Published 18:56 30 Oct 2017 GMT

Modelling agencies reach out to college student after university homecoming photos went viral

You can expect to see a couple of things at any given homecoming event around the US: a game of American football, a parade, marching bands and maybe a banquet. There's undoubtedly a dance and a subsequent coronation of a Homecoming Queen (and King, if he's lucky). But for one student attending homecoming festivities at Howard University in Washington DC, she got way more than expected. A photographer capturing the "best dressed" at the homecoming festivities wrote that "Howard University is not voted one of the best well-dressed schools on the planet for nothing". And one from the handful of students that caught his eye was Plymouth State University sophomore student Anok Yai. [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BahRBGKnZdB/]] When asking to take her photo for his Instagram account TheSUNK, the photographer said there was a chance that his photos could go viral, given that he has a following of 16 thousand people. But little did the 19-year-old know exactly the kind of attention his images would attract. He snapped two images of the New Hampshire biochemistry student, who was wearing high-waisted denim shorts with a sheer black top. Yai said when she first saw the what the photographer captured, she initially considered it "an average photo" and thought that she didn't really like the way her face looked. But, it seemed that everyone begged to differ. [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BahqMEDh22W/]] "Saw her right at the end of Yardfest," TheSUNK wrote in the caption to accompany the two photos, "Stunning @anokyai". Sure enough, the photos racked up a huge 11,300 likes, and Yai's own Instagram account tagged in the post was flooded with new followers and comments. Her Twitter account got equally as much attention. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/anok_yai/status/922226918606372864]] "My phone just started vibrating rapidly for a long, long time," Yai told The Boston Globe, telling them about the moment she noticed the photos were going viral. "At first, I honestly thought someone made a meme of me or something." She said her new followers began tagging different modelling agencies on her Instagram posts and Twitter to give her a contract. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/dopelike_mimi/status/922962358502416384]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/lesliemariel777/status/922254557949898753]] And it looks like it worked – Yai said she's been directly contacted by three modelling agencies. It's something the 19-year-old never thought would come true, who said fashion and art have always interested her but that modelling was only a far-fetched dream. "It was a dream that I always wanted, but I wasn't sure if it was going to happen," she said. "At first, I questioned what everyone was seeing because I didn't really see it. Honestly, I think that people get so used to seeing themselves that people don't see their own beauty because they see it everyday." Now that a few agencies have reached out to her, Yai said she could see herself modelling as a part-time thing. She studies biochemistry, and many people are urging her to finish that degree while also taking the modelling opportunity. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/1stTylerCollins/status/922600370748080129]] Thanks to the viral photos and a band of supportive new followers, Yai has been given a chance that she's only dreamed of. Whatever she chooses to do next, it's sure to be exciting. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/anok_yai/status/923987240166023168]] "Big things are happening," she tweeted mysteriously. Whatever that means, we wish her all the best.

entertainment2 min(s) read

Published 16:37 09 Aug 2018 GMT

This college student's mugshot is going viral because of how super-glamorous she looks

Tom Wood

While little good can come out of being arrested, the rise of so-called #MugshotBae has propelled several individuals into the spotlight. Of course, there's the "hot felon", Jeremy Meeks, who landed an international modelling contract after his mugshot started making the rounds on social media, but now a college student has gone viral after people started pointing out just how glamorous her mugshot was.

In February of this year, Marshala Perkins did her makeup ready to go out with her friends. However, before she was able to set off, the college student was approached by two Hunt County police officers at her car. "[One officer] asked me for my handicap sticker because I was in a handicap spot," Marshala told As/Is, clarifying that her mother, whom she often drives around, has a disability. "I gave it to him and he brought it back, said everything was clear."

But instead of leaving matters there, the police officer allegedly said "It smells like weed in here", and told her to exit the vehicle so that she could be searched. The officers found two grams of marijuana, which the self-taught makeup artist had planned to smoke with her friends. "And so I went to jail for it with my beat face," Marshala stated, referring to her gorgeous makeup look.

And I mean, just take a look at her mugshot...

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/mugshotbaes/status/986691850374443009]]

Five months later, Marshala's mugshot went viral after a Twitter user reposted the image with the caption, "We need a tutorial! Free her!"

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/proletariatitty/status/1022885694551810050]]

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/SandiaMarcellon/status/1022978097904316416]]

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Tumsaso/status/1023164111729950720]]

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"At first I was embarrassed because that’s not really something that you want to be broadcasted," the 19-year-old said in response to all the press attention. "But then when I saw all the support for me with my face beat—because makeup is something that I really wanted to do—I was like 'Okay!' I wasn’t feeling too bad about it.”

Marshala has never previously been arrested prior to the night of February 6th when she was charged with possession of marijuana, held overnight in jail, and ordered to pay $2,000 in court fees during the course of her six-month probation period.

The college freshman has since drawn attention to the fact that many of her fellow black students have had similar experiences. "I mean it was getting to the point where nobody that I was meeting was able to tell me, ‘Oh no, I was never arrested down here for marijuana’ or ‘I’ve never been stopped or searched or anything,'" she told the publication.

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjcx6usnM_6/?taken-by=marshalaaaa_]]

According to FBI data published by The Intercept, Texas police officers made more annual marijuana arrests in 2016 than law enforcement officials in any other state. In conjunction to this, a 2013 ACLU study found that while the use of marijuana is largely equal between black and white people, black people are 3.73 times more likely to arrested for possession of the drug nationwide.

"It’s been really hard trying to get a job because of my background now. A lot of people don’t want to hire people with marijuana on their background," Marshala concluded.

Tags:

healthcare software

uncategorised3 min(s) read

Published 11:01 21 Aug 2017 GMT

Models start up body positive campaign after receiving backlash for Instagram photo

Tom Wood

Sometimes the internet can be a bit too quick to judge. While it's always important to defend good values and criticise those who are doing something hurtful, it can really backfire if you are in the wrong. This was definitely the case when these two Australian models received backlash for a photo they uploaded onto Instagram. The photo was of Kate Wasley and Georgia Gibbs, both models from Perth who have been friends for years. Commenters on Instagram accused Georgia of photoshopping the photo to make herself look thinner at the expense of her friend. The picture eventually went viral, which shocked the pair, who had done no such editing to the photo. [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BRn2sLdgFmj/]] Georgia, a UK size 6, and Kate, a size 16, were both appalled by the response they got online. In a later comment Georgia explained that "the fact that a simple picture of two people together went so viral purely because of their body types shocked me". They were both horrified by the implication that she would make that change, as the internet drew attention to their different body types without reason. "I was more concerned that rather than seeing a friendship people just saw two women and two different bodies," Georgia said, "My initial reaction was shock because I didn't expect people to be so negative about two women they didn't know". [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BRzPY3YgBBg/]] Kate had similar views about the incident, and took offence both for what her friend was accused of and the way users drew attention to her body type. Speaking to UNILAD, she said: "I was just shocked at how people came to that conclusion in the first place... It just really ignited a fire in me that something had to be done regarding body image and including different body types side by side on social media. I'm just representing myself and things that society labels as flaws". Together, Kate and Georgia have now started a social campaign called 'any BODY' to change the way we look at and talk about women's bodies. The project, which has the tagline 'Love Any Body', was created to examine the comparisons women make to other women on social media, and bring some much needed reality into the world of Instagram models. [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BW91oaDFusI/]] Georgia continued: "Any BODY's aim is to change the way women look at perfectionism and the way society views beauty. One day we want Kate and I to share the same catwalk and for that to be 'normal'. Really, it just takes a second to look around you on the street and see that main stream marketing alienates a huge chunk of the population and that needs to change." More than anything, the pair wants to show that health isn't just one thing, but can come in a variety of different sizes and shapes, and that you can be comfortable with yourself regardless of what societal beauty standards tell you. If you want to read more on the subject, why not check out the mom who went viral by wearing a form-fitting dress she had "no business wearing".

celebrity1 min(s) read

Published 12:46 04 Apr 2018 GMT

20 Hysterically awkward photos of celebrities at their prom night

Tom Wood

In high school, prom's a pretty big deal. Guys and girls go all out, wearing sharp suits and fancy dresses, with colorful corsages and sparkling tiaras. We put in a lot of effort to make sure we look perfect, with impeccable hair and makeup. Then, twenty years later, we look back at those same prom photos and realize they're hilariously awkward. Our fashion choices seemed so cool at the time, but now, they look totally ridiculous.

But there's no need to be embarrassed. Even A-list celebrities have dorky prom photos. Sure, they look stylish today, when they strut down the red carpet at movie premieres, but they were once gawky teenagers. And we all posed for photos with our date in the same cringeworthy ways.

Here are 20 hysterically awkward photos of celebrities at their prom night.

1. Jennifer Aniston

2. Will Ferrell

3. Britney Spears

4. Courtney Cox

5. Matthew Mcconaughey

6. Meryl Streep

7. Jon Hamm

8. Lady Gaga

9. Brad Pitt

10. Halle Berry

11. Taylor Swift

12. George Clooney

13. Michelle Obama

14. Amy Poehler

15. Jessica Alba

16. Kim Kardashian

17. Blake Lively

18. Fergie

19. Beyonce

19. Ashton Kutcher

20. Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres sure doesn't look happy to be wearing a dress, does he? That is a rare sighting, like spotting a snow leopard in the wild. I wonder if she danced the same way then that she does on her talk show...

Anyway, looking back, it's funny we spent so much effort on prom, considering it's just one night. I mean, it's not like you get a lot of opportunities to wear that fancy outfit again. But maybe it was worth it to make all that fuss. The awkward photos provide laughter for a lifetime.

In a related story, here are 10 celebrities who went to prom with a fan...

Tags:

healthcare software jennifer aniston britney spears lady gaga brad pitt taylor swift michelle obama kim kardashian blake lively ashton kutcher ellen degeneres beyoncé

lifestyle3 min(s) read

Published 12:14 23 Jun 2023 GMT

College student boldly grabs microphone from administrator to voice her anger on graduation day

Tom Wood

A college graduate has gone viral on social media after footage showed her boldly grabbing the microphone from an administrator who apparently didn’t allow her to say her full name.

Kadia Iman - who goes by @kadiaimantv on TikTok - shared a video of her wrestling the mic from a school official who appeared to be announcing the names of students during an outdoor ceremony.

The graduate donning a pink-topped cap and black gown said to the official: "I want the mic! Let go! You didn’t let me get my moment.

"I’m graduating today. I don’t like how you snatched the mic out of my hand, so today is going to be all about me!" she exclaimed, before dropping the mic and storming off.

Watch Kadia's TikTok below:

Kadia's clip amassed 21.5 million views and 3 million likes on the social media platform and was met with tons of support from users.

However, some people still wanted a backstory of what happened so the influencer posted a follow-up video explaining the situation in detail to her 39.4K followers.

Responding to one user, she said: "Basically, what happened was I was walking on and we had to say our names before we get on the stage. So I was saying my name and she literally - my name is long, obviously, I have like three syllables in my name.

"So, I didn’t even get to finish saying my name, and then the people that went before me, they all got to say their name, their major, and even extras.

"Me and another girl noticed that she was pulling the mic down super fast for some Black people - I don’t want to be that person, so I just couldn’t let her … I just couldn’t let that happen," she continued.

"I just feel like I worked so hard to graduate and went through so much s**t to graduate that I just felt like I had to reclaim my moment. I’m sorry. I’m not a problematic person. I don’t want to ruin no one’s day," Kadia concluded.

Many people flooded the clip with support for the college grad, with one user writing: "So happy and proud of you," while another user said: "As you should!! Say your name and whatever else you had to say."

A third commented: "Congratulations. well deserved I been seeing this typa thing on my [timeline] all the time, all the hard work college students go [through] shouldn't go [through that]."

A fourth shared: "I’m so sorry you even had to do that. Congratulations on graduating!"

Credit: TikTok

Credit: TikTok

Credit: TikTok

One follower asked Kadia if she got in trouble for snatching the mic, and she responded that she didn't, and instead, some professors came to "dap me up".

Congratulations to Kadia on graduating!

Featured image credit: LawrenceSawyer / Getty

Tags:

tekashi 6ix9ine evan rachel wood fugiat

lifestyle1 min(s) read

Published 16:48 28 Nov 2020 GMT

18-year-old's stunning prom photoshoot goes viral after the dance was canceled

Tom Wood

An 18-year-old is going viral for a stunning photoshoot she took part in after her prom was canceled.

Jasmine Dauphine, from the Washington, DC area, told BuzzFeed News that she took "inspiration from Zendaya’s 2017 Met Gala look and SZA’s 2018 Met Gala look and I found the perfect dress online."

The teenager even made her own headpiece out of a headband and some zip ties.

Dauphine's prom, which was supposed to take place in June, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/CBwBDpWjQhW]]

"At first I was OK with it because it was a pandemic, and I still am okay with it!" she told BuzzFeed News. "But then I got really sad when I fully realized that I won’t be able to ever go to prom."

So Dauphine decided to put on her gorgeous red prom dress in the summer and had her sister take photos of her at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1332053820050870273]]

"I took this photoshoot because I still wanted to say I did something for prom and I wanted to bring a little joy to myself even if it wasn’t a whole prom event," she said.

John Krasinski hosts a virtual prom:

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And incredibly, an onlooker, who happened to be a photographer, asked the teen if she could also take a few snaps of her in the beautiful gown.

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/jvonne78/status/1332080912213925888]]

"I noticed Jasmine from afar and the creative in me was, like, OMG, I have to take a picture of her!" said Sara Isabella Ortiz, a 24-year-old wedding photographer who was visiting DC from Florida.

"I simply walked up to her and kindly asked, praying she would say yes."

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"I am 10,000% certain she captured not only my attention," she said, "but everyone's attention that day with her beauty!"

On Wednesday, November 25, Dauphine decided to tweet the photos, which have currently been liked more than half a million times on Twitter.

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/kianasp/status/1332066662644854784]]

"When this went viral I was so shocked," Dauphine said. "I think I stared at my phone for 10 minutes trying to comprehend the numbers that I was seeing. It was so crazy to me."

She also told the outlet that during Thanksgiving, her family kept praising her for her newfound viral fame.