Actress Jillian Mercado, Photographed by Indira Cesarine, 2021.

Jillian Mercado is an actress and American fashion model represented by CAA Fashion. A prominent figure in the new wave of models challenging beauty ideals in the fashion industry, Mercado is keen to fight the lack of representation of people with disabilities in the fashion industry and their enduring stigma. Mercado uses a wheelchair and has starred in campaigns for Nordstrom, Diesel, Beyonce, and Target.

Read the exclusive interview by Indira Cesarine with Jillian Mercado in “The INNOVATE Issue.”