Jillian Mercado

Jillian Mercado was born on April 30, 1987, in New York City, New York, to Dominican parents. Diagnosed with spastic muscular dystrophy as a child, Mercado developed an early interest in fashion, influenced by her mother, a dressmaker, and her father, a shoe salesman. She pursued a degree in fashion merchandising at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology from 2006 to 2010, completing internships at “Veranda” and “Allure” magazines. Her early career involved volunteering at Fashion Week and covering events for PMc Magazine, which allowed her to gain insight into the fashion industry’s operations.

Mercado gained significant recognition in 2014 when she was featured in her first major campaign for the denim brand Diesel, selected by Nicola Formichetti. This success led to her signing a modeling contract with IMG Models in August 2015, marking a turning point in her career as one of the few professional models with a visible physical disability. Since then, she has appeared in campaigns for Nordstrom, CR Fashion Book, and became one of three models for Beyoncé’s official website, promoting merchandise for the singer’s 2016 Formation world tour. In the same year, she was also featured in a Target Corporation marketing campaign and appeared in editorial features for Glamour and Cosmopolitan magazines, culminating in her first cover for Posture Magazine.

In addition to her modeling career, Mercado has made strides in acting and activism. She began playing Maribel in “The L Word: Generation Q” from 2019 to 2023, appearing in 20 episodes. Her acting credits also include “Cripfished” (2023), “My Eyes Are Up Here” (2022), and upcoming roles in “Dying for Sex” (2025), “The Paper Bag Plan” (2025), “9-1-1” (2025), “The Call” (post-production), and “Natural Selection” (post-production). Mercado is a vocal advocate for disabled rights and representation, working with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in 2018 to reduce inequality. She founded Black Disabled Creatives, an online community-driven database, and has participated in discussions exploring Latinx culture and identity in the metaverse, further solidifying her role as an influential figure advocating for diversity and inclusion.