Dejua Tiller

Bio

Model: Dejua Tiller
Osteogenesis Imperfecta

My name is Dejua Tiller. I’m 21 years old, and I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). OI is a physical disability that causes my bones to break, sprain, and fracture very easily. I am also a little person. In the past 21 years, I have broken my bones over 200 times including my skull.

In my photo I wanted people to view me bigger than what I appear in person. Growing up and still to this day, a lot of children along with adults are so curious as to know how old I am because of my size. My age is a common question I get asked almost every day. But most of the time I get stared at because people are so confused and might be a little afraid to ask.

I am very confident and comfortable with my size, but when I was asked to be a part of the Bold Beauty Project, being depicted as bigger was the first thing I thought about. Working with my photographer Carolyn Johnson and Bill Jordan from Bold Beauty was so much fun. I have never done a photo shoot before, but they made me feel so comfortable. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

“Dejua’s beauty is bold both inside and out.” – my friend Adrianne Dunn”