Meet Valentina

I have vitiligo, but vitiligo isn’t my only story.

I also play soccer, was on the school play, I love to sing, My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE singer in the world is @laufey and my favorite fast food place is @raisingcanes. I really don’t care about my vitiligo. It’s just another normal day for me. The kids at my school don’t care either. I’m grateful for them because they like me for who I am.

My Mom reads a book to my class at the beginning of the school year called, ‘Different Like Me’. It was written by @Lorimitchellart (the Mom of my #vitisister @aprilmirchell). This helps my friends understand how we are all different but also the same! If you are ever self-conscious about your vitiligo, don’t be! Having vitiligo is so cool! Would you rather have plain boring skin? I know I wouldn’t. Yea sure sometimes I want normal skin. But I’d rather have something cool to share about myself. I’m a very talkative person when I get comfortable - having something that stands out about you makes you who you are!

For example: one day at school I asked my best friend Savannah, “Hey, why did you want to become friends with me?” And you know what she said? She said, “Well when I first saw you, I thought your skin was really cool and that’s what made you stand out. So I asked you to be friends” See what I mean? And we’ve been friends since kindergarten!

If you see someone with a skin like mine, please say . Many people are self-conscious about their vitiligo (not me) and all they need is a smile. Tbh, don’t we all just need a smile? And remember, vitiligo isn’t contagious, it doesn’t hurt and there is no cure. My Mom says there are treatments available if you feel you need it. But I think we are all beautiful and need to love ourselves and the skin we are in before we try to change it.

Even though the world can be scary, we must learn to live in it. Because how are we gonna enjoy life if all we do is see the bad side?

So before looking down on yourself, think how many people would die to be different!

Now you have something to brag about! That’s all!