March 26, 2025 • 42 mins
On this month's myFace, myStory podcast, host Dina Zuckerberg speaks with Paige Lauren Billiot, a birthmark advocate, model, and film producer redefining beauty standards. Based in LA, Paige uses her platform to create representation for those with facial differences, celebrating her birthmark as her superpower. Featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, and Glamour, she challenges societal norms and empowers others to embrace their uniqueness with confidence. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on self-love, advocacy, and the power of authentic representation.
TRANSCRIPT
00:01:34.618 --> 00:01:37.480
Hello, and welcome to My Face, My Story,
00:01:37.819 --> 00:01:40.100
voices from the craniofacial community.
00:01:40.921 --> 00:01:41.981
I'm Dena Zuckerberg,
00:01:42.042 --> 00:01:43.483
your host and director of
00:01:43.503 --> 00:01:45.343
family programs at My Face.
00:01:46.183 --> 00:01:47.444
Like many of you listening,
00:01:47.765 --> 00:01:49.344
I have a craniofacial difference.
00:01:50.165 --> 00:01:52.206
I was born with a cleft lip,
00:01:52.826 --> 00:01:53.807
a hearing loss,
00:01:53.986 --> 00:01:55.647
and no vision in my left eye.
00:01:56.709 --> 00:01:57.331
My Face,
00:01:57.370 --> 00:01:59.432
My Story is about people like us
00:01:59.512 --> 00:02:00.893
being seen and heard,
00:02:01.492 --> 00:02:02.694
about sharing stories
00:02:02.733 --> 00:02:04.015
within the craniofacial
00:02:04.034 --> 00:02:05.977
community and with others.
00:02:07.016 --> 00:02:08.758
This podcast episode is made
00:02:08.818 --> 00:02:10.259
possible through support
00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:11.920
from the Integra Foundation,
00:02:12.420 --> 00:02:14.223
committed to improving lives.
00:02:15.362 --> 00:02:15.943
By the way,
00:02:16.183 --> 00:02:17.044
whether you're watching on
00:02:17.104 --> 00:02:18.425
YouTube or listening
00:02:18.466 --> 00:02:19.926
through Apple Podcasts,
00:02:20.306 --> 00:02:22.147
click subscribe now and
00:02:22.168 --> 00:02:23.368
we'll keep you updated on
00:02:23.429 --> 00:02:25.730
future episodes so you never miss out.
00:02:27.320 --> 00:02:29.542
And if you're a fan of My Face, My Story,
00:02:30.062 --> 00:02:31.461
please rate and review the
00:02:31.502 --> 00:02:33.423
program on Apple Podcasts
00:02:33.883 --> 00:02:35.143
so we can get our message
00:02:35.242 --> 00:02:36.383
of inclusivity and
00:02:36.424 --> 00:02:38.985
empowerment to more people.
00:02:39.185 --> 00:02:41.585
Today, I am joined by Paige Villiat.
00:02:42.126 --> 00:02:44.765
Paige is a birthmark advocate, model,
00:02:44.925 --> 00:02:45.986
and film producer,
00:02:46.206 --> 00:02:47.806
creating global birthmark
00:02:47.866 --> 00:02:49.407
representation and
00:02:49.448 --> 00:02:51.627
awareness within the beauty, fashion,
00:02:51.748 --> 00:02:53.028
and media industries.
00:02:53.808 --> 00:02:55.289
She uses social media to
00:02:55.389 --> 00:02:56.569
highlight her birthmark
00:02:57.062 --> 00:02:59.462
with makeup, props, graphic design,
00:02:59.643 --> 00:03:00.823
and VFX.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(13:23):
Hello, and welcome to My Face, My Story,
voices from the craniofacial community.
I'm Dena Zuckerberg,
your host and director of
family programs at My Face.
Like many of you listening,
I have a craniofacial difference.
I was born with a cleft lip,
a hearing loss,
and no vision in my left eye.
(13:45):
My Face,
My Story is about people like us
being seen and heard,
about sharing stories
within the craniofacial
community and with others.
This podcast episode is made
possible through support
from the Integra Foundation,
committed to improving lives.
By the way,
whether you're watching on
(14:06):
YouTube or listening
through Apple Podcasts,
click subscribe now and
we'll keep you updated on
future episodes so you never miss out.
And if you're a fan of My Face, My Story,
please rate and review the
program on Apple Podcasts
so we can get our message
of inclusivity and
empowerment to more people.
(14:28):
Today, I am joined by Paige Villiat.
Paige is a birthmark advocate, model,
and film producer,
creating global birthmark
representation and
awareness within the beauty, fashion,
and media industries.
She uses social media to
highlight her birthmark
with makeup, props, graphic design,
(14:48):
and VFX.
Her influence has been
recognized in many magazines,
including Harper's Bazaar, Seventeen,
Glamour, and Women's Health,
earning her a spot on
Glamour's fifty
Instagrammers you need to
follow right now.
When she isn't advocating
for the birthmark community,
(15:09):
she loves taking her
forecast on walks in their
strollers while expanding
her chai tea latte palette
and Scooby Doo collection.
Welcome Paige.
Hi,
I really look forward to our
conversations.
Hello.
Yes, I'm so excited to be here.
(15:30):
When you asked me to join,
I could not wait to have a
conversation with you.
I'm excited.
So can you share a bit about
your personal journey and
how you came to embrace
your birthmark as your superpower?
Oh, man.
I mean,
that's I think any self accepting
journey is quite the ride, I'm sure,
(15:51):
as you know, and a very long one.
I still feel like it's, you know,
I'm still learning about myself.
I'm still learning deeper
levels of love and acceptance.
But, yeah, I for most of my life.
I would say up until, you know,
a little outside of high
(16:12):
school is when I started to
get a little bit definitely
more consistently comfortable with,
you know,
just kind of going outside the
house without makeup just to run errands.
I remember the end of high school,
I stopped wearing like, you know,
more full coverage
foundation and just doing
kind of like powder over the birthmark.
(16:32):
So it was a very gradual
process of accepting and
then fully embracing.
And how ironically life can
be with having a birthmark
on half of my face,
I wanted to be an actress
at a very young age.
And I did that at high school.
I was a performing arts
major at Las Vegas Academy
(16:52):
of Performing Arts International Studies,
which was actually really,
really fun and really great
for the self-confidence and
just being able to perform.
I had my birthmark covered,
but still being on stage
and just being in that environment.
And then when I moved out to LA in,
very much the intention of
being in front and behind the camera,
(17:13):
always wanted to be a
filmmaker to some capacity.
And I took two years of
trying to do the thing,
trying to get an agent, the auditions,
the managers,
I'm trying to get into just short films,
student films, whatever I could get into.
And, you know,
it was a very consistent
pattern of confusion.
(17:34):
And, you know,
some of the same comments of just,
we don't know where to put you.
You're too distracting.
You know,
like we're very confused on like
where to place you.
Yeah.
and I got you know I reached
a threshold at a point and
I got really frustrated at
the process and I just
realized you know what I
just kind of have to make
(17:54):
something on my own which
really isn't that different
of a story that I I think
everybody in l.a ends up
coming to realize at some
point anyways that like you
just you're gonna have to
just kind of make your own stuff right
So being really frustrated, I didn't,
I couldn't make a film overnight,
(18:15):
but I could take a photo.
And I,
that's when I started the Instagram.
This was like mid-TwentyFifteen.
I just, I felt
really conflicted.
I wanted so badly to be a
representation in this space,
but just also just in general.
But at the same time,
I was still struggling on
(18:35):
my own of just how to be
seen and be seen confidently,
what my voice was, where to share it.
And so the Instagram,
I started the Instagram and
started taking some photos
where my birthmark was kind
of the highlight.
Sorry,
I can kind of hear my cat in the
background.
He's supportive, cheerleading in the back.
There you go.
(18:57):
And yeah, the focus was the birthmark.
And that was the main
highlight of the photo.
And I was showing it in ways
that was just really
empowering for me specifically.
But I was hoping that it was
creating a new perspective
on how we see flaws.
So I was highlighting it with makeup.
I think I actually started
(19:18):
doing it with graphic
design and overlaying it
with graphics of space.
just really fun, beautiful, just like,
just elements like nature,
like rain and fire and all
this fun stuff.
And it really shifted my,
like it next level as far
as acceptance and, and embracement.
(19:40):
Like I wanted to even know
that was like an option.
I felt so silly in that moment being like,
oh my God, like I could,
I could highlight this.
Like that was never an
option presented to me.
Never,
you know, taught like, you know,
when we go to doctor's office, it's,
it's here.
Well,
thank God there's maybe some things
that can help cover it up
(20:00):
or to help get rid of it, to help,
you know, give you somewhat of a, um,
Comfortable life, a semi-comfortable life.
It was never, well,
why don't you try embracing it?
Why don't you try putting glitter on it?
Why don't you try doing some
kind of like empowerment
activity where you can
actually see it as art or
(20:21):
see it as something positive?
just really cool and
different you know
different can be cool um so
that was a huge huge moment
in my life was like oh my
god I didn't even know this
was like a thing that I
needed permission to do um
I think I was twenty around
twenty five or something like that okay
(20:42):
I don't know.
And so, yeah,
that was like I that was just
a whole new world.
And I everything then was like,
how do I highlight this?
Like, oh, that would be such a cool idea.
Oh, I love that color.
What an inspiration for like, like,
you know, fill this in with or.
And I never, never, ever thought that way.
(21:04):
So that.
Yeah.
Next level made it be like, man,
this is like actually like
kind of like my superpower
because I have a superhero now.
And with some of these looks,
I kind of look like one.
And so that's that.
That's kind of where we're
at now is like finding
different levels of creativity,
things that I can do with it,
(21:25):
but also how I can see it
and just much more fulfilling, impactful,
beautiful ways that I that
I didn't really get the
chance to do so when I was younger.
Yeah, I love your Instagram.
So what was the response you
got when you started
posting on social media?
Response was wonderful.
(21:45):
People really, really loved it.
I mean, of course,
you're going to get your your
offhand person who has a
comment about how the best
peach in the world is disgusting.
But no,
the response was incredibly supportive.
A lot of inspiration, actually.
(22:06):
I think that really was a domino effect.
I think I started to see people
you know, comment like, wow,
I didn't know you could do this as well.
I've never seen a birthmark
like this before or I've
never seen a birthmark in general.
And then people with facial
differences in the
birthmark community kind of
starting to do similar thing,
which was really, really amazing to see.
(22:27):
And that's still to this day
very much still get
comments or just messages
from people that they've never,
ever seen anybody else that
looks like them, which is, you know, it's
completely understandable
with the lack of
representation and awareness that we have,
but at the same time,
for how long that we've had social media,
it's still sometimes quite a surprise.
(22:47):
But yeah,
just overall incredibly
supportive and it inspires
a lot of people to see
whatever it is that they're dealing with,
whether that's a physical
difference or an internal or, you know,
just very like, just a self...
They're in their own self-love journey,
(23:08):
wherever that is.
It's just something they
haven't seen before and they...
it shows that people are very much wanting,
they desire to see one
different in general.
I think everyone's very sick
of just seeing the same
thing over and over again,
the same type of sexual appeal,
(23:28):
the same type of main character energy.
And we wanna see what our
world actually looks like.
And I think people are
becoming more and more
vocal about that desire.
Yeah.
And I feel like it is a journey.
I feel like we're always on that journey.
It doesn't just stop one day,
like even as we get older.
(23:50):
And I feel like there's so
much more people advocating
and speaking up.
than when I was growing up.
It just feels like people in
their twenties and thirties
are so much more out there
than I ever was.
So,
and I think a lot of that has to do
(24:10):
with the people who come
before us or before who
have sort of paved the way.
But I feel like also with
social media and all these things,
it seems like it's easier
to get the messages out there.
And it makes me so happy to
see you and some of the
others doing that because,
I think it's hopefully helping to, um,
(24:33):
normalize facial differences in some way.
Definitely.
Yeah.
I mean,
I think even just seeing people
just happy living their lives,
even like if they don't have a difference,
you know, they're just,
just woke up from bed,
their hair's a mess.
They got no makeup on,
they're breaking out there, you know,
whatever's hanging out and
they're just living life
(24:54):
and they're just living it beautifully.
And I need to see that.
I need to remind myself that
perfection is messy and
perfection is just existing.
And seeing other people's
self-confidence is very contagious.
Absolutely.
Representation in media and
(25:14):
beauty is a huge focus of your work,
I think.
And what changes have you
seen over the years and
what progress do you think
still needs to be made?
Big question, I know.
Yeah, good question.
I mean, I...
(25:34):
Represent yeah, I mean representation.
We still have a lot of work
to do like a lot of work to do.
I feel like in every
department and every aspect
of like business and creativity and just.
I am seeing more brands,
more makeup brands and
skincare brands becoming
more inclusive with how
(25:58):
they're marketing and who
they're marketing to.
And I was actually lucky
enough to be part of a
makeup brand called It
Cosmetics where that was a
big push of their latest
campaign for their CC cream was having...
a little bit more of
inclusivity in their models.
And so you can actually see
my face in Sephora and Ulta.
(26:19):
I know, I love it.
And, you know,
like I haven't seen that before.
And I think IT Cosmetics
actually did something
similar maybe a few years ago,
maybe not as big of a scale, but like,
I'm hearing more and more
from makeup and skincare
brands that this next push
within beauty industry is
(26:40):
facial differences.
I think within the media and film industry,
disability is the next push.
That's what I have been hearing from.
I'm part of the SAG Disability Committee,
and being as a producer,
I do ask around a lot of these questions.
But it's still so niche,
and it's still so incredibly difficult.
(27:01):
You really have to have a
brand that really believes in that.
You really have to have a producer that...
you know has some type of
personal experience even if
it's just within an
extension of somebody else
like they're it's like the
the door is opening for the
conversation to be had so
(27:22):
much more and I think the
conversation has is being
taken more seriously um
But yeah, I think the work is just,
I don't think it's any easier,
to be honest.
We have these doors open for
these conversations,
but then you see all of
these DEI policies and
initiatives that are rolling back.
You see that the disability
(27:43):
community is very much one
of the marginalized
communities that is being attacked,
essentially,
as far as their rights and
their benefits.
We have discrimination
policies in place for a
very specific reason,
and people with visible
differences experience that
every single day,
(28:03):
and they do experience that
in their workplace and our opportunities.
The fight, I mean, if anything,
I think is probably even stronger.
So I think it's just,
I don't really know all
that it would take.
I think it would take so incredibly much,
but seeing more and more
people advocate in their respected space.
(28:27):
is, I think, the first best step.
We're talking about it.
We're sharing about the information,
the experiences that we deal with,
the help that we need from the community.
We're sharing about this on social media.
People are becoming more
aware of our struggles
while also trying to
advocate for those opportunities.
(28:50):
there are those people that
have those resources that
have that funding and that
have that passion and that
intention to create those
opportunities for people
like us there's just you
know not as many people as
we would hope and now that like
these challenges that they
even have to now face when
they're just trying to do
something good um it's it's
(29:13):
it's it's hard but you know
we we just keep pushing and
we keep got this project
we've got you know a slate
of feature films that we're
working on in TV series
where the roles are
incredibly inclusive and and
fun um and I know people
there are people out there
that will fund it it's I'm
not gonna knock on any
studio doors though like I
know where my avenue is
(29:33):
gonna be it's gonna be
completely private funding
where someone who believes
in that message who wants
to see that message come
out there and then once
studios see the success
because everything's
business once they see it's
less of a risk assessment
on their end then someone
might you know you
come on board and come
behind and now we can make
it more of a bigger message
but it's getting to that
point which is always the
(29:54):
most difficult um but we're
getting there yeah I think
two points two thoughts I
had while you were talking
is one is that um it is
definitely a little
nerve-wracking or even scary the
potential of the DEI
rollback and what that's
going to mean for people
(30:15):
with disabilities and facial differences.
And also,
I think that the other thing I
think a lot about is that
we're not quite part of the
bigger conversation on
disability and differences yet.
But I feel like we're
breaking for a little bit.
Like I think this, as you said,
(30:35):
there's still a lot of work
to be done in this field.
And I think also not a lot
of people know about facial
differences or clasps or
craniofacial differences.
And I think so,
I think awareness and
advocacy is so important in doing that.
(30:56):
But I feel like it's
happening much more than
when I was growing up for sure.
Definitely.
Yeah, a hundred percent.
To our audience,
I hope you're enjoying this
episode of My Face, My Story.
Whether it's your first time
joining us or you've been
with us since the beginning,
make sure you're subscribed
to our YouTube and Apple
podcast channels and sign
(31:17):
up for our mailing list at
myface.org slash my story.
So
How do you navigate the
challenges of working in the fashion,
film and beauty industries
while advocating for inclusivity?
Um, you know, so I,
I just signed with Zebedee or ZBD.
(31:41):
I think it was the beginning of twenty,
was it twenty, twenty four?
Yeah, it was just, you know, so it's,
it's still pretty recent.
Um, prior to that, you know,
it was whenever,
whatever gigs I could get, you know,
on my own.
And even now it's usually
brands and companies that are, that are,
you know, they go to a company like ZBD,
which
represents mainly different
(32:02):
inclusive types of models
like so they're obviously
going for that type of look
and that creative so it
doesn't feel like you know
there's a lot of work to
push for advocacy when the
brands already kind of come
coming for you
But when I would reach out
to makeup companies,
kind of cold email with sponsorships,
(32:25):
with social media sponsorships,
going with companies where
their messaging was already
in lined with differences,
but didn't have any models
to represent that.
And that would definitely be
my pitch is to kind of be like, hey,
if you're gonna be
representing or say that
you represent these types of people,
then you really need to
represent these types of people.
(32:45):
um sometimes it was oh wow
you're absolutely right we
would love to actually do a
sponsorship with you and
I'm the first you know
facially different type of
model that they've done any
type of work with others
where that's just not where
their marketing and focus
is is quite at um
So it's a handful of things.
(33:09):
But the brands that are
somewhat interested, like at Cosmetics,
when they come to us
looking for inclusive models, oh,
I'm right there.
Go into the social media
person or any type of
creative producer where I'm like,
how do we make this bigger?
How do we have a bigger
lasting relationship?
And I'm not just talking me.
(33:29):
I'm not just talking birthmarks.
I'm talking X, Y, and Z.
Um, how do we,
how do we do a campaign together?
Like it's, it's how to, it's,
I'm always trying to look
for how do we make this a
more lasting relationship?
It's not just off.
I do think I have done
things for free just to get
my foot in the door with
the brand to just show, Hey,
This is how well it can go.
(33:50):
This is how well it can do.
Here's just a little taste
of opening a door into
having a market of specifically,
eight hundred new million customers.
There's over eight hundred
million people with birthmarks.
over twenty four million
people in the world with
propion stains that's a
(34:11):
really big open market that
no one's really I have no
idea birthmarks you know
I'm not even talking about
all craniofacial
differences and I think
it's kind of just I try to
present it more in that way
just in more on their
language of like this is
here's a business model and
here's some numbers that
you're missing out on and
(34:33):
It's also creating projects
and trying to get into new avenues.
I've created a pitch for
Mattel for Birthmark Barbie
and trying to get
representation and advocacy
within that space,
trying to get representation,
advocacy in my own space
that I work in within, you know,
films and producing and
(34:54):
creating a slate of films
and finally have a roster
of individuals where I can
actually take this to and
something could actually
happen successfully with fingers crossed.
So there's there's a lot of
projects and avenues where in books,
you know,
different spaces that birthmark emojis,
you know,
facially different birthmark
emojis where we submitted,
they all got denied.
(35:15):
But so we're working.
Yeah.
That would be amazing to have emojis.
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
So it's, it's seeing kind of, you know,
where it lacks, which is everywhere,
and just seeing where I can
personally tap into where I
have expertise.
But that that also extends
to medical and physical.
(35:35):
you know actual like
policies and just
discrimination policies and
going to the the medical
boards and having a bit of
a refreshed actual medical
model and one how we
educate people about facial
differences or just you
know really differences in
general but facial
differences is a is a
really big thing and I
actually talked to um
(35:58):
I was doing this commercial
for figs it's a high-end
scrub company and so we had
it was twelve plastic
surgeons and doctors and
nurses and all in all these
different fields and there
was a few dermatologists
there and I asked them just
like hey I'm just so
curious so like currently
erwin when you were in
school like what was the
the educate the medical
(36:18):
education that you got off
of birthmark she obviously
knew what her birthmark was
because she's dermatologist
but she was like you will laugh and
We have one thirty minute
lecture to cover all three
thousand plus skin conditions.
And that's it.
Yeah,
I guess I keep saying we need to do a
(36:39):
better job of educating the
medical community and
getting in front of them,
because I remember years ago,
three or four of us from
the facial difference
community actually went
into a medical school and presented.
And they said they don't
have that opportunity to
hear from people themselves
(37:00):
because they're just
reading it in a textbook.
And that experience just was
life changing for them.
And I just feel like every time I do it,
I'm like,
we need to do more of this
because I think it's so important,
especially getting them
when they're just starting out.
So even just to know what
the proper terminology is
or what words to use, what not to use,
(37:23):
and thinking about that
person as a human being
beyond just the textbook person.
And so I think that I would
love to do more in the medical community.
Yeah.
So what advice would you
give to someone struggling
with self acceptance due to
(37:44):
their visible difference?
And maybe what would you say
if they wanted to do what
you're doing and get out
there and do acting or
social media in a big way?
Like what would you say to them?
um so much um I think you
(38:04):
know one of the biggest
things that took the
longest for me and it
seemed the most simplest
and one of the most
powerful was just don't
wait to ask for permission
no one's going to give it
to you um you will wait
your entire life for it um
start doing the things that
interest you now.
Start acting like the person
(38:26):
who you know that you
envision yourself to be.
There's this,
they call it the Batman effect.
And I love this.
And I did this growing up,
not even knowing this is
what I was doing.
But you embody the character
that you are either
envisioning or that you
deep down know that that's who you are.
(38:47):
You pretend to be
a character that you are too
fearful to already kind of
actually claim.
So you pretend it.
And when you pretend to be
this confident person going
into the grocery store,
I'm not going to let anybody bother me.
I'm this main character from
(39:07):
this movie and that I really love.
And I'm going to go and this
is how I'm going to go do my groceries.
It works a hundred percent of the time.
Sometimes you get out of it
because it kind of will feel silly,
but you practice it a little bit.
And before you know it,
you start becoming that,
you start embodying those
(39:28):
actual characteristics and
those behaviors.
To an extent.
But if that's your goal is confidence,
you will start to embody that.
So you totally fake it till you make it.
I think it is one of the
best psychological tricks
that one can do.
I still do it myself to this day.
I'm not feeling in a great mood.
I do the Batman effect.
I love that.
(39:48):
I love that concept.
I'm excited.
Yeah, I know.
Because it'll...
Just like an actor, you know,
the show must go on.
If the stage rolls up,
you gotta go on stage.
You gotta go and pretend to
be that character.
So I think it can be really
great in moments where you
need to turn it on immediately like that.
It's great for a gradual, you know,
(40:10):
results to get to from point
A to point B. And it really helps,
I think,
kind of take away that fear and
that seriousness,
because you're just playing,
you're just in,
you're pretending to be
kind of someone else that
you're able to then do this thing with.
which can really be helpful
to then get you to maybe
(40:32):
outline your difference for
the first time.
It might help you go and
post the photo for the very
first time to talk about it
with somebody.
If you want to be some type
of – any type of work
that's going to make you
stand out in your
authenticity and not hide –
(40:52):
I think that's a really,
really great way to do that.
And the only other thing
that I would give advice on
is that no matter what you do,
but especially if you're
going to get into a space
where you're going to be
showing yourself to others
and to the public and want to inspire,
have you be your only audience.
and post and talk about and
(41:14):
do the things that you
right now would like, would comment on,
would say, would go, yes,
I absolutely love this.
I would watch this.
Or your younger self would
feel incredibly inspired,
would love to see that, would feel X, Y,
and Z with you doing
whatever it is that you're doing.
(41:35):
That takes out all the noise
of worrying about anybody else.
anybody else's opinions,
whether they're known or stranger,
any doubt that you're going to have.
Oh,
I wonder if anybody's going to like this,
if they're going to find it funny.
Oh, it's probably really, really stupid.
Who cares if you get,
and if maybe your younger
self would have loved it
and felt inspired,
post all the stupid stuff,
say all the stupid things,
(41:55):
because if your audience approves,
which is you at the end of the day,
you're solid.
What great advice.
I have to take this advice.
I don't know myself.
Yeah.
It's a daily practice.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I love that.
So what has been one of the
most meaningful and
memorable moments in your
advocacy journey?
(42:17):
Oh man,
there's been a lot from moms
messaging me about their
daughter and then their
daughters did second grade,
their first day for second grade.
And they ended up, I got this fly.
It's like a guest star here.
They'll send me a photo of
like their birthmarks all
highlighted for the first
time ever that they've done
(42:37):
that out in public.
And now they're like the
most popular kid in their
grade in school to see my
face in Sephora and Ulta.
I mean,
I like I never actually would have
thought what would have
happened and be a possibility so that.
was a huge,
huge accomplishment and a
moment that I'll definitely never forget.
(43:00):
But yeah, there's, there's, it's,
I think another one too
that I also just can't,
I can't get over is just
meeting other people,
whether they're in the
birthmark community or like, you know,
with my face and the
craniofacial community,
which I guess birthmarks and, you know,
especially on the face, it's kind of,
they, they fall within that same category,
but just, yeah,
meeting other people like us, like it's,
(43:21):
it's,
that never gets old.
That has been one of the most impactful,
inspirational, most powerful, like family,
like just those moments mean so, so, so,
so much.
Um, so it's, it's, yeah, it's,
it's been a journey of,
(43:42):
of all of it being pretty amazing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I always say,
and I think it's so true here,
that there's power in the
shared story and knowing
you're not alone and the
connections you make when
you share your journey and someone says,
oh, I totally get it.
I can understand because
they're on that same
journey and it's just so powerful.
(44:02):
And so that connection that
other people may not understand,
they haven't grown up with
that or experienced it.
Right.
So, Paige,
you are the host this year of My
Faith Celebrates Gala on June fifth.
So exciting in New York City.
And so what does that mean
(44:23):
to you to do that?
Oh, man, that means like more.
I mean, yeah, it really means a lot.
I'm very, very honored to be able to
just even speak in a space
like that with the
individuals that are gonna be there.
I mean,
there's some powerhouses that are
(44:44):
gonna be there,
people that I look up to
that I'm inspired by.
So to even kind of like,
announce anything and host anything.
It feels really,
really fun and really incredible.
I'm ecstatic to just see
people that I've already met there,
meet new people that I haven't met there.
Because again,
(45:04):
meeting communities like this,
there's nothing else like it.
You don't walk into a room
feeling like this in any other space.
It's where you actually feel
seen and heard and
understood and you know
that people are looking at
you in such a different way.
(45:25):
That's a feeling that I've
craved for so long growing
up because I never,
never got that just until a
few years ago.
Yeah.
So being in that space alone
is just probably what I'm
most excited about.
But to just, yeah,
to kind of just soak up the
inspiration from everybody
(45:45):
is what I think is going to mean so,
so much to me.
Yeah, it's one of my favorite evenings,
I can say that.
And we are giving the
Courage Award to Adam Pearson,
who starred in A Different Man.
So that's also very exciting.
Very, very exciting.
I'm a huge fan of Adam's,
so I'm so excited to meet
him after his autograph, the whole thing.
(46:07):
I know, right?
Yeah.
If you'll have time for me, you know.
Exactly.
So...
How can people support
greater representation of
facial differences in media
and everyday life?
Yeah,
support your influencers and your
(46:28):
advocates on social media
that are doing this,
that are speaking about this.
Having a platform,
having an audience for us is huge.
It's because brands still look at that for
opportunities and and for
collaboration and for
sponsorship producers they
still look at that when
(46:48):
they want to fund a project
okay well who's in it how
many following do they have
it seems silly but and not
all people work that way
but a lot of people still
do okay well what what kind
of audience do you have if
you have a voice well how
many people are actually
following and wanting to
hear what you have to say so follow them
like and comment their posts,
share their posts,
help them create a community,
(47:10):
help them create a support,
because that helps open up
so many doors for us to
have access to be able to
speak in other places so
that our faces and bodies can be seen in,
you know,
the clothes that we wear and the
movies that we watch,
the books that we read.
Yeah, I would say that the most.
I mean, of course,
(47:30):
foundations need donations
to keep with the initiatives.
If people ever feel like
they've got money to spend,
we will absolutely, you know,
it goes to amazing causes.
It goes to people who really need it.
And it's a community that
we're trying to create
representation for.
But I, you know,
I think money is always a
(47:50):
hard subject for a lot of
people these days.
So I would just say go support,
just go follow these influencers and
you know, like, like what they're,
what they're fighting for.
And that actually helps a
lot more than I think a lot
of people realize.
Absolutely.
So you touched on this before,
but what would you say to
your younger self knowing
(48:11):
what you know today?
Um,
I think your cat has an opinion on that.
My cat has a few things, yeah.
He's got a few ideas.
Yeah, I mean, I'll say this again,
because it was just such a
big moment for me,
but just to don't ask for permission.
(48:34):
It really felt like the
silliest thing when I kind
of figured that out.
But also, like, you know, without judgment,
because I was like, well,
of course you didn't know
you had permission to
stand out and you didn't
have to just blend in.
(48:55):
And I think the other thing
I would have told her was
that the uncomfortability
that you make people feel
for just existing will never go away.
to learn which I think you
know I think you know us in
the situations that we were
in I think we were forced
to learn this pretty
quickly but there there for
(49:15):
a while I fought that
feeling though I thought
that like that oh I won't
be surprised next time
maybe that was the last
time you know oh well yeah
it won't come from a doll
or you know whatever it is um
And this being surprised and
having my expectations be
squashed were always really
difficult to recover from.
(49:37):
Yeah.
So I think that would have
been learn how to use that
uncomfortability to your
advantage a little quicker
and learn to kind of get
comfortable with other
people's uncomfortability.
And now it's at a point where I'm like,
I'm really into it,
maybe a little too much.
(49:57):
Now I got to kind of learn
to step back a little bit
because I feel like I'm
like this little demon of like,
Ooh, someone's uncomfortable.
Like how exciting.
So I got to tone it back a bit, but those,
those would have been the
things I would have told her.
I love the quote.
I think it's from wonder why
blend in when you were born to stand out.
And somehow that reminds me
(50:18):
of what you were just saying.
So who do you see when you
look in the mirror today?
Oh man, I see this badass, unapologetic,
like just like superhero, like woman.
Yeah.
I just,
I see someone who's fun and who's
like really enjoying themselves and,
(50:40):
and who they are.
And, um,
Yeah, I just see someone who has,
who would be like really
fun to hang out with.
So my last question is,
what are your dreams for the future?
And then where can people
find you on social media or
anywhere else?
(51:01):
My ultimate dream would be
that this is no longer a conversation,
that this is no longer work
and initiative and an
intention that I'm trying to do,
that inclusivity and
diversity is something to
fight for and that
representation awareness is
still a thing that we have to make.
I would just hope that that
now then exists and I can
(51:23):
maybe move on to just
creating normal stories
that still include us,
but normal has just kind of
shifted to what reality truly is.
But on a small scale, I mean, yeah,
I would love to see people
who look like me in my movies.
I would love to see people
(51:43):
who look like me in more dolls,
Barbie dolls,
on the billboards of the
clothes that we wear.
Those are smaller goals,
but ultimately would just
be that this conversation
really doesn't need to be had anymore.
And yeah, you can find me on Instagram.
(52:03):
I'm on TikTok and YouTube,
but my main platform is
Instagram at flawless
underscore effect with an
A. Website's kind of being
redone at the moment.
So I'm the most active on the IG.
I did go to the,
there was a Barbie exhibit
in New York City.
And they had all the Barbies
(52:24):
with different disabilities.
But I was thinking as I was
looking at them,
how amazing it would be if
there was a Barbie with a
facial difference.
They have with hearing aid
and not with an actual facial difference.
So I agree.
That would be huge.
Yeah, I mean,
there's there I was actually
surprised how many dolls
(52:46):
they kind of had in their
diversity collection.
Like, I think, you know, obviously,
they have it a Lego,
they have disabled Barbie in a wheelchair,
right?
I think they have limb difference Barbie,
like a deaf Barbie.
I think they have got blind
Barbie to Barbie.
So yeah, I mean, it's like,
the next one in line is
like a facial difference.
(53:06):
Like, come on.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Thank you, Paige,
for sharing your story and your advocacy.
And I love what you're doing
on Instagram and your messages.
And I can't wait to see you
at My Face Celebrates on
June fifth in New York City,
where you will be our host.
(53:26):
And we have Adam Pearson
getting the Courage Award.
And on My Face Stars Performing,
you are going to love that part.
It's my favorite part too.
So if people are interested,
you can learn more at
myfacecelebrates.org.
So thank you again, Paige.
Thank you so much.
I appreciate your time.
This was so lovely and so,
(53:47):
so excited to see you June fifth.
It's going to be great.
It's going to be so much fun.
It's going to be the best.
Thank you.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye.
Paige is an inspiration to
me and everyone she meets.
Everyone has a story,
and I'm hopeful that by
sharing stories like these,
(54:07):
we can create a kinder world.
For more than seventy years,
MyFace has been dedicated
to changing the faces and
transforming the lives of
children and adults with
facial differences by
providing access to holistic,
comprehensive care, education, resources,
and support that pave the
way for better outcomes.
(54:28):
To learn more, please visit myface.org.
If you would like to learn
more about the MyFace
support groups so that you
can connect with others in
the craniofacial community,
please visit myface.org
slash online dash groups.
Be sure to subscribe to
MyFace My Story on your
favorite podcast app and on
(54:48):
YouTube to get notified of
our next episode.
If you'd like to receive
email reminders of new episodes,
Sign up at myface.org slash mystory.
That's myface.org slash mystory.
Thank you for joining us for
this episode of My Face, My Story.
Remember,
(55:09):
it takes courage to share your story,
so be brave and stand out.
Hello, and welcome to My Face, My Story,
voices from the craniofacial community.
I'm Dena Zuckerberg,
your host and director of
family programs at My Face.
Like many of you listening,
I have a craniofacial difference.
I was born with a cleft lip,
a hearing loss,
and no vision in my left eye.
(13:45):
My Face,
My Story is about people like us
being seen and heard,
about sharing stories
within the craniofacial
community and with others.
This podcast episode is made
possible through support
from the Integra Foundation,
committed to improving lives.
By the way,
whether you're watching on
(14:06):
YouTube or listening
through Apple Podcasts,
click subscribe now and
we'll keep you updated on
future episodes so you never miss out.
And if you're a fan of My Face, My Story,
please rate and review the
program on Apple Podcasts
so we can get our message
of inclusivity and
empowerment to more people.
(14:28):
Today, I am joined by Paige Villiat.
Paige is a birthmark advocate, model,
and film producer,
creating global birthmark
representation and
awareness within the beauty, fashion,
and media industries.
She uses social media to
highlight her birthmark
with makeup, props, graphic design,
(14:48):
and VFX.
Her influence has been
recognized in many magazines,
including Harper's Bazaar, Seventeen,
Glamour, and Women's Health,
earning her a spot on
Glamour's fifty
Instagrammers you need to
follow right now.
When she isn't advocating
for the birthmark community,
(15:09):
she loves taking her
forecast on walks in their
strollers while expanding
her chai tea latte palette
and Scooby Doo collection.
Welcome Paige.
Hi,
I really look forward to our
conversations.
Hello.
Yes, I'm so excited to be here.
(15:30):
When you asked me to join,
I could not wait to have a
conversation with you.
I'm excited.
So can you share a bit about
your personal journey and
how you came to embrace
your birthmark as your superpower?
Oh, man.
I mean,
that's I think any self accepting
journey is quite the ride, I'm sure,
(15:51):
as you know, and a very long one.
I still feel like it's, you know,
I'm still learning about myself.
I'm still learning deeper
levels of love and acceptance.
But, yeah, I for most of my life.
I would say up until, you know,
a little outside of high
(16:12):
school is when I started to
get a little bit definitely
more consistently comfortable with,
you know,
just kind of going outside the
house without makeup just to run errands.
I remember the end of high school,
I stopped wearing like, you know,
more full coverage
foundation and just doing
kind of like powder over the birthmark.
(16:32):
So it was a very gradual
process of accepting and
then fully embracing.
And how ironically life can
be with having a birthmark
on half of my face,
I wanted to be an actress
at a very young age.
And I did that at high school.
I was a performing arts
major at Las Vegas Academy
(16:52):
of Performing Arts International Studies,
which was actually really,
really fun and really great
for the self-confidence and
just being able to perform.
I had my birthmark covered,
but still being on stage
and just being in that environment.
And then when I moved out to LA in,
very much the intention of
being in front and behind the camera,
(17:13):
always wanted to be a
filmmaker to some capacity.
And I took two years of
trying to do the thing,
trying to get an agent, the auditions,
the managers,
I'm trying to get into just short films,
student films, whatever I could get into.
And, you know,
it was a very consistent
pattern of confusion.
(17:34):
And, you know,
some of the same comments of just,
we don't know where to put you.
You're too distracting.
You know,
like we're very confused on like
where to place you.
Yeah.
and I got you know I reached
a threshold at a point and
I got really frustrated at
the process and I just
realized you know what I
just kind of have to make
(17:54):
something on my own which
really isn't that different
of a story that I I think
everybody in l.a ends up
coming to realize at some
point anyways that like you
just you're gonna have to
just kind of make your own stuff right
So being really frustrated, I didn't,
I couldn't make a film overnight,
(18:15):
but I could take a photo.
And I,
that's when I started the Instagram.
This was like mid-TwentyFifteen.
I just, I felt
really conflicted.
I wanted so badly to be a
representation in this space,
but just also just in general.
But at the same time,
I was still struggling on
(18:35):
my own of just how to be
seen and be seen confidently,
what my voice was, where to share it.
And so the Instagram,
I started the Instagram and
started taking some photos
where my birthmark was kind
of the highlight.
Sorry,
I can kind of hear my cat in the
background.
He's supportive, cheerleading in the back.
There you go.
(18:57):
And yeah, the focus was the birthmark.
And that was the main
highlight of the photo.
And I was showing it in ways
that was just really
empowering for me specifically.
But I was hoping that it was
creating a new perspective
on how we see flaws.
So I was highlighting it with makeup.
I think I actually started
(19:18):
doing it with graphic
design and overlaying it
with graphics of space.
just really fun, beautiful, just like,
just elements like nature,
like rain and fire and all
this fun stuff.
And it really shifted my,
like it next level as far
as acceptance and, and embracement.
(19:40):
Like I wanted to even know
that was like an option.
I felt so silly in that moment being like,
oh my God, like I could,
I could highlight this.
Like that was never an
option presented to me.
Never,
you know, taught like, you know,
when we go to doctor's office, it's,
it's here.
Well,
thank God there's maybe some things
that can help cover it up
(20:00):
or to help get rid of it, to help,
you know, give you somewhat of a, um,
Comfortable life, a semi-comfortable life.
It was never, well,
why don't you try embracing it?
Why don't you try putting glitter on it?
Why don't you try doing some
kind of like empowerment
activity where you can
actually see it as art or
(20:21):
see it as something positive?
just really cool and
different you know
different can be cool um so
that was a huge huge moment
in my life was like oh my
god I didn't even know this
was like a thing that I
needed permission to do um
I think I was twenty around
twenty five or something like that okay
(20:42):
I don't know.
And so, yeah,
that was like I that was just
a whole new world.
And I everything then was like,
how do I highlight this?
Like, oh, that would be such a cool idea.
Oh, I love that color.
What an inspiration for like, like,
you know, fill this in with or.
And I never, never, ever thought that way.
(21:04):
So that.
Yeah.
Next level made it be like, man,
this is like actually like
kind of like my superpower
because I have a superhero now.
And with some of these looks,
I kind of look like one.
And so that's that.
That's kind of where we're
at now is like finding
different levels of creativity,
things that I can do with it,
(21:25):
but also how I can see it
and just much more fulfilling, impactful,
beautiful ways that I that
I didn't really get the
chance to do so when I was younger.
Yeah, I love your Instagram.
So what was the response you
got when you started
posting on social media?
Response was wonderful.
(21:45):
People really, really loved it.
I mean, of course,
you're going to get your your
offhand person who has a
comment about how the best
peach in the world is disgusting.
But no,
the response was incredibly supportive.
A lot of inspiration, actually.
(22:06):
I think that really was a domino effect.
I think I started to see people
you know, comment like, wow,
I didn't know you could do this as well.
I've never seen a birthmark
like this before or I've
never seen a birthmark in general.
And then people with facial
differences in the
birthmark community kind of
starting to do similar thing,
which was really, really amazing to see.
(22:27):
And that's still to this day
very much still get
comments or just messages
from people that they've never,
ever seen anybody else that
looks like them, which is, you know, it's
completely understandable
with the lack of
representation and awareness that we have,
but at the same time,
for how long that we've had social media,
it's still sometimes quite a surprise.
(22:47):
But yeah,
just overall incredibly
supportive and it inspires
a lot of people to see
whatever it is that they're dealing with,
whether that's a physical
difference or an internal or, you know,
just very like, just a self...
They're in their own self-love journey,
(23:08):
wherever that is.
It's just something they
haven't seen before and they...
it shows that people are very much wanting,
they desire to see one
different in general.
I think everyone's very sick
of just seeing the same
thing over and over again,
the same type of sexual appeal,
(23:28):
the same type of main character energy.
And we wanna see what our
world actually looks like.
And I think people are
becoming more and more
vocal about that desire.
Yeah.
And I feel like it is a journey.
I feel like we're always on that journey.
It doesn't just stop one day,
like even as we get older.
(23:50):
And I feel like there's so
much more people advocating
and speaking up.
than when I was growing up.
It just feels like people in
their twenties and thirties
are so much more out there
than I ever was.
So,
and I think a lot of that has to do
(24:10):
with the people who come
before us or before who
have sort of paved the way.
But I feel like also with
social media and all these things,
it seems like it's easier
to get the messages out there.
And it makes me so happy to
see you and some of the
others doing that because,
I think it's hopefully helping to, um,
(24:33):
normalize facial differences in some way.
Definitely.
Yeah.
I mean,
I think even just seeing people
just happy living their lives,
even like if they don't have a difference,
you know, they're just,
just woke up from bed,
their hair's a mess.
They got no makeup on,
they're breaking out there, you know,
whatever's hanging out and
they're just living life
(24:54):
and they're just living it beautifully.
And I need to see that.
I need to remind myself that
perfection is messy and
perfection is just existing.
And seeing other people's
self-confidence is very contagious.
Absolutely.
Representation in media and
(25:14):
beauty is a huge focus of your work,
I think.
And what changes have you
seen over the years and
what progress do you think
still needs to be made?
Big question, I know.
Yeah, good question.
I mean, I...
(25:34):
Represent yeah, I mean representation.
We still have a lot of work
to do like a lot of work to do.
I feel like in every
department and every aspect
of like business and creativity and just.
I am seeing more brands,
more makeup brands and
skincare brands becoming
more inclusive with how
(25:58):
they're marketing and who
they're marketing to.
And I was actually lucky
enough to be part of a
makeup brand called It
Cosmetics where that was a
big push of their latest
campaign for their CC cream was having...
a little bit more of
inclusivity in their models.
And so you can actually see
my face in Sephora and Ulta.
(26:19):
I know, I love it.
And, you know,
like I haven't seen that before.
And I think IT Cosmetics
actually did something
similar maybe a few years ago,
maybe not as big of a scale, but like,
I'm hearing more and more
from makeup and skincare
brands that this next push
within beauty industry is
(26:40):
facial differences.
I think within the media and film industry,
disability is the next push.
That's what I have been hearing from.
I'm part of the SAG Disability Committee,
and being as a producer,
I do ask around a lot of these questions.
But it's still so niche,
and it's still so incredibly difficult.
(27:01):
You really have to have a
brand that really believes in that.
You really have to have a producer that...
you know has some type of
personal experience even if
it's just within an
extension of somebody else
like they're it's like the
the door is opening for the
conversation to be had so
(27:22):
much more and I think the
conversation has is being
taken more seriously um
But yeah, I think the work is just,
I don't think it's any easier,
to be honest.
We have these doors open for
these conversations,
but then you see all of
these DEI policies and
initiatives that are rolling back.
You see that the disability
(27:43):
community is very much one
of the marginalized
communities that is being attacked,
essentially,
as far as their rights and
their benefits.
We have discrimination
policies in place for a
very specific reason,
and people with visible
differences experience that
every single day,
(28:03):
and they do experience that
in their workplace and our opportunities.
The fight, I mean, if anything,
I think is probably even stronger.
So I think it's just,
I don't really know all
that it would take.
I think it would take so incredibly much,
but seeing more and more
people advocate in their respected space.
(28:27):
is, I think, the first best step.
We're talking about it.
We're sharing about the information,
the experiences that we deal with,
the help that we need from the community.
We're sharing about this on social media.
People are becoming more
aware of our struggles
while also trying to
advocate for those opportunities.
(28:50):
there are those people that
have those resources that
have that funding and that
have that passion and that
intention to create those
opportunities for people
like us there's just you
know not as many people as
we would hope and now that like
these challenges that they
even have to now face when
they're just trying to do
something good um it's it's
(29:13):
it's it's hard but you know
we we just keep pushing and
we keep got this project
we've got you know a slate
of feature films that we're
working on in TV series
where the roles are
incredibly inclusive and and
fun um and I know people
there are people out there
that will fund it it's I'm
not gonna knock on any
studio doors though like I
know where my avenue is
(29:33):
gonna be it's gonna be
completely private funding
where someone who believes
in that message who wants
to see that message come
out there and then once
studios see the success
because everything's
business once they see it's
less of a risk assessment
on their end then someone
might you know you
come on board and come
behind and now we can make
it more of a bigger message
but it's getting to that
point which is always the
(29:54):
most difficult um but we're
getting there yeah I think
two points two thoughts I
had while you were talking
is one is that um it is
definitely a little
nerve-wracking or even scary the
potential of the DEI
rollback and what that's
going to mean for people
(30:15):
with disabilities and facial differences.
And also,
I think that the other thing I
think a lot about is that
we're not quite part of the
bigger conversation on
disability and differences yet.
But I feel like we're
breaking for a little bit.
Like I think this, as you said,
(30:35):
there's still a lot of work
to be done in this field.
And I think also not a lot
of people know about facial
differences or clasps or
craniofacial differences.
And I think so,
I think awareness and
advocacy is so important in doing that.
(30:56):
But I feel like it's
happening much more than
when I was growing up for sure.
Definitely.
Yeah, a hundred percent.
To our audience,
I hope you're enjoying this
episode of My Face, My Story.
Whether it's your first time
joining us or you've been
with us since the beginning,
make sure you're subscribed
to our YouTube and Apple
podcast channels and sign
(31:17):
up for our mailing list at
myface.org slash my story.
So
How do you navigate the
challenges of working in the fashion,
film and beauty industries
while advocating for inclusivity?
Um, you know, so I,
I just signed with Zebedee or ZBD.
(31:41):
I think it was the beginning of twenty,
was it twenty, twenty four?
Yeah, it was just, you know, so it's,
it's still pretty recent.
Um, prior to that, you know,
it was whenever,
whatever gigs I could get, you know,
on my own.
And even now it's usually
brands and companies that are, that are,
you know, they go to a company like ZBD,
which
represents mainly different
(32:02):
inclusive types of models
like so they're obviously
going for that type of look
and that creative so it
doesn't feel like you know
there's a lot of work to
push for advocacy when the
brands already kind of come
coming for you
But when I would reach out
to makeup companies,
kind of cold email with sponsorships,
(32:25):
with social media sponsorships,
going with companies where
their messaging was already
in lined with differences,
but didn't have any models
to represent that.
And that would definitely be
my pitch is to kind of be like, hey,
if you're gonna be
representing or say that
you represent these types of people,
then you really need to
represent these types of people.
(32:45):
um sometimes it was oh wow
you're absolutely right we
would love to actually do a
sponsorship with you and
I'm the first you know
facially different type of
model that they've done any
type of work with others
where that's just not where
their marketing and focus
is is quite at um
So it's a handful of things.
(33:09):
But the brands that are
somewhat interested, like at Cosmetics,
when they come to us
looking for inclusive models, oh,
I'm right there.
Go into the social media
person or any type of
creative producer where I'm like,
how do we make this bigger?
How do we have a bigger
lasting relationship?
And I'm not just talking me.
(33:29):
I'm not just talking birthmarks.
I'm talking X, Y, and Z.
Um, how do we,
how do we do a campaign together?
Like it's, it's how to, it's,
I'm always trying to look
for how do we make this a
more lasting relationship?
It's not just off.
I do think I have done
things for free just to get
my foot in the door with
the brand to just show, Hey,
This is how well it can go.
(33:50):
This is how well it can do.
Here's just a little taste
of opening a door into
having a market of specifically,
eight hundred new million customers.
There's over eight hundred
million people with birthmarks.
over twenty four million
people in the world with
propion stains that's a
(34:11):
really big open market that
no one's really I have no
idea birthmarks you know
I'm not even talking about
all craniofacial
differences and I think
it's kind of just I try to
present it more in that way
just in more on their
language of like this is
here's a business model and
here's some numbers that
you're missing out on and
(34:33):
It's also creating projects
and trying to get into new avenues.
I've created a pitch for
Mattel for Birthmark Barbie
and trying to get
representation and advocacy
within that space,
trying to get representation,
advocacy in my own space
that I work in within, you know,
films and producing and
(34:54):
creating a slate of films
and finally have a roster
of individuals where I can
actually take this to and
something could actually
happen successfully with fingers crossed.
So there's there's a lot of
projects and avenues where in books,
you know,
different spaces that birthmark emojis,
you know,
facially different birthmark
emojis where we submitted,
they all got denied.
(35:15):
But so we're working.
Yeah.
That would be amazing to have emojis.
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
So it's, it's seeing kind of, you know,
where it lacks, which is everywhere,
and just seeing where I can
personally tap into where I
have expertise.
But that that also extends
to medical and physical.
(35:35):
you know actual like
policies and just
discrimination policies and
going to the the medical
boards and having a bit of
a refreshed actual medical
model and one how we
educate people about facial
differences or just you
know really differences in
general but facial
differences is a is a
really big thing and I
actually talked to um
(35:58):
I was doing this commercial
for figs it's a high-end
scrub company and so we had
it was twelve plastic
surgeons and doctors and
nurses and all in all these
different fields and there
was a few dermatologists
there and I asked them just
like hey I'm just so
curious so like currently
erwin when you were in
school like what was the
the educate the medical
(36:18):
education that you got off
of birthmark she obviously
knew what her birthmark was
because she's dermatologist
but she was like you will laugh and
We have one thirty minute
lecture to cover all three
thousand plus skin conditions.
And that's it.
Yeah,
I guess I keep saying we need to do a
(36:39):
better job of educating the
medical community and
getting in front of them,
because I remember years ago,
three or four of us from
the facial difference
community actually went
into a medical school and presented.
And they said they don't
have that opportunity to
hear from people themselves
(37:00):
because they're just
reading it in a textbook.
And that experience just was
life changing for them.
And I just feel like every time I do it,
I'm like,
we need to do more of this
because I think it's so important,
especially getting them
when they're just starting out.
So even just to know what
the proper terminology is
or what words to use, what not to use,
(37:23):
and thinking about that
person as a human being
beyond just the textbook person.
And so I think that I would
love to do more in the medical community.
Yeah.
So what advice would you
give to someone struggling
with self acceptance due to
(37:44):
their visible difference?
And maybe what would you say
if they wanted to do what
you're doing and get out
there and do acting or
social media in a big way?
Like what would you say to them?
um so much um I think you
(38:04):
know one of the biggest
things that took the
longest for me and it
seemed the most simplest
and one of the most
powerful was just don't
wait to ask for permission
no one's going to give it
to you um you will wait
your entire life for it um
start doing the things that
interest you now.
Start acting like the person
(38:26):
who you know that you
envision yourself to be.
There's this,
they call it the Batman effect.
And I love this.
And I did this growing up,
not even knowing this is
what I was doing.
But you embody the character
that you are either
envisioning or that you
deep down know that that's who you are.
(38:47):
You pretend to be
a character that you are too
fearful to already kind of
actually claim.
So you pretend it.
And when you pretend to be
this confident person going
into the grocery store,
I'm not going to let anybody bother me.
I'm this main character from
(39:07):
this movie and that I really love.
And I'm going to go and this
is how I'm going to go do my groceries.
It works a hundred percent of the time.
Sometimes you get out of it
because it kind of will feel silly,
but you practice it a little bit.
And before you know it,
you start becoming that,
you start embodying those
(39:28):
actual characteristics and
those behaviors.
To an extent.
But if that's your goal is confidence,
you will start to embody that.
So you totally fake it till you make it.
I think it is one of the
best psychological tricks
that one can do.
I still do it myself to this day.
I'm not feeling in a great mood.
I do the Batman effect.
I love that.
(39:48):
I love that concept.
I'm excited.
Yeah, I know.
Because it'll...
Just like an actor, you know,
the show must go on.
If the stage rolls up,
you gotta go on stage.
You gotta go and pretend to
be that character.
So I think it can be really
great in moments where you
need to turn it on immediately like that.
It's great for a gradual, you know,
(40:10):
results to get to from point
A to point B. And it really helps,
I think,
kind of take away that fear and
that seriousness,
because you're just playing,
you're just in,
you're pretending to be
kind of someone else that
you're able to then do this thing with.
which can really be helpful
to then get you to maybe
(40:32):
outline your difference for
the first time.
It might help you go and
post the photo for the very
first time to talk about it
with somebody.
If you want to be some type
of – any type of work
that's going to make you
stand out in your
authenticity and not hide –
(40:52):
I think that's a really,
really great way to do that.
And the only other thing
that I would give advice on
is that no matter what you do,
but especially if you're
going to get into a space
where you're going to be
showing yourself to others
and to the public and want to inspire,
have you be your only audience.
and post and talk about and
(41:14):
do the things that you
right now would like, would comment on,
would say, would go, yes,
I absolutely love this.
I would watch this.
Or your younger self would
feel incredibly inspired,
would love to see that, would feel X, Y,
and Z with you doing
whatever it is that you're doing.
(41:35):
That takes out all the noise
of worrying about anybody else.
anybody else's opinions,
whether they're known or stranger,
any doubt that you're going to have.
Oh,
I wonder if anybody's going to like this,
if they're going to find it funny.
Oh, it's probably really, really stupid.
Who cares if you get,
and if maybe your younger
self would have loved it
and felt inspired,
post all the stupid stuff,
say all the stupid things,
(41:55):
because if your audience approves,
which is you at the end of the day,
you're solid.
What great advice.
I have to take this advice.
I don't know myself.
Yeah.
It's a daily practice.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I love that.
So what has been one of the
most meaningful and
memorable moments in your
advocacy journey?
(42:17):
Oh man,
there's been a lot from moms
messaging me about their
daughter and then their
daughters did second grade,
their first day for second grade.
And they ended up, I got this fly.
It's like a guest star here.
They'll send me a photo of
like their birthmarks all
highlighted for the first
time ever that they've done
(42:37):
that out in public.
And now they're like the
most popular kid in their
grade in school to see my
face in Sephora and Ulta.
I mean,
I like I never actually would have
thought what would have
happened and be a possibility so that.
was a huge,
huge accomplishment and a
moment that I'll definitely never forget.
(43:00):
But yeah, there's, there's, it's,
I think another one too
that I also just can't,
I can't get over is just
meeting other people,
whether they're in the
birthmark community or like, you know,
with my face and the
craniofacial community,
which I guess birthmarks and, you know,
especially on the face, it's kind of,
they, they fall within that same category,
but just, yeah,
meeting other people like us, like it's,
(43:21):
it's,
that never gets old.
That has been one of the most impactful,
inspirational, most powerful, like family,
like just those moments mean so, so, so,
so much.
Um, so it's, it's, yeah, it's,
it's been a journey of,
(43:42):
of all of it being pretty amazing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I always say,
and I think it's so true here,
that there's power in the
shared story and knowing
you're not alone and the
connections you make when
you share your journey and someone says,
oh, I totally get it.
I can understand because
they're on that same
journey and it's just so powerful.
(44:02):
And so that connection that
other people may not understand,
they haven't grown up with
that or experienced it.
Right.
So, Paige,
you are the host this year of My
Faith Celebrates Gala on June fifth.
So exciting in New York City.
And so what does that mean
(44:23):
to you to do that?
Oh, man, that means like more.
I mean, yeah, it really means a lot.
I'm very, very honored to be able to
just even speak in a space
like that with the
individuals that are gonna be there.
I mean,
there's some powerhouses that are
(44:44):
gonna be there,
people that I look up to
that I'm inspired by.
So to even kind of like,
announce anything and host anything.
It feels really,
really fun and really incredible.
I'm ecstatic to just see
people that I've already met there,
meet new people that I haven't met there.
Because again,
(45:04):
meeting communities like this,
there's nothing else like it.
You don't walk into a room
feeling like this in any other space.
It's where you actually feel
seen and heard and
understood and you know
that people are looking at
you in such a different way.
(45:25):
That's a feeling that I've
craved for so long growing
up because I never,
never got that just until a
few years ago.
Yeah.
So being in that space alone
is just probably what I'm
most excited about.
But to just, yeah,
to kind of just soak up the
inspiration from everybody
(45:45):
is what I think is going to mean so,
so much to me.
Yeah, it's one of my favorite evenings,
I can say that.
And we are giving the
Courage Award to Adam Pearson,
who starred in A Different Man.
So that's also very exciting.
Very, very exciting.
I'm a huge fan of Adam's,
so I'm so excited to meet
him after his autograph, the whole thing.
(46:07):
I know, right?
Yeah.
If you'll have time for me, you know.
Exactly.
So...
How can people support
greater representation of
facial differences in media
and everyday life?
Yeah,
support your influencers and your
(46:28):
advocates on social media
that are doing this,
that are speaking about this.
Having a platform,
having an audience for us is huge.
It's because brands still look at that for
opportunities and and for
collaboration and for
sponsorship producers they
still look at that when
(46:48):
they want to fund a project
okay well who's in it how
many following do they have
it seems silly but and not
all people work that way
but a lot of people still
do okay well what what kind
of audience do you have if
you have a voice well how
many people are actually
following and wanting to
hear what you have to say so follow them
like and comment their posts,
share their posts,
help them create a community,
(47:10):
help them create a support,
because that helps open up
so many doors for us to
have access to be able to
speak in other places so
that our faces and bodies can be seen in,
you know,
the clothes that we wear and the
movies that we watch,
the books that we read.
Yeah, I would say that the most.
I mean, of course,
(47:30):
foundations need donations
to keep with the initiatives.
If people ever feel like
they've got money to spend,
we will absolutely, you know,
it goes to amazing causes.
It goes to people who really need it.
And it's a community that
we're trying to create
representation for.
But I, you know,
I think money is always a
(47:50):
hard subject for a lot of
people these days.
So I would just say go support,
just go follow these influencers and
you know, like, like what they're,
what they're fighting for.
And that actually helps a
lot more than I think a lot
of people realize.
Absolutely.
So you touched on this before,
but what would you say to
your younger self knowing
(48:11):
what you know today?
Um,
I think your cat has an opinion on that.
My cat has a few things, yeah.
He's got a few ideas.
Yeah, I mean, I'll say this again,
because it was just such a
big moment for me,
but just to don't ask for permission.
(48:34):
It really felt like the
silliest thing when I kind
of figured that out.
But also, like, you know, without judgment,
because I was like, well,
of course you didn't know
you had permission to
stand out and you didn't
have to just blend in.
(48:55):
And I think the other thing
I would have told her was
that the uncomfortability
that you make people feel
for just existing will never go away.
to learn which I think you
know I think you know us in
the situations that we were
in I think we were forced
to learn this pretty
quickly but there there for
(49:15):
a while I fought that
feeling though I thought
that like that oh I won't
be surprised next time
maybe that was the last
time you know oh well yeah
it won't come from a doll
or you know whatever it is um
And this being surprised and
having my expectations be
squashed were always really
difficult to recover from.
(49:37):
Yeah.
So I think that would have
been learn how to use that
uncomfortability to your
advantage a little quicker
and learn to kind of get
comfortable with other
people's uncomfortability.
And now it's at a point where I'm like,
I'm really into it,
maybe a little too much.
(49:57):
Now I got to kind of learn
to step back a little bit
because I feel like I'm
like this little demon of like,
Ooh, someone's uncomfortable.
Like how exciting.
So I got to tone it back a bit, but those,
those would have been the
things I would have told her.
I love the quote.
I think it's from wonder why
blend in when you were born to stand out.
And somehow that reminds me
(50:18):
of what you were just saying.
So who do you see when you
look in the mirror today?
Oh man, I see this badass, unapologetic,
like just like superhero, like woman.
Yeah.
I just,
I see someone who's fun and who's
like really enjoying themselves and,
(50:40):
and who they are.
And, um,
Yeah, I just see someone who has,
who would be like really
fun to hang out with.
So my last question is,
what are your dreams for the future?
And then where can people
find you on social media or
anywhere else?
(51:01):
My ultimate dream would be
that this is no longer a conversation,
that this is no longer work
and initiative and an
intention that I'm trying to do,
that inclusivity and
diversity is something to
fight for and that
representation awareness is
still a thing that we have to make.
I would just hope that that
now then exists and I can
(51:23):
maybe move on to just
creating normal stories
that still include us,
but normal has just kind of
shifted to what reality truly is.
But on a small scale, I mean, yeah,
I would love to see people
who look like me in my movies.
I would love to see people
(51:43):
who look like me in more dolls,
Barbie dolls,
on the billboards of the
clothes that we wear.
Those are smaller goals,
but ultimately would just
be that this conversation
really doesn't need to be had anymore.
And yeah, you can find me on Instagram.
(52:03):
I'm on TikTok and YouTube,
but my main platform is
Instagram at flawless
underscore effect with an
A. Website's kind of being
redone at the moment.
So I'm the most active on the IG.
I did go to the,
there was a Barbie exhibit
in New York City.
And they had all the Barbies
(52:24):
with different disabilities.
But I was thinking as I was
looking at them,
how amazing it would be if
there was a Barbie with a
facial difference.
They have with hearing aid
and not with an actual facial difference.
So I agree.
That would be huge.
Yeah, I mean,
there's there I was actually
surprised how many dolls
(52:46):
they kind of had in their
diversity collection.
Like, I think, you know, obviously,
they have it a Lego,
they have disabled Barbie in a wheelchair,
right?
I think they have limb difference Barbie,
like a deaf Barbie.
I think they have got blind
Barbie to Barbie.
So yeah, I mean, it's like,
the next one in line is
like a facial difference.
(53:06):
Like, come on.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Thank you, Paige,
for sharing your story and your advocacy.
And I love what you're doing
on Instagram and your messages.
And I can't wait to see you
at My Face Celebrates on
June fifth in New York City,
where you will be our host.
(53:26):
And we have Adam Pearson
getting the Courage Award.
And on My Face Stars Performing,
you are going to love that part.
It's my favorite part too.
So if people are interested,
you can learn more at
myfacecelebrates.org.
So thank you again, Paige.
Thank you so much.
I appreciate your time.
This was so lovely and so,
(53:47):
so excited to see you June fifth.
It's going to be great.
It's going to be so much fun.
It's going to be the best.
Thank you.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye.
Paige is an inspiration to
me and everyone she meets.
Everyone has a story,
and I'm hopeful that by
sharing stories like these,
(54:07):
we can create a kinder world.
For more than seventy years,
MyFace has been dedicated
to changing the faces and
transforming the lives of
children and adults with
facial differences by
providing access to holistic,
comprehensive care, education, resources,
and support that pave the
way for better outcomes.
(54:28):
To learn more, please visit myface.org.
If you would like to learn
more about the MyFace
support groups so that you
can connect with others in
the craniofacial community,
please visit myface.org
slash online dash groups.
Be sure to subscribe to
MyFace My Story on your
favorite podcast app and on
(54:48):
YouTube to get notified of
our next episode.
If you'd like to receive
email reminders of new episodes,
Sign up at myface.org slash mystory.
That's myface.org slash mystory.
Thank you for joining us for
this episode of My Face, My Story.
Remember,
(55:09):
it takes courage to share your story,
so be brave and stand out.
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com