How Public Image Can Strengthen Our Humanitarian Work

During a recent interview, I was asked about the why of my public image - why I post so often, and why so many of those posts are images of myself. The implication was clear: how could someone who cares about fashion and image, who engages actively on social media, also be taken seriously in humanitarian work?

It’s a question I’ve thought about often, and here’s my truth: my public image doesn’t diminish my work. It amplifies it.

Before I stepped into human rights, I spent more than fifteen years in fashion and media. That world taught me about influence, storytelling, and the way style can speak before a single word is exchanged. As Vivienne Westwood said, “You have a more interesting life if you wear impressive clothes.” To me, that reflects not just the joy of self-expression, but also a deeper truth: visibility matters. When people are paying attention, you can use that attention to say something meaningful.

When I share myself on social media - through fashion, travel, or glimpses into my daily life—it draws people in. That attention becomes an entry point for the causes I champion. Fashion may catch the eye, but purpose keeps the attention. My visibility allows me to highlight injustices, celebrate progress, and inspire others to care.

I also don’t see myself as split between “the fashionable side” and “the humanitarian side.” Like everyone else, I am made up of multitudes. My years in fashion shaped my creativity and confidence; my humanitarian work grounds me in service and justice. When I bring these parts together, I show up more authentically - and authenticity resonates.

Success doesn’t come from cutting away pieces of ourselves to fit someone else’s mold. It comes from weaving together every strand of who we are and showing up fully. By embracing both my past in fashion and my present in human rights, I can do more, reach more, and inspire more. My public image isn’t a distraction - a bridge. And on the other side of that bridge is the impact I’m here to make.

If there’s one thing I hope others take from my journey, it’s this: don’t be afraid of your multitudes. Don’t shrink to fit someone else’s definition of credibility. The world doesn’t need polished fragments of us; it needs our full, authentic selves. When we arrive whole, we create space for others to do the same - and from that wholeness, real change is born.