Ashley Byrd was determined to become a model – so she took on the role of a construction worker

The Amite, Louisiana, native had big dreams that went beyond her small town, and her grueling gig not only gave her the funds she needed to make her goals a reality, but she developed a group of lifelong friends along the way. Now, those pals are cheering her on as she makes her mark in this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.

Byrd, a finalist in the 2022 SI Swim Search, was chosen among thousands of submissions to be photographed by acclaimed SI photographer Yu Tsai. The winner of the annual casting call will become a rookie in the 2023 issue.

Byrd spoke about why she was so determined to follow in Beyonce’s footsteps, the biggest lesson she learned in her brief construction stint, and why she is feeling hopeful now more than ever about her future.

"Honestly, it’s something that I’ve been wanting to do for years, but I would somehow talk myself out of it. I just thought, "They’re not going to pay attention to me." But finally, I decided I wasn’t going to overthink it anymore… So I grabbed my tripod and my phone and I just filmed a video explaining why I felt I could be a good fit. I figured, whatever happens, happens. It’s out of my hands now. Well, here we are."

Ashley Byrd confessed that she was not too familiar with SI swimsuit at the beginning because where she comes from, modeling isn’t this big thing. "I grew up playing sports – I wanted to be a WNBA star. But as I got older, I thought about modeling and wanting to do my own thing. I remember seeing Beyonce and Danielle Harrington on the cover. When I saw them, I felt empowered, like "I could do this." It was inspiring for someone like me, a Louisiana lady *laughs*. I didn’t think I could be an SI model, but I certainly was going to try. They encouraged me and gave me the drive to make my own mark."

Link to story: https://bikininewsdaily.com/bnd/AshleyByrdwasdeterminedt-3131