Young women with Down Syndrome already statistically have lower
self-esteem, and spend on average up to nine hours a day online.
As their lives become increasingly more intertwined with virtual worlds,
the digital landscape impacts their lives immensely. With the rise of virtual influencers, pixel-perfect faces and bodies have become the norm on almost every mainstream social platform. Since virtual influencers
are completely man-made through 3D programming, much of what society considers to be flaws are removed. These "ideal" virtual humans reinforce harmful and unrealistic beauty standards, and lead to the reduced visibility of disabilities in the digital realm.
Kami is a pioneer in the social and influencer space. She is not only the first virtual influencer with Down Syndrome, but she's also the only virtual human created and run by the community it represents.
Not only that, Kami has become a vehicle of revenue for her charity
and a tool for young women with disabilities to interact in the
virtual space.
As the digital and social culture changes and we move closer to virtual representation, Kami plays an important role in shaping what the future of inclusion looks like across social platforms and virtual worlds.