I am truly humbled. Not only that I am going to be known as the final Top Model but as a final Top Model who is deaf! And that is an amazing tagline. This proves that deaf people can do anything and everything.
I have always aspired to be the type of role model who can bridge the deaf and hearing communities.
I had to live with the models in one big house for two months, 24 hours a day. Only a few of them actually learned how to sign... I couldn't really communicate with anybody, and I felt isolated.
I'm fortunate to have blue eyes!
I love it when I surprise photographers that, despite the fact that I am deaf, I am capable of meeting their vision. I love it that I can read their body language and know what they do not like and what they do like.
When I signed up for 'Dancing with the Stars,' I was nervous. If I threw everything off, there are 10-15 million people watching, and that would be a negative viewpoint of deaf people, and I didn't want that.
It's one of the reasons I want to do 'Dancing with the Stars': it's a platform to educate.
There is research proving that deaf people have increased visual abilities.
We have our own culture, our own community. A lot of people don't realize that. They just assume that deaf people are very unfortunate, very disabled, but no.
I think the biggest misconception is that people think deaf people are not able to do things.
I'm really excited to educate the world about what deaf people can do.
I'm ready to take the world by storm and have them look at me and say, 'Deaf people can dance.'
I think we really do need deaf people out there writing their own shows.
Own your identity. Love who you are in the world. Love your deafness.
Am I complaining about my deafness? No, I am not.
I was doing a little modeling on the side. Then 'ANTM' found me on social media, and it pretty much flipped my life around, all for the better.
I would love to work with Mario Testino. I respect all the work he has done and is doing.
I love to cook breakfast. I am a morning person.
Right before 'ANTM,' I was offered a recurring role for the TV show 'Switched at Birth.' I had to pick one because both of the shows were happening at the same time. I couldn't choose, though, so decided to let my dog Foxy decide. She picked 'ANTM!'
As a sexually fluid deaf man, I know that embracing all our identities is the way to thrive and to overcome the limitations and prejudices that surround us.
