Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dawn Garcia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Dawn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

The legacy that I’m hoping to build is one that will first and foremost bring people closer to Jesus Christ, and inspire them to step into purpose! Surrending my life to God , and living out God’s purpose for my life has given me the peace of mind, that I feel like many people are longing for now a days. Secondly, I hope to be remembered for my resilience and perseverance through every trial and tribulation that I faced. I want to be remembered as the woman who never gave up on her dreams , the woman who didn’t conform to others opinions of who she was and stayed true to herself , knowing that someone else’s ceiling is NOT my ceiling ! My purpose is limitless. I want my son, future children and the future generations to know that ” Yeah, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death , I will fear no evil , for you are with me ” Psalms 23:4 God is with you , every step of the way even when things look otherwise. If you quit and give up , you will never accomplish what you are hoping for , keep going and have faith in Jesus !

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Dawn Garcia , a 28 year old , Wife , Mother and Christian first and foremost! I am also a Print Model , Author , Writer, Actress , Christian Public Speaker, On set Assistant for content creators , Mental Health Advocate, and Panelist. Although, I am involved in a lot of different creative outlets , Modeling was my first encounter with the creative industry. Growing up, I was always asked when out and about in my daily life , if I was a model. At first , it was just something that I took as flattering when asked. But after being approached repetitively about if I modeled, it got me thinking..maybe I could really do this. Now I had no idea about the modeling industry , the closest knowledge I had was Tyra Banks , Naomi Campbell, America’s Next Top Model , and the Victoria Secret Show. But I knew if it was something that I was going to take seriously, I needed to do my research. This was when the Pinterest app was HOT , and I immediately started researching models , the types of modeling and all the need to know details. I had no one to look up to in my every day life and family regarding my dreams , so I was determined to become my own role model! Once I was comfortable in my decision with the basic knowledge behind me, I made it my mission to start building my portfolio. Reaching out to local photographers in my area and booking photoshoots was a must if I wanted to build my portfolio and see just what I could do in front of the camera. I reached out to a photographer and we set up a photoshoot , makeup artist Included. I was able to come up with the concept for the look and really bring out my creative ideas. And let me tell you, once I got in front of the camera , I knew I had it. You know that feeling when you’re In your element? That’s when I knew..I knew I was made for this. Modeling is more than just beautiful photos …my work tells MY STORY. My photos are the words that I couldn’t even express at one point in my life. What sets me apart from others is exactly that …you can see my most vulnerable moments through my work if you look hard enough. There are no rose colored glasses. In this moment , I am most proud of my recent interview with Voyage Baltimore! Not only was I able to showcase my creative work but to be able to share my testimony, and my life behind my images, it meant a lot to my younger self that took a chance on herself despite the background noise, kept going , believing in herself and now seeing the fruit of her labor. The main thing that I want anyone that follows my brand or may in the near future to know about me is that the only reason I am able to tell my story , and even have a story to tell is because of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way , the truth and life ! ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the key lessons that I had to unlearn was that those closest to you, has your best interest at heart. Often times, people like to say, family first and when you don’t have nobody you have family. I used to believe that wholeheartedly, but in my experience people close to you such as family members, like to put you in a box. Now, when I say , a box ..I’m referring to who you are in their mind. Everyone is always comfortable as long as you are easy for them to comprehend. But , as soon as you step outside of who they believe you are or want you to be , than their insecurities start to show and they reveal who they truly are. My message to anyone is to chase your dreams and don’t allow anyone to dim your light. Misery loves company. Go after everything that God has for you, no matter how uncomfortable it makes those around you. Their ceiling is NOT your ceiling . I also want to shout out my amazing husband Dontrell Garcia , because other than God , he has kept me so grounded through all of the adversity that I’ve experienced throughout my life. I thank God for him every day. He has always uplifted me and fixed my crown when I needed it the most. He was actually the first person who prophesized to me when I was 15 years old, that I would be a model and look at me now. The true definition of someone seeing your potential before you do. I’m blessed to have him as my husband, and it just goes to show having the right people in your corner , is so important!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There is a phrase I used to always say as a kid and it goes ” That could never be me.” Well, let me tell you … It definitely could be you , and watch what you say. I remember, I was going through a lot in my every day life and things seemed to be spiraling out of control faster than I could manage. At the time , my modeling career was just now taking off , I was networking and making meaningful connections in the industry, so it seemed so inconvenient in the moment. But I realized that , I couldn’t put my all into my dreams if my present moment wasn’t taken care of. As devastating as it was to put my passion on hold , I had to do what was best for me and my mental at the time. I had to really look in the mirror and realize that I couldn’t just hide my pain behind my creativity , I had to heal in order to pour back into myself and my work in a healthy way. Once I took that time off to heal and get myself together, I became a wife and mother and it became much more apparent why God sat me down and had to heal those broken pieces. Once I was finally ready and able to get back to my craft, it was a whole new experience for me. I found my true purpose in the gifts that God has blessed me with.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/dawnnikole_