Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamarea Parker Rushdan.
Hi Tamarea, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My mother moved our family to Durham back in ‘98 from Newark, New Jersey, where I was born. Growing up I dreamed of being where I am today, but I didn’t always believe the dreams I had were attainable for someone like me. The fondest memories I have of our time up north are of me performing with my two older sisters everywhere from family functions, to neighborhood talent shows, and even with the choir at church. In my heart, I always wanted to become some sort of artist, but for a very long time it all felt intangible; to picture-perfect to be true.
I started doing my own hair at a really young age, probably around 6 or 7, practicing to be a cosmetologist, like my mother aspired to be. I thought maybe I would end up a fashion designer, since all through middle and high school I would alter my old clothes with bleach, yarn, chains, safety pins, paint, and whatever else I could get my hands on. I’ve also always had a strong desire to write. Back in the day, I wrote songs with my friends to sing in our self-proclaimed girl group, MoNiDa. I used to even create plays and short stories concocting plots filled with love, family, drama, and chaos; see, this was around the time that Tyler Perry had made his big debut and we would all sit around and watch VHS recordings of his plays. I envisioned myself being on a big stage like that someday. I have always been in love with the runway, fashion, and being a muse for art and photography. To top it all off, the emergence of the platform YouTube and watching reality shows like Top Model and American Idol only heightened my hunger for stardom; it was much more than entertainment for me. I would ALWAYS watch to take notes. The lights and cameras felt so much more within reach, and I was determined to get in on the action. In middle school, I started a modeling team with other like-minded students and we would have so much fun together practicing our walks and posing techniques. Later in high school, I became a member of ENCORE, a faculty-led modeling troupe that hosted shows in the auditorium every semester.
The idea of having a backup plan was always stressed to me, so going to college after high school seemed like the only option. I graduated from Jordan High School and moved away to attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. At that time I knew little to nothing about the fashion industry, but I took all the notes I gathered watching from the outside over the years and I got hustling. I started by doing a lot of research online after stumbling across the website modelmayhem.com, which was really popular for networking with creatives and industry professionals back then. Between that site and Google, I was able to compile a list of photographers, designers, hair stylists, and make-up artists to contact about collaboration. I wrote countless emails, submitted for every casting call and agency I could find, and waited patiently for someone to break me in. Sophomore year of college things began to really take off. I wasn’t signed to an agency, so I represented myself and found my own gigs. That year alone, I was booked for the Bronner Brothers Hair Show, Charlotte Seen Fashion Week, the South Carolina Style Exhibition, a hair modeling campaign for Bignon’s Braids and Beauty Salon, and a boatload of other shoots with local photographers to get my portfolio started. That’s how I began working as a freelance runway and print model.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve never known what a “smooth road” looked like. My life has never been the most ideal. Grief and loss plagued my childhood, but if you were to see the younger version of me you’d never know that. I was always a happy, energetic, eager, and friendly person. My father was murdered back in New Jersey when I was around 3 months old. I lost my baby brother 4 years later before he even reached the age of one. My mom died in 2005, not very long after we made the transition down south. I learned very soon that life isn’t always so “picture perfect” after all.
Just when my modeling career began to take off, I found out that I was pregnant with my first son. I was in the middle of my third semester in college when I was diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction and hyperemesis gravidarum, a pregnancy condition described as “persistent severe or prolonged vomiting leading to weight loss and dehydration.” If you ask me, that definition is an understatement. Hyperemesis was DEBILITATING; life-altering.
The high-risk pregnancy forced me to take a step back from my goals of finishing college and modeling. I took a year off, then I got right back to business. About a year and a half after our first, my husband and I were welcoming our second baby boy and my body was singing the same sad tune. Yet again, life and everything I was building came to an abrupt halt. The tenacity embedded in my veins wouldn’t let me do anything other than BOUNCE BACK. After giving birth a second time, I shifted my focus from the show-biz dreams to the other goals that could provide more concrete stability for my family. I went back to school, again, and graduated from UNCC as a Certified Translator with a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and a minor in Urban Youth and Communities. I worked as a bilingual administrative professional until I was laid off by my employer in Charlotte.
That was the Friday before Christmas of 2018 when I went home to tell my husband the news. My daughter was only 7 months old. As one door seemed to slam in my face, another opened when I was offered a position working for a nonprofit in my hometown. We returned to bull city and everything was moving in the right direction. I had this amazing part-time office management role that allowed me the time to work on my personal goals. While working with the company they helped to increase my knowledge of business and nonprofit management, and I was even sent to obtain my NC Notary Certification by the employer. I worked remotely while attending New York Bridal Fashion Week, used PTO hours to leave on a moment’s notice to model for the BETX House of Fashion and Beauty in Los Angeles, and did it again when I was booked for New York Fashion Week in September 2019.
The team that I worked with was so supportive of me chasing my dreams. The work hours aligned with my children’s schedule just right and the location was perfect. It felt almost too good to be true. That’s when life stopped yet again, but not just for me this time; everything for everyone globally came to a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As my mentor, Leigh Bordley would always say, “We are all special, but not quite so different.” Although things may look sweet from the outside looking in, no one is exempt from the challenges and pitfalls of life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Modeling is what I’m most known for; everything from runway to print and promotional modeling. My photos have been published in a few magazines. I’ve been spotted on billboards and storefronts not only nationwide, but internationally. Many people know me as Tamarea The Model but that’s kind of all they see is the surface level of it all. They don’t always know everything I do in the background.
I am an independent model, but when I’m not modeling I also work as a Spanish Translator, Notary Public, and Administrative Professional. I like to think that my specialty is helping others. My aim is to utilize my strengths and talents to assist individuals, businesses, and brands to propel their mission while gaining the skills I need to move forward in my own personal goals. I have worked as a casting director for designer fashion shows, the Charlotte Braiding Expo, as well as for a number of video and brand photo shoots. In the past, I’ve provided one-on-one mentoring to others looking to market themselves for casting opportunities. From creative direction and planning to pose and runway coaching, I am always eager to use my knowledge to help someone. I’ve even dabbled some on the hair and make-up side of things. In 2020, I began working as a digital content creator and writer for Fruit of May, LLC., a lifestyle media publication based in Raleigh. In the downtime I had from working and modeling during the pandemic, I also picked up a new skill and began to gain recognition in the city as a baker and private caterer. I do a myriad of things, but I am proud to say that I’m able to do everything I love to do.
The sheer authenticity in my demeanor sets me apart from others. I move differently than most because my actions are deeply rooted in my values. I believe in the power of community and networking. I recognize that we’re all interconnected and that helps me to be more conscious of others, self-aware, and to remain a model in all aspects of my life, not just when I’m on stage. When I traveled to Los Angeles to model for the BETX House of Fashion and Beauty, that was made possible with the support of community members and supporters who believe in me. I was asked to be in Los Angeles within three days of receiving the confirmation email and I, of course, did not have a random flight ticket waiting to be used.
Through the power of social media, I was able to raise over $3,000 almost overnight in donations from people I knew, as well as from some that I had never even met before. That was my first time ever leaving the east coast. To receive so much love and support during that time was mind-blowing because I wasn’t even sure that so many people were paying attention to my journey and the fierce pursuit of my dreams. It was very moving because many even sent messages of how I’ve inspired them to chase their own goals. Working with BETX is something I’m very proud to say I was able to do with the help of everyone who believes in me in the community.
What’s next?
I’m really excited about working with upcoming and established beauty and fashion brands in the future. I don’t think my love for modeling will ever dissipate, so I’ll be attending castings and booking modeling gigs for as long as I can; even when I’m seasoned and gray. My hope is to land a role performing in a commercial campaign or music video shoot as a “lead girl”, two things I’ve always wanted to do during my modeling career. Lately, I’ve been more calculated and strategic about who I work with, aligning myself with designers, brands, and production companies that support and promote awareness about social issues that are important to me, such as body positivity, mental health awareness, planet preservation/environmental health, and so much more.
I want to find (or create) opportunities to become more engaged in model advocacy and training. I’m also really interested in doing more behind the scenes; such as creative directing, casting, and even on the digital side of things with photography, photo retouching, and video editing. The next step for me will be transitioning from a professional model to a modelpreneur.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/tamarea
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamareathemodel/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamareathemodel/
Image Credits
Tamarea The Model Ryan Lewis Photography Robin L. Marshall; Getty Images Amir Rushdan; Captured By Amir Photos With Katy Krylova – Barcelona, Spain Gigi Baylon Photography Torrance Patrick Photography Don Harris; Hardpress Studios Rachel Davis; The Dollyhouse Beauty Omni Chandler; Glory Strandz Image By Bignons Iris Sinclair- Celebrity Mua Ebony Hairston; Ebony Custom Eyes Artistry Sprayground Falcon Huggins Jasmine Rhodes; Kitty And Rhodes Visçera Ny Team Mcosta By Marcello Costa Modimel Weddings Yukiny Bk
