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

Hi Davion , thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Davion Sanderson is the CEO of Saint Louis, Missouri based Sauce Models Agency/Sauce Media. Davion, a Saint Louis native, was raised as the only male in the house with four sisters by a single mother. Davion witnessed first hand the lives of urban, single, black women as they navigated through society. As a son and a brother, Davion felt powerless to help them because of his age, lack of resources, and simply not knowing what to do.

Educationally, Davion struggled in the city public school system having been identified with learning disability but was not receiving services. When Davion’s school was designated as “failing” by the State of Missouri standards, Davion chose to take advantage of the opportunity to leave the city public school system for a suburban public school in St. Charles, Missouri. Through his entire high school career he attended Francis Howell High School in Saint Charles, Missouri. Making this meant that Davion would have to get up at 5:00 am everyday to be on the bus by 5:45am to make the hour and half trip to school. A typical day also meant that he would not return home until 7:30pm to 8:00pm. He was active in sports the entire time, earning his nickname “The Sauce” on the football field. Davion also received the services that he was not getting in the city and was also identified with a hearing impairment receiving hearing aids for the first time as a junior in high school. Davion learned to adapt to an environment that while it wasn’t clouded with violence and drugs, it was the first time he had experienced racism. Despite the first time experience with racism, Davion will tell you that in those four years he did learn that your character makes you rise above, not the color of your skin. Davion also developed a strong support system that continues to follow and support him today.

Following graduation, Davion attended a small community college in Kansas City to play football. He experienced a deeply rooted racism at this campus when he was arrested after returning to his dorm room for possession of paraphernalia and marijuana along with his roommate. Davion was eventually cleared of all charges and while the community college accepted his appeal, they still refused to allow him return to school there. This all ultimately resulted in Davion returning home to Saint Louis. Davion struggled with feeling that he had not only let himself down but let all those that supported him and believed in him. For Davion, he also realized that his football career was over and he began to spiral into a dark depression. Davion was prescribed Tramadol which fed his spiral into depression further. He was taken to the hospital after his grandmother found him and he came off the medication. Still in a depression but trying to heal, Davion would find solace away from family and drama by sleeping in his car.

Through journaling, support from friends and family, and finding peace along with a relationship with God, Davion took the camera that he had gained from his short time in Kansas City and life began to click. Davion began to teach himself the art of photography. He developed his own brand in Sauce Media and specialized in life-style photography. This helped with his depression at the time, but as anyone who struggles with their mental health knows it waxes and wains.

In the Summer of 2018. Davion took his Sauce Media to the next level and founded Sauce Models Agency. Taking what he had learned as a child of a strong black women, brother of strong black women, and his faith in God, Sauce Models Agency focuses on women only, bringing together a group of diverse women to connect, network, and learn the modeling trade within a positive environment.

Despite having organized and hosted 3 sold-out themed fashion shows, Davion still struggles with his depression. Davion has had the opportunity to speak to a small group of high school students at a St. Louis City school. This has helped Davion realize that is his story is worth being heard and that he can motivate others to find their purpose.

Davion , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

What sets Davion apart from other individuals and agencies in the fashion industry is that he is truly vested in empowering women and continually breaking down the stigmatism of mental health to help others know that they are not alone, the struggle is real, and it is absolutely okay to seek help.

Through the modeling agency, Davion has given young women the opportunity to enter an industry that is overly focused on the surface appearance of an individual. He has helped a number of young women and designers find an avenue to become more self-confident and empowered to share their stories.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Davion’s greatest struggle has been the demons that some with his depression. Davion’s depression manifests itself through negative self thoughts, fixating on negative statements to him or about him by those closest to him, and has led to thoughts of suicide. Davion will listen to gospel music to lift himself out of the depression. He will also rely on the people that he trusts to give him the words of affirmation that take the negative and change it to a positive. Not surprisingly, Davion chooses to surround himself with strong, independent women.

Davion has recently started to reach out to local high schools to give motivational speeches to entire student bodies or to small groups within the school. He believes that if he can reach one individual struggling with mental health issues, then he has accomplished a great deal.

Through the modeling agency and beginning to speak to the high school student population, Davion’s mission is to empower and educate others to find their individual purpose.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Davion is currently in a pivot for his brand, Sauce Models Agency. Davion will continue to have his agency empower women, but he is taking it in a new direction that will utilize his own fashion designs to bring awareness to the continual struggles of mental health. Davion is currently learning to design and create his own clothing line.

For Davion, his story of the journey through the darkness of depression and low self-esteem is continually a focus and being able to showcase these things allows him to continue the healing and coping process plus allowing others to see that they are not alone.

It is his purpose.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sauced_media/ https://www.instagram.com/sauce_demon3/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davion.sanderson.5 https://www.facebook.com/modelagency3/
• Other: Davion is currently working for Enterprise Rental to support his endeavors as a photographer and growing Sauce Models Agency. Davion envisions Sauce Models Agency being a leading modeling agency in Saint Louis, Missouri that provides local entry level model etiquette training and to empower women to pursue their goals of moving into the national and world model industry. Davion plans to own a studio that has both photography and teaching space. Davion has and will continue to address the empowerment of women, mental health awareness, and social issues through his own fashion designs and his fashion shows.

Image Credits
Sauce Models Agency/Sauce Media/Davion Sanderson