POPSUGAR: Where were you when you found out you were on the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue?
Jasmine Sanders: I was at my house in LA and I was home with my best friend Phillip and one of my agents. We were playing this fun whisper game — which I'm really good at — and somehow at the end of the game, I look over and see the announcement. It freaked me out. I had no idea. Once I found out the ladies [Kate Bock and Olivia Culpo] knew as well, we all got on FaceTime together and got very excited about it.
PS: You were Sports Illustrated's Rookie of the Year in 2019. How have these back-to-back milestones impacted your career?
JS: Sports Illustrated has allowed me to shift into a whole new power drive. I can walk into rooms that I may have never walked into before and just feel like I can own it. It's been full circle amazing. It's a whole family — I never went to college, so it's like having a whole sorority group that came out of nowhere for me.
"We need to make a change and show everyone that they're worthy of being on a cover. They're worthy of getting paid the full amount. They're worthy of not working overtime to prove that they're worth it.
PS: When it comes to diverse representation, where do you hope the fashion industry will be a year from now?
JS: I can't personally stand next to anyone and not have this conversation anymore. I have had so many uncomfortable conversations lately. The main thing is to focus on trying to see what makes people uncomfortable — whether it has been on set or whatever the case is — and just finding ways to fix those problems. There have been situations I've dealt with, situations my friends have dealt with who are fellow models or actresses in the industry, and it's sad to hear that the same story goes around so much.
I just hope that the industry starts to really open their ears on it. I hope that they stop pointing fingers and getting upset at anyone who speaks out — from fellow models to the hairstylists who don't get paid enough. People need to be listened to and we need to make a change and show everyone that they're worthy of being on a cover. They're worthy of getting paid the full amount. They're worthy of not working overtime to prove that they're worth it. SI does an amazing part in this and really does try to showcase everyone, and that's part of my reason for working with them. They have made me feel comfortable and proud to be a reader. I've watched them grow over the years and I've seen the transformation.