A (2:31)

Well, I don't know. I'm not gonna say they didn't contact me. Maybe they just couldn't find me. Girl.

B (2:36)

Now, look, we the people know where to. You're everywhere. You're on shows, you're on sets, you're all over Instagram. You ain't hard to find.

A (2:44)

Okay. It's okay. But like I said, I don't have. Because from the trailer, though, I'm. I'm ready to watch the docu series from the trailer. Look like it's all the drama, honey. And like I said, I don't really. I didn't really have drama. I mean, I did have my little. My. My thing with the stylist, you know, that pinched me and couldn't find any clothes for me. And I mean, I guess I did have my. My share of. Of obstacles, but I come from. I come from a world. I come from that world. Like, I was smiling when I was 14. So we're used to the drama. It wasn't all peaches and cream. You had to do things. Like, I think Tyra was doing what she said she was doing, showing the industry how it was back then. Like, when I was going to the agencies at 14, 15, 16, they were telling me to lose weight, cut my hair, do this, do that. Like, that was just part of the game.

B (3:40)

Now that's been one of the conversations that I've been seeing online. It's the battle between, is Tyra Banks the villain or not? On one side, there are people who feel like she was doing what the industry was already doing. And she even makes a. You know, from what the edit seems like she even takes a shot at that in the trailer where she's like, I was giving y' all more of what you wanted. Talking about the audience. Right?

A (4:03)

And. Exactly. And it was a TV show. Like you. We knew this too. Like, it wasn't just like the model industry, it was also making tv. It's reality to tv. So it was. I mean, they did do things that were grander. Right? But that was the excitement, that was the appeal. Right. We wanted to be a part of the grander photo shoots and all of those things. So.

B (4:27)

So. But on the other side, there's the, like. So you have the whole. Like, this is what the industry is. This is whatever. But then on the other side, there are women, and some of them in this you know, doctors, because they look traumatized.

A (4:43)

Very much so.

B (4:45)

So on the inside, right, because what I. What I'm assuming we'll see is a lot of the inside take that we didn't get back then. It's a different time where you can kind of talk about things more openly. You were on the inside of things. On the inside when. If we were to have peeled the layers back when you were, you know, during your season, was it as bad as if. It feels like this trailer is going to make it seem, and as we've heard other women say, like, was it the, you know, the dun, dun, dun that it feels like it was?

A (5:15)

I can't. I can't tell you how the experience is for those other girls who experience those things. I mean, I think looking at your trailer, too, it look, it, look, it looks traumatizing to me too. You know, going in and they're saying, like, we're going to change your ethnicity. We're, you know, we're going to have a procedure. We want you to close your gap. You know, we want, you know, we're cutting your hair or you gotta, you know, you're this small. You're not small enough. You know, like, those are real issues. Those are real traumatizing things. You know, one of the girls that looked like she was touched inappropriately, you know, like, it's some real stuff that's going on in this trailer here. I'm almost like, oh, was I part of that?

B (6:08)

You know, like, yeah, but see, you're okay. So I've seen Reddit forums and conversations about your experience with the stylist and, you know, the whole pinching you and trying to find clothes to the point where there are a lot of fans who still feel like you should have went way further in the show. The only reason you didn't was because they didn't want to have to face these, like, problematic beauty. Standards of weight and size feel the same way, too.

A (6:37)

I don't understand how I got cut, why I got cut. It don't make any sense to me to this day. And I was the fan favorite at the time, too. Like, I was winning the. They were voting on online or what? It wasn't online then, but, like, calling in, and it was weekly and I was, I was up there. So I don't. I don't understand that either.

B (6:58)

And nothing was ever further explained to you in real life, like, outside of. Because you sign up and there are these rules to the contest and then you. You pick the lucky number and they're like, oh, sorry, you didn't win. And it's like one plus one doesn't. It's supposed to equal to. But it didn't for you.

A (7:13)

No, no. And also after coming off the Top Model, it was. It. It was hard for girls because at first you thought that saying that you were a part of Top Model would get you in to doors, but after a while with so many girls that were coming through Top Model that it was like nobody really wanted to work with you if you were on Top Model.

B (7:34)

Did you guys build, like, your own community after the show because of that?

A (7:38)

Like, you know, I wish I could say yes. I always felt like we should have like a Top Model alumni or like we should have our own thing. Even to this day. Like, it's so many of us, so many girls who made a big difference in this industry who's flourished and, you know, some girls who didn't. But I really feel like we should have that type of community. I keep in touch with some of the girls I have a good rapport with. You know, a lot of the girls that were on my season that weren't on my season, you know, just in the franchise all together. But I wish we did have, like, more of that. Yeah.

B (8:18)

When you. After you decided to. Well, not decided, but after you left the show, did you watch any of the seasons following you? Like, were you a religious watcher or did you.

A (8:28)

No, I was kind of like one of them girls. Like, I'm done with this.

B (8:32)

Yeah.

A (8:34)

I'm not watching this. And I think later on I might have catch a few episodes here and there of like, the new seasons. They came out and checked out some of the new girls, but I don't think I ever watched a full season from the beginning to end. After my season, I'm like, my followers, they like, once you left, I left.

B (8:52)

They say in the tagline of this trailer for this new docuseries that there are gonna be some things that they get into and there's, you know, things that we are expecting them to unpack. What do you think is the biggest thing or the biggest conversation that this docu series should have about America's Next Top Model?

A (9:11)

What do I think the biggest conversation they should have about America's Next Top Model? Yes, girl, I don't know. What is the biggest conversation?

B (9:23)

What do you say? Most. Most people want to hear whether or not Tyra was too harsh. I know for, you know, people who have their cause. Girl, the Reddit pages go off about you, but the. The whole beauty standard thing is an issue as well. Like when they did the face the ethnicity swap episode with the you and the stylist. So they want to have the conversation about.

A (9:44)

Well, I think that's. I think it sounds like that's what Tyra's going to do. Sounds like she's going to have that conversation from the trailer. Because from the trailer, doesn't she make a statement? Like, I know I took it too far. I know I went too far. You know, so, like, I'm on the edge of my seat too. Like, baby, tell me, tell. And I can understand that because, I mean, would you take it too far? Like, you had a show, you're getting these ratings and you get any shows, you get these show ideas. I mean, I think any human being getting all this attention and power and, you know, like, you know, I don't. I'm not saying she's right or wrong, but I can understand what was it. How it could get to you?

B (10:33)

What was it like for her? Because I think people never have the conversation of. From what you could see, what was it like for her at the time. Right. Because this show was doing so well and she's trying to push for the success. Were you able to visibly see, like, was she under. Was Tyra Banks under pressure? Were there a lot of moments where she was like, you know, pushing to the grain and you felt pressure? Like, what was it like interacting with her and seeing her behind the scenes being. Because I heard she was very hands on with the show.

A (11:00)

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I was on season three. So it was in the beginning. So we got a lot of love and attention. You know, Tyra, come check on us. You know, Tyra, she didn't seem under pressure. It was still new. It was season three. So I don't know what type of pressure she felt. I mean, I guess trying to get each season would be pressure from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 to 6 to 7. But no. And then, you know, like, we were young, so I was excited to see Tyra. It was like, oh, my gosh, she's my shero. Here is Tyra Banks in front of me. So, like, I was fangirling out and, you know, we were always excited when Tyra walked in the room or to see Tyra. It was always love. It was always excitement. She was always Tyra. She was always that girl.

B (11:48)

Like, for your experience to be so different than other people's, I feel like, like, I almost wish and I. We don't know what's gonna Happen. Yes. I'll probably be back here as like, hey, girl, what you think?

A (12:02)

Did you watch it? Right?

B (12:03)

Yeah.

A (12:04)

Because there's.

B (12:04)

There's a whole generation of people that didn't really get to watch. Like, I remember watching you guys. I remember auditioning because of seeing what I saw, like, looking at y' all on the TV screen.

A (12:14)

Right, right.

B (12:15)

There's a new generation that never got to feel that. And they're about to learn about it from this perspective. Perspective in this lens of, like, all of the, like, firestorms, it seems like. And it's almost unfortunate a bit. But I understand that, like, you know, you gotta hold people to whatever and accountable. But it's just like, man, like, your experience is so different than even how.

A (12:36)

I also think because of my personality, too, and the type of person that I am, too, I think that plays a big role on it because I don't like when I'm sitting here talking to you. I almost forgot, you know, that I did have a hard time. And, like, I was just. You're right. My. One of my good friends, her daughter is 14, 15. We just was watching my season on. I think it was on Hulu. I think they're playing the time Auto. But just going back and watching me at 20 years old, you know, I didn't get to watch the whole season with her, but I watched a few episodes, but I don't even know. I'm rambling. Oh, I'm sorry.

B (13:16)

We're talking about just a new generation discovering, y' all and how different it is going to be for them. Because some of them might discover you through or discover the show through this docu series.

A (13:26)

No, there were times. There were times, like. And I mean, it was reality stuff because there were times where I felt like that didn't happen. Like, with the edited, you know, they'll show stuff or show where maybe I was crying or I was looking sad or something. I'm like, that's not what happened. Or that's not why this, you know, or, you know, or that wasn't our best picture. It was just like a whole lot of things. But I think I also understood that it was show business, too. Like, it's also a TV show, you know, So I didn't get so mad at the edit this. Even though they weren't always truthful, you know, they didn't always highlight what I would feel, you know, happened in that particular moment.

B (14:09)

Yeah, I got you. Well, we'll be watching.

A (14:13)

Yes, we will be. Yes, we will be.

B (14:18)

What are you up to? Now I feel like every time I tap in with you, it's like you have so much going on and so much that you're doing. And I'm. I mean, I don't know. You're. Again, you were one of my favorites on the show, and you're one of my favorite people to watch just in real life because of how you go through life. So, like, just so positive.

A (14:33)

Thank you. Thank you. Well, yeah, I'm down here in Atlanta now, and I'm actually into wellness. I am do sound healing down here, but I also have intimate. Well, let me say about. For all the people who are in Atlanta, please come and see me. I do sound healing down here every third Sunday, so check out my Instagram. So you make sure you tap into that. Because mental health is so important right now. And with all the stuff going on in the world, just being able to take a moment to, like, intentionally focus, breathe, meditate is so important. Self care is so important. We all know this, but I just encourage y' all to just dive deeper.

B (15:13)

When did you. When did you get into like, Like. Cause I think knowing. Knowing of mental health and the need for. Is one thing. Actually taking the time and dedicating the time, especially weekly for your own self, probably daily. When did you start that?

A (15:29)

Well, I started back when I was living in la. I hooked up with Queen Afua. Are you familiar with Queen Afua?

B (15:35)

She's come on the Breakfast Club a couple times.

A (15:37)

Yes, yes, yes. So Queen Afua, one of my mentors and I did. We actually did a personal. Me, her and Lauren Vanderpoel. She's a raw vegan. Where's your raw vegan chef? Right. And so we actually had an ashram. Ashram. It's called ashram. So we had ashram out in LA was really. It was really amazing. We just did a lot of healing. But just studying under her, being with her, like 40 days and 40 nights, like, no matter what, it was just an awesome experience. And I just carried it on. You know, once you do something, they say, what, for 17 days or 27 days, it becomes a habit. It becomes a new.

B (16:27)

Yeah.

A (16:28)

A new lifestyle. But just. We fall off. But you got to just. It's just good to have a community. So I'm blessed that I have a community of people, of women that I can connect with and that I'm also able to share my gifts with other people too. So I've been doing this. I've been doing this healing work for about. About. About eight years. About eight years. But it Took me a little time to really step in my power and to really, I guess, promote it and come out. Because you're right, like, we've been here about mental health and about, you know, our wellness and our well being, but people really don't speak about it. And it's in actually coming from like a fashion world and then stepp to a. To the wellness world in the transition. It is. It's different.

B (17:15)

It's different, yes.

A (17:17)

And it's very different. So thank you for the opportunity to be able to speak about it.

B (17:22)

Thank you. No, of course. It almost. Because, you know, even in you talking about, you know, your time on Top Model and the one incident that I think everybody can point to with the stylist that you mentioned. Right. What's your positive outtake on that? It almost, I feel like you were kind of on a journey probably way before you even recognized you were. Because you have to be mentally strong to not allow something like that in front of the world to be something that like, traumatizes and breaks you to a certain extent. Like, you still found like, you're overcoming in that. And I don't know if a lot of people could do that. It's tough being in front of the world.

A (17:54)

It is tough being in front of the world. It is tough being in front of the world. And you're right. I've always had that light inside of me. We all have that light. But I was able to recognize it and to build on it and to hone it and to, you know, to cater and to love it. I needed it. I guess I needed.

B (18:13)

Needed it.

A (18:14)

I guess I needed it, Lauren, because I came up in the 80s too, and so I didn't have my parents. I didn't, I didn't, you know, it's, you know, it's a lot going on. So. And. And we all have a story. And I. And that's another thing. I never like to really get to like, oh, my sad story, because I feel like so many us people have that sad story, you know, and. And it's okay to share with people so they know that I too understand, but I don't dwell in it. And I also like to, like, move us forward, you know? Like, I, I don't even know if I always like to do it. I just do it. I just am.

B (18:51)

Do you feel like at one point, so now you're moving forward is because you know who you are and you just exist and that's a powerful place to be, but at one point, do you feel like you're moving forward and even being able to get over whatever it is at the time or whatever you're dealing with was because you were trying to figure out kind of where your world was or where you existed in the world before you knew who you are now.

A (19:12)

Definitely trying to figure it out because everybody was telling you what you can't be, right? So I still come from the naysayers. Like I was trying to be a model, like I said, at like 14, but I wasn't a plus size model. I was thin. Then they was telling me no. I was going to New York, I was going to Ford, Wilhelmina, I went to Elle, all the agencies, right? And people were always telling me no. In, you know, in school and sports and theater and everything, people were always telling me no. I was always like the eyeball out. Like, I never really seemed to fit in. So I always had to have, like, I always had to have belief in myself. And that's what I wanted to say too. You never really know. You never figure it out. I mean, you don't really know. You're trying to figure it out. But you, we have, we have things in us that other people can see or don't believe. Like, even though you like. Girls used to pick on me. Girls used to pick on me. But it's what I felt about myself, you know what I'm saying? People didn't think that I was going to do X, Y and Z, but it was what I thought about myself. And sometimes I might felt unsure. But you don't need people to understand your vision. You don't need people to understand, to understand you. You just got to keep moving. I don't know where I got it from. I wish I could really tell you, but. They tell you though, when you have a vision, it don't matter what nobody else say. When you believe in yourself, it don't matter what anybody else think, you know.

B (20:45)

And now, but now I'm talking to you more and kind of understand it a little bit. You didn't give us too much, but a little bit of your backstory. I kind of can understand how. Because I always felt like you were one of the few models that left America's Next Top Model. The world screamed about what they felt like you deserved. They were upset for you when, you know, the, the weight stuff happened and, and you've always had a smile on your face, a red lip and a good comment to say about the show and about Tyra Banks. That's been you consistently for years. And I couldn't under not that I think you should drag her, but I just couldn't understand where the consistent positivity came from, because I've always felt like internally I wondered what your battle was because you were in front of the world, but I guess I get it now, but.

A (21:30)

Yeah. And I always said that, too. Thank you. Thank you for that. That was beautiful. Thank you. I'm gonna have to write that down. You always had a red lip and a great comment.

B (21:38)

Call you for the second series. Make. Tell them. Make that your tagline.

A (21:42)

I'm gonna make that my tagline. But also, going into Top Model, it was like, I just needed the opportunity. You know, when you're that girl coming out of, you know, poverty, you just need that opportunity. Just put my foot in the door, and that's all I ever wanted. So no matter what I went through or whatever, all I needed was the action. Likes give me. You know, I mean, like, I just needed that. And that's. And I said, I'm gonna make it work. I'm gonna work this. Baby. Y' all let me in the door, and I'm gonna work this to the best of my ability. And thank God. I think I have. I think I've been working it to the best of my ability, and I'm forever grateful.

B (22:21)

Yeah. What would. What would Takara, sitting here with me right now, tell Takara that was experiencing all that stuff during that episode, who dealt with whatever she dealt with or lack thereof. Like, what would you say to her now that you are, like, total healed self? All I have to do is just be here, and it is. It is mine.

A (22:37)

That's what I'm saying. That little girl, Takara, I go back to her. That little girl. Oh, girl. I got a little tear in my eye. That. That girl was strong. That girl is a little strong. She knew her. You know, they say when you're younger, I guess you're closer to God. That little girl knew. That little girl carried me today right now. That little girl knew. I don't know. That little girl's special. She knew. She seen it plain as day. She. She knows. She knew. She one of God's favorites. I still go back to her. I still go back to her.

B (23:27)

I love that. Thank you for joining me.

A (23:29)

Yeah, thank you. I can't believe you got me emotional. Thank you.

B (23:34)

No problem. And I really. Listen, I'm telling you, I hope that if nothing else from this docu series for you, that you get to feel. I mean, you feel the love every day, but I do. The people need to know okay. You carry that time on your back, honey, and did it very well.

A (23:51)

I'm honored to be able to do that for my people. I love you all.

B (23:55)

I love you all deep. Thank you. We appreciate you. Well, you know, you can always reach out to me whenever you have anything going on. Make sure one more time, plug your weekly wellness classes and say your actual Instagram too, for the audio listeners who won't see what we put on screen. Okay.

A (24:09)

Yeah. What is my actual. The fabulous Takara. The fabulous Takara Jones. Yeah, the fabulous Takara Jones. T O C C A R A. But I also have an intimate, intimate, Intimate line. An intimate lingerie. I do bras. I do bras for naturally big breasted women. Yeah, yeah, we'll talk about that another time, okay? Okay.

B (24:33)

All right, well, I'll talk to you soon and thank you again.

A (24:37)

All right, I love you too. Congratulations on everything too, mama.

B (24:40)

Thank you. I appreciate it.

A (24:44)

This is an I heart podcast.

B (24:46)

Guaranteed human.