Expanding the Concept of Beauty with Justin Stewart

myFace, myStory

On this month's myFace, myStory podcast episode, host Dina Zuckerberg is joined by Justin Stewart, who will share his journey from being born with frontonasal dysplasia with a cleft in his nose to being a signed model and the adversity and challenges he faced along the way. Through motivational speaking, he encourages others to be true to themselves and to be brave in this action.

- [Announcer] Welcome to "myFace, myStory: Voices from the Craniofacial Community." With your host Dina Zuckerberg.

- Hello and welcome to "myFace, myStory: Voices from the Craniofacial Community." Whether you're watching on YouTube or listening on Apple Podcasts, click Subscribe now to the You'll never miss a future episode. And if you're a fan of "myFace, myStory" rate and review the program on Apple Podcast so we can get a message of inclusivity and empowerment to more people. I'm your host, Dina Zuckerberg, the Director of Family Programs at myFace. I was born with a cleft lip, a hearing loss, and no vision in my left eye. "MyFace, myStory" is about people like us being seen and heard about sharing stories within the craniofacial community and with others. Today I will be joined by Justin Stewart. Renowned as a signed model and influential figure in the world of social media, Justin has left an indelible mark through his impactful participation in numerous viral campaigns, amassing over five million views across various platforms. His portfolio boast features in esteemed publications such as Vogue Magazine, Truly, VH1, "Good Morning America," and "ABC News." With a career adorned by collaborations with prominent brands like Nike, TELFAR, Google, and Rick Moss Maybach Music, Justin has become a recognizable face in the industry. Beyond the glamour of modeling, Justin's platform is a beacon for advocating inclusivity and representation, especially for the craniofacial community. His relentless efforts strive to reshape the modeling and entertainment landscape, emphasizing the importance of diversity and empowerment. Through his work, Justin stands as a beacon of inspiration and change, aiming to pave the way for more inclusive and diverse industry. Welcome, Justin. I really look forward to our conversation.

- Good to see you.

- Hi, Dina. Thank you so much for having me.

- Yes. So I'm looking forward to our conversation. Can you share about your facial differences for those who may not know, and tell us about how many surgeries you've had.

- Yeah, so I've had two surgeries in my life. I have frontonasal dysplasia, which is a form of cleft. So I'm in the cleft family.

- Okay.

- But yeah, I've had two surgeries. One when I was six months old, and the other one was when I was about 13, 12 to 13 years old. Of course, I don't remember the one when I was six months, but the one when I was about 12 or 13, I can remember them taking cartilage from my left ear and doing some reconstructive work with that from my nose.

- Okay, and how has growing up with a facial difference affected you? Give us a glimpse into your life growing up.

- I mean, it was definitely challenging being one of the only in my neighborhood and where I played sports at and where my family resided. I was always the standout. I didn't look like anybody else or resemble anyone, so I always felt like I just stood out where I was the shadow. So growing up, trying to navigate that and trying to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be was definitely a challenge for sure.

- I can relate to that for sure. So what was school like for you? I know you dealt with a lot of bullying.

- Yeah, school was rough. I mean, kids can be cruel. I feel like I had a few friends throughout my life that were very supportive of me, and we're still friends to this day as me as an adult. But just the overall general, like school was rough. It was really rough just dealing with kids, asking questions, kids being ignorant, kids saying mean things. It was rough, but I had a great support system at home. I had a great support system with my friends. And I played sports. Like, that was really, really big for me in my development as well. So it was rough, but we made it through.

- I always say when I talk to the kids when I go into school, they always say that all do you need is one or two good friends to get through it all. So yeah, for sure. So what or who gave you the strength to get through all that bullying growing up?

- I think that's an interesting question. I feel like for me, I knew that all of these things were happening to me for a reason, and I just didn't know what the reason was yet. Like, I knew I was here for a purpose. I knew I would be doing like some really big things in life. I knew that at a very young age, but I just didn't know what. And that was something that really inspired me and kept me motivated and kept me inspired to keep going and keep pushing forward, just that idea of, I don't know what it is or what that reason may be, but I know I have it, and I'm just gonna just keep pushing forward and keep striving for greatness, essentially. And like I said before, I had a great support system. Like my older brother is my hero, my oldest brother, Donald, he's my hero. I have a twin brother named Jordan, was not cleft affected, but we're twins. So we were very, very close growing up. Literally my best friend. So without him I wouldn't be here either. And my little sister Victoria was major when it came to that as well, because I stepped in a role as a older brother. So I knew I had somebody that was looking after me as well. And of course, I have my parents, like I have a great support system between my mom, my dad, my uncles, my grandfather, somebody that I truly, truly admire, my grandfather. So I had the whole package when it came to support.

- Amazing. Yeah. I always say that my family was my greatest support too. So speaking of big things, what made you decide to be a model? How did you get into it?

- That story is really crazy in itself. I was in high school. I think I was a senior in high school and kind of segueing into college, my freshman year of college. And I was just sharing a lot of things on social media. Like, school was really hard, didn't really have a sense of community, and I went on social media essentially looking for that. Like, my whole goal was sharing my story on social media. Wasn't even to be an influencer, it was just to find people that understood what I was going through and just trying to connect with them. And that's how I pretty much started on social media. And a few posts caught a lot of attention. And then that's when I got into sharing more and being an advocate, being a cleft advocate, being an anti-bullying advocate was something that was very, very important to me in the early stages of my career. And from then with all the influencing work came these modeling opportunities that I never dreamed would be possible, never a million years would I have thought that, you know, I could do any of these things. I've never like seen anybody in the craniofacial community in movies, on TV, on the billboards in Times Square, so I just never thought it was possible. And I knew of like athletes or just public figures that had cleft or had a craniofacial difference, but they weren't people that we could touch. They weren't people that were reachable to us. So it was definitely a thing where it was just, like, a lot of nerves, like not really having anybody to talk to about that aspect either that was already in the industry that dealt with some similar things. But I definitely took the leap of faith, and we're here now. And I can just, you know, shoutout my agency for believing in me and taking a chance on me and seeing something that I didn't even see in myself at the time.

- Right, so what was it like for you when you did your first modeling job?

- My first modeling job was actually really cool. My first experience on any set, I would say, it was probably like the experience that you would probably want to hear about it. It was just a lot of nerves. Like, I was really scared. And I remember like asking everybody in my family, like, I needed somebody to come with me because I didn't wanna go by myself, but everybody had something going on in that particular day. So I had to go by myself, which I didn't want to do. And I remember just being there alone, and everybody had like a friend there, or like a family member there, and I was like the only one that was by themselves. And I remember being on set and it was just a lot of lights, a lot of cameras, like, a lot of direction and movement. And it was really hard, it was really hard. My anxiety was through the roof, and it was challenging, it was very challenging. And I remember I met somebody there that day, one of my biggest mentors in my career. Her name's Christiana. And I remember walking in, and I remember seeing her not knowing who she was. She's a very renowned model, been on "America's Next Top Model," like she is big time. And I remember just seeing her not knowing anything about her, not knowing who she was. And she just made the experience so much better for me. Like, I was so anxious, so nervous, so just out of it. And she spoke to me, we talked, she gave me a lot of pointers, she gave me a lot of great advice. And she just overall just made the experience so much better for me, and we ended up keeping in touch. Like, I remember leaving there. I remember calling my mom after I left and I was like, "Listen, I will never, ever, ever do this again in life." Like, that was a conversation I had with my mom at the time. But I can remember leaving and Christiana kept in touch with me, like I went back to school, did some things down there in college, and she kept in touch with me all the way and was very supportive of me with my advocacy work and my modeling career as well. And she's one of the reasons why I decided to stick with it and continue to pursue a career.

- Right, so what do you love most about modeling now that you've done it?

- Honestly, I love everything. Like, the best part would probably be seeing the creator's visions come to life. Like, I'm such a small part in creating the vision. Like, there's so many things that go into, you know, creating something meaningful or just creating art. Like I'm just the talent, I'm just one piece of it. There's so many other things that go into it. And just seeing all those things come together to make something out of art is just really incredible to me.

- And do you have a sense, like, what has been the response that you have received from people as someone who's a model in the industry?

- I've received a lot of good responses. I received some negative responses as well, but that's what comes with it, you know, like, not everybody's gonna see the vision and that's on them. The vision is for me. God placed it on me. So if people don't understand, and people don't see it and recognize it, I don't fault them for it. I don't, you know, put my head down. I just continue to move forward and continue to collaborate and support the people that choose to do the same with me.

- Do you think modeling has helped shape the person you are today?

- 100%, I don't think I would be the person that I am today if it wasn't for this journey that I'm on. I've met so many people, so many people, including yourself. I don't even think we would have been able to connect if it wasn't for this journey that I've been on as well. So I've just been able to meet so many people and build so many relationships that have truly helped me and inspired me, not just in my professional life and my career, but my personal life as a cleft-affected adult as well, you know? And I feel like that's something that normally gets forgotten about. Like, I am a model. I've done some really great things. I've accomplished some goals. I've been in the spotlight for our community, but I do think my personal cleft-affected story does get forgotten about, and that's something that I still have to just cherish and take care of and uplift as well. So I would say no, I wouldn't be the person that I am today if it wasn't for this journey that I've been on in my modeling career.

- I say that all the time when I do the work that I do about how I wouldn't be the person I am today if not for the journey that I've been on. So I can totally relate to that. To our audience, I hope you're enjoying this episode of "myFace, myStory." Whether it's your first time joining us or you've been with us since the beginning, make sure you've subscribed to our YouTube and Apple Podcast channel and sign up from mailing list at myface.org/mystory. So Justin, how do you think the outside world, popular media perceives facial differences? And has that ever affected how you see yourself with regards to your beauty or who you are?

- I think that's a great question. I've had this conversation with somebody the other day. We were talking about just representation and inclusivity as a whole within not just the modeling industry but the entertainment industry. And I think we've came a long way. I really do. I think we're moving in the right direction. I think things have kind of stalled out a little bit when it comes to inclusivity and representation, and not just the facial difference community, but the plus size community as well and just the difference community overall. Just anybody with a difference, anybody that looks different. But like I said, I think we've made some meaningful steps. There are a lot of people out here in the modeling world, the acting industry and just social media that have been given the spotlight and given the chance to share their story and showcase their skills because we have some very, very talented people that have a lot to offer that are in our industry. So, like I said, I think we've made some meaningful steps, some leaps and bounds, but I do think that there's a lot of work to do.

- Right, which that was my next question, are we're making headway? So I agree. I think there's a lot of work to be done. But I feel like in the last, I don't know, three, four years even, there has been a, it's changing and I think for the better.

- Yeah, I think it started around like that 2020 to 2021 period where we just saw like, just a huge increase of attention being brought to, again, not just our community, but all these communities. And we have some really, really great people. It's interesting that you ask that question though. And I always have to give credit to the plus size community because they were the ones that really started this thing of people that were different that just didn't care, and they wanted to be seen and they wanted to be heard. And that plus size movement that started, I don't think we would be here if it wasn't for them, honestly speaking. And I just want to give them their flowers whenever it comes time to speak about representation and inclusivity and tokenism and all those kinds of things that we're dealing with in the industry right now.

- Are there others that you know of in the craniofacial community who are doing what you're doing, modeling, and have you come across it?

- I've met a few. I've met a few. I don't want to name drop 'cause I don't wanna forget anybody.

- No, it's fine.

- But I've met some really great people. And it's a great feeling to know that I've been able to inspire others to start their journey as well. And that's something that, again, like I couldn't even have dreamed of, was somebody saying like, "I'm starting this because of you." Like "Me, little me."

- Right, right.

- So, it's very just heartwarming, and it keeps me grounded and it keeps me humble, and it's a constant reminder on this journey to keep going and to keep pushing forward because it is tough, it is hard. And it does get discouraging at times. It does get lonely sometimes, but to know that, you know, I'm not alone on this journey means everything to me.

- Right, so shifting a little bit, why is advocacy so important to you?

- I think advocacy is important to me because I just wish I would've had, you know, the Wonder Project at my school when I was in the third grade, or somebody just around that just looked like me, that could pull me to the side and just tell me like, "Nah, you're gonna be all right, and you're not the only one that's going through this." When I was growing up, I literally had like no idea that there were other people out there that looked like me or resembled me or just went through some of the similar things. Like, I grew up in pretty much the same neighborhood all my life, same block, same kids. So I'm around like the same people. And social media wasn't as big as it is now when I was coming up. Like it was around, but I didn't have access to it as much. So advocacy is just important to me because I know that there's kids out there, there's even young adults, adults out there that we're all going through the same thing. And sharing our story is just so important because it's just a reminder that we're not alone in this journey, and we can all come together, you know?

- Yeah, it's really powerful when you realize that there's others that have been on that same journey. I spent so much of my childhood thinking I was the only one who had certain experiences. And then as I've gotten older and started to meet others in the craniofacial community, I realized, wow, I wasn't the only one that felt that way or that had those experiences. So it is really empowering, so thank you for your advocacy. So speaking of social media, you are a influencer and have a big following. What are the messages you are trying to get out of there? And what do you want people to know when you're posting and sharing your story?

- I think that's a good question as well. I feel like I'm on an interesting journey right now, and I have a interesting relationship when it comes to social media. I feel like when I first started, I was just doing a lot of advocacy work and sharing my story and just really just trying to put myself out there to be a advocate and to meet people and to connect with followers, connect with the community, connect with people outside of my community. Like I was just all in, you know? And now a few years down the line, just dealing with life, growing as a young adult, like, not that I've gotten away from it, but I just really care more about the authenticity of my work and my craft and what I choose to put out there. I think like just the influencer world can get really performative at times, and a lot of stuff isn't really authentic and realistic. And I think I had like this tug-and-pull relationship. Like, well, do I post stuff that I really and truly care about that I align with, me personally? Or do I continue to feed, you know, my audience things that they would like and what they would enjoy? Like, would they enjoy the things that I truly like, you know? So I really have like this interesting relationship with social media right now, but I feel like I've been trying my best to just stay as real and as authentic as possible. And I don't think I was always like that early on in my career. I think this is like the most, like the things that I've been posting about now and sharing now I feel like this is like the realest and the most authentic Justin that my audience has ever seen, especially with me letting them in with other aspects of my life as well outside of advocacy and the craniofacial community, because that's just a fraction of who I am as a person. Like, I do have cleft, I do identify with the community, but that isn't my entire identity. Like, now I'm an educator, I'm a brother, I'm a son, I coach basketball, I'm a college basketball coach. So like, there's so many other things that I have to offer and I can give to the world, and I'm just trying to find ways where I can share that and still be true and authentic to myself.

- So speaking of that, that was the next segment I was gonna go into. So you have a passion for basketball and are basketball coach. Tell us about that.

- Well, I started off really young. My father has been a basketball coach my entire life. And he's somebody that I will always look up to. Like, the men in my life, I just have great men in my life overall. Like my dad, my grandfather, my uncle Steven, my uncle Keith, like those are my heroes, like, my heroes. I was blessed to have really, really strong men in my life. But back to my dad in particular, like I said, he was a basketball coach all my life. So I've been around basketball just from the beginning. And I can just remember just being at high school games and being at recruiting visits when he would be recruiting kids and I would have to tag along, him doing home study with kids, working with kids. So I've just always been around basketball, I've always been around education, I've always been around the youth. And I guess that says a lot about the path that I chose for myself, 'cause of following in the same footsteps. So yeah, my father's just, he's great, man, he's great. And like I say, he is always been a coach. And I'm glad that I can follow in his footsteps a little bit because I mean, as sons, like, he has three sons, and you know, as sons looking up to their dads, all you wanna do is be like your dad, you know? So it feels good to follow in his footsteps and do something positive, you know?

- Nice. So you've also worked in education, as you mentioned. What is it like working with kids, and how have they reacted to you having a facial difference?

- I've had some interesting conversations, and it's led to me being able to be an advocate and to educate. I don't know if, like, in the building that I work in particular, like, I don't think they've had anybody cleft-affected ever in that building, you know? So I look at it as an opportunity. Like if I get questions or I get a comment, I don't really look at it in a negative way. I look at it as an opportunity to be an advocate and to educate these kids, because I know when they leave here, like they'll remember me and they might see somebody one day that resembles me or has cleft or just anything in general. And maybe they'll think back to those conversations that we had about how treating people with respect is important because you never know, you know?

- Right, right. Well, we definitely, I know you wanna do the Wonder Project. We definitely need to make that happen, 'cause I know we've been talking about it. So have you found acceptance in your life, or is it a lifelong journey, would you say?

- I feel like it's a lifelong journey. I remember the first time we met, the first time we met was a really heavy day for me because that was the first time, and I remember we talked about this, but that was the first time I was actually in a room with people that were all cleft affected. And here I am at, what, 22, 23 at the time. And you would've thought I'd been in a couple rooms considering all the advocacy work that I've done and all the things that I've been able to do. But for me, that was my first time ever.

- Wow, yeah.

- So I was just dealing with all these emotions, positive, negative, just flowing with all these different emotions that I never necessarily felt before and had to process that. And that was, what, just a year ago, a year and a half ago.

- Right.

- I think it'll always be a constant journey of acceptance. When it comes to my career, like my career is solely based upon my appearance and my performance. So again, it can get negative, and it can get discouraging at times, and I just have to continue to push through and move forward. I don't think there's, like, I don't know if I'll ever get to a point where I'm just fully content and fully happy and just fully just, I'm here and this is great and everything's perfect. I don't think that'll ever be something for me personally. I think it's just a constant journey of just watering my plants and continuing to love myself and just taking it day by day.

- I love that image, and I'm not sure, honestly, there's anybody out there that's perfectly happy and content, and I think that's life. It has its ups and downs, it has everything. So I think, yeah. So what are your hopes and dreams for the future?

- My hopes and dreams for myself or just in general?

- I think for yourself. Or the industry that you're in or, yeah.

- I would say the hopes and dreams for myself would just be just to continue to strive and to actually become the best version of myself, in whatever that may be. I'm working in an industry where things aren't really consistent and there's a lot of ups and downs. So if that's not the avenue, then I would have to be okay with that, you know?

- Right.

- It would be great to say, I would achieve all of those goals and be a full-time model and work with all the brands and the companies in the world. But just like we spoke about before, like, that is just a fraction of who I am. So I would just say to be the best version of myself, in whatever God and the universe see that to be, I would want to be that, you know?

- I love that. So knowing what you know now, what is one thing you would tell your younger self going back in time?

- Well, one thing I would tell my younger self would be, "You were right." "You were right, you knew you would be doing something special. Way to not listen to the haters and the doubters." I would pat myself on the back for that. But I would also say just stay patient and trust the process and trust the journey. Like, I feel like I'm a very goal-oriented person. Like, I have like a lot of goals. Like I'll write 'em down, I'll put them on my wall, just goals and things that I wanna achieve. But I feel like the journey and the process, like I'll miss that along the way sometimes because I'm so focused on the end result, and I'll forget about the entire journey, and I won't cherish and take in the entire journey in the process and what I'm supposed to learn from that. I'll lose sight of that sometimes. So I would tell my younger self, like to continue to trust the process and fall in love with that and fall in love with the journey, and your goals, they'll take care of themselves.

- Right. That's great. So who do you see when you look in the mirror today?

- I see somebody who's come a very long way. I'm not the person that I was a few years ago. I'm not the same person I was a few months ago, you know? So I would see somebody who's constantly changing, constantly evolving, constantly growing and open to you trying new things and being just better. And I like what I see in the mirror.

- Love that. So where can people follow you on social media or anywhere?

- Everybody can get at me on Instagram and TikTok @JustinStewart, full.

- Great. So Justin, thank you for sharing your journey with us and for being a trailblazer in a career that is hard for anyone with or without a difference to succeed in. You are not only a model but also a role model for so many in the craniofacial community and beyond. So keep doing what you're doing and thank you.

- Thank you so much, Dina. I appreciate you, always.

- Yes. So Justin is an inspiration to me and everyone he meets. Everyone has a story, and I'm hopeful that by sharing stories like theirs, we can create a kinder world. For more than 70 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 paved the way for better outcomes. 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/online-groups. Be sure to subscribe to "myFace, myStory" on your favorite podcast app and on YouTube to get notified of our next episode. If you'd like to receive email reminders of new episodes, sign up at myface.org/mystory. That's myface.org/mystory. Thank you for joining us for this episode of "myFace, myStory." Remember, it takes courage to share your story, so be brave and speak out.

- Hi, I'm Stephanie Paul, the executive Director of myFace. MyFace is a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the faces and transforming the lives of children and adults with facial differences. We do this through various programs and events such as the "Transforming Lives Educational Webinar Series," "Races for Faces," "The Wonder Project," and the groundbreaking "myFace, myStory" conversational series. You can learn more about all of these on our website at myface.org. If you enjoyed today's program, we hope you'll consider making a donation to help keep programs like this possible as well as to further the support of the craniofacial community. Thank you.