Andrea Ford - Veteran Model

“I still remember the phone call, the one that started this all. Charelle called me and said she had a deep reaction to seeing discrimination in action against a woman who dared to live her life in a larger body size. She told me then, I feel called by God to do something. To speak out against the hate this woman was receiving by showcasing all different kinds of bodies and celebrating them and their inherent beauty and worth. "What do we do next?" she asked. "How do we make this happen?" I told her I had no clue but that I would support her in whatever ways I could. Slowly people started coming together behind her vision, seeing what she wanted to do and even though none of us knew what we were doing in our actions, our hearts all wanted the same thing. To stand up and say that everyone deserves to be loved and appreciated for who they are, in whatever stage of life they are in, and whatever shape their body takes up in this world!

At the time, I was a stay at home mom who had to close my business after a near death experience landed me in the ICU. I was rocked by the aftereffects of losing almost every ounce of blood in my body, and even day to day activities were a challenge. I didn't feel like myself, and I certainly didn't look like the person I remembered being from my life before. I thought I dont know who will relate to me, but I'll do this for Charelle because I want her show to be a success and I believe in the message we wanted to share. I remember panicking because nothing in my wardrobe at the time said "celebration". I was stuck in whatever fit and was least likely to show baby food stains. I went out and had to find all new clothes that I felt shared the message I hadn't been even feeling about myself "I am enough, worthy, beautiful, and ready to shine!"

After the show, I was on  such a high. My husband took me out to dinner and I felt truly beautiful for the first time in a long time. I talked about it to everyone who would listen, strangers in coffee shops heard about what we did that night whether they wanted to or not. I started, just a little bit, to realize I could celebrate myself whenever I wanted to whether I felt like myself or not. Whether I fit my old clothes or not. Whether I was working, or not.

The second year we grew, word had spread and people were attracted to the message of LovinMe911. That year I asked my Mom to join me, to showcase beauty in aging and to help rewrite old stories that we need to hide our "flaws" or cover bodies who aren't 20 and tan like they used to be. The show happened to fall on my daughter's 10th birthday and she got to join us at the end for a walk down the runway. I cannot tell you how it felt to have three generations of cycle breaking women showing up and showing OUT in all stages of life. It felt like we were truly making magic happen.  Charelle asked me to speak that year at the show, and I said the first year I did the show I did it for Charelle. The second time, I did it for everyone watching. My girls, my mom, my sister and niece in the audience, and everyone else who came who ever felt less than enough.

We wrapped up year three of the show in 2024, and I can say that my life has truly been transformed by LovinMe911. I love who I am, I feel confident in dressing in ways that make ME feel beautiful, and I am spreading the message of love and acceptance to the people around me. As a mom of three young daughters, I am actively in COMBAT every day to fight against the messaging they receive from the media and other kids saying they aren't good enough. I am now known amongst their friends as the Mom who always looks FABULOUS (unless she doesn't want to be, which is okay too). And this year, for the first time, I have young women coming to me asking me if I can help them find clothing that makes them feel beautiful and celebrated, too. 

This show, and this organization has ripple effects the spread out across our community like waves of compassion. A balm to troubled hearts who have been waiting to be told that they are loved, beautiful, and worthy. That kindness is not dead, and we are here to show up and show out until every last soul believes it to be true.

And for the third year of the show, I didn't model for Charelle. I didn't model for the people. I modeled, because I love me. That's the best testimonial of all.

Love,

Andrea”