Model, actress, and activist Jillian Mercado has been shattering glass ceilings since she first burst onto the scene with a worldwide campaign for Diesel in 2015. As one of the few visibly disabled models working at the highest levels of fashion, Mercado has become an outspoken advocate for authentic representation. Her fierce determination and refusal to be boxed in have seen her grace the covers of Teen Vogue and Glamour, walk the runways of New York Fashion Week, and secure a role as Maribel Suarez on Showtime’s The L Word: Generation Q.
In this candid conversation with The Untitled Magazine’s editor-in-chief, Indira Cesarine, for the INNOVATE Issue, Mercado opens up about her journey in fashion, the importance of visibility, and her mission to amplify the voices of marginalized individuals through her nonprofit, Black Disabled Creatives. From confronting industry stereotypes to sharing advice for young disabled talent, Mercado’s insights are as empowering as they are inspiring. Dive in to discover how she’s rewriting the rules—one campaign, one show, and one community at a time.
“The more representation there is, the more normalized it becomes—and we can move on to a society where having a disability isn’t treated like clickbait or something ‘inspirational.’” It’s a philosophy that model and actress Jillian Mercado has held onto since her youth, when she quickly noticed that no one on magazine covers or her TV screen looked like her. “I didn’t have this sort of representation that we’re seeing now. I was born in 1987, and I remember only having television, radio, and printed magazines to see myself represented. And it made me really sad that I didn’t see anyone like myself.”
Read the full interview below with Jillian Mercado as featured in The Untitled Magazine’s print edition, The INNOVATE Issue, out now.
Indira Cesarine: Why don’t we start by discussing how you got into modeling? Over the years, there has been a movement to increase disabled representation in the fashion industry. It’s been a long time coming, but you’ve been working since 2015. I’d love to know a little more about how you got started modeling and your first modeling gig.
Jillian Mercado: I’ve always been very, very into fashion. I honestly didn’t even know that fashion was a whole industry or that it could be a career path when I was little. My mom was a seamstress, so I would always sit next to her and watch her sew clothes, asking about different colors and what different materials were made of. She told me that out of my two younger sisters and me, I was always the most interested in what she was doing. My father was a shoe salesman in the Lower East Side, and every time he brought gifts for my mom, it was different shoes. I would either wear them or steal them and ask him, “What shoe is that? What’s the make? Why is the shoe pointed? Why is there a heel here and not a heel there?” So I was always super interested in materials and fabrics and colors from a very young age.
Fast forward to when I was a junior and senior in high school, I was trying to figure out what college to go to. I remember my mom sat me down and said, “Whatever you do, you have the privilege of going after whatever you want to do, living in America.” They’re immigrants from the Dominican Republic, and she said, “Whatever you want to do, just make sure you love it with your heart and soul.” So when I was by myself, writing down all the things that I love doing, the most consistent thing was fashion—clothes, modeling, and all those things. I don’t know if it’s still a channel, but there was something called Fashion TV, and it was my channel. It was a bunch of runway shows from Milan, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, and New York, and I would always watch it.
I went to college at FIT, and that’s where I realized the lack of representation in the fashion industry, especially in regard to disability and even being a Latinx woman. I didn’t see any model that looked like me or represented who I was. That was a little unnerving, and I didn’t feel right about that knowledge.
I tried to do everything I could to fill in that gap. It just so happened that after going to a fashion week event, I met with the creative director at the time of Diesel, and we just hit it off. He gave me my first modeling job, which was a worldwide campaign for Diesel. That was the moment when I shifted from wanting to be an editor for a magazine—so I could hire models who looked like me to be on the covers and throughout the pages—to realizing that I was the person I was looking for all along. I decided, “Now that I have this opportunity and this privilege to be here, I might as well take it by storm,” and that modeling was going to be my new journey in life. And here I am.
Indira Cesarine: Aside from modeling, can you tell us about all the other roles you’re taking on at the moment? It seems like you have a lot happening!
Jillian Mercado: It’s such a privilege when you have a great team and people who understand your worth, and understand that there are still a million things that need to be done to make the representation of my community really prominent in the industry.
As far as acting goes, I just got into it about two years ago. That was because the director of the show I’m currently on, The L Word: Generation Q, knew it was really important to have a character with a storyline like mine. You don’t often see a disabled character on a TV show who triumphs and is just great. It’s always very medical, very sad stories—the person with a disability always needs help. There’s never a love story. There’s never a story that just humanizes the person. I remember the director telling me that before she even knew I existed, she’d had this experience meeting someone and felt very close to his disability. She decided, “I remember that person so prominently that if I ever had the opportunity to direct or show run a show, I would want to have this character represented on television.” She said, “I really wanted to be authentic with the character. I needed somebody who actually had a disability, who actually was Dominican, and who was queer.” And ta-da! I came along and filled in all of those gaps. I auditioned for it, I got it, and it’s been two years on the show, and it’s been great.
I think we need more authentic stories on television, especially with the disability community. Because all of the stories that were out there before—up until maybe two or three years ago—just weren’t our stories whatsoever. They were told from a lens that’s full of assumptions. It’s not real; it’s not who we are. I think stories should be told by the community that is actually living in it, you know?
Indira Cesarine: It’s interesting—back in 2009, I did a documentary in England called In Face of Disability. They did the equivalent of America’s Next Top Model but with disabled models. So it’s really amazing and exciting for me to see all of this. It’s taken longer in the United States for representation and these issues to enter the mainstream. In some countries like the UK, it’s been normalized a bit longer. For whatever reason, the US tends to lag behind on some of these issues. I think it’s incredible what you’re doing. I really respect how positive and inspirational you are—just going for it. I understand you also came out as queer recently, is that correct?
Jillian Mercado: Yeah. I always knew it—it was always me. But publicly, yes, it was about a year or a year and a half ago.
Indira Cesarine: And do you feel like coming out as queer has impacted things for you at all? Do you feel that representation is also important to highlight as a queer disabled person?
Jillian Mercado: A hundred percent. As far as sexuality goes within the disability community, it’s still very taboo. People think we don’t have relationships, that we’re all asexual. And I say that because people assume every disabled person falls into that category. Sure, there can be asexual people—there’s nothing wrong with that—but I also feel like people don’t think we have relationships or intimacy, or that anyone would love us because we’re different or have different needs. Which, “knock-knock,” everyone is different in their own way! But for some reason, the world doesn’t seem designed with us in mind, especially when it comes to accessibility.
I’ve known I was queer since probably elementary school. It was clear, I just didn’t know the name for it. I think last year, especially with the opportunity to be part of the most queer show on television, I realized I needed to let everyone know that I’m also part of that community. I’ve always been part of it—just very privately. My friends and family knew, but not the public. So I wanted to make sure I was practicing what I was preaching.
Indira Cesarine: A lot of people have a hard time grasping that someone who’s disabled and in a wheelchair is also a sexual person with relationships and agency. I do think that’s one of the challenges you face—getting people to understand that you’re also a sexual being.
Jillian Mercado: Yeah, it’s definitely challenging because of the unfortunate “book” that society hands everyone about how a disabled person looks, acts, and lives. I do my best to humanize that. I understand what it feels like to have people think we’re not sexual, but I want to show them what it actually is—just like anyone else. It’s about taking a step back, being a little more patient, and a little more empathetic. Because it’s not their fault—they were given this mindset or assumption about us.
I choose to educate, but I don’t have to educate. I think a lot of people get frustrated when the disabled community chooses not to tell them how to look things up on Google. As part of my career and being a public figure—if you want to call it that—I feel it’s important to educate and show people it’s not as scary as they think it is.
Indira Cesarine: Do you think your Dominican heritage influences your work as an activist and model?
Jillian Mercado: One hundred percent. I try to speak Spanish as much as possible and to shout out my Dominican heritage whenever I can. I love that country, I love the people, I love where I come from. I think it’s important to bring that out in my work, in every place I go. Everything I do has a hint of Dominican-ness to it.
I also think it’s important to talk about who I am as a disabled Latina woman making it in a public world, especially through the lens of the Latin community. That’s a community that can be a bit outdated when it comes to someone like me. I try not to forget about them and keep a close eye on how they need to step up when it comes to representation—both in their own country and here in America as Dominicans. I’m very proud of that. I talk about it all the time with my mom, and she’s proud, my family’s proud. I try to bring my heritage into everything I do. It’s really important to me.
Indira Cesarine: As an activist for disability representation in fashion, have there been any particular stigmas or stereotypes that you aim to break with your work?
Jillian Mercado: I think the biggest one I’ve been confronted with—or seen throughout my career—has been brands or companies being fearful of having someone with a physical disability in their campaigns or work. It’s slowly changing, and there are some great companies that are doing it continuously, but I still feel like many are hesitant. They don’t think that we’ll sell or connect to as many people as when they hire someone who’s not physically disabled. Which is interesting, because one out of five people have a disability—that’s a lot of people you’re choosing not to target!
I think that the more people with power are empathetic and open, the more radical the change will be—not just for my community, but for fighting these barriers in general. But the biggest stigma I still see is this fear that disabled people won’t sell to the public the same way as someone without a disability would. It’s slowly, slowly changing, so I can’t completely trash on it. And I’m hopeful that in my lifetime, I’ll see that I’m not the only one rowing the boat. But that fear of a so-called radical change—which isn’t really radical at all—has probably been the biggest stigma I’ve faced. It’s just that we’re moving a little slow
Indira Cesarine: It’s so important to have representation of disabled models like you out there, because there are so many people who fear that “oh my God, if I were disabled, it would be the worst thing that happened to me.” But maybe that’s not a fear they should have—maybe it’s okay. You can have a great life and see someone like Jillian who’s an actress, a model, and has a full, vibrant life. I think it’s great that you’re dispelling that fear in the community and giving people hope that even if they were in a car accident or something similar, it’s not the end of the world for them.
So moving forward, you’ve been featured on the cover of Teen Vogue, walked the runways for New York Fashion Week, and modeled for Glamour and Cosmo. Can you tell us a bit about the projects you’re working on right now?
Jillian Mercado: Yeah! The show is coming out—that’s one of the biggest projects I’ve been working on all year. I’m so thankful that it’s finally happening. I got the chance to work at a level I never thought I would before, and it’s been amazing.
There are also so many other projects I’m working on with my team, all focused on moving the needle forward in terms of representation and knocking on doors that have been a little rusty in the past. It’s all about having a team that understands, and meeting with people who want to change what we see on television, in magazines, and in the public eye. But right now, the TV show is definitely the biggest thing I have going on.
Indira Cesarine: Can you share a little bit about your role as Maribel on The L Word?
Jillian Mercado: Absolutely. Maribel is an immigration attorney and the sister of one of the main characters. She’s that badass girl who loves her family fiercely and tells her friends exactly what she’s thinking—because she cares that much. Her fashion is impeccable—I want her wardrobe!
For me, playing her is all about humanizing the disabled experience and showing the audience that “yes, we go to restaurants, yes, we go to bars, yes, we have problems in our love lives and with our families.” It doesn’t take away from me being a disabled person in real life or from Maribel’s character. It’s about living in this time, in this modern age. Representation is getting better. Opportunities are getting better. Accessibility is getting better. But there’s still a lot, a lot, a lot of work to be done.
I think my character gives you a glimpse into the realities of someone who has a physical disability and is living life—going out with friends, traveling, experiencing everything. There’s a lot of myself in this role. I think Maribel is a little more conservative than I am, but I had the amazing opportunity to really connect with the writers and director, sharing my personal stories with them. So a lot of my personal life is reflected in this character. It’s not a documentary, but there are little bits and pieces that if you know me personally, you’d be like, “Wait, was that…?” And I’d be like, “Maybeeee.”
To be honest, it’s really about having more authentic stories about my community and the experiences we go through. It’s such a privilege to work with a team of people who—excuse my language—just shut up and listen, and actually act on it. I think that’s really important. If a community is screaming to be heard, the people with the most power need to sit and listen, then take that information and actually change things—instead of ignoring it.
Indira Cesarine: Can you tell me a little bit about your nonprofit, Black Disabled Creatives, which you launched in 2020? Tell us about the goals and what compelled you to start it—and everything you’ve been doing with it.
Jillian Mercado: This started around the re-introduction of Black Lives Matter. We were all trying to understand what was happening and re-educate ourselves. I remember realizing that a lot of people didn’t know how bad things were for Black people in this world. I got a lot of surprised reactions from friends and people around me who had no idea, and I was like, “Oh my God, what is America? How do people not know about this?” At the time, I felt that people weren’t talking enough about the disability community, either. Everyone who was arrested or murdered during that time had a disability—and nobody knew about it. People didn’t realize that many of the Black individuals who were killed by police were disabled, whether it was autism, a neurological condition, or something else. They just shoot them without even having a conversation. That really hit me on a deep emotional level.
I also noticed that people were sharing lists of Black-owned restaurants, Black-written books, and so on. As a creative myself, I was thinking, “There are so many disabled people out there who are incredible artists, but no one sees their work.” They struggle so much to get the opportunity to keep creating or even to get hired because of the stigma that comes with having a disability. I always say if you have a big platform, use it for good—you’re going to impact so many people who might not know that there’s a whole group out there who deserves visibility and opportunity.
Even within the disability community, white disabled people get more opportunities than Black disabled creatives. That’s just ridiculous to me. So that’s how my friend and I came up with the idea for a website solely for Black-disabled creatives—a database where companies can go if they’re looking to hire someone who’s Black, disabled, and creative, whether that’s a graphic designer, model, actress, or anyone in the arts. When brands I’ve worked with have asked, “Do you know anyone else who’s Black and disabled that we can hire?” I always say, “Yes, I know millions of people!” Now I can just give them this link so they can find exactly who they’re looking for.
The only criteria is that they’re Black and they’re creatives. It furthers the conversation that we all deserve a seat at the table.
Indira Cesarine: How many people are on the site altogether?
Jillian Mercado: I lost count! The last time I checked—probably in April or June—we had around 300-something people. And it’s only been a year and a few months since we started this.
Indira Cesarine: Wow. I’m definitely going to tell everyone to check it out, and if they’re looking to hire people, it’s an incredible resource to have out there. So often, people want to hire for better representation, but they don’t know where to find Black disabled creatives. A lot of people rarely include that information on their resumes, so it’s not always easy to discover.
Jillian Mercado: Exactly. And it’s also about the community knowing that they’re not alone. They can reach out to a fellow artist and say, “Hey, I’m here too, and you’re not alone.” We’re just building that community of people, because it can be lonely out there.
Indira Cesarine: I think it’s really admirable that you did that. It’s such a needed resource for the industry, and I think it will massively improve representation across so many creative sectors. Given all of your activism, what progress do you think the industry has made so far, and what areas do you think still need improvement?
Jillian Mercado: I mean, the improvement part—we could be talking about that for like three hours! What they’ve done so far is already a sign that there are opportunities out there. The fact that I even have a career in this is proof enough that there are people willing to step out of their bubble and say, “Oh my God, wait—there are more people here? No way!” and give us those opportunities.
I’ve noticed the industry is becoming more vocal about letting us narrate our own stories, and not just tokenizing us with one-off campaigns but actually continuing the conversation about accessibility. Even small things like making sure there’s a ramp or an elevator at venues are becoming more common. It warms my heart, because there have been times when I’ve basically had to Cirque du Soleil my way into an event—and that’s not okay. So it’s really great to see that improvement.
I’m also seeing more inclusivity in who people hire, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. That’s super important. The more representation there is, the more normalized it becomes. Eventually, I hope having a disability won’t be clickbait or something people find “inspirational” just for existing. It’ll just be like, “okay, cool—moving on.” I hope I get to see that in my lifetime—where people can just be who they are, without having to constantly over-explain themselves or be in teachable moments. We just want to live, to have the experience of living as much as we can and as fully as we can—without that extra layer of having to educate people all the time.
As far as other improvements, I think it’s everything we’ve talked about: more representation, more awareness that we exist, and that we deserve opportunities equal to everyone else. It’s so important for people to move with the times. A lot of brands and designers are still stuck in that Windows 95 mindset when we’re already at the iPhone 12 level. It’s about opening your eyes and knowing that times are moving forward—and that we deserve to be here. It’s about time, you know?
Indira Cesarine: You obviously have quite a big following on Instagram. How do you feel that social media has played a role in your activism? I’d imagine it’s been a really great platform to have.
Jillian Mercado: There are so many horrible things about social media—anyone with social media knows that. But I think the best part, and what I’ve really experienced, is the simple connectivity of realizing that we’re not alone. There are hundreds of millions, even billions, of people living our experience. That’s one of the most beautiful things about social media: it brings that peacefulness and comfort of knowing, “I’m not alone.”
For so many of us in the disability community, there’s that mindset of “no one’s like me.” It can be really lonely and frustrating, and that’s where mental health issues can come in—depression, all those things. But social media kind of verifies that things are going to be okay. There are so many people out there who support you, who are willing to talk if you reach out. That’s one of the beautiful things about the disability community—there’s an abundance of love and welcome, not just for people who’ve had disabilities their whole lives but also for those who are new to the community, who maybe had an accident or suddenly acquired a disability overnight. I think people don’t realize that—you don’t have to be born with a disability. You can wake up tomorrow and be in this community.
So social media has definitely helped connect everyone and remind them they’re not alone. In terms of activism, it also helps people outside of the community see what we go through—just by opening our eyes in the morning, the things we have to deal with, the things we have to navigate. For people who haven’t lived that experience, it’s so easy to be unaware, because no one knows everything in the world. But when you’re confronted with that ignorance, it’s important to listen to the people who are saying, “You’re doing this wrong,” and actually change. That starts a snowball effect.
Social media has really given us a platform to talk about those things so we can be better humans for each other. It also gives people who might not be able to experience the world outside of their home a way to feel like they have a place, and a voice to talk about whatever they want to talk about. There have been so many beautiful things that have happened through social media—just by connecting with each other around the world and being activists for our community.
Indira Cesarine: Last question: What advice do you have for other disabled young people who want to become models or actresses? Could you share your words of wisdom?
Jillian Mercado: When I get asked this question, I always think about what I would tell myself when I was younger—because I didn’t have the kind of representation that we’re seeing now. I was born in 1987, so Instagram didn’t exist. Facebook didn’t exist. All I had were television, radio, and printed magazines to see myself represented, and it was really, really sad that I didn’t see anyone like me.
The motivation to follow my dreams was a very thin line—about to snap. So if anyone is looking for guidance or advice, I always tell them: it really starts with yourself. It starts with loving whatever you feel passionate about—whether it’s modeling, becoming an astronaut, or any of the millions of things you could be. You have to love it so much that you drink it, eat it, and know the ins and outs of it. Then adapt it to work for you. One of the most beautiful things that disabled people do is how creative they can be to achieve what they want—it’s all about adapting and making it your own.
When it comes to modeling, acting, or something in that world, I feel like nowadays—because of social media and because we’re more open about talking about disability—it’s important to use that and really understand it. And also—have fun with it! I think people worry too much about the little things, but the first step is just being familiar with your body and with yourself. Take that photo with your cell phone, take that selfie, put it out there, and be proud of who you are. Your uniqueness is beautiful. Go after it! Put yourself out there in every opportunity you can. Yes, you’re going to fail. Yes, it’s not going to be as glamorous as you think. But there are so many beautiful moments on that journey to get to the position that I’m in now, where you see how powerful it can be and how helpful it is for the community—and for society in general.
Honestly, just have fun with it. A lot of people worry too much. It’s a privilege to be in a position where you can have fun with it. Have fun with yourself, and put yourself in places where maybe people don’t expect you to be. That’s always a great challenge. It’s always a great thing to get yourself into that fashion show, to connect with photographers, or to collaborate with aspiring actresses and models—and just make art and have fun. It doesn’t matter if nobody sees it. If somebody does, great! But as long as you’re having fun with it, that’s the most important part, and everything else will fall into place.
Indira Cesarine: That’s such a positive outlook. We should all remind ourselves that we’re supposed to be having fun with this. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that.
Jillian Mercado: It’s not cupcakes and rainbows all the time, but I think those difficult moments are where you find the most inspiration. That’s when you realize, “Life is really challenging me, which only means that I’m meant to be here.”
Pick up a copy of The INNOVATE Issue – available now from our online boutique.
Jillian Mercado @jillianmercado
Photography by Indira Cesarine @indiracesarine for @theuntitledmagazine
Stylist Ty-Ron Mayes @stylisttyronmayes
Hair & Make-up by Roberto Morelli @robertomorelli1
Photographed on location at The Untitled Space @untitledspaceny
