Erin Tatum

It’s very fitting to be writing this on Mother’s Day. My mom and I went everywhere together. We were always side-by-side. We traveled the world. Every adventure was symbiotic. When I had the opportunity to attend the Steve Irwin Gala in Las Vegas last year, my mom suggested that I bring my friend in her place so that we could have a fun girls’ trip. I thought nothing of it, unaware that she had an upcoming neurology appointment. She was diagnosed with ALS 11 days later.

When did you realize that becoming a model was actually attainable? It’s honestly hard to pinpoint an exact moment that I knew becoming a model was attainable. For me, I think it was almost more of a moment of self-realization once I was already heavily involved in the industry. It was more of a “wow, this is actually real life now” type of reaction. Modeling is a career that’s very much self-created; it doesn’t necessarily come with guidance or someone telling you what steps to take.

Public speaker and accessibility consultant Catarina Rivera exudes self-assurance. But that wasn’t always the case. “I feel proud of who I am now,” she says. “As a disabled Latina woman, it’s taken me a long time to get here, so I relish my disability joy and my self-confidence. I think I shine the most when I’m radiating joy and when I’m in alignment with myself. I feel most joyful when I’m salsa dancing, having travel adventures, and having my tea times.