Title:
Angelea Yoder | Let Them Stare
Subtitle:
Photographer Angelea Yoder is Redefining Beauty Standards
Transcript:
Alycia Anderson: Welcome back to Pushing Forward with Alycia. I am Alycia Anderson. Our guest today is a Nashville based photographer who specializes in fashion and portraits.
Her portfolio encompasses a diverse range of clients. ,
I received a DM, from this amazing photographer and ask me if I would like to be part of this really cool project that she’s launching that is titled, Let Them Stare. We all know in our world, staring is a thing and so I immediately went to her social media and started stalking it and her photography and her portraits are absolutely incredible, like stunning, beautiful. And we’re talking about like. Photography from Reese Witherspoon, Kane Brown, big stars. And while I was stalking her, she reminded me a lot of myself, her body is similar to mine. At least that’s what it felt like when I was looking at some of her photography, . She’s not a wheelchair user, but we have a lot of the same characteristics.
And so I was really excited to dive into that and then we start comparing notes. What do you deal with, with your body? And we have so many of the same things. Oh, I’ve had this reconstructive surgery. Oh, I have a twin sister. So do I have this. And it happened like. It feels like 10 times. So I’m so excited for this beautiful soul to be on the podcast. Angelea welcome to Pushing Forward with Alycia.
Angelea Yoder: Thank you for having me. I’m so excited to be here and to, finally get to talk to you. I feel like, yeah, we’ve been friends forever.
Alycia Anderson: I think from my perspective as like a disabled woman, like there’s not very many times that I meet other women that we have so many of those, like, Oh, you have, you did that. I did that. Oh, you did you, this affected you that affected me.
And we had so many of those likenesses the other day. It was like being on vacation, something like it was such a gift to just kind of experience that.
Angelea Yoder: Yes, absolutely. I was kind of mind blown and I think, this world is a lot smaller than we think. And this project that I’m about to tell you about I think it’s going to lead. me to individuals like yourself to help me heal as well, but also to teach others that we’re all not so different.
Alycia Anderson: I love it. can you share with us a little bit about your journey, you are, how you identify, and how this has led you down the path of photography?
Angelea Yoder: Sure. So I was born with something called VACTERL. It’s an acronym and it, a summary is basically a bunch of different anomalies in your body. That don’t work like a K a normal person’s would. And part of that acronym was also congenital scoliosis. And that’s the biggest thing that you, that someone could see with the naked eye. So I’m only four foot seven. And then I have the S curve when it has, when it comes to scoliosis. So I had a spinal fusion when I was in fifth grade which caused, My growth to be stunted a bit, so I do get those stares quite a bit, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to understand that it’s just out of curiosity, and I think the world needs to be aware of those stares are important. Not important, but why those stares can be turned into something.
Alycia Anderson: How did all of this lead into photography? What sparked your interest in following that professional path?
Angelea Yoder: in college, I was a PR Spanish and writing major. And part of the PR major was a film photography class. And I’d always been interested in photography. So I ended up taking it and it’s the whole dark room thing. It was amazing. I’m so thankful I got to learn photography that way. But I started taking pictures of My friends and people outside of class with digital and film cameras and the way it made people feel. I just, I wanted that. And I think having these differences that I haven’t been able to change about myself, because that’s what God gave you. I think you have a different perspective, not only with life, but with people. You see the best in people. That their insecurities or the things that they’re. nervous about they can actually be beautiful. So, I think I just wanted to go after that perspective of photography because I felt like I could see things differently. And so when I moved to Nashville after college, I wanted to incorporate, that fashion into music, but also starting to kind of bring my perspective to that industry.
And photography is so much too about creating relationships with one another. And I try to have that relationship before you even pick up the camera. So that personality will shine through that lens of that person. So they’re not coming across as, Scared or, whatnot.
But you, capture who they are as a person no matter how famous or whatever they are, and with this project, I think it’s going to go above and beyond what. that person looks like physically, it’s what they’re going to, it’s going to capture what they want to offer to this world. What message that they’re trying to capture, what what they just love about life.
And they’re not letting their disability or their differences stop them.
Alycia Anderson: And you’re kind of like that open door to allow that to shine brightly through.
Have you found that there is any limitations and or on the flip side, superpowers from standing out like that?
Angelea Yoder: There’s been a lot of different situations walking into a room, yes, people automatically think I’m in like middle school or high school. So that authoritative perspective is not there. But I’ve definitely felt that for almost every single shoot that I go on for the first time,
Alycia Anderson: I know for me with my disability, like there’s certain attributes of my disability that in my career I can use as power, as something that helps me stand out, achieve more, overcome whatever. You are beautifully different than others, like what is your superpower in all of that?
Angelea Yoder: I love talking to people and making them feel comfortable on set. I think that is my superpower. If people don’t realize that you are not secure about yourself, like it’s going to come across as that.
So if you go into a room being very confident, you know what you’re doing, you love what you’re doing. People are, people won’t care. And I think that’s what I try to do. Now there’s always those times. For sure. Where you feel like, like the entire room is staring at you or they don’t, they just assume that you don’t know what you’re doing. But I think as soon as you start making conversation and talking to people, that wall goes away because you’re making the effort to care about someone. As a photographer, you have that ability to, create just like love in the room because you set the tone. So, you have the power to create a relationship with that person or the people who you’re shooting.
Alycia Anderson: Can we talk about Let Them Stare?
Where did this idea come from? And just tell us about your goals with it
Angelea Yoder: Let Them Stare came to me about nine years ago, actually, and it was an entirely different concept. I just thought it would be really cool to have like a fashion show named Let Them Stare, but having the models who walk down the runway be of having like physical and invisible bodies. Differences. But nine years later, I was having a cup of coffee with my friend, Laura, who’s also my mentor through this project. And she’s also an author, but this idea came to mind to create a children’s book and also an adult book. And then to use my photography to tell the story. And it just kind of was like, duh, where, of course, like, this is purpose and passion mixed together, you could just tell so many stories and, but also tell your story. I mean, I have not shared a lot of my story and sometimes that’s hard with disability. You can, people only know what you’re going through on the outside, but invisible differences are so important because people don’t see what you go through behind the scenes. And I think with this book, For me, as a photographer, I see a lot of different things that give me perspective. And it’s going to heal me as well through different things that I’ve had to go through in the past, trauma, et cetera. But my hope for the children’s book is for kids to start seeing these differences at early ages, so it stops the staring. Or maybe people will stare, but they will ask questions instead of just staring. And then also with adults, because adults can be mean. They can be meaner than the kids. So, I think as soon as people can start realizing that individuals with differences are just, amazing people and they’re, they don’t have to be defined in some bucket that they’re disabled. there’s people with so many different talents and skills and just the ability to live life larger than. Most, but in a different way.
Alycia Anderson: I and I love that you’re starting with the little ones because, that’s where the real change really starts as adults.
It takes us a lot longer to shift the bias that we’ve been taught so long ago.
Angelea Yoder: I hope that if this can just help one person, I think that’s the important thing. For kids, I imagine it in like a waiting room where a child goes in for their first appointment for a difference that they don’t completely understand, but they know they look different. If they open up this book and they see another child who may look similar, I Understanding that there’s somebody out there who might be going through the same thing is the best medicine. I learned that at a conference, I had never met someone with some of the things that I was born with. But you walk into it and you start meeting all these people, and it changes your life. So it just makes, so you feel like. You have a small community that you can just text or call and I hope that helps so many kids out there and adults. So
Alycia Anderson: I have a niece, Ella. She’s seven years old, and she’s a heart baby. She’s already had open heart surgery a few times, and there’ll be a couple more, and she’s got a big beautiful scar on her chest and she’s at the age right now where the kids are starting to say like, what is that?
And our family, we’re very open of lifting it up and that’s your beautiful scar and this is your power. And she says this is my beautiful scar. That’s how she presents it. And I envisioned myself with this book, literally lying in bed with her, flipping through all of the other beautiful children that have other things that might be different from the scar, but are just as empowering and important and beautiful.
And something that needs to be shared with the world, and the fact that I get to be a part of this, I’m like thrilled beyond,
Angelea Yoder: cannot wait to photograph you.
Alycia Anderson: I can’t wait for you to throw me too. Anything else you want to share about the book?
Angelea Yoder: For the children’s book , it’s called, look at me, look what I can do.
I wasn’t going to incorporate too much of the fashion world with the kids book because kids want to be there in their own element, no matter if you have disabilities or differences, or if you’re AK normal, you still are a kid.
You still love doing activities outside, inside, and you have all these different abilities that like, you know. Slamming on pots and pans or diving in the river or drawing. I mean, I just photographed this little sweet girl named Franny and she has some beautiful limb differences, but she colors and plays piano with her feet. So I want to capture these kids doing what they love to do and showing that, yes they’re going beyond what. Their disability has told them that their limitations that might be. And I think that’s really important so they can thrive into just amazing adults. And then the adult book will obviously incorporate my love for fashion and, Also personal though, I’m asking each individual to give me what their personal style is because fashion also has a very Personal connection. You show who you are through clothing.
Alycia Anderson: and what do you think the impact of this type of book from a representation standpoint will have on the fashion world? Specifically,
Angelea Yoder: So for the adult book, it would be really cool for fashion brands to start seeing that putting individuals with differences in their ads could be actually super empowering. And I know it’s gotten a lot better over the years. I know anthropology just launched a huge campaign for women. And the models all have beautiful differences and just imagine. If every clothing brand had that, I think that would be just really special. It would start evolving the fashion industry into something that could involve everyone because everyone goes through disability at some point in their lives, whether they’re born with it They’re diagnosed with it or when they become elderly. So, it’s something that everyone can relate to.
Alycia Anderson: And to your point too, we design for different sizes. We design for men and women. We design for pregnancy. Why are we not designing for diverse bodies? That’s a massive opportunity in fashion today for designers and companies to start thinking that way from even just a return on investment of what they’re putting out there. This type of book, photography book is going to showcase the beauty and the opportunity there, which is very powerful. And with as much representation that is out there, and obviously it’s just starting to ramp up from a disability standpoint, we’re starting to see little girls showcasing themselves on the dance floor and going out and going on runways and being models and doing activities that when I was young, they said , People with disabilities don’t do that.
We didn’t see it anywhere. And so having a book that represents that to other children, whether they have a disability or not, is going to be that lesson that it is possible. And that’s the most powerful work that you can do at all., it’s going to change our future. congratulations.
What’s the timeline?
Angelea Yoder: I want to treat it like, a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a lot of work to try to find the individuals just through social media and word of mouth. The biggest thing for the children’s book is that I want the decision to come from the child to be photographed and kind of tell a little bit about their story. Because it’s a huge thing to tell your story. . So I need to find 30, willing children. And it’s been an amazing turnout so far, but these kiddos are all around the country. So, traveling will take time and such, but I’m hoping that Maybe like spring of 2026 is kind of what I’m hoping, but there’s no timeline. We’ll kind of just, we’ll see how it goes,
Alycia Anderson: what’s the call to action to Our community that’s listening right now?
Angelea Yoder: If you know of a child or a teen or an adult who has just an amazing story and, lives beyond. their difference. I would love to be referred to them. There’s a submission form at the bottom of my website to refer a child or to refer an individual. And then I’ll reach out and do a pre interview kind of thing. But that’s super helpful because I think, again, the world is small and people know one another. So that would be really helpful. And then also this is a community funded project. So anything will help to , fund this project as well.
Alycia Anderson: So donate, reach out to you on your website. We’re going to put all of that information in the show notes. Definitely follow your social media. I’m just going to call that out because it’s really beautiful. I know our community would love to see all of your amazing creations through the lens that you see through your camera and all of that.
Did we miss anything?
Angelea Yoder: I don’t think so, but we’re just going to give them, give everyone a reason to stare.
Alycia Anderson: Oh, love it. Okay. I have one more question for you
first of all, thank you so much for entering my life. You’re such an amazing person and woman, and I’m so happy. , I know we’re going to be friends forever now after our time together, which has been short, but very impactful. We wrap up the show with a pushing forward moment.
Which I think I know what you’re going to say. But can you give us a little bit of inspiration that we can ship off to our community who is listening today and beyond?
Angelea Yoder: Yes. So wherever you go, if you feel like, you have differences or a disability, and sometimes those stares get to you, Let Them Stare at you because you’re amazing and you have so much to offer.
Alycia Anderson: Yes. Give them a reason to stare. I love Thank you so much for coming on the show. I cannot wait to partner on other projects. You are the queen bee of the photography studio. I cannot wait to work together. And thank you for all of the amazing advocacy work that you’re doing. it’s going to make a huge impact
Angelea Yoder: Well, thanks Alycia. You right back at you you’re one of my role models now. I’m not even kidding. So
Alycia Anderson: You have no idea how much that means to me. Okay. We’re going to wrap up and thank you so much to our pushing forward community for joining us again for another conversation. This has been Pushing Forward with Alycia and that is literally how we roll on this podcast.
We will see you next week.