Chrishenda Lafaye: Faith, Fire, and Becoming Ms. Washington Globe

Some stories are not about arriving — they’re about becoming.

Chrishenda Lafaye is a Tacoma, Washington native, a mother, an award-winning filmmaker, and the reigning Ms. Washington Globe. At 34, she stands in a role she once believed belonged to “the girl on the TV screen” — not to her.

Today, she knows differently.

“The Girl on the TV Screen”

Chrishenda’s journey into modeling and pageantry didn’t begin on a stage — it began in observation.

As a young girl, she watched women on television, in magazines, and on pageant stages and quietly told herself, “I want to be that… but I can’t.” She once wrote a poem called “The Girl on the TV Screen,” a reflection of comparison, insecurity, and the belief that those women were unreachable because of the limitations she carried in her own mindset.

Those insecurities followed her for years.

It wasn’t until her best friend — already immersed in modeling — saw something Chrishenda hadn’t yet fully claimed. She invited her into runways, photoshoots, and spaces that once felt intimidating. Slowly, modeling became real.

Then came a long pause.

And finally, at 34, a return — not to something new, but to something remembered.

“I finally stepped into what I forgot I always wanted to be.”

Saying Yes to the Unexpected Call

Chrishenda’s entry into pageantry came through community, faith, and a nudge she almost brushed off.

A pageant sister from her church had competed in the Ms. Washington Globe Curvé division and went on to earn the title Mrs. USA Curvé Globe. When the organization began looking for the next titleholder, Chrishenda made a lighthearted comment — unsure if she even qualified.

The response surprised her.

The coach replied: Your division is open. You qualify.

She sat with it.She prayed.She applied.

After her interview, she was told she’d hear back by the end of the week. By that same evening, an email arrived offering her the title.

“God is good, ain’t He?”

Today, Chrishenda holds the crown of Ms. Washington Globe — a role she once never imagined could be hers.

Titles That Go Beyond the Crown

When asked what she is most proud of, Chrishenda doesn’t start with accolades.

She starts with mother.

She names her titles thoughtfully:

• Mother

• Ms. Washington Globe, with hopes of Miss USA

• Writer, director, and award-winning filmmaker

• And above all: Daughter of the King

“I am nothing without my Lord and Savior. He walks me through the valley. He keeps me grounded. He saves me daily.”

Her achievements are not separate from her faith — they are built upon it.

Grace Behind the Smile

From the outside, crowns can create distance.

Chrishenda is aware that people sometimes assume she’s unapproachable, that she “knows more,” or that collaboration might feel intimidating. What they don’t always see is the human behind the title.

She laughs.She hurts.She makes mistakes.She falls — and gets back up.

“The crown is to show that we all can keep our heads held high. It’s about grace — and I’m learning to give myself that grace too.”

Confidence as a Practice, Not a Destination

Even now, confidence is something Chrishenda actively works through.

“I still struggle with it — even with the titles I hold.”

Drawing from her experience as an actress, she learned something powerful: confidence can begin as practice.

She shows up.She acts as if.And slowly, the confidence becomes real.

“Sometimes you ride it before you feel it.”

A Purpose Bigger Than One Woman

There was a moment when Chrishenda realized her journey wasn’t just hers anymore.

It came when she reflected on children — their hearts, their self-image, their security. She remembered being “little me,” believing she had nobody and constantly comparing herself to others.

She never imagined she would one day represent Washington State.

And yet — here she stands.

Her work now extends far beyond pageantry:

• Award-winning filmmaker

• Top 100 Director selected by Tyler Perry

• Teaching industry-level filmmaking to youth

• Creating Legacy Projects for families navigating dementia, Alzheimer’s, and end-of-life moments

• Founding Mommy, I’m OK, inspired by her own child’s autism diagnosis, to support other mothers

Her calling is clear:

“I’m called to give vision back to the brokenhearted.”

And that calling requires walking through fire — so others don’t have to walk alone.

What She Embodied in This Photoshoot

When Chrishenda stepped into this photoshoot, her intention was simple and powerful.

She wanted people to feel:

“I can do this too.”

Her message is one she lives by:

Your scars don’t define you.They make you who you are.They refine you.

Advice for the Ones Who Don’t Feel Ready

Chrishenda doesn’t believe readiness is a prerequisite.

Her advice is honest and freeing:

“Go afraid. Go scared. Go insecure.”

If confidence isn’t there yet, she says — act. Not to be fake, but to build what’s coming.

“Soon it won’t be acting anymore. Your confidence will be real. Be the bridge. Someone else needs to see themselves in you.”

Faith Without Works Is Dead

If Chrishenda were to write the headline of her life right now, it would be this:

Faith without works is dead. Either you sit and wait — or you work hard while believing with everything in you.

And she is doing exactly that.

Connect with Chrishenda Lafaye

📍 Tacoma, Washington👑 Ms. Washington Globe📸 Instagram: @chrishendalafaye

A Note from Sage + Soul

This feature is from a model shoot organized by Lilia Ahearn (talented model, filmmaker, photographer, and artist), created to honor women whose stories deserve to be seen with depth, respect, and intention.

If you’re a model, pageant competitor, filmmaker, or creative looking for imagery that reflects your truth — not just your title — you’re in the right place.

✨ Your story is powerful. And it deserves to be told well.