Meet our ambassadors!

Amrit Matharu

Amrit Matharu

Amrit Matharu aka Amaretto's World, works for the BBC at BBC Asian Network radio station as an assistant producer. She's worked as a producer as well as a presenter on podcasts, music documentaries, youth discussion programmes, and is known for covering cultural topics from body positivity, music, mental health to popular culture. In addition to broadcast media, she also has her own own YouTube channel - Amaretto's World where she vlogs and showcases various parts of her life, challenges as a young carer as well as working as a plus size model championing diversity across many networks as an ambassador for the charity Models of Diversity and the Asian Woman Festival.
Yasmin Taylor

Yasmin Taylor

Hi beautiful people, my name is Yasmin and I'm 28 years old. I love to travel and am really into health and fitness. I have always been a massive animal and nature lover. I'm a strong believer in self love and embracing your uniqueness.

MoD/diversity is so important to me as I've had alopecia since the age of 15 and I lost all of my hair just before I turned 20. Back then there were no models that I knew of who had alopecia and it was very rare to see a bald female walking down the runway, on the tele or in magazines.

MoD is what I needed whilst growing up with alopecia — people that looked different to others but similar to me, people I could of looked up to, people who I could of related to. MOD provides a platform for those who are underrepresented and makes them feel seen. This is why I love MOD.

I'm so excited to be an ambassador and hope I can be the person I needed when growing up.
Kamaljit Kaur

Kamaljit Kaur

Hi, I'm Kamal. I'm orginally from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, but now live in Birmingham. After nine years, I've made Birmingham very much my home. One of the things I love about the city is how multi-cultural it is, with communities living side-by-side.

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Yvonne Okiyo

Yvonne Okiyo

Hello - my name's Yvonne. I am a social justice activist and live, breathe and sleep this in both my personal and professional life. I have been blessed to work in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion field for over 20 years and lead and drive work to make a meaningful impact and difference for individuals and communities that are socially and economically disadvantaged, marginalised and/or from underrepresented groups in society. It is this passion for making a difference for discriminated groups in society that led to me wanting to partner up with MOD as our ethos and values are completely aligned. As an older, black, athletic/curvy part-time model with alopecia - I don't see people that look like me in the industry and I want to do something to change that for myself and others.

I am also a holistic lifestyle coach - my approach focuses on body, mind and soul - all three are really important to me. I'm passionate about mental health and wellbeing but also about fitness and living a healthy lifestyle. As a self love and body positive advocate - I empower women to feel confident in their bodies and love the skin they are in.
Mini Mangat

Mini Mangat

Mini Mangat is a mum of two, she is 44 years old and lives in Warwickshire. Her profession is in Healthcare Patient Engagement and she has a keen interest in politics, she is an activist who campaigns on local and wider issues. Mini is an elected member of Local Government and she serves as a District Councillor at Warwick District Council, she is Chair of Council's Health & Community Protection Programme Advisory Board. Mini has vast passion and experience in Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, she campaigns for Equity and Human Rights and is Chair of Warwick District Council's Task Group addressing Race Equality.

A proud South Asian curvy woman, Mini is a fashion lover, she likes to explore different styles in plus size clothing. Having searched years, for role models and representation, Mini saw no one that looked remotely like her modelling on the catwalks, on clothing websites or as influencers, in her search she found and joined Models of Diversity.

The charity's ethos spoke directly to Mini - with her personal values of integrity, courage and the fight for inclusivity and challenging injustice, Mini was delighted to become an Ambassador for the charity, she finally found a space where she could channel her energy of looking for representation, into action to campaign for all people who are marginalised and under-represented in the industry. Mini enjoys working with the team to support fundraising and raising awareness of the charity's work, she is so proud to be an advocate for the unique Models of Diversity movement that is not only challenging industries and brands to embrace inclusivity, but also supporting people in confidence building and wellness. Mini dreams of a day when diversity & inclusion in the fashion industry is not pioneering headline news but a common occurrence.
Danielle Gardiner

Danielle Gardiner

As a single mum to two beautiful children, my main aim in life is to give them the best life I possibly can. Modelling was once my escape from my personal issues and pain and I used it to find happiness and acceptance. But now modelling to me is all about creating and pushing for a world where everyone feels loved and accepted.

It's so important to me that everyone feels represented in the media. From young children like my own, to adults not feeling good enough. The world is so diverse and this is why I love Models of diversity, as their whole aim is to push for representation for everyone.
Godessdiamonds Giwa

Godessdiamonds Giwa

Eternally grateful to Models of Diversity Charity that provide a foundation and plarform for Woman, Men and Children. People who have Dreams to accomplish greatness or highlighting their strength and empowerment. everyone has the chance to be great. To Celebrate and stand United in Making Change in the Fashion, Modelling Media and Beauty Industries.

Showcasing the importance of Disabilities Height, Bodies, Size, Nationalities,Gender,Race and Religion. Models Of Diversity work tiredlessly to make a difference in the industries with the British Fashion Council. Whilst sustaining professional relationships with multiple Iconic and Highstreet fashion Brands. Breaking all records Boundaries for 12 Years.
Monique Dior Jarrett

Monique Dior Jarrett

Monique Dior Jarrett is a model, a national and international wheelchair dance champion and co-director of an arts-based company called TripleC.

She has graced the cover of Grazia, worked with disabled children, fought for the rights of disabled people and recently bared all in an inclusive photo shoot with Zebedee Management to mark International Women's Day and celebrate womanhood in all its forms.
Victoria Jenkins

Victoria Jenkins

I am a Disability advocate and I want to bring more conversations around people with Disabilities to the mainstream media. I have been following MoD's progress for a couple of years and I believe passionately in their mission statement and work every day to help them fundraise so they can keep going. I also founded Unhidden which is an adaptive fashion brand for people with Disabilities and our core beliefs completely align.
Melissa Johns

Melissa Johns

In an interview at the start of her career, Melissa Johns said she wanted to make “actors with a disability on television a perfectly normal thing”.

Born in the sleepy Herefordshire town of Ledbury without her right hand and lower arm, Melissa's successful television and theatre work has already gone some way towards making that a reality. She attended East 15 Acting School, where she was one of the first actors with a disability to win a Laurence Olivier Bursary, given to the best emerging actors.

She is now most known for role as Hannah Taylor alongside Alison Steadman, Peter Davidson and Adrian Lester in Mike Bartlett's compelling 2020 BBC One drama LIFE as well as playing Imogen Pascoe in Coronation Street. She has recently wrapped on the latest series of Grantchester for ITV as new series regular, Miss Scott. When asked about filming for the show, she said that she “loved every minute of it”.

Her small screen debut came in 2013 when she landed a role in Doctors, she went on to earn additional credits in Silk (BBC) and Casualty(BBC). But it was her portrayal of Sadie Moore in thriller The Interceptor (BBC) in 2015 and then Imogen Pascoe in long-running soap Coronation Street (ITV) from 2017 that really thrust her into the limelight. Since then, she has landed roles in Sky's “I hate SUZIE” & Idris Elba's “In The Long Run” as well as playing Beth Fennel in series 2 of FLACK.

She is currently working on her one woman show - SNATCHED with The Lowry Theatre and Arts Council England and had her first TV commission last year with “What Would You Do Frida” - a short for BBC which she co-wrote and performed in.

Melissa featured in the Shaw Trust's Power List - 100 Most Influential Disabled People in the UK, she was shortlisted for the Positive Role Model award at the National Diversity Awards and has been named JCI's Ten Outstanding Young Pearson's of the World, receiving the same award that Elvis Presley received 50 years ago. She was also selected at alumna of the year for East 15 Acting School/University of Essex for her work towards combatting gender, class and disability inequalities.

Melissa is athe co-founder of TripleC & DANC (Disabled Actors Networking Community) with Coronation Street actor Cherylee Houston. She is also an ambassador for Models of Diversity and Invisiyouth charity.
Rachel Steeden

Rachel Steeden

Hey, I'm Rachel and a single mummy of a darling princess who has been bought along to many Models Of Diversity photoshoots and fashion shows over many many years ..I believe we as parents or anyone involved with children have the power to make a change, to educate them about diversity and our own unique differences and raise a generation of people who will be more accepting of themselves and those around them ♥

Being a part of MOD has changed my whole outlook on beauty, including my own and my confidence in my own individual beauty has grown because of this and I feel it on my heart to help others, regardless of their shape, size or ability to love and celebrate their bodies as they are right now and realise regardless of what the media tries to brainwash us with we are already beautiful without photoshopping our own unique differences.

let's love ourselves right now...♥
Kelly Parker

Kelly Parker

Kelly Parker is a doctoral student and research teaching associate at Falmouth University. Kelly also guest lectures in BIPOC media representation and stereotyping, as well as being an online tutor in Post-Digital Content.

Kelly's research explores BIPOC representation within advertising, focusing on the prevalence of stereotypes. Alongside her current research, Kelly is a contributing editor to the MAI Feminism and Visual Culture journal. Kelly has published works that intersect gender and feminism, Black history and cultural studies, and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic's messaging in the UK on BIPOC communities.
Gemma Adby

Gemma Adby

Hi! My name's Gemma and I'm a Designer by trade and MOD ambassador by passion! Growing up with a disability meant that I've always felt different, excluded from the world. I had nothing to relate to and felt like disability was not represented by the media. Being an Ambassador for an incredible charity and fighting for more diversity in the fashion industry supports everything I stand for. I hope we can normalise everyday people whether it's disability, ethnicity, age, gender or size. I am with MOD for the fight!.
Alison Cline-Williams

Alison Cline-Williams

Being a Black Mature model in her 40's I don't feel that there is enough representation at all for people like me. I love what the charity stands for ( in terms of diversity and inclusion) and if I can even make one brand change the way that they look at the older black model or make a women's like me have more self confidence then I would have made a difference.
Tia Xiourouppas

Tia Xiourouppas

Hi! I'm Tia, I'm 20 years old, and ever since I could pick up a pen, my dream has been to work in fashion! Being part of an organisation that is so important in the fashion industry and does so much for inclusivity is just amazing.

I'm a third-year journalism student and love pushing myself; my most recent example of this being my 15,000ft skydive last month — the highest in Europe! Social activism is very important to me which is why I'm so excited to work with Models of Diversity.
Natalie Amber

Natalie Amber

Hi my pretty people my name is Natalie-Amber. I am a signed model & performer and BBC Radio presenter. I am also a crazy cat lover and I am a proud cat mummy to 3 beautiful sphinx cats. I was misdiagnosed for 7 years and told because of my profession as a dancer and model I was anorexic. This was far from the case. December 2017 I collapsed and went blind and was rushed to hospital where my parents were told to prepare for the worst, I had sepsis and kidney failure and after two emergency surgeries I was diagnosed with Crohns disease and had a temporary stoma put in. I had the stoma reversed in December 2018. All 3 surgeries were open so I am now left with a massive scar down my belly.

I now use my platform to raise awareness, empower women and break stigmas. I am a proud ambassador for MOD because they are everything I believe in and more. I LOVE what MOD stands for and everybody working behind the scenes here are just incredible human beings. Together we will make a change and break stigmas in the world and see the model industry more diverse.
Angelica Fenney

Angelica Fenney

An early supporter of Models of Diversity Angelica Fenney is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger and has been a successful International model since the mid 90s, after being diagnosed and fighting cancer six times, Angelica came back to the studio stronger, more confident and with a very different mission.

She now campaigns for body acceptance, confidence and for all people to feel beautiful in the skin they're in. An avid fundraiser she is the heart and soul of the charity and heads up our beautiful bunch of Ambassadors.