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Black Models Turned Away From Casting Call: 'Afros Were A No-No'

Watch the ladies explain what happened at the casting for KYA Swim.

Two Black models, Joia Talbott and Kacey Leggett, are going viral for a video they shared on social media after they and other Black models were discriminated against at a casting call for Miami Swim Week. “They told us they didn't want any Black models and Afros were a no-no,” said Talbott.

The models said they were waiting in line for the casting for KYA Swim when they were told it had ended. However, after 10 to 15 Black women proceeded to leave, they said the women running the casting opened it back up for the fairer-skin women. Hmph.

Watch the video below:

KYA Swim said they are “deeply disturbed” by what went down at the casting and are investigating. “KYA Swim is proud of its record of diversity and we are the midst of looking into the events of last Thursday to review the actions of the production company in charge of the casting call,” the company said.

“I'm lost for words. I'm still trying to process what happened,” Kacey said in the video. “They were definitely not feeling my Afro at all, so I didn't stand a chance, right?” Joia said. “Wow. We're ready to go back to L.A. where we're appreciated, and we book,” she added. Joia further explained in an interview with Cosmopolitan that this casting “went above and beyond to be disrespectful and degrading towards women of color.”  

The Black women who were allegedly discriminated against had their own make-shift photo shoot in solidarity. Check out Joia’s caption below:

Kacey also posted the shots with the caption, “Yo! Somebody tell Miami there's No such thing as 'too Many Brown Girls.' The ladies are being praised online for their undeniable fierceness, beauty and natural hair. Yasss, queens!

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