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State Rep. Daisy Morales Wants a Cure and Better Treatment for Vitiligo, But She Also Wants Greater Compassion For People With the Skin Condition

Photo: State Rep. Daisy Morales
Photo: State Rep. Daisy Morales

State Rep. Daisy Morales and other community advocates will host a World Vitiligo Day celebration on Friday night at Orlando City Hall to bring awareness to the skin condition. 


Rep. Morales will be joined by Puerto Rican model Ash Soto, Beautifully Unblemished founder Tonja Johnson, and Central Florida Jobs with Justice co-founder Denise Diaz.

All four women have vitiligo, a skin condition that causes skin to lose its color resulting in whitish patches over the face and body.

Morales says when she was diagnosed in 2001, she felt alone. She hopes the event will help bring awareness to the disease and increase research around it.

“We’re going to have to work together to find and ask for more research and more funding to be done. Vitiligo should be treated like any chronic disease like diabetes and cancer. They have research on it.”

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There is no known cause or cure for vitiligo.

Morales says she also wants Friday's program to decrease the stigma around the condition.

“This condition does bring a lot of trauma. Mentally, physically and spiritually. It’s a little devastating when you see your skin is changing color. And it’s something everyone views, everyone sees. And you can be treated differently. Isolated.”

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Anyone interested in attending the event in person from 6 to 7 pm must RSVP ahead of time. The event will also be livestreamed @RepDaisyMorales.

Danielle Prieur is WMFE's education reporter.