You don't need to spell out the word "confidence" to Ashley Graham — she embodies it. That comes with experience (she's been modeling since 2001) and career achievements such as landing a Vogue cover [1] and launching her fifth Swimsuits For All collection [2]. Did we mention Ashley also became the first curve model to appear in Sports Illustrated [3], partners with Addition Elle on a lingerie line, and, somehow, found time to write a memoir?
To list all her fashion accomplishments [4] would be exhausting, which is a sure sign that Ashley is simply a power woman. Case in point: she's become a model turned activist [5] for diversity and body positivity in fashion. She continually champions women of all sizes and shapes while empowering those around her with her words. If you're part of Ashley's 6.1 million followers [6] on Instagram, you know what we mean. With all the wisdom Ashley has bestowed on us in interviews, we rounded up a few of her most empowering quotes here.
!["That's something I've always been told: 'You're not good enough because you're plus-size.' I'm not here to ban the word from the dictionary" [but Ashley] prefers curvy or curve (used in a sentence: A record 26 curve models walked in New York Fashion Week last season, including Graham in Michael Kors's show). — The Cut](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/_4RdLMqR5lHIIBN-lxwyTqCMhck/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2018/02/07/926/n/1922564/b77a71dd0daa63ae_GettyImages-635533206/i/something-Ive-always-been-told-Youre-good-enough.jpg "\"That's something I've always been told: 'You're not good enough because you're plus-size.' I'm not here to ban the word from the dictionary\" [but Ashley] prefers curvy or curve (used in a sentence: A record 26 curve models walked in New York Fashion Week last season, including Graham in Michael Kors's show). — The Cut")
"That's something I've always been told: 'You're not good enough because you're plus-size.' I'm not here to ban the word from the dictionary" [but Ashley] prefers curvy or curve (used in a sentence: A record 26 curve models walked in New York Fashion Week last season, including Graham in Michael Kors's show). — The Cut [7]
"Just because I'm not calling myself plus-size doesn't mean I'm not representing a woman who is. I'm giving curvy women a seat at a table that we've never been invited to before — a table with high-end fashion people who have never considered us beautiful." — Cosmopolitan [8]
"Sexy is a state of mind. I use it as a hashtag all the time on instagram ... #SexyStateOfMind." — 5 Minutes With Franny [9]
"You are bold, you are brilliant, you are beautiful." — Maxim [10]
!["It was an eye-opening experience for me in that 'Oh my God, I can do anything I want.' When you're given a [Sports Illustrated] cover and you take advantage of it, you can conquer the world. Look at Chrissy Teigen. Look at Tyra Banks. Look at Kathy Ireland. She's a mogul in this industry now." — The Cut](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/45mshqEWPhA1KCYsuzzzW01TqSs/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2018/02/07/926/n/1922564/771695a584c2c690_GettyImages-670774294/i/eye-opening-experience-me-Oh-my-God-I-can-do.jpg "\"It was an eye-opening experience for me in that 'Oh my God, I can do anything I want.' When you're given a [Sports Illustrated] cover and you take advantage of it, you can conquer the world. Look at Chrissy Teigen. Look at Tyra Banks. Look at Kathy Ireland. She's a mogul in this industry now.\" — The Cut")
"It was an eye-opening experience for me in that 'Oh my God, I can do anything I want.' When you're given a [Sports Illustrated] cover and you take advantage of it, you can conquer the world. Look at Chrissy Teigen. Look at Tyra Banks [11]. Look at Kathy Ireland. She's a mogul in this industry now." — The Cut [12]
"I'm having a moment, but I've been having a moment a little while right now, and I'm so thankful for it. Not only are you seeing women who have my body shape, who are bigger, who are smaller, whatever; you see the industry changing right before your eyes." — CBS News [13]