Kimberley Leech, 15, from Derby looks white but she’s actually black.

This is because she has Oculocutaneous Albinism Type 1 and this affected her skin, hair, and eye colors.

But it doesn’t matter for Kim because she’s making her mark in modeling especially after Zebedee management signed her up. She even made it to the pages of Vogue Italia.

Watch her inspiring story below.

[rumble video_id=v5r40p domain_id=u7nb2]

Video credit: Rumble

Kim said: “I think it’s important for everyone to accept themselves – I want albinism to be portrayed in a good light through the media.”

Kim appeared on TV show GMTV in a feature for a ‘Forever Home’ and that’s how Debra, her adoptive mother, came to know about her. Debra already had two biological children who had albinism and immediately moved to adopt Kim before her first birthday.

Debra said: “I already had Jonathan who has albinism and had a good foundation of knowledge of what it meant and how it would affect Kim.”

Kim’s siblings both have Oculocutaneous Type 2 so they only have some skin pigmentation, unlike Kim’s condition.

Kim is more prone to skin damage and has to be careful not to be too exposed to the sun, even when it’s cloudy. She also has reduced vision and has nystagmus, a condition where the eyes make uncontrolled and repetitive movements.

“If I’m emotional, upset, frustrated or tired my nystagmus kicks in and my eyes wobble a lot.”

Kim has to use a white cane when walking around unfamiliar places because she also lacks depth perception.

She explained: “My white cane helps me know how many steps to go down without falling down any of them.”

The white cane made her feel self-conscious as a teenager: “I felt insecure using my cane, I was afraid of judgment.

“It used to affect my confidence, now I’m not really bothered.”

But despite her brave words, Debra believes Kim is more affected than she wants to admit.

“As a teen, Kim’s looks are completely different, and her body shape is completely different – which she has struggled with quite a lot.

“For a teenager going out carrying a white cane, it’s another example of her standing out and looking different.”

Kim has gotten her share of nasty comments, especially when it comes to race.

She explains: “I do look Caucasian and most people don’t know what to say because of how different I look.

“When people say I’m not black, it makes me feel – I don’t know what the word is, because I know I am black.

“It’s a lack of education really.”

Some people even accuse Kim of being white yet trying to be black: “They call me an inside-out Oreo. It used to affect my confidence, but now my confidence has grown a lot.”

Making inroads in modeling certainly helped boost Kim’s confidence. After she was signed up by Zebedee Management last summer, Kim has already accumulated an impressive portfolio.

“I always wanted to model, but it was the fact that I have albinism and I can empower people by being an ambassador.”

So far, one of the highlights of Kim’s career was when she was photographed by Sophie Mayanne for Vogue Italia’s ‘Fantagirl: I Am the Woman I Am’ series.

“I’m really lucky that was one of my first jobs and I’ve created a good and sturdy platform for myself.”

Following her appearance in Vogue Italia, a couple of national newspapers and media outlets, including the BBC and ITV, have followed Kim’s career.

Kim sees this as just the beginning and hopes to keep educating society about albinism and that it’s okay to follow one’s dreams even if one looks different from normal.

“Many people who have a condition are not comfortable in themselves. I want this film to show that despite my disability, I have accomplished something great in my life.”

 

Replaced!