"This is racism": New Angel Solange Omon responds to online abuse
The 21-year-old from Cameroon won the casting series "Angels Among Us". After racist comments she spoke out on Instagram, saying nothing can take her joy away.
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Video: YouTube · Victoria's Secret · youtube.com
Solange Omon, 21, is originally from Cameroon and now lives in Maine. She won the YouTube series "Angels Among Us" ahead of fellow finalists Andreína Martínez Fournier and Tatyana Tinsley; according to WWD, more than 100,000 women applied. She made her runway debut at the show in Culver City near Los Angeles on 18 October. On 20 October Victoria's Secret released a video tracing her path from casting call to catwalk.
After her win, Omon received racist comments. In a series of Instagram Stories she wrote: "You don't have to be happy that I won." And: "But this is no longer about who you wanted to win. This is racism!!!" Many Black girls and women experience this every day, she added, concluding: "I'm happy, I'm proud, and nothing can take this joy away from me."
Support came from the company: CEO Hillary Super told PEOPLE that Omon "has a spark that's entirely her own". Mentors on the series included Gigi Hadid, Paloma Elsesser and Ashley Graham. Hadid offered the newcomers some advice: "My advice for the new girls is just try to be as present as you can."