Elsesser (pronounced El-SESS-er) saw the issue for the first time on a video call with her mother and grandmother. Her boyfriend, Johnny Wilson, a videographer and skateboarder, filmed the reveal; it’s impossible to watch it without joining in on the women’s happy tears. “This was a huge deal for me – I wanted to celebrate that with the people I want to make proud,” she says
It was the highest-profile moment in an otherwise introspective period. Elsesser spent most of last spring and summer in her New York apartment, reacquainting with herself. “The weirdest part was just having to look at who I am outside of work, friends and family members. Like, what is it that brings me joy outside of other people’s expectations?”