By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
Young people filled the Don Hatch Youth Center on Tuesday, September 15, getting an early look at what it takes to step onto a runway with confidence.
With the seventh annual Indigenous Children, Youth and Families Conference approaching in November, members of the Tulalip Youth Council and other local youth gathered for a modeling workshop designed to prepare them for an upcoming fashion show centered on Native youth, creativity, and expression.
Leading the workshop were Tlingit model and media professional Alyssa London and longtime makeup artist Amanda Adame. The evening gave youth a look at both sides of a fashion show, from commanding the runway to the work that takes place behind the scenes before a model ever steps in front of an audience.
For London, the runway is familiar territory. She became the first Tlingit woman crowned Miss Alaska USA in 2017 and went on to finish in the Top 10 at Miss USA. Her experience in pageantry, however, began much closer to home, through the Seafair Indian Village Powwow, where she represented the Eastside Native American Education Program.
London explained to attendees that the confidence they practiced that evening could carry into situations far beyond November’s fashion show. “These are transferable skills that you can use as you get a better sense of how you are: commanding a room, making eye contact with people, intentionally using your voice and your posture to convey messages.”
That confidence was something London said she had to develop on her own. As a third grader, she was terrified of public speaking and worried about being criticized when speaking in front of others. Her early experiences in pageantry helped her become more comfortable presenting herself publicly.
London asked the youth what made stepping in front of people intimidating. Some worried about being stared at, while others brought up the possibility of making a mistake. London encouraged them to think beyond that initial fear. “Sometimes it helps to play the track out and see that it might not actually be as bad as we actually think it is.”
Soon, the lesson moved from conversation to practice. Youth lined up for an opportunity to walk alongside London, learning how to carry themselves down the runway with posture, presence, and confidence. With each trip down the makeshift runway, participants had an opportunity to loosen up, find their stride, and put London’s advice into action.
London also led the group through breathwork and energy exercises in what she called “pre-game prep,” showing participants ways to settle their nerves and focus before stepping in front of an audience.
Adame then gave the youth a glimpse at the other side of the runway.
With nearly 26 years as a makeup artist, Adame told the group that her career has taken her from Seattle to Los Angeles and into weddings, theater, retail, film, red carpet events, and fashion shows. Like London, she told the youth that she began as a shy teenager who lacked confidence.
Adame found her place in theater, initially performing before realizing she was more comfortable working behind the scenes. That eventually led her to makeup, where something she had started doing as a teenager became a career.
“I was hired to do makeup because I knew how to do makeup. Didn’t realize I could make a career out of it,” she said.
Her experience offered another message to youth interested in November’s show: the runway is only one place to participate in the fashion and entertainment industries. Adame encouraged those interested in makeup, hair, and other production roles to consider the opportunities available behind the scenes.
“I’ve worked pageants, and it’s so much fun. Thankfully, I’m not walking that runway, but I get the models ready for it,” Adame said. “You can take it to a career, but also an opportunity to work in that industry as a crew.”
Instead of simply watching a demonstration, participants learned firsthand some of the techniques Adame uses to prepare people for cameras and shows. She demonstrated makeup application and explained how a look can move from camera-ready to glam, while a couple of participants had the chance to work with makeup on their own.
Adame also gave the group a sense of the fast pace behind a professional production. Models and performers may be called to the stage before a makeup artist feels finished, she explained, making preparation and the ability to work under pressure important parts of the job.
“It’s kind of overwhelming, but it’s fun,” Adame said. “That’s the fun for me. It’s exciting, and it gets you on your toes and working quickly, learning how to work under that pressure.”
By the end of the workshop, the youth had experienced more than a lesson in modeling. They had practiced walking a runway, worked on confidence and presence, learned ways to prepare themselves mentally, and received a firsthand introduction to the work required behind the curtain.
Those lessons will have a chance to come together on November 4, when the Tulalip Problem Gambling Program presents a Native youth fashion show at the Tulalip Resort Casino during the seventh annual Indigenous Children, Youth and Families Conference. This year’s conference carries the theme “The Path Forward,” with the special event honoring the four directions and four elements while centering Native youth.
Organizers are inviting Native youth artists and designers working in couture, streetwear, leisurewear, and other styles. Opportunities also extend to models, makeup artists, hair designers, and performers interested in poetry, spoken word, and expressive theater.
The fashion show will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Tulalip Resort Casino’s Orca Ballroom and will include dinner, a DJ and MC, a red carpet, a photo booth, and a selfie station.
The submission deadline for participants is October 1. For more information, contact Sarah Sense-Wilson at 360-716-4304 or Clarissa Young-Weiser at 360-716-4223.