[ APPLAUSE ]
>>> OUR NEXT GUEST HAS A FACE SO
BEAUTIFUL, SHE CAUGHT THE
ATTENTION OF MODEL SCOUTS ACROSS THE NATION, BECOMING A FAMOUSOSS
THE NATION, BECOMING A FAMOUS COVER GIRL.
COVER GIRL. BUT AMY DEANA IS NOT YOUR
TYPICAL MODEL.
SHE WAS A TEENAGER WHEN SHE WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH A SKIN CONDITION. WHAT SHE DID WITH THAT DIAGNOSIS
IS A LESSON IN HOW TO "SETTLE
FOR MORE."
FOR MORE." >> MY NAME IS AMY DEANNA.
WHY TRY TO BLEND IN, WHEN YOU CAN CHOOSE HUE TO STANDOW TO STA
I AGREE WITH THOSE WORDS, 110%.
THERES STILL PEOPLE THAT DONT
KNOW WHAT IT IS.
I DEVELOPED IT AT 18.
IT WAS A SHOCKER.
I INITIALLY THOUGHT I BURNED
MYSELF AND HAD LIKE A SPOT ON MY
RIGHT THUMB FOR THE LONGEST.
AND THEN, IT JUST NEVER WENT
AWAY.
AWAY.
BUT ONCE IT STARTED TO SPREAD,
THATS WHERE I GOT MORE STARES,
MORE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
MY PIGMENT WAS LEAVING. IT WAS SCARY.S LEAVING.
IT WAS SCARY. LIKE, YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE I
WAS LOSING A PART OF MY
IDENTITY.
IDENTITY.
I LOVE MY SKIN. I LOVE THE SPOTS ON MY SKIN.
I LOVE MY SKIN WITHOUT THE
SPOTS.
SPOTS.
I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO BE ME
AND BE NATURALLY HOW I AM.
IF YOURE TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE AND YOU CONTINUE WORKING HARD,
YOU KNOW, THESE KIND OF THINGS
ARE POSSIBLE.
ARE POSSIBLE. >> AMY DEANNA, WELCOME TO YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
ITS A REMARKABLE STORY.
A REMARKABLE STORY.
HOW DID YOU GET PAST WHAT MUST
HAVE BEEN THE INITIAL URGE TO
COVER IT UP OR DO SOMETHING TO
CHANGE IT BACK?
>> I DEFINITELY HAVE TO SAY MY
SUPPORT SYSTEM, MY FAMILY, MY
FRIENDS, THE PEOPLE THAT CARE
ABOUT ME, THEY WERE SO
SUPPORTIVE AND THEY LET ME KNOW
THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, WE
LOVE YOU REGARDLESS.
AND WHATEVER DECISION YOU DECIDE
TO MAKE, WHETHER IT BE TO
DEPIGMENT COMPLETELY, OR TO
CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY WITH
VITILIGO
VITILIGO VITILIGO, WE SUPPORT YOU AND
LOVE YOU.
LOVE YOU.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO DEPIGMENT COMPLETELY?N TO
DEPIGMENT COMPLETELY? >> DEPIGMENT MEANS TAKE AWAY ALL
OF THE DARKER SHOTS S ERER SPOTS
LEFT WITH NO PIGMENT.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> I KNOW YOU TRIED A COUPLE OF
THINGS.
THINGS.
WERE THEY PAINFUL?
WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU
EMOTIONALLY?
>> REALLY, THE ONLY THING THAT I TRIED WAS COVERING UP WITHTHAT I
TRIED WAS COVERING UP WITH MAKEUP.
MAKEUP.
AND FOR A WHILE, LIKE THE FIRST
TIME THAT I COVERED MYSELF COMPLETELY, I FELT LIKE, WOW,
THIS IS -- I FORGOT WHAT I LOOK
LIKE AFTER HAVING VITILIGO FOR
SO LONG.
SO LONG.
I COVERED MYSELF UP.
AT FIRST, IT FELT GOOD.
BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE I WAS WAKING UP TO PLEASET LIKE
I WAS WAKING UP TO PLEASE EVERYBODY ELSE BY COVERING
MYSELF.
MYSELF.
AND SO, ME WALKING OUT INTO THE
WORLD AND JUST SHOWING MY SPOTS,
IT HELPS ME EMBRACE AND LOVE MYSELF.S ME EMBRACE AND LOVE
MYSELF.
>> WHATS BEEN THEIR REACTION FROM OTHER PEOPLE?R REACTION
FROM OTHER PEOPLE?
[ APPLAUSE ]
YEAH.
FROM THE VITILIGO COMMUNITY? HOW DID THEY RESPOND?MUNITY?
HOW DID THEY RESPOND? >> THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN
SUPERSUPPORTIVE, SUPERLOVING.
SUPERSUPPORTIVE, SUPERLOVING. EVERYONE IS SO EXCITED.
THERES, YOU KNOW, SO MANY
PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT, SAYING,
YOU KNOW, HOW INSPIRATIONAL I
AM.
AM.
AND HOW MAJOR THIS IS. AND I DONT THINK I TOOK THAT
INTO ACCOUNT AT FIRST.
BUT NOW --
>> YOU WERENT LOOKING TO BE A
TRAILEXACTLY.
TRAILEXACTLY. I WAS BEING MYSELF.
>> DO YOU GET ANY
MISUNDERSTANDING?
MISUNDERSTANDING?
PEOPLE THINKING THAT YOURE
TRYING TO CHANGE YOUR SKIN COLOR? TO CHANGE YOUR SKIN
COLOR?
>> I GET REMARKS LIKE, SHES IN
BLACK FACE.
SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT I DO COVER MY SPOTS.NK THAT I DO
COVER MY SPOTS. SO, THERES A LOT OF
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT IT.
>> HOW DO YOU TUNE THAT OUT?
>> YOU KNOW, I CANT -- LIKE I
SAY, I CANT STRESS IT ENOUGH.
MY SUPPORT SYSTEM IS SUPER
AMAZING.
AMAZING.
THAT ALONG WITH MY FAITH, YOU
KNOW, IT MAKES IT EASIER TO DEAL
WITH.
LIKE, IM SECURE IN MYSELF. >> THATS CLEAR. IN MYSELF.
>> THATS CLEAR. THAT IS -- YOU KNOW HOW THEY
SAY, GOD DOESNT GIVE YOU WHAT
YOU CANT HANDLE.
SO, WERE YOU ALREADY MODELING
WHEN THIS STARTED?
>> NO.
>> NO. I HAD GOTTEN COMMENTS BEFORE
ABOUT MODELING.
ABOUT MODELING. BUT I NEVER -- MODELING, ITS
ALWAYS BEEN A HOBBY FOR ME.
ITS NOT ESSENTIALLY WHAT I LIVE
TO DO.
TO DO.
>> WHEN YOU HEARD THAT YOU WERE
GOING TO BE A COVER GIRL, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?R GIRL, WHAT
WAS YOUR REACTION? >> OH, MY GOODNESS.
SUPEREXCITED.
SUPEREXCITED.
THATS AMAZING.
>> YES, THAT IS AMAZING. >> EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE A
COVER GIRL.
COVER GIRL.
I KNOW I DID. I DONT KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE.
YEAH.
YEAH.
I DONT HAVE THE WORDS FOR YOU IT.ONT HAVE THE WORDS FOR YOU
IT.
IM STILL IN SHOCK TO BE WORKING WITH COVER GIRL.K TO BE WORKING
WITH COVER GIRL. ITS SUCH A BLESSING.
>> YOURE A LESSON TO US ALL, IN
EMBRACING OURSELVES AND LOVING
THE SKIN WERE IN.