Nila Morton didn’t anticipate the results that have followed her February 2020 Twitter post with a picture of herself feeling beautiful.
The 21-year-old Greenville native, who was born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy known as Ullrich, said she was kind of nervous about even posting it. She expected judgement.
“I was nervous,” said Morton, a disabilities advocate, a USC Upstate student, and an art shop owner. “But I had to think about people. I decided that I needed to break barriers and promote change because this can go a long way.
“You never know what can happen, you never know what type of opportunities can open up for other people.”
That tweet not only went viral –-nearly 492K likes – with mostly supportive comments, it launched Morton’s modeling career which now includes a partnership with Savage X Fenty by Rihanna.
Morton, who uses a wheelchair, said modeling is a dream of hers, a means to show the world that “beauty can be disabled.” Even during her days as Miss Mauldin Teen USA, she hoped to inspire other young women to see their self- worth.
More:Nila Morton seeks to prove beauty can be disabled
“Just because someone is disabled does not mean they’re not beautiful,” she told The Greenville News during a video interview. “They’re just unique. They should express that in their own beautiful way.”
Savage X Fenty, Rihanna’s lingerie brand, reached out to Morton through her agency, Morton said. They wanted her to promote their new…
