Walk to Equality: Runway for the marginalised to be seen and celebrated

By Uma Chandrasiri

The Walk Model Academy, in partnership with the Cinnamon Grand Colombo will blaze a trail in the modelling world as they present a fashion show like no other, one that boldly celebrates diversity, inclusion and beauty in its myriad forms. 

74 beautiful souls, majority of them relegated due to stigmatised conditions such as Down ’s syndrome and Autism or due to their sexuality, will proudly walk the ramp at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo on 19 May from 7:30 p.m. onwards. Walk to Equality Director and former Mrs. World 2020, Caroline Jurie stated at a recently held press brief that this unique platform with the tagline “Life without labels” will be a runway not merely about fashion but more attuned to celebrating diversity and the strength, resilience, confidence and self-belief of all the participants. 

“Real beauty is not about perfection but about purpose, Walk to Equality is a shining example of purpose in action. The brave participants of this fashion show are the heart of this movement, and I believe that their courage and light redefine beauty.” 

Walk to Equality is the brainchild of the Walk Model Academy Founder and Director Dasun Wijesinghe who affirmed that this is a valuable opportunity for people from all walks of life to walk a ramp toward recognition and acceptance hitherto denied them. 

Cinnamon Grand Colombo will partner this worthy cause and will work with the organisers to ensure sustainability of the initiative. “Walk to Equality will be an annual event and all proceeds from this years’ show will go toward Cinnamon Hotels’ meals on wheels program. We started this charitable event during the COVID pandemic, and we have so far served approximately 20,000 meals. As a home-grown band, Cinnamon Hotels constantly seek opportunities to foster communities and we align ourselves with the concept of inclusivity and community within Walk to Equality,” said Cinnamon Colombo Hotels Area Vice President, Kamal Munasinghe. 

Walk to Equality is ably supported by its official hair and make-up partner Ramani Fernando Salons, Quintessential Beauty Lounge, Christell Skin Clinic, Barrista coffee and their jewellery partner Giva Colombo. Quintessential Beauty Lounge Founder and Director, Nikki Razooki affirmed that beauty brands have a powerful platform to showcase diversity and equality. “Beauty is all about empowerment, healing and confidence and I hope that Walk to Equality will thrive as a movement and not merely a moment” she added. Christell Skin Clinic Co-founder and Medical Director Dr. Shanika Aresecularatne stated that Christell affirms the ethos of Walk to Equality as a brand that has supported local communities for over 30 years with scholarships to war widows, scholarships to low-income families and support to the Indira Cancer Trust. 

“It is of utmost importance that conditions such as Autism are understood and not shunned, and Sri Lanka has a long way to go in this regard. I’m unsure whether we have accurate statistics as to the number of autistic children in Sri Lanka,” Arsecularatne added.

Giva Colombo Director, Rayhana Jiffrey stated that as India’s largest D2C jewellery brand, Giva has stepped away from traditional jewellery formats into more modern and inclusive formats and as such take pride in partnering with Walk to Equality. “In a world where beauty has traditionally been about majority and not the minority, Giva stands for embracing self-love,” she added.

Tickets for Walk to Equality are now available for purchase online at https://www.spotseeker.lk/event/68086778b90bc and those interested in supporting this worthy cause and spreading awareness can also visit the social media pages of the Walk Model Academy. 

– Pix by Lasantha Kumara