Leyna Bloom is a Black and Filipina model, dancer, actress, and activist.

She was the first transgender woman of color to grace the pages of Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit issue in 2021. Before that, in 2017, she became the first trans woman of color to be featured in Vogue India, and in 2019, she became the first to star in a film that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival for her appearance in "Port Authority." Bloom is also in the final season of the hit FX series "Pose" alongside Indya Moore.

Thanks to her artistic roots, Bloom is also trained in ballet, lyrical, hip hop, jazz modern, tap and vogue dance styles. She received a full dance scholarship to the Chicago Academy for the Arts, but later left school to pursue her transition. Bloom was born in Chicago to a Filipino mother and an African-American father. She was raised by her father from the age of two after her mother was deported. From homelessness to the pages of Vogue, Bloom continues to embody hard work and resilience.

In 2021, Bloom appeared as a model in the July swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated, making her the first openly transgender Black and Asian-American Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue model.

LGBTQ, Transgender, Modeling, Models, Diversity, Social Activism, Activists, Vogue, Actors, Actress, Lifestyle Acting, Black Heritage, Asian Heritage, LGBT Awareness Month,