We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joahnna Lee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joahnna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

One of the things my parents did right—something that isn’t talked about enough—is the series of wise, sometimes difficult decisions they made, along with the generations before them, especially as immigrants from the Philippines. Their sacrifices allowed me to live the life I have today, and most importantly, to genuinely like myself as a person. I think that is a testament to the values and resilience they instilled in me.

Because of them, I was able to become Miss Hawaii Teen USA, graduate from a world-renowned, top tier program in my industry, work for 2 Fortune 500 companies, and now pursue my passion as a TV host in LA.

Today, whenever I am traveling, especially solo, I’m reminded of the strong women in my family—my mom, her mom, my dad’s mom—who made the right decisions to ensure I could live with the independence and freedom I have today. The opportunities I have today are because they laid the foundation.

Joahnna, 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?

If I were to describe myself, I’d say I’m a generational curse breaker.

A common thread in my journey—from competing in pageants to being the first in my family to leave Hawaii and move to NYC, working in corporate for seven years, and now pursuing my passion full-time as a host in entertainment LA—has been overcoming fear. That’s where my heart is. I’ve learned that when you operate through fear, you’re telling the universe you don’t trust it, and that was a lesson I had to face head-on. Through therapy, faith, and healing, I rebuilt my relationship with myself, my family, and my purpose.

And I’m grateful the hardest path of my journey is over because now I feel the utmost gratitude for fear because fear was and is still the biggest teacher in trusting myself.

My work blends elegance, entertainment, and education, while staying true to my core values of humility, purpose, and authenticity. Above all, I aim to inspire others to trust in their own path and rise above fear, no matter what the obstacles may be. That’s my mission—through my creative work and beyond. — This version introduces your background, focuses on your current work in TV hosting, and emphasizes your unique perspective on overcoming fear and leading with authenticity.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My vision for my career as a TV host is to one day have a show with a major network, where I can share the spiritual and wellness journeys of others, inspiring and uplifting people along the way. I want to create a platform that’s not just entertainment, but a space for healing through storytelling.

My interest for storytelling goes back all the way to when I was just 12, making feature films that have not only aired on TV but win national awards for it. It’s surreal to think that the same girl who once created stories for the screen is now pursuing that passion on a larger scale. What started as childhood creativity has come full circle and now fully leaning into my purpose—not just for the stability and money that came with corporate life, but for the deeper impact I know I’m meant to make.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was dimming my light to make others feel comfortable. Stepping into the entertainment industry as a host, I realized I had to stop holding myself back and bring my full energy to the table.

For a long time, I was afraid that if I fully owned my talents and confidence, people would think I wasn’t humble or that I was being too much. I made a habit of lowering myself to avoid standing out. Now, I’ve learned to love myself out loud. When someone compliments me, I’ve stopped brushing it off or pretending I’m not worthy. Instead, I accept it with grace and a simple ‘thank you,’ because I know I’ve earned it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @joahnnalee