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My name is Marijka, I am a Filipina-American living in Chicago. I work full-time in Finance (mostly remote) and I am signed with a boutique modeling agency in the West Loop. I live with my boyfriend and we have 3 fur babies--- 2 dogs (a Dalmatian and a Doberman), and a cat.
I try to make sure I get my regular dose of meditative movement and endorphins when I can. With efficiency in mind, I try to stick to an exercise routine where each day of the week, I work out a different muscle group. To spice up my regimen, I attend weekly pole fitness classes. Pole makes me feel strong, feminine, fun and sultry. Where I go to attend pole classes, I find that I am surrounded by encouraging, open-minded and body positive humans. They are a group of people with perspectives and mindsets very similar to those in the yoga circle.
I've been an avid practitioner of yoga for 8 years now and am on track to finishing my 500-hour yoga teacher training next year. I spent a good amount of my down time in 2020 attending virtual workshops and classes to complete my
advanced yoga teacher training. When I was much younger and living in Cebu, Philippines, my Lola (grandma) enrolled me in dance lessons ranging from hula, hip-hop and ballet. The long, beautiful lines in the ballerina's body, the elegance and delicateness of the dance has always captivated me. And as I got older, my fondness for ballet would then evolve into an affinity for yoga.
I like to think that my passion for yoga then led me to my curiosity and affection for modeling. One of the things I enjoy most about modeling is the space for thoughtful movement, emoting and expressing through your body.
Photographer: Arijit Ghosh
I'm feeling optimistic about where this project will take us as I have noticed the industry in recent years has certainly begun to shift towards becoming more diverse and inclusive.
When Britney reached out to me this past Spring on Instagram to tell me about Why Not Petites and subsequently invited me to become a part of the group, I was thrilled and intrigued. I had been modeling professionally for 2 years and still haven't had the chance to interact with many models my stature. In the height-ist world of the fashion industry, models like myself (below 5 ft 7 or 170 cm) are labeled as petite. Many times, models like me may be looked down upon, and not only in the literal sense. I knew there were many other aspiring and working petite models out there. With Why Not Petites, I am excited at the prospect of not only being able to connect us with each other but also help create kinship in our community.
I look forward to creating bonds within this movement, offering support to aspiring and working models alike, and having open, honest conversations amongst each other. As we do this, may this spark the same conversations within the industry and lead us to making progressive steps. I'm feeling optimistic about where this project will take us as I have noticed the industry in recent years has certainly begun to shift towards becoming more diverse and inclusive.
If you're an aspiring or working model reading this, know that I am 5 ft 1 and was signed at 29 (I recently turned 32 as I write this). I can't wait to meet you and work with you in some capacity soon. Whatever your reason for being here, we welcome you warmly and I hope you find some gems in the stories and knowledge we share.