, and covered in tattoos with colored hair,” she says. In 2021, Kaguya opened Rice Studios, a studio and event space curated for queer BIPOC artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and innovators. “I always wanted to have a space that would give people of color more opportunity, comfort, and accessibility,” she says. In addition to Rice Studios, Kaguya runs OOLBO, a cannabis and psychedelic-focused Kawaii Canna lifestyle brand. She’s also classically trained and self-taught in music and, after a long hiatus from the craft, has released two singles in the past two years. But the most rewarding aspect of Kaguya’s work is “being able to show up for myself and also inspiring younger women or folks around my age to trailblaze the industry as they see fit,” she says. “I was denied and told multiple times by agents and modeling peers how I would never be signed or be taken seriously. Look at me now.”
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