Modeling is an American dream. We don't have that industry in Nigeria. But growing up here, I've been exposed to it, and that's why I want to do it. I just don't know if it's realistic. That's why I'm at school. I guess I have two dreams at one time: I want to do neonatology medicine, and I want to model. My parents wanted me to go to Stanford. I got accepted to Stanford, Cornell, Berkeley. But I figured UCLA would be best because it's still in L.A. I wanted to be up with the trends. They were kind of upset.

In African American society, there is a lot of leeway as far as body type. The ideal body is thick, not fat, kinda voluptuous. Big butt, big hips, big breasts, small waist, and long hair. I don't think a lot of girls in the African American community focus on their body type....

... When we were getting dressed [for the prom], we didn't worry about how our bodies looked in the outfits we were wearing as much as we did, are the outfits that we're wearing good enough? It wasn't focused on your body. It was more what you had on to cover your body.

I guess that's another cultural difference between the Nigerian and the American. Looks are important to American girls. If you're brought up here, you're taught that you have to look good to succeed, that beauty gets you what you want and gets you where you need to go. I don't worry about being beautiful, because I just make myself feel beautiful.

—Nkechi, 17

Having my quinceañera really helped me, since it was perfect. It just really raised my spirits and my confidence in myself that I could do what I wanted to do and I could accomplish things in life.

I think the hardest thing about being a girl is having enough self-confidence to believe in yourself and think, I'm pretty and I'm smart; I'm gonna make it. I have noticed, how, if you're overweight [in America], people treat you differently. That really bugs me, because I don't believe you should be judged on your looks. And it's everywhere. It's not like something that only a small portion of people do. It's a lot of people now, and it's getting worse....

... Recently, when I visited Mexico, I thought it would be different there. But there is a lot of American influence I didn't know about. It's becoming a thing over there, too, body image being important for a girl. Jennifer Lopez is really a big influence. Also Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. You notice they have nice bodies, and that is what influences girls. Now More than ever, it's really important for Latina girls, as well as white girls, to be slim. The pressures are rising as more Latina actors and singers become popular. So it's not just for a certain race of people. It's for everyone now.

—Ruby, 15