Eritrean-Canadian model and global activist Grace Mahary is blazing her own trail through the fashion industry and beyond. The former high school basketball champion was discovered while shopping with her mother in her hometown of Alberta, Canada. Willing to bet on herself from a young age, at just 16 years old, Grace moved cross country to Toronto by herself to further pursue her modeling career.

Grace entered the Elle Canada Model search, took home the top prize and hasn’t looked back. The fashion world quickly became enraptured with the self-proclaimed tomboy whose smoldering, deep-set eyes and grace became instant trademarks. As a new face to watch, the runway superstar received her big break courtesy of Givenchy for the Parisian house's Fall 2012 collection. She has walked runway shows for the most notable names including the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Chanel, Christian Dior, Valentino and Balenciaga. Grace has also appeared in numerous campaigns, including Cushnie and Ochs Fall 2017 and Mizani. Her editorial work includes Vogue, W Magazine, CR Fashion Book, Elle Canada and more.

Focused on being an agent of change, Grace founded Project Tsehigh (PjT) in 2015, with a mission to provide uninterrupted energy to developing communities around the world via renewable energy sources, starting in Eritrea, her parents’ homeland. Believing in a purpose bigger than herself and leveraging her platform as a model, Grace’s vision is clear: she will convene a group of deeply passionate people to equip communities with the resources and well-being they need to succeed. The nonprofit hopes to launch solar power endeavors in a variety of larger fields such as agriculture, education, medical and public establishments.

Additionally, Grace continues to bridge the gap between fashion and sports, practicing yoga, basketball, and mountain climbing in addition to supporting African initiatives. She has spoken in front of the president of Rwanda at the NBA Africa event for the 2016 All-Star Game and with Africa’s First Ladies during the 2017 General Assembly. She is currently an ambassador for JCI’s #IAmAfrica campaign and plans to host an annual fashion and arts conference in Johannesburg this upcoming year.