Mama Cax

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Mama Cax
Mama-cax.jpg
Born
Cacsmy Brutus

November 20, 1989
New York City, New York, United States
DiedDecember 16, 2019(2019-12-16) (aged 30)
London, United Kingdom
NationalityAmerican–Haitian
OccupationModel, activist

Cacsmy Brutus (November 20, 1989 – December 16, 2019), known as Mama Cax, was an American-Haitian model and disabled rights activist.[1][2][3] With her prosthetic right leg, Cax was a proudly unconventional figure in modern fashion modeling.

Early life[]

Cacsmy Brutus was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on November 20, 1989.[4] She grew up in Haiti, and at age 14, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and lung cancer—doctors gave her three weeks to live.[3][5] Two years later, she received a hip replacement which failed, leading to the amputation of her right leg.[6][7] She later said that it took several years to regain her confidence and that she hid her prosthetic leg for several years.[8]

She earned a bachelor's and master's degrees in International Relations.[9]

At age 18, Cax learned to play wheelchair basketball.

Modeling[]

On September 15, 2016, Cax was invited to the White House to participate in a fashion show put on by Barack and Michelle Obama. At that time, she was working in the office of the Mayor of New York City while finishing her studies.[10]

In 2017, Cax appeared in her first commercial advertisement, and soon signed with the modeling agency JAG Models in New York.[4] Among her appearances, she walked the runway in shows for Chromat[4] and Rihanna's Fenty Beauty.[11] Her later commercial work included ad campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger and Sephora.[4]

She walked at New York Fashion Week in 2018, parading in a swimsuit designed by Becca McCharen, who seeks to change the "standards of beauty".[3][12] That year, she made the cover of Teen Vogue with Jillian Mercado and Chelsea Werner.[13]

In 2019, Cax became the face of Olay brand for their sunscreen marketing campaign.[14] In October 2019, Cax announced she would be participating in the New York Marathon in a wheelchair.[15]

Death[]

While in England in December 2019, Cax was admitted to Royal London Hospital, suffering from severe abdominal pains and blood clots in the lung; she died in the hospital on December 16, 2019.[3][4][16]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Model-activist Mama Cax dead at 30". Page Six Style. December 20, 2019.
  2. ^ Hess, Liam (20 December 2019). "The Trailblazing Model Mama Cax Has Died at 30". Vogue. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Hortan, Adrian (20 December 2019). "Boundary-breaking model Mama Cax dies at 30". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 December 2019. Mama Cax, a boundary-breaking model, activist and advocate for the fashion industry’s inclusion of differently abled models and people of color, has died of complications from a weeklong illness, her family announced on Friday, via social media. She was 30.
  4. ^ a b c d e Taylor, Derrick Bryson (December 22, 2019). "Mama Cax, Amputee Model and Disability Activist, Dies at 30". NYTimes.com.
  5. ^ "Fashion Blogger and Cancer Survivor Mama Cax Talks Body Positivity, Self-Care, and the Skincare Products Behind Her Gorgeous Glow". Health.com. April 18, 2019.
  6. ^ "Mama Cax on Her Amputation, Beauty, and Body Positivity: "I Felt Pride, and That Changed Everything"". Glamour.com. May 3, 2017.
  7. ^ "Mama Cax Shares How Losing a Leg Didn't Make Her Feel Any Less Beautiful (VIDEO)". Allure.com. October 26, 2016.
  8. ^ "Mama Cax: What losing a leg taught me about beauty". NBC News. July 22, 2019.
  9. ^ "About". mamacax.com.
  10. ^ "Model-Activist Mama Cax on Traveling with a Disability". HERE Magazine. 2018.
  11. ^ "No One's Gonna Miss The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show". BuzzFeed. November 25, 2019.
  12. ^ "The Chromat Runway Continues to Champion Body Diversity". Papermag.com. September 8, 2018.
  13. ^ "This Model-Activist and Amputee's Runway Walk Just Lit Up the Chromat Show". Vogue. September 8, 2018.
  14. ^ "Mama Cax Teams Up With Olay To Open The Dialogue On SPF And Protecting Black Skin". Essence. March 26, 2019.
  15. ^ "Model Mama Cax Is Hand Cycling The NYC Marathon — Here's How She Trains". Bustle. October 29, 2019.
  16. ^ "Mama Cax Has Passed Away at 30". Teen Vogue. December 20, 2019.
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