In South Africa, albinism is often accompanied with a lot of stigma and superstitious beliefs. Thando Hopa having lived and thrived through the negativity that comes with being an albino made a bold decision to embrace her difference hence, she took up modelling. Modelling as well as law and poetry gave her the platform to model and present a different kind of beautiful for not just women but women and men like her.
Currently, Thando models, and uses her professional background and life experiences to advocate for albinism. She leverages the diverse audience her modelling gives her in re orientating society to embrace identities that are beyond the stereotype. She also uses her looks to challenge prejudices and change the way albinism is perceived in Africa.
She was selected and featured in Pirelli calendar for 2018 along side an all-black cast including Whoopi Goldberg, Ru Paul and model-turned-feminist-activist Adwoa Aboah to tell the story of Alice in Wonderland. In July, she signed up with an American modelling agency and will be travelling between South Africa and the U.S to pursue her modelling career. Thando amazingly brings to the fore, everything we love about diversity and Inclusion and we love it!
