Daily Inspiration: Meet Rae Mboga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rae Mboga.

Hi Rae, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started out in high-school and stepping out my comfort zone such as wearing heels and drawing-on my eyebrows. I would get comments from teachers stating, “ Oh wow, I don’t even wear heels” or from students hating calling me “Sharpie eyebrows. This was before doing your eyebrows become a trend around 2015-2016. From then on I wasn’t dressing to fit in and started dressing for my own happiness. However, that came with hardship as a biracial black girl in a small white town/ family. I was getting ridiculed from my grandparents about wearing things that would fit me better or simple cover up more. I was constantly pushing back that box people would put me in just because of my size/shape. Forward to my undergrad at Indiana State and I branched out of my comfort zone even more but switching up my hairstyles weekly to biweekly. I would switch my hair so much people would ask if I had a twin lol. I enjoy being different, it’s in my blood and as life went along I realized I’ve always kinda stood out, never truly fitting in anywhere but fitting in everywhere at the same time. During Covid I begin taking more pictures, working on my poses, and finally after blowing up on TikTok, I had companies reaching out to me wanting to collaborate. I felt like I finally was making it with my content creation. However, through this journey I experienced a lot of hardships and mental health struggles that caused me to be inconsistent losing the momentum I was slowly but steadily working on. I felt the dream of being a model was lost and I wasn’t going to get it back. Within this time, I began building a work relationship with the company BodiXL and hopes to be able to model for them. Since Covid, that has been on of my goals and at the end of 2024, I had the opportunity to go to a Magazine release issuing @Solidbluee and finally meet the owners of BodiXL as well as network with a bunch of beautiful, goal-driven, and plus-size women. After that day I told myself I would love to be on the cover of a magazine and would even be better if I was on the next issue. Once 2025 hit, I was reaching some stability and had the time to actually travel to these opportunities, but it wasn’t easy. During 2025 the concept of “Pop the Balloon and Find Love” was becoming a trend amongst social media and I had the opportunity to be on BodiXL’s show. In my mind, I wasn’t exactly looking for love but if it came, I’d welcome it. However, I knew from the postings that I would reach more people and that my followers and engagement would potentially grow. 2-3 months after I went on another “Pop the Balloon or Find Love” but was a BBW edition featuring Corey’s Nap version (Indianapolis). However, this was a full production with an audience and I was super nervous. Well it turns out, I did not find love but my followers and engagement went up as I suggested. But within the posting of the video, I got to experience what it’s like for random strangers to hate, bully, and disrespect someone who they only seen on an hour long video. That kind of hit a nerve but the excitement from the followers/engagement fueled me to use this moment to post more consistently. Now we are in 2026 and BodiXL reached out to me to be on the cover of their new and next magazine release as being one of the many plus-size women to dominate the scene. The opportunity alone made me feel like I made it. However, it was in ATL and I’ve not drove my car that far let alone travel that much yet. On top of that my funds was looking rocky and I did not know if I was going to be able to take advantage of this opportunity. But one thing I have learned through this journey is, the winners take risk. Rather they are anxious, tired, broke, or defeated, they do it regardless and I am one of them so I made a way. The fact BodiXL seen something in me that I’m trying to prove to the world made my child self feel seen and appreciated. I believe the cover magazine is dropping July 2026 and I’m so excited for the release! To wrap things up, from there, a Shein associate reached out to me to collaborate with them and I have had the chance to now consistently post clothing hauls/try-ons to promote for them. Mind you, I have been shopping on Shein since 2016-2017 but never in a million years did I think I would get the opportunity to collaborate with them. I can still remember during Covid when I got my first collaboration project and began reaching out to different companies and SHEIN being one of them. Furthermore, I remember when a fake SHEIN representative reached out to me and I thought OMG this is it. I decided to post my accomplishment that I was partnering with SHEIN just to be told by numerous people that it’s a scam and they have gotten many people before. 6 years later and I actually got approached. That feels good, real good. Since then, I’ve been networking and figuring out my next moves. I have many goals that I want to achieve in this lifetime so it’s truly up in the air what I do next, but regardless I know I’ll always give back or help people no matter what I do.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey has been anything but smooth, but every obstacle has shaped the woman I am today. Since childhood, I’ve battled depression and spent years learning how to navigate my mental health. There were seasons when I questioned my purpose, struggled with my self-worth, and faced challenges that felt impossible to overcome. I’ve experienced the heartbreak of losing loved ones, periods of financial hardships, health scares, unhealthy relationships, and moments when simply getting through the day felt like a victory.

Today, I choose to use my experiences to inspire others. Whether through my work, my content, or simply sharing my story, I hope people see that healing is possible. Life hasn’t always been easy, but every setback has helped shape the woman I am today, and I refuse to let my past define my future.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) specializing in working with children diagnosed with autism, and I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to expand my ability to support children and their families. In addition to my work in behavioral health, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Textiles, Apparel, and Merchandising, which has allowed me to develop skills in designing, hand-making, and tailoring clothing.

Beyond my professional career, I am known as a curvy influencer and content creator who shares plus-size fashion inspiration, lifestyle tips, confidence, and creative artwork across multiple platforms. My goal is to help women feel seen, stylish, and empowered while encouraging them to embrace their individuality.

I am most proud of making a positive impact in the lives of others. Whether that’s helping a child reach a milestone, creating clothing that makes someone feel confident, or inspiring women to express themselves through fashion and creativity.

What sets me apart is that I don’t limit myself to one field, one passion, or one look. I enjoy exploring different trends, styles, and creative outlets while balancing healthcare, fashion, education, and art. I believe people don’t have to fit into one box, and I hope my journey encourages others to confidently pursue every passion that makes them who they are.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think my industry will continue to become more inclusive, authentic, and creator-driven. People are moving away from one-size-fits-all beauty standards and embracing diversity in body types, backgrounds, and personal style. I see myself being on multiple runways, collaborating with recognised brands, and allowing myself to create in many trends and styles. I enjoy not fitting into one standard and I think that’s a trend we will start to see more in this industry.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raemboga?igsh=YzcwajFiYTBoOXJw&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FXyaAgrLT/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@raemboga?si=8_sQZyxSjhtt8ioB
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@raemboga?_r=1&_t=ZP-97z1ZbaZgJL

Image Credits
@BodiXLMagazine (Pictures 1 and 3) on the additional photos.