Ashley Callingbull is ready to break down stereotypes as the premiere Indigenous First Nations woman to appear in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
The 32-year-old model from Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta will appear in the issue, hitting newsstands on May 19.
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“As a woman, I want my voice to be heard,” said the motivational speaker in an interview with Fox News Digital. “I wanted to break down those stereotypes of Indigenous people. I want our people to feel that they belong wherever they want to go. My whole life, I’ve heard racist terms. I’ve been told my skin isn’t beautiful, my culture isn’t beautiful. I didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere.”
Looking back on growing up as “an insecure girl from the reserve,” she continued, “I never dared to have dreams because I didn’t see anyone out there who looked like me chasing those dreams. Now, I’m in a position where I can open the door for other Indigenous women to walk into this space comfortably. It’s just crazy to think that that insecure girl is a strong, empowered woman who’s comfortable in the skin that she’s in. I feel beautiful, and I want to help other women to feel the same.”
On making history as the magazine’s first Indigenous model, Callingbull added, “It’s such an honour. Not only has it changed my life, but it can change other people’s lives. I’m so happy. My heart feels happy. It feels like it’s smiling. That’s how this honour makes me feel.”
