Patricia Velásquez

Creativity goes beyond canvas, photos, film, and media. It is also an engine to philanthropy, charity, or activism. Patricia Velasquez is an award-winning supermodel and actress with a long history. Also, she is a fervent philanthropist. Author, activist, author and a loving mom. No matter what, she achieves major strides by drawing on instinct and deliberately paving her own way. She states, "I see my career as a long ladder." "I took every single step up. It was incredible to do so, since there was a long-term effect. I put my head down, moving one step at a time, and then never stopped." This metaphor is a close resemblance to the beginning of a new phase. She was born in Venezuela however, she was raised in France or Mexico. After a few years she decided to relocate to Venezuela. In South America her parents worked in the field of education. They moved their family into an apartment building with no water and inoperable elevators. To provide water for the entire unit, Patricia often carried heavy buckets on fifteen levels of stairs. She tried to assist her family as much as she could despite her engineering studies and intense dance classes. Her promise to her family members, which was the most important factor that helped her rise to the top of the fashion industry, saw her being sought out to model in Milan. She relates, "When they asked me to go to Italy I told them"If I can send 30 dollars a month back Venezuela and it's worth it since that would provide the entire building's water'." Patricia's accomplishment was the beginning of a new era in fashion as she attracted media attention to South America for the first time. Her "first model Karl Lagerfeld photographed" was an amazing breakthrough. She went on to appear in shows and front editorial spreads and to be featured in ads for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi. Her appearances on Oprah's Supermodel of the World contest and Ford Models’ "Supermodel of the World" contest were a hit across the globe. Not to mention she appeared on the covers of Vogue, Bazaar, Marie Claire and many more.