Wren in Black

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Can you think of the moment that inspired you to start your career?

So, I have two totally separate different careers. I model. I’m signed in New York, LA, Atlanta, London. And then I’m also the founding executive director of a nonprofit called the Tender Foundation here in Atlanta. We are bridging the gap in providing a safety net to single moms living on the margins. And so, really my journey into motherhood inspired both my careers. Modeling, I just needed a job, I needed a way to support myself and make sure that I could take care of my daughter. And that is kind of what I was told my whole life, you should model you know, so of course that was like a natural path.

I was creative, all my friends were photographers, and I was the person that would be like, yes, I am down to be in a shoot. So, that kind of came like naturally. And then Tender came maybe like two years into my modeling career, yeah, it’s about two or three. And I was just reflecting back on my motherhood journey so far and I realized that there was a need.

So, Tender kind of was also informed by my journey into motherhood. I was a young mom, Black, and single and even though I had access to the resources it was still really pretty tough, right? So, knowing that and also seeing the disparity between folks who had access and folks who didn’t have access in our city kind of led me to the work that we’re doing with Tender now.

What is one thing you wish you would have known before becoming a model?

For me, I think knowing like who I am and knowing like what’s important to me is really, really important when you’re modeling, because your appearance is under scrutiny all the time. So, knowing that, that doesn’t actually truly matter, I feel like, is something to really have if you’re going to pursue modeling or be a model is kind of having like a true sense of yourself and not letting any outside opinions kind of impact how you feel about yourself. Because everybody’s going to have an opinion of how you look in this industry.

What label in your life are you most proud of? Why?

Definitely being a mom. I wouldn’t trade that for the world. Just being able to, like, see a life form and like guide this little human through life while being taught so much too, yeah, it’s the most important thing I do.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

In the same vein as motherhood, I think the most important piece of advice I’ve ever received, I read it in a book or something, it was just add water. If you’re having a bad day add water, a bath, a sprinkler, a water balloon, playing in the sink, literally anything. And I feel like it works, a complete 180 whenever you just add water whenever you’re having a bad day somehow get your hands on some water and total reset.

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When in life do you feel the most at peace?

I think when I travel and you get to where you’re going. You put your bags down and kind of jump on the bed and you have nothing to do for the rest of that day except maybe make a coffee or get something to eat. In that I am at peace.

When do you feel the most alive?

The moment I wake up. The second I’m conscious everything kicks in and it reminds me that I got to go and do this.

What is something you want to do, but haven’t done yet?

To be completely honest, to get completely comfortable where I am in my career. Being able to hit the goals that I want to hit and be secure, and you know, in a happy place without stress and worrying about all the different projects going on, but at the same time, those are the things that give me joy as well. So, I don’t know. I don’t know what that looks like yet.

Something in the world you hope to see change in your lifetime?

I hope that as humans in this experience can finally see empathy and be the way I think we are supposed to be towards each other. Everything seems very divided and polarized from each other. I would love to see that one day. I feel like it’s far away, but...is that world peace?

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