Supermodel Joan Smalls pledges wages to Black Lives Matter, calls out fashion industry's 'insulting' silence

Supermodel Joan Smalls is putting action into her words, pledging half of her remaining wages from 2020 to Black Lives Matter causes — while cajoling the fashion industry to follow her financial lead.

In a video posted June 18 on DonateMyWage.org, the Afro-Latina model Smalls, 31, issued a scathing rebuke at the fashion industry for its response following calls for societal change prompted by the police killing of George Floyd last month.

Speaking directly to the camera, Smalls said, "I see all the agencies, magazines, brands posting black screens on their Instagram accounts. But what does that really mean? What is the fashion industry actually going to do about it? Is it just another trend?"

"This industry that profits from our Black and Brown bodies, our culture for constant inspiration, our music and our images for the visuals, have tiptoed around the issues," she continued. "You're part of the cycle that perpetuates these conscious behaviors. You have continually let us down with your insensitivity and tone-deafness, and the damage control apologies of, 'we will do better.'"

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Smalls, who grew up in rural Puerto Rico, was named the first Latina face of Estee Lauder’s global marketing campaign in 2011. In donating half of her remaining 2020 wages, she urged other industry leaders and brands to follow.

"To my beloved fashion industry. This is your chance, the moment you speak up and demonstrate that if you care, if you truly care, then show it," said Smalls. "Your silence is not only insulting, it is part of the bigger problem within this industry. We see you, do you see us now?"

Smalls called for changes within the working modeling industry as well.

"Give us a seat at the table, include us, give us a chance, because we are worthy, talented and unique," she wrote on Instagram. "There have been so many times where I’ve had to face issues against my race within this industry because I was their token black girl."

"This industry that I love has profited from us but has never considered us equal," she wrote. "This. Stops. Now."

On June 19, Small noted on Instagram that modelling powerhouse IMG had donated $250,000.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black Lives Matter: Supermodel Joan Smalls pledges half of 2020 wages