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

Alright, Sunshine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken so far is moving to California and staying during the pandemic. After graduating college and being in the field for a year, I changed my plan to go to medical school and left. I wanted to do something different, and California provided the opportunity to both remain in my field and test the entertainment industry. I come from a small town, big family, and other than the money I saved to move I was on my own. As the first one in the house to graduate and then move, I can see now why some called my crazy. However, I did it and once the pandemic hit a year after of course going home would of been the most obvious answer to most. I stayed, bet on myself, and became an entrepreneur in the midst of an abusive relationship and a hospital visit that threatened my life. Some part of me refused to give up, and after making a few changes both internal and out, things looked up and my modeling career took a pivot as I won S1 Thickhouse. Over the pandemic I found a bit of success in modeling while also building clientele on the medical side. Here we are a few years later, the strike is still going on and business is good. I want to see the entertainment field of Hollywood under “normal” circumstances. I am well, in a thriving relationship, and business is shifting but in the best way. Signed to my first full service agency, working with several teams on different things, I would say 2024 is the start of some big things for me. Some would say it’s astrology and my Saturn return, either way I am open and ready for whatever is next!!!!!!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am Sunshine. Literally that is what my dad named me. I was his “Christmas present”, so the tree always stays up until after my birthday and he always wishes me Happy New Year on my day. My mother is an educator, working with students that are differently abled so I would say the gift comes from her. Being the second eldest and shadowing my mother all the time, children and kids shaped my entire life. I loved it, and so it was a no brainer at the time to become a pediatric surgeon. Life has changed a lot of things, and at this moment I provide a variety of personalized therapies for my clients. I am proud of my entrepreneur journey and know it is just the beginning. Most people know me as Sunshine through my modeling career that took a jump over the pandemic when I won Thickhouse. Still new to the game, here comes acting, music, and a few other things that you will soon see. Before leaving Ohio I promised some of the patients at the hospital that lived there I would try modeling, and it is cool to see how far I’ve come. From commercial to print and V.O., I have been fortunate thus far and now signed I am ready to see what that brings. If you want to know more, feel free to reach out to me or just follow my page this year, it is about to get real!

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

If I could go back I would you choose the same profession. I truly believe whatever your purpose or goal is remains the same, and the way it is expressed is what may change. I can’t explain with words the joy I feel when one of my clients make progress, or when I can see or sense the feeling of happiness from any child. The same goes for the messages and DM’s I get from women and young girls who feel inspired by my modeling career. For me, I realize being a role model is a consequence of the field. At the same time it is the biggest compliment, and no leader is perfect nor do I intend to be. Up until now I kept the two fields very separate, but I now realize they are more alike than different.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Other than training/knowledge, to me what is most helpful for succeeding in my field(s) is caring about others. Honestly that probably goes for most fields. Most of the things we do serve someone else, and so if you don’t care about the person your serving or love what you are doing, stop and figure out what that thing is. To me it also has to do with yourself, because if you aren’t open or prepared you will miss out on opportunities because you aren’t ready. A quote by Lao Tau that I love is: “What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher”, and to me the idea of good and bad depends on who you ask. Of course certain skills vary by field, but once you hate whatever you are doing either it is time to do it differently or time to do something else all together. Another big way to succeed is to realize you are not alone, and we are all the same.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iamsunshine.com.co
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesunshine_ra
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/sunshinera
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@thesunshine_ra

Image Credits
Image Credits: Brand: Kahindo/ IG: @kahindo_nyc This brand is sustainable, made from Kenya and based in New York!!!! www.kahindo.com Photographers: Eleutheria/ IG@ eleutheriaphotography Dosh/ IG@ fdstudios