I Was There To Create - Then I Walked The Runway.

In January, I was invited to create social media content for the Michigan Fashion Fest x NYFW Edition runway show in Grand Rapids. After traveling two hours from Detroit, I arrived just in time for the casting call. The energy of the room was already in full swing - models gathered backstage, waiting for their moment to debut in front of talented designers, while Barbara Aixa Garcia, founder of CG Models, and her team analyzed their every move with an aura acquired from years of experience. 

I quickly took my position among the production crew, documenting everything as it unfolded. Models flowed in and out of the space, fully owning their presence. After the first session came to a close, Barbara stepped into the back room to offer the models encouragement:

“As long as you do 100 percent, it doesn’t matter what people think…Keep going, keep following your dreams, and be consistent.” I truly felt the impact of her words, and I could tell that the models were also energized by the way they reentered the room with a new intensity.

When the second session finished, I passed by Andres Aquino, the New York-based headlining designer. He asked me if I had ever modeled before, then invited me to walk in his show. I was shocked. I had not planned on walking and initially didn’t know how to respond. Something in me told me to say yes - in that moment, I knew that God was calling me to something greater than I had imagined.

Was I nervous? Very. But I also knew that I had been prepared for this. I modeled in a college fashion show where I experienced the chaos of a runway show firsthand. The year prior, I served as a Brand Ambassador for Michigan Fashion Week, so I had enough industry knowledge to know what to expect. Plus, previous public speaking opportunities and my experience creating content equipped me to be comfortable being seen in front of a live audience and the camera. 

Ann Lusamba, a local Grand Rapids designer, subsequently approached me to walk for her. Two shows? At this point, I knew I needed to make a plan for creating content while navigating the casting call and the live show. I sprung into action by filming BTS content for the remainder of the day, then spent the night editing a few videos to prepare.

The next morning, I arrived at StudioCor3 with my game plan. I began filming more BTS content and interviewing models, somehow finding time to edit between setup, makeup, and outfit changes. Ann Lusamba’s show was my first one on the schedule. I anxiously waited in line with the other models. The moment was here. Surprisingly, my nerves quieted as I emerged from the curtains, timing my walk with the rhythm of the music. The first walk was complete. I then began to prepare for my walk with Andres Aquino. This was the finale. My walk was slow and steady, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the moment. I could not believe that this was happening. A dream on my vision board had finally begun to take shape in a way I did not expect.

What stayed with me most wasn’t just the glamour of it all — it was that the opportunity came from simply showing up as myself, doing what I love. This experience taught me that when you commit to what you’ve been called to do, and you show up fully as yourself, what’s meant for you will always find you.

Designers: Ann Lusamba, Andres Aquino

Photographers: Lorenzo Lumetta (Luminescent Productions), Shankar Narayanan (Shankar Photography)