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Tanaye White Shares Throwback Pic From 2022 SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in Barbados

The model was a Swim Search finalist in 2018 and a rookie in ’21.

Ananya Panchal

Tanaye White.

Tanaye White.

Tanaye White has built an impressive brand as a model, actress, social media influencer and mental health advocate. And, once upon a time, she dominated the marketing industry as a Washington, D.C.-based senior communications analyst, too.

The Connecticut native was named a finalist of the SI Swim Search in 2018 and a co-winner of the competition in ’20. She had her official rookie photo shoot in 2021 and returned to the magazine again to be photographed on the beaches of Barbados with Ben Watts in 2022.

White shared a stunning throwback photo from last year’s photo shoot on Instagram.

“comfortable in my brown skin. 💛🌻🍋,” White captioned the March 1 post.

“Beauty,” chirped the official SI Swimsuit IG account.

“Perioddd,” piped Andreia Gibau.

“Gorgeous 😍,” gushed Sharina Gutierrez.

“Love love love your hair,” one fan added. “Wish more sisters would wear natural. I just love it.”

White has turned her Instagram, where she has more than 58,000 followers, into a safe, encouraging and inspiring space to advocate for mental health while also destigmatizing the topic.

White is the founder of an online mental health service, Feel Good Babe. As someone who struggled a lot with depression in her late teens, White knew she wanted to help others and be a beacon of hope and support. She’s “proud to be making strides” in doing so.

“Now, at 30, I’m finally comfortable fully living in my truth: I’m funny, creative and successful, and I also experience deep sadness, stress and anxiety,” she said candidly in an interview with Cosmopolitan last October. “I keep tight digital and real-life boundaries to protect my peace. In the Black community, we don’t talk about mental health enough—there’s a huge cultural stigma attached to it, particularly among older generations. Depression does not have a finish line. It’s a journey that follows you throughout your life; there is no fourth base or touchdown—it just continues. I’m so passionate about transforming the hardships I went through into something useful for others on their journeys.”

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a NYC-based Lifestyle & Trending News writer at SI Swimsuit. Before joining the Swim team, the Boston University Alum worked for culture & entertainment beats at Bustle, The San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When Ananya is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, she can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. 

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