2016 was an incredibly trying year. We lost so many legends: Prince, Ali, Bowie, and now my muse, the barrier-breaking icon of glamour, China Machado. And then we gained a Trump. What does it all mean? I think that it is imperative that we all do our part to be our best, most realized, most powerful selves- we have enormous shoes to fill, legacies to live up to, and a world we have to fill up with love, hope, and GOOD. The best way to honor those who have passed is to let their light live on through us. Thank you for giving me the courage to shine, China. Heaven just got a little more glamorous.

Read my personal tribute to China Machado on NBC News, an essay published a few months before her death. Read about her life here.