Jillian Mercado Biography
Jillian Mercado is infectiously upbeat and talkative; she can whisk you into a conversation that will loop and turn for hours. While its clear a buoyant attitude comes naturally to her, a good aura can only be expected considering she’s become the most recognizable model with muscular dystrophy and has worked with multiple industry icons ¬ all in less than two years.
Mercado lived and breathed fashion from a young age, albeit unwittingly. Her mother and father, both immigrants from Santiago, Dominican Republic, first worked in an embroidery factory and shoe store, respectively. The fashion bug stuck with her and she went on to study merchandising management at New York’s esteemed Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).
After graduation, Mercado took up various titles behind the scenes. After working with socialite photographer Patrick McMullan, she held a position at Tumblr before becoming the creative director of We the Urban magazine. Though Mercado never seriously entertained the idea of modeling, she submitted herself to an open call for Diesel, partially on a whim and partially for an opportunity to work with Nicola Formichetti again. The two first became acquainted during a launch party for an issue of We the Urban that featured the denim brand’s artistic director on the cover. With a small push from a friend, Mercado took the plunge. Two weeks later, Diesel notified her she was in the running to be featured in the campaign.
Mercado subsequently appeared on various television shows, including E! News, and received an influx of praise for both her modeling and her representation of the differently abled in fashion. To date, Mercado has starred in campaigns for Olay, Bumble 100, Calvin Klein fragrance, Nordstrom, Target and Tommy Hilfiger. In September 2018 she was featured on Teen Vogue ’s first digital cover. In addition, editorial features include CR Fashion Book , the September issues of Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Glassbook, Jejune and Herring and Herring magazine and she received the 2019 Flaunt It Award, which honors celebrities for using their platforms to raise awareness about a visible or invisible difference that has impacted their lives.
Off-camera, Mercado speaks and participates in summits as a disabilities advocate. Recent engagements include Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine X Together Live Tour, Adweek 's annual Women Trailblazers event, Little by Little in unison with the United Nations, and a panel discussing disability representation in media sponsored by Tommy Hilfiger and Microsoft. She has an autobiography in the works in efforts to share her story and to continuation to encourage the next generation of women and those with disabilities.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Jillian Mercado and other top speakers and celebrities.
Jillian Mercado Speaking Topics
From the moment Jillian Mercado burst onto the fashion scene less than two years ago, she’s been making headlines. As one of the most visible and successful models with a disability (spastic muscular dystrophy), Jillian has become an important voice and advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities. But interestingly, Jillian didn’t start her career in front of the camera. She lived and breathed fashion from a young age, as her parents (both immigrants from the Dominican Republic) worked in an embroidery factory and shoe store. She studied fabrics, learned to sew, and then got hit by the fashion bug.
With a degree in merchandising management from New York’s esteemed Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), she worked with top photographers and at Tumblr, was the creative director of We The Urban magazine, and immersed herself in the business of fashion. On a whim, she submitted herself to an open call for a Diesel worldwide ad campaign, which immediately went viral. The buzz was instant, and she soon appeared in campaigns for Olay, Beyoncé, Bumble 100,
Calvin Klein fragrance, Nordstrom, Target, and Tommy Hilfiger. She was featured on Teen Vogue ’s first ever September digital cover and has been profiled in editorial features including Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Glassbook, Jejeune and Herring and Herring magazines. She’s also featured in Zoe Saldana’s upcoming documentary series Breaking Glass.
Off-camera, Jillian is in demand as a speaker and panelist on numerous issues around accessibility and visibility for the disability community --not only in the fashion world, but in all walks of life. She’s addressed conferences sponsored by the United Nations, Google, Microsoft, and Tommy Hilfiger and she continues to do all she can to show that “disability doesn’t have to be ugly, it should be embraced. I wish I had that role model growing up, but to be that role model is great.”
Jillian Mercado Videos
How to book Jillian Mercado?
Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Jillian Mercado for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers. Fill out a booking request form for Jillian Mercado, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Jillian Mercado or any other celebrity of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Jillian Mercado?
Booking fees for Jillian Mercado, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies according to the circumstances, including the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. Speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Jillian Mercado, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
Who is the agent for Jillian Mercado?
All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Jillian Mercado for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Jillian Mercado for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service talent booking agency?
All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Jillian Mercado or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Jillian Mercado or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
Jillian Mercado is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Literary, Television & Film and Modeling. The estimated speaking fee range to book Jillian Mercado for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events $20,000 - $30,000. Jillian Mercado generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Geena Rocero, Ruth E. Carter and Elaine Welteroth. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Jillian Mercado for an upcoming event.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Jillian Mercado Speaking Topics
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UNBRAINWASHING SOCIETY
From the moment Jillian Mercado burst onto the fashion scene less than two years ago, she’s been making headlines. As one of the most visible and successful models with a disability (spastic muscular dystrophy), Jillian has become an important voice and advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities. But interestingly, Jillian didn’t start her career in front of the camera. She lived and breathed fashion from a young age, as her parents (both immigrants from the Dominican Republic) worked in an embroidery factory and shoe store. She studied fabrics, learned to sew, and then got hit by the fashion bug.
With a degree in merchandising management from New York’s esteemed Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), she worked with top photographers and at Tumblr, was the creative director of We The Urban magazine, and immersed herself in the business of fashion. On a whim, she submitted herself to an open call for a Diesel worldwide ad campaign, which immediately went viral. The buzz was instant, and she soon appeared in campaigns for Olay, Beyoncé, Bumble 100,
Calvin Klein fragrance, Nordstrom, Target, and Tommy Hilfiger. She was featured on Teen Vogue ’s first ever September digital cover and has been profiled in editorial features including Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Glassbook, Jejeune and Herring and Herring magazines. She’s also featured in Zoe Saldana’s upcoming documentary series Breaking Glass.
Off-camera, Jillian is in demand as a speaker and panelist on numerous issues around accessibility and visibility for the disability community --not only in the fashion world, but in all walks of life. She’s addressed conferences sponsored by the United Nations, Google, Microsoft, and Tommy Hilfiger and she continues to do all she can to show that “disability doesn’t have to be ugly, it should be embraced. I wish I had that role model growing up, but to be that role model is great.”
VIDEO
Jillian Mercado Videos
FAQ
How to book Jillian Mercado?
Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Jillian Mercado for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers. Fill out a booking request form for Jillian Mercado, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Jillian Mercado or any other celebrity of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Jillian Mercado?
Booking fees for Jillian Mercado, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies according to the circumstances, including the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. Speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Jillian Mercado, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
Who is the agent for Jillian Mercado?
All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Jillian Mercado for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Jillian Mercado for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service talent booking agency?
All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Jillian Mercado or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Jillian Mercado or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
Jillian Mercado is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Literary, Television & Film and Modeling. The estimated speaking fee range to book Jillian Mercado for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events $20,000 - $30,000. Jillian Mercado generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Geena Rocero, Ruth E. Carter and Elaine Welteroth. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Jillian Mercado for an upcoming event.
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