Sheena Sakai: In Pursuit of a Dream
By Halogen TV | September 27, 2011 at 6:50 am
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Sheena Sakai captured hearts and snagged ratings on “America’s Next Top Model” as a fashion superstar hopeful. Watch her pursue her dream on “Noble Exchange” Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 8pm ET on Halogen TV.
We all have a dream. It is what gives us hope and inspires purpose. I long to entertain the world through my creative expression of music, modeling and even acting. Most of you may not know that my deepest passion is to co-create a better world by contributing the gifts that God granted me.
On the surface it appears that I live a glamorous life as a model and TV personality but there is much more than meets the eye. I come from truly humble beginnings and entering this profound journey with “Noble Exchange” gave me insight into a broader scope of the world. This experience was a chance for me to grow within myself and cultivate a meaningful way to prepare my next purpose and contribution.
When I met Tamara Park, producer of “Noble Exchange,” I was in a very transitional period. I wasn’t sure which direction to take in my career. I experienced many setbacks and was often typecast in the industry. It was a dream come true to be a part of “Noble Exchange.” This was an opportunity for me to get away from America’s standard of beauty in the media and discover another meaning from the rich and ancient culture of the Peruvians. No script, no dramatization just pure self-reflection.
The best part was meeting and interacting with the young teens and young girls. I have never felt so much gratitude and love from strangers. More importantly listening and learning from their stories really made an impression on my heart. It gave me hope and courage to stay looking into the future to give back and serve my community. I have been so humbled and touched; I also realized we all are alike in our struggles. Whether it’s self-esteem, emotions, desires or ambitions in life we are all one. I have empathized with each of them and even found a common bond with one particular young lady. This is still an emotional issue for me as I think of them all quite often and in moments of peace I send my thoughts and wishes for them.
Like mentioned in the segment, this is the most profound and impactful experience of my life. This left an impression on my soul and I am forever changed because of it. I have never seen the beauty of God’s creation on this scale. The magnificent mountains and landscape were breathtaking, being so high above sea level and climbing towards the sky made me feel so far from home and like I was in another lifetime. I still couldn’t describe the feeling of it all, the way I actually felt it deep in my mind. In front of the camera I was able to articulate the thoughts I was processing but not the experience I was feeling. I was at a crossroads but also living in the moment. I was between two lovers one existing and one new. Then my career, what should I do? Do i conform to the archetypes or can I find a balance and achieve the goals and possibilities i saw for myself.
Throughout it all, I survived and not only was I reminded that I’m still that young tough free spirited little girl that loved the outdoors (to an extent) but that True Beauty really has no standard or definition. True beauty and strength is in all creation. You have to remove the smoke screens and your own personal boundaries to see and accept them. True Beauty is about being a generous and grateful spirit. Strength comes from Love and the courage to live your life filled with dreams and possibilities.
I wear many hats. I love many things. I am an entertainer at best. I sing, dance, act, draw, write and occasionally model. I do all of these things to create a bigger dream in mind, the dream to help others in return. To use one’s gifts now in order to contribute to our world. I have plans to go back to the young women I visited and do more for them and their cause. I also want to help young innocent children who have been victims in human trafficking in other parts of this world. I will use my talents and position to be a voice for others. That is my dream and this journey with “Noble Exchange”: Tamara, Jonathan, Jake, Carmita, Saul and Urupi has allowed me to discover more about myself and look further into our future by testing my limits and encountering wonderful people with life-changing lessons.
I no longer struggle with my image and care less about being criticized in this industry. I realized the most precious possession to have is peace of mind, Happiness and Love for oneself. I will find a way to make things work for me in this industry and I am going to be a constant reminder of what True Beauty and Strength stands for in my definition. No one can take away or change what you have inside you. It is yours and your power will always be there. Use it well and use it wisely in this lifetime. It is always the beginning, nothing good ever ends.
-Sheena Sakai
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