Meet Your 2024 Honorees

City Chic is the plus size dress destination, from work wear to formal and occasion wear. City Chic embodies a bold, sexy, glam and chic lifestyle; designing for the confident curvy woman who has a passion for fashion and style. You will find a curated range of weekly new arrivals to keep your curves on trend. Designed with curves in mind, every City Chic garment is fitted to conceal and reveal in all the right places. We take fit and fabrication seriously, our designers work solely with high-quality fabrics and source exclusive prints from the top art houses in London, Paris & New York.

Sarah Chiwaya is a plus size fashion expert, style blogger, brand consultant, and fashion contributor for multiple publications. She is also the founder of New York City Plus, an events-based community for plus size women in the NYC metro area. Sarah has been writing about plus fashion and body positivity for more than a decade. After getting her start in the #fatshion community on Tumblr, she launched her own blog and started writing for other outlets, including a treasured stint as Associate Fashion Editor for Plus Model Magazine. Since then, her work has appeared in Elle, Refinery29, The Knot, Bustle, and more. Sarah also does brand consulting, sharing her in-depth knowledge of the plus-size fashion space to help companies expand sizing and understand how to effectively and successfully serve this community. As an influencer, Sarah has advocated for more and better options for plus size women for more than a decade, including her 2014 #plussizeplease movement, and providing ongoing education to combat misconceptions about the plus size market in the industry. For the SS25 season, she co-created a panel on size inclusivity with Danielle James, and officially kicked off Fashion Week with IMG by bringing the issue to the industry stage. She has made appearances on Good Morning America, and CBS News; and has been featured in the New York Times, Elle, Teen Vogue, InStyle, Business Insider, Glamour, Allure, New York Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Self Magazine, TODAY, and many more. Sarah regularly covers the fashion industry on her own website curvilyfashion.com, as well as Instagram and Tiktok at @curvily. She is also the founder of New York City Plus, a community for in-person events for plus women. When she is not working, Sarah enjoys traveling, long afternoons on the beach, reading fiction, and watching bad reality television.

Ms. Theresa “Sparkle” Randolph is a trailblazer and trendsetter who is best known for creating the wildly popular Ms. Full-Figured USA Pageants. The New Jersey native (born and raised in East Orange and now a Newark resident) has been going strong with her glittering pageants for the past 31 years, making her one of the most successful pageant promoters on the scene! Her highly anticipated sold-out events are a must-see! Affectionately known as “Ms. Theresa,” Ms. Randolph began her career as an Ebony Fashion Fair hopeful. She has since been a fashion show commentator and host, hosting the cable favorite “Image TV” for several years. Ms. Theresa has also branched her popular pageants out regionally, to New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Michigan, Illinois, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, the Caribbean, as well as the Tristate division, and others to be added. Her pageants have been featured on television shows such as TV One’s News One Now, ABC-TV’s Here and Now, Good Day New York, News12 New Jersey, MY9 News, NBC Nightly News, CW11 Morning News, FIOS 1 News, BronxNet TV’s “Open” Morning Show, as well as the NJ Star-Ledger Newspaper, the NY Amsterdam News, NY Beacon, Essex Times, Local Talk, and on WBLS-FM. In addition, Theresa is a successful event promoter and the Banquet Director of Special Events at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey. In 2014, the city of Newark honored her with the Key to the City, recognizing her for her myriad of outstanding entrepreneurial and charitable accomplishments. Becoming an author, 2014 also saw the release of her first book, “Power of the Plus: The Full-Figured Blueprint to Pageants, Fashion Shows, and Modeling Careers.” The accolades continue for this phenomenal lady, as in 2016 she also received the Key to the City of Gonzales, Louisiana from Mayor Barney Arceneaux, presented to her by Councilman Harold Stewart. In 2016 she performed as the honorary ringmaster for the famed UniverSoul Circus in Newark, NJ. She has graced stages big and small, including hosting the House Music Festival in Newark and New York City (Bryant Park) and events at popular NYC venues like Webster Hall and Irving Plaza. "Fabulous" is Theresa "Sparkle" Randolph's middle name and she has undoubtedly earned her nickname "Queen of New Jersey." She and her full-figured pageants, along with all of her other outstanding undertakings, are her glittering testaments to diversity in beauty and business. Her motto is "Size has no harrier on beauty" and she most certainly exemplifies this!

Nikki Gomez isn't just a name; she's a force in the fashion industry, dedicated to weaving threads of inclusion and empowerment into every aspect of her career. Her journey began in 2004, stepping in front of the camera as a plus-size model with a mission – to represent the diversity and beauty she saw within the women of her own family and Afro Latina heritage. Nikki's story didn't stop there. A natural behind the lens, she discovered a latent talent for photography that blossomed alongside her modeling career. For over 18 years, Nikki has crafted captivating imagery that celebrates the spectrum of shapes, sizes, and shades that define true beauty. From Wilhelmina to Elite, her lens has graced the portfolios of countless models, each frame a testament to her unwavering commitment to representation. In 2011, Nikki starred in the groundbreaking reality show "Big Sexy" on TLC, the first-ever plus-size reality show. Her passion for representation fueled her appearance with a mission to represent plus-size women as confident and aspirational, shattering stereotypes and paving the way for a more inclusive media landscape. As head booker at Bicoastal Management, Nikki blazed trails, pioneering the agency's first-ever Plus Size Print Division. Her vision and dedication paved the way for a decade of inclusive representation, proving that beauty knows no bounds. Nikki's philosophy of empowering others to live intuitively is a guiding light in an industry often driven by external expectations. Her advocacy for authenticity and self-expression has not only influenced models but has also inspired a broader cultural shift towards embracing individuality. In 2015, Nikki took the leap into entrepreneurship, forging her path as a freelance photographer. Her work has adorned the pages of national and international publications, clothing brands, and boutique labels, leaving an indelible mark on the industry. In 2016, her talent and passion were recognized with the prestigious Photographer of the Year award at Full Figured Fashion Week. But Nikki's impact extends beyond the lens. In 2019, she launched The Model Intensive Boot Camp, a transformative coaching program designed to empower models with the business savvy and on-camera finesse needed to thrive in a competitive industry. Through mentorship and guidance, Nikki shares her wealth of experience, empowering the next generation of models to navigate the industry with confidence and grace. During the lockdown in 2020, Nikki began shooting models for their portfolios virtually, offering a groundbreaking solution to the isolation many faced in the industry as everything went virtual for a few years. In 2021, Nikki launched her successful coaching program called "The Modelpreneur Masterclass." This program has accelerated the careers of dozens of models, including notable names such as Gwen Devoe, Anna Smiley, Jamie Finkenthal, and Sheena Postell. Graduates of her program have gone on to book clients such as Ashley Stewart, Lane Bryant, Fashion to Figure, Adidas, Target, Netflix, QVC, SHEIN, and more, and have signed with notable agencies. For Nikki Gomez, modeling isn't just about striking a pose – it's about amplifying voices, challenging norms, and rewriting the narrative of beauty. With each click of her camera and every word of wisdom shared, she's shaping a future where inclusion isn't just a buzzword – it's the very essence of fashion.

Sasha “The Glamazon” Renee is a drag performance artist and a plus size equal rights activist. She has been a presence on the plus fashion scene for the past ten years. Sasha can often be seen at numerous events promoting body positivity and supporting the plus community. Her activism and outreach efforts focus on serving marginalized and underprivileged communities. Due to being a polyglot, multi-instrumentalist and DJ, Sasha has had the privilege of performing across the United States and in multiple countries. She is an ambassador for “Drag the Vote” which promotes voter registration and is a member of the Westchester chapter of Drag Story Hour. She has been highlighted in numerous media outlets including BET and ABC. Sasha was recognized for her support of the plus community at Full Figured Fashion Week in 2017. Aside from her support throughout the plus community, Sasha is constantly traveling and working. She has taught foreign languages in various high schools over the past two decades. She currently serves as the Assistant Principal for Student Life at an independent school in New York. When not on the fashion scene or working in education, Sasha is a fixture behind the scenes in the music industry working for various concert tours and music festivals. This year marks her 24th year working for the Newport Festivals Foundation, where she serves as the Head of Stage Crew for The Newport Folk Festival and The Newport Jazz Festival. More than anything, Sasha cherishes the opportunity to visit new places, to meet new people, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying all that life has to offer.

Zach Miko is a Writer/Entrepreneur who made history as the first Plus-sized Male Model signed to a major modeling agency, IMG Models. Since joining in 2016, he has featured in campaigns for over fifty global brands, including L.L. Bean, Gap, Levi Strauss, Jos. A Bank, Savage X Fenty, and Dolce and Gabbana. His work has been showcased in Vogue, The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, People Magazine, The New York Post, The Times, LA Style, and numerous other publications. In 2020, Zach launched his inclusive swimwear brand, Meekos, specializing in sizes LT-9XL. A strong advocate for the plus-size community, he serves on the Advisory Board at Big Fig Mattress and recently addressed the United Nations on World Eating Disorders Day Of Action. Zach remains committed to promoting body acceptance and advocating for diversity and inclusion within the fashion industry through his writing and activism.