SAINT PAUL, Minn. ( NewsNation Now ) — A 26-year-old woman with down syndrome is making international waves as she competes to be featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition . Mikayla Holmgren says she wants to represent inclusivity.
"I love being on the camera and I just want to do it. I just want to be more involved in modeling because I did a lot of photoshoots and a lot of radio shoots. And it stuck with me every time I go," said the model.
She did Miss Amazing in 2015 and then competed in her first Miss USA state pageant. She made international headlines as the first woman with Down syndrome to compete in the system for the title of Miss Minnesota USA.
"I got to see all my directors and all my friends. It's cool. It's really cool to be on a stage and to have fun … and cameras," she said.
Mikayla has finished her video submission for Sports Illustrated. She even picked out the swimsuit she likes best for the audition with her mother.
According to the CDC, each year about 6,000 babies born in the United States have Down syndrome. Scientists estimate Down syndrome occurs in about 1 in every 700 babies.
Her mother says she still gets nervous when her daughter competes or models. Her hope is that she shines on stage through it all.
"Let them just try everything that they want to try. Let them find out what their likes or dislikes are. And be super supportive of them and be their advocate and help them achieve whatever they want to achieve," said Sandi Holmgren.
She says she wants to be in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition to inspire others to be empowered about who they are and encourage them to go for their dreams.
Port Authority Trailer: Trans Romance Drama Stars Leyna Bloom
Momentum Pictures has released the official Port Authority trailer, which shows us what to expect from the trans romance drama starring Sports Illustrated model Leyna Bloom ( Fluidity ) and Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk). The Martin Scorsese executive-produced film will release later this month in theaters on May 28, 2021. However, fans won’t have to wait long to get it on demand and digitally as it will release on those platforms on June 1, 2021. The film is written and directed by Danielle Lessovitz ( Mobile Homes ).
Paulina Porizkova packs up her suitcases after trip to LA for the Oscars with Aaron Sorkin |
Supermodel Paulina Porizkova's jam-packed trip to Los Angeles appears to have come to an end - days after the 56-year-old made her public debut with new beau Aaron Sorkin on the red carpet at the Oscars.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit alum was pictured wheeling several suitcases out to a waiting car on Thursday, one day after enjoying a date night with Oscar-winning director Aaron, 59, in West Hollywood.
Paulina was dressed casually in a pair of jeans, a pale blue V-neck sweater, long-sleeved white tee, and some comfy sneakers, while her long locks were pulled back in a messy updo.
In addition to her two suitcases, Paulina also had a large striped tote slung over one shoulder, in which she carried a large turquoise scarf - the same design that she wore for her evening on the town with Aaron on Tuesday.
Heading home? Paulina Porizkova was seen packing up her suitcases into a car outside her hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday
Back to the East Coast: The 56-year-old was likely heading to the airport for a flight back to New York City, where she is currently based
Low key: Paulina wore a casual outfit for her flight, donning jeans, a baggy blue V-neck sweater, a white long-sleeved T-shirt, and a pair of comfortable sneakers
The fashion favorite's departure from Los Angeles comes less than a week after she and Aaron stepped out in public for the first time as a couple - making a stunning debut on the red carpet at this year's Academy Awrads, where Aaron was nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
While he looked dapper in a classic tuxedo, Paulina dazzled in a form-fitting gold dress - which she later joked that she had worn because it made her look 'sort of like a female Oscar', so Aaron was still able to go home with one, even after losing out to Emerald Fennell in his nominated category.
'Port Authority' Trailer: Leyna Bloom and Fionn Whitehead's Ballroom Love Story
Leyna Bloom and Fionn Whitehead star in a New York City love story set amid the ballroom scene in the drama Port Authority , and ET can exclusively debut the trailer.
Whitehead plays Paul, who finds himself in NYC with nowhere to turn after being kicked out of his home. A chance encounter with Wye (Bloom), a trans woman of color and ballroom regular, gives way to a blossoming romancing as the couple navigates chosen family and the secrets of Paul's past. Watch the trailer above.
"It has always been my dream to have the chance to represent the ballroom community on the big screen," Bloom tells ET. (The actress, who next stars on Pose , made history as the first trans woman of color to appear in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition .) "Ballroom means so much to LGBTQI+ youth of color and my personal evolution as a trans person. I was raised by ballroom, and this has been one of my wildest dreams come true, being able to pay homage to so many trans women who came before me."
"I am so thrilled to see our community loved and celebrated on the big screen," she adds. "I hope that 100 years from now when future queer youth watch this, they can feel celebrated past, present and future."
Port Authority counts Martin Scorsese as an executive producer and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. For writer-director Danielle Lessovitz, "I wanted to honor a community that for me, is the most beautiful expression of what it means to be American, while at the same time, showing how the inability to love and be loved -- openly and honestly -- is its own type of oppression."
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