Fast-forward three months and Di's dreams of opening an agency that both helps and understands hopeful transgender models has finally come to fruition with the opening of Trans Models , New York's first transgender model agency.Today, Di's signed 19 models — 10 men and nine women — most of whom she found through Instagram, as well as trans makeup artists, and fashion and hairstylists. The models have done shoots for Budweiser and Smirnoff, as well as landed gigs in i-D and Time Out magazine. Not bad for a seven-month old company.If Di could sum up her ultimate goal for the company in one sentence, it would be: "We’re in it for the change: Both making a living and making an impact." And this starts and stops with visibility. While growing up in Thailand for Di had its downsides (the gender marker on her passport still reads mister, which she can't change), this was one of the things her homeland had a one-up on over America. During her transition, the number of successful trans people in the media, she says, helped her parents both understand and accept her. And while America does have notable trans advocates in the spotlight today like Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne Cox, and Janet Mock, Di hopes the agency is able to provide even more — particularly for the younger subset. "I think a lot of trans people need [more visibility] in the media, so they’ll understand [more] about themselves and get treated early, while they’re still young," she says. "To get educated and inspired."The agency also aims to push for trans models of colour. A total of 20 trans people were murdered this year alone, according to an August Fusion article . A 2013 report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs reports that 72% of victims of anti-LGBT homicide are transgender women. 67% of those are trans women of colour. Transgender people are seven times more likely to be subject to police violence and this increases drastically for trans women of colour.