Conversations with AsyrRia Ejanna

Today we’d like to introduce you to AsyrRia Ejanna.

Hi AsyrRia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m AsyrRia, I’m a 21 year old freelance model from Balsam Lake Wisconsin. When I was younger, I was into everything creative. I literally wanted to do everything from acting and singing to dancing and modeling. I was always naturally drawn to hair and makeup mostly because no one in my hometown knew how to deal with or care for textured hair so, I figured I always wanted to get into the cosmetology field.

After I graduated high school, I didn’t have any career in mind and was just trying to move out of my small town and live a bigger life. I took the summer to decide what I wanted to do and I ended up moving to Minnesota October 2019, with the intentions of starting nursing school in February of 2020. Obviously COVID happened, so nursing school was completely disregarded in my mind and I was just kind of living life the best that I could. After COVID calmed down, I enrolled in cosmetology school and I actually didn’t enjoy it as much as I imagined so I was miserable throughout the time I was in it. I thought that’s what I wanted to do my whole life and I couldn’t understand why I was struggling. While in Cosmetology school, I got an opportunity to do makeup for Fashion Week Minnesota, which changed my whole life! When I was doing makeup for FWMN, I realized I no longer wanted to be someone behind the scenes so, I started modeling in December 2021. Since I started, I’ve had the chance to work with amazing people like ShopwithFloLLC, PrinceKumi Live, White Table Talks Podcast and Giselle Magazine Fashion Week.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey to get into this field has had many obstacles. I struggle with a traumatic brain injury and anxiety. When I was 15, I was in a boating accident and got a traumatic brain injury due to a lack of help from doctors in my small hometown, I wasn’t able to fully recover from that and I still suffer from permanent symptoms currently. For years I thought I wouldn’t be able to do anything with my creative ability because I had sensitivity to everything in the world. It was so hard to live a normal life and do anything. In November 2021, I was able to get into a clinical study with Mayo Clinic and I’m finally able to live my creative life while managing my symptoms.

The lessons I’ve learned along the way are even though you hit a barricade, you can’t give up on your dreams. I’ve had a lot of barricades in my life and I let those hold me back for awhile because I thought I couldn’t when deep down I knew I could. You also have to have the strength to not compare your journey to other peoples, when you compare then you turn into your worst critic and that can be detrimental to you and your journey. Lastly, You need to have a strong team behind you because you can’t always achieve everything in this industry without having people behind you to support you.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a freelance model, I do runways and creative shoots. I would say I’m mostly known for the fashion shows I’ve participated in and the work I’ve done with ShopwithFloLLC. I’ve walked in Five fashion shows since I started doing Runway shows in February, the biggest one I participated in was for Giselle Magazine Fashion Week where I walked for Four different designers.

I think what sets me apart from others is my ambition, I will never allow myself to stop following my dreams! As a freelance model, managing and setting up everything by yourself is difficult. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunities in this industry. I’ve worked with some amazing people who helped me on this journey and I will forever be grateful for them. I also feel like my energy is pretty unique which goes along with my runway walk. When I’m on the runway there’s nothing else that matters to me and I have no fears when I step foot in front of a camera or on a runway.

What would you say has been one of your most important lessons?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that unfortunately, not everyone wants to see you win! Freelance models tend to get overlooked because the competitive industry and people don’t always root for you. You need to be open to working with everyone and go to events with the intention of networking, because I struggle with anxiety; It’s super hard for me to break out of my shell and be communicative. When you do fashion shows, you notice that there are models & executives who are in or involved with almost every show, and those are the people you need to befriend and network with.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jusscallme__ria/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asyrria.nelson
• LinkTree:  https://linktr.ee/jusscallme__ria?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=a43ef09b-44ed-4c6c-b0aa-559cd5333c61
  

Image Credits
Giftedhands photography, B.Rucker.Co, Mawba Photography. Kimberly May Photography.