One Life To Live: Our Heroes

My beautiful twin sister and myself sitting on the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico. She is defintely one of my heroes. For more about my family click the photo to see all my heroes.

My heroes are people I look up to and aspire to be like. I love watching videos of performances or interviews of my favorite musical or visual artists. I read quotes of people that inspire me. It encourages me. It gives me drive. “If they could do it, I can to!” (Naima Mora: Model Behavior) This has become one of my personal mantras.

When I go through doubt and question my talent, I go back to this mantra and consider all the difficulties my heroes may have gone through in order to succeed. I am inspired and encouraged by what they made of their lives and the way they have affected people.

When I went to South Africa while filming America’s Next Top Model I experienced a huge turning point, not only in the competition, but in my life!

We visited Nelson Mandel’s prison cell where he was held for close to twenty years. I realized that he inspired people to fight for their lives and for freedom, from the confinement of a prison cell no greater than the size of a closet. I told me myself if he could do that, then I could win this competition! I did, and that experience motivates me to this day.

More often however, my heroes are those closest to me. My parents, my sisters, and my friends are some of my most treasured heroes! I am inspired by the victories they have had in their lives. I am inspired by the victories my mother and sisters have had in being mothers, and by the victories my father has had in being a father. I have witnessed the troubles they have dealt with first hand, in battling illness and life, and have chosen to live my life with them in mind. I want to succeed for them and I know that this life is short, but it’s more than enough time to do that!

I am also inspired this week by people like Rajesh who shares his story with us about his dreams and how he is using his life to give children like himself in India an educational dream, too. These are our real heroes.

Who is you hero and why? Share your story with me at the Fan Corner!

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