ST. LOUIS — The remarkable 22-year-old Chesterfield woman Grace Strobel will walk the catwalk this weekend in Atlantic City. What sets her apart? She has Down syndrome.
Strobel’s popularity grew immensely after she posted photos from her first photoshoot to her Facebook page last October.
Fast forward six months and she has been featured in four magazines, has three upcoming features, has interviewed on TV and radio and walked in the WinterWalk Fashion Show by Ola Style.
Strobel hopes that these new opportunities will not only launch her career further but will raise awareness and shift people’s attitudes of what is possible for someone with a disability.
Although Strobel has already broken headlines, she continues to break stereotypes in her profession. By using herself as a personal example, she shines a light on how important it is to embrace diversity.
Strobel hosts public events of her talk, #TheGraceEffect, to students throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. She hopes to continue to change perceptions, opportunities and attitudes about and for individuals with disabilities.
Strobel's social media following has grown to over 16,500 people on her personal Facebook page and another 3,000 on her Facebook Business page.
Strobel’s next event is the Atlantic City Fashion Week that runs from this Wednesday through Saturday. She will be wearing a design by New York/St. Louis designer Ola Hawatmeh.
