Dreaming the Dream while Overcoming Obstacles

I am so gracious to have been given a tremendous honor from God to be accepted into the Actors, Models, and Talent for Christ (AMTC) training program. This is a tremendous blessing to me because I have dreamed of becoming an actress and model since childhood. My passions have always resided in the entertainment field; I first wanted to become a singer and dancer, but I believe God had other plans for me.

​In 1986 at age 7, I was in an automobile accident which put me in a coma for five weeks. The doctors told my family that if I woke up I would be a vegetable. I was in the coma for so long that the doctor wanted to pull the plug on me. I could imagine that my mother was an emotional wreck, considering that I was and still am her only child. Well, my grandmother didn't believe that I would die. She simply told the doctors, "That's not what God told me!" By the grace of God I woke up when the plug was about to be pulled.

​Soon after, I learned to talk, walk, and feed myself again through a vigorous therapy program designed for children. Although I went through my entire third grade year wheelchair bound, I eventually started walking again by doing my best to copy dance routines in Michael and Janet Jackson videos. The two of them also helped me remember my dreams of becoming a singer and dancer before my brain injury from the accident. I practiced every day at every chance I got, and joined every choir that I could. Along the way, I discovered that I loved to act and pose for pictures. People told me that I was very photogenic. Whenever I'd go to model calls to scouts that would tour the Virginia Beach area, I had to walk the runway. That has always been a challenge for me. Needless to say, I was never hired. My mother enrolled me in a modeling class where I was told that if I became a model, I'd always have to walk the runway at some point. I got discouraged and wanted to give up.

​Now in 2013, I auditioned for AMTC in both the modeling and acting categories. I have been blessed to be invited to professionally train in both! I learned that I don't have to be a runway model...I could do print or commercial modeling. For the first time in my life, I feel like my dreams really could come true. I've always been a believer, but I was never really sure it could happen for me, given my physical challenges. The accident affected my speech pattern, but the auditors loved my monologue and said I spoke very clearly.

​I believe that I was chosen by God to inspire others with my story. I believe that He instilled the desire in my heart to grace cameras and stages because He wanted me to touch the lives of many, many people to make the world a better place. I also feel that the right time has come for this to happen for me, because AMTC has been introduced into my life. This is the right medium for me. It's going to give me the right tools and skills I need to succeed. Most importantly, this program is run by Jesus Christ who will keep me on the right path to becoming a positive role model.

by LaKeisha Harrod