By: Jessica Fabus Cheng

Representation is increasingly becoming a significant focus in today’s world. From boardrooms to brand campaigns, businesses are beginning to spotlight diversity in ways that were once unimaginable a decade ago.

However, for Jessica Fabus Cheng—a nurse-turned-advocate, rare cancer survivor, and Mrs. DC International 2025—it’s still not enough. “Representation without responsibility doesn’t create real equity. It creates optics,” she says.

Jessica knows firsthand what it’s like to be visible but still feel invisible. After battling and surviving a rare form of thyroid cancer, she emerged victorious (a blessing she counts every day) but didn’t come out unscathed, losing a portion of her vocal ability, drastically altering how she speaks. While she may sound ‘fine’ to most people, communicating takes more effort, prompting her to think—and subsequently, act—with more intention. Following this journey, she received an eye-opening wake-up call concerning how to navigate spaces that weren’t necessarily built with her—or others like her—in mind.

“I had to relearn how to use my voice,” she explains. “During that process, it became impossible to ignore how often our systems favor the loudest rather than the most thoughtful in the room.”

Now, Jessica is using that voice—80% functional but 100% impactful—to challenge brands and encourage them to rethink what it means to be ‘inclusive.’ While black-out boxes and rainbow flags are visible symbols of progress, and featuring diverse faces in promotional campaigns is a step forward, it’s an entirely different matter to ensure that these efforts continue beyond the surface to guarantee that those individuals have influence, equity, and support behind the scenes.

When Diversity Becomes Surface-Level

There has been a noticeable increase in public pressure over the past decade for companies to adopt more diverse marketing content, leadership teams, and hiring practices. However, while a picture may be worth 1,000 clicks, in this case, a like doesn’t always lead to true connection, and visibility alone does not always create equity or genuine representation.

It doesn’t take long to recognize when businesses see diversity as something to check off a list rather than a crucial component of equity and inclusion. Often, individuals are placed in environments that lack the necessary resources and follow-through to truly support them.

Jessica sees this gap often. “A brand will celebrate inclusion publicly but fail to build infrastructure privately,” she says. “Good intentions don’t excuse poor design, and the outcome can often be similar.”

The disconnect between what’s promised and what’s practiced is rarely intentional, but it is persistent and, in many cases, avoidable. What’s missing, she argues, is a strategic framework.

The Triple A Framework: From Optics to Impact

To help brands transition from performative to proactive and productive, Jessica created her Triple A Framework: Awareness, Allyship, and Action.

Awareness isn’t just about recognizing who might be missing from images and messaging. It’s about identifying who may have limited access, seeking out unheard voices, and ensuring they have a seat at the leadership table. It’s about developing a deeper understanding of how existing systems may unintentionally exclude people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or neurodiverse traits.

Allyship is the bridge between awareness and execution. It’s where companies make an effort to invest in proximity; by listening to those with lived experiences, shifting internal culture, and letting empathy guide strategic decisions.

Action is where many initiatives falter. “Companies often get stuck at awareness,” Jessica explains. “They hold the training, update the values statement—but never adjust the workflow.” Action requires intentional change. It means designing accessible digital spaces, embedding inclusion into hiring and content creation, and measuring progress over time.

The framework is simple but impactful. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being proactive.

Belonging by Design

The power of Jessica’s influence comes from her series of lived experiences, from working as an operating room nurse and interacting with patients daily, to living as a cancer survivor with a vocal disability. She understands more than most how small gaps in accessibility can become significant barriers. Her cousin, Tommy, who lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, became a premature full-time wheelchair user after tripping over an inaccessible sidewalk outside a healthcare facility. One moment—one missed detail—changed the course of his life.

But Jessica doesn’t dwell on the deficits. She builds solutions. “Belonging doesn’t just happen by accident,” she says. “You design for it.”

These efforts don’t just stop at physical spaces; they extend to optimizing digital infrastructure as well, through accessible websites, properly captioned content, and communications that take cognitive or sensory disabilities into consideration. Organizational systems, including clear pathways to leadership, inclusive feedback loops, and equitable policies that not only accommodate but embrace difference, are also critical elements in building a better future.

From Crown to Capitol Hill

Jessica’s story is one of reinvention. From the operating room to the podcast studio to the pageant stage, her titles may change, but her message remains the same.

As Mrs. DC International 2025, she uses her platform to push for policy change and corporate responsibility. As host of All the Best With Jess, she highlights leaders with lived experience, ensuring their stories are heard and valued. At home, she and her husband are raising their young daughter with the values of inclusion and service, training future guide dogs through the Guide Dog Foundation.

Her advocacy is as much about systems as it is about spirit.

Looking Ahead

Representation is only the beginning. Jessica wants brands to understand that visibility without infrastructure is unsustainable. In a moment when performative DEI efforts are under increased scrutiny, and accessibility lawsuits are becoming more common, companies have a choice: lead with intention, or fall behind.

“Belonging isn’t just about being welcomed,” Jessica says. “It’s about having the support to stay, lead, and thrive.”

The future isn’t just inclusive. It’s accountable. Visit jessicafabuscheng.com to learn more.