Where are you from?
I was born in Haiti and lived there for 8 years. The summer of 2001 my parents took a huge risk and decided to immigrate to America, the land of our dreams. My family and I lived in Queens for a couple of years before we settled on Long Island. I lived in Valley Stream for most of my life.
How did you get started in this field?
When I worked as a pharmacy technician a lot of my customers would suggest modeling to me. Coincidently, one of my friends picked up photography as a hobby and asked me to model for him. I fell in love instantly.
The movements in front of the camera came natural to me. It felt like I told a story with every gaze and pose. I was surprised by how much fun I had and knew then that I wanted to do this regularly. With a little time, commitment, and a bit of networking I began booking jobs. It was been a magical journey which some might even say is destined.
Who are some of your favorite icons that have influenced you?
One of my favorite icons is Tyra Banks. The story of the genesis of her tremendous career has always inspired me. She grew up as the "ugly duckling" and later blossomed into one of the worlds top supermodels.
Similar to Ms. Tyra Banks, I grew up as an "ugly duckling." I went to school with boys who reminded me of my big lips, kinky hair and oily skin every chance they could. Years later, I came to find that these traits are what make me unique and marketable. This taught me that no matter who you are, there really is no ceiling once you follow your dreams.
Hobbies?
Meditation, running, weight lifting, reading, binge watching shows on Netflix (is this considered a hobby yet?). And the occasional glass of wine while I formulate my affirmations on paper.
Career Highlights?
Shooting with Discover Long Island this summer is definitely one of my career highlights. Each of those shoot days felt like an adventure and solidified my love for this career. I also recently worked on a commercial shoot about the film industry. The final cut came out so beautifully, and as trite as it sounds, I felt so proud to show it off to my husband and family.
The thing about loving what you do is that every day becomes a highlight. I still get butterflies when images from my shoots are released or when I spot myself in a commercial, and I pray the magic never ends!
Long Term Goals?
The goal is expansion, always. No matter what you're doing in life the question should always be, "What can I do to grow and evolve?" The wonderful thing about modeling is that once you get started there are so many options and avenues you can take. The plan is to leap out of my comfort zone and explore things like hosting and acting. I want to grow both as a person and a brand. I am not absolutely sure how these things will come to pass, but I've learned to trust the process and always have faith.
Roxanne Full Portfolio: http://www.longislandmodels.co...