How a former fashion model broke the colour barrier on Winnipeg runways

CBC community reporter Ayo Odeyemi set out to find and share the untold stories of "Africanadians"Odeyemi's phrase for Black Canadians who have "distinguished themselves and excelled, while breaking boundaries and protocols in the history of friendly Manitoba."

It's a perfect description for Hortense Hodge.

The former Winnipeg model was among a handful who graced the pages of magazines, screens and runways during the city's fashion-centric heydayof the 1980s.

Odeyemi sat down with Hodge at her hometo find out how a young girl from British Guyana ended up at the top of the fashion game in Winnipeg.

Former fashion model breaks colour barrier in style

2 years ago

Duration 4:58

CBC community reporter Ayo Odeyemi sits down with Hortense Hodge, one of Winnipeg's first Black 'super' models of the 1980s.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.