Salem Mitchell
Quick Facts
Biography
Salem Mitchell (born 1998) is an American model. She is known for her numerous facial freckles. Mitchell was discovered through Instagram and is currently signed to LA Ford Models.
Life & career
Mitchell was born and raised in San Diego, California and is African American and Filipino.She graduated from San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, where she studied dance, in 2016.She amassed a large following through Instagram. One day Mitchell posted a photo of herself on Twitter next to a bruised banana after trolls compared her freckles to the overripe fruit. After the photo went viral, a Paper Magazine writer, Maiya Toledano, invited Mitchell to do a feature shoot through Instagram. Mitchell later signed to Ford Models.
Mitchell has appeared in music videos for artists such as SZA and Cardi B. She has worked with retailers including GAP, Converse, and SavagexFenty. Her first cover was for Numéro Berlin.
Mitchell has been the target of cyberbullying for her freckles and was once called "ghetto" by internet commenters. She wrote a response on Instagram Stories that discussed cultural appropriation and the devaluation of African American female beauty when those features are on Black women.
She is a nominee for Best of Social Media in the Fashion category at the 11th annual Shorty Awards.