November 12, 2016

Meet Model, Actress, Nurse Aide, and Fitness Instructor: Abisola Akins

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abisola Akins.

Abisola, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I came to Atlanta in 2008 to pursue my Bachelor’s degree at Spelman. Once done there, I took a Nurse Aide course which enabled me to work at Grady Memorial Hospital for 2 years and attend Georgia State University. Unfortunately, I resigned and decided to continue to work for myself.

I decided that although I’m ultimately going to be a healthcare professional that it was important for me to also participate in other activities that sparked my interest. This is when my love for modeling, acting and anything in between soared. I love being versatile and not limited by social constructs- therefore, I decided to live for myself a little before I start to live by helping people. Once, I become a pediatrician, I will still dabble in everything I’m focusing on now but medical school is a journey and costly one- so I want to make sure I have as much fun possible in the industry before I take that leap.

Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t always been this way for me. I’m definitely a lot more happy and involved these days. I was born and raised in Washington DC to two of the best Nigerian parents in the world as well as 4 brothers and 1 sister. Prior to ever setting foot in Georgia, I experienced how unexpected life can be.

We, my family, lost my older sister to hydrocephalus as a sophomore in high school. She was 6 years my senior and the epitome of hope. This time was hard for me because we were just getting to the point where we could interact as close sisters given my age. I had just reached the point where she and I could bond and she not be having to look after me solely but for each other.

Shortly then after, I tore my ACL, shattered my meniscus and had a minor patella fracture (I loved volleyball- actually still do!) Nonetheless, this small exposure to life and how unpredictable it is led me to realize that I wasn’t this young naive girl anymore. These events shaped me to being the person I am today. Allowing me to realize and understand that life happens and everything happens for a reason- but what matters most is how I take advantage of the situation.

Moving shortly thereafter to Atlanta made me realize that the culture and little bit of life in terms of adversity I’d face before here gave me an upper hand on my peers. I was the mature one in all my circles as well as the thrill seeker. Being able to accept that things will happen beyond my control sometimes allowed me to transition through college. I had my ups and downs please, don’t get me wrong but they didn’t break me the way those hardships in high school did because I was now mentality prepared and condition to seek the positive in any situation.

My sophomore year of Spelman, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. I left school to help my family and am grateful and thankful that my mom is a survivor and still standing tall. I was sad that I couldn’t graduate on time but once again, accepting that life happens and as long as in the end, I was eventually graduating, it could have been 2018, it really didn’t matter as long as it was done.

So to be here now, with my love of modeling and acting taking off- I’m just blessed to be able to be here right now doing the things I love and sharing it with the people I love most.

When you look back, can you point to a period when you wanted to quit or a period that was really frustrating?
I think we all have those moments when we feel like quitting- whether it be our career, family pressures or other miscellaneous things. For me it was mostly my image that discouraged me especially when it came to the standards of beauty set before me by society and relationships. During this time- life as I knew it didn’t seem worth it and it was a struggle mentally every day to exist where I didn’t feel beautiful. My peers growing up were either Caucasian with fair skin, tiny bodies, and hair that lay flat or light skin and skinny which was close enough to the European standard to be accepted. I, on the other hand, didn’t and will never fit that description yet at the time they are who got the compliments, mirrored celebrities in magazines and got the attention from males. It was hard hearing those girls say to themselves, “I’m too fat” because they couldn’t fit a ‘double 0.’ I recall saying one time- “if you’re fat what does that make me?” standing in all my size 6 glory. It was a constant battle telling myself I was pretty enough or beautiful when everything around me didn’t showcase people that looked like me receiving those accolades. I remember liking a boy so much that I demanded nothing of him in terms of commitment or respect because I wasn’t what “he normally went for” but because my self-esteem was nonexistent, allowed myself to believe he was doing right by me in dating me.

This all soon changed when I met some spectacular individuals in college that till this day I am grateful to still call friends at least some anyway. Starting with my freshman roommate Leeasia. She. was a great listener and friend and let me know that I wasn’t alone in my thinking when we’d have our heart to hearts. She’d do my hair in ways I had never seen it and constantly had my back- truly exposing me to the kind of beauty that mattered- the one from within. With her help and the help of the others that came with our crew- Lindsay, Kelsey, Maya, Bianca, LaToya, Jasmine and the list goes on shoutouts to the Penthouse Honeys- my notion of what I perceived beauty to be changed and thus, boosted my confidence like I’ve never seen it. I truly started to understand that I and others were uniquely beautiful and as opposed to dwelling in all the things I wasn’t- I should appreciate the things I was. Sometimes, I have my moments but I’m definitely more grounded now than I was then.

What would you tell someone who is just starting out?
I think the best advice I can offer anyone is to be you and trust yourself. If a situation seems sketchy in your gut it probably is- follow your intuition. I’d also say, don’t compare yourself to the likes of others- a lot of people will try and make themselves seem like more than what they are or are actually doing. So being you and being kind will get you far- not what you think people want you to be or what others tell you to be.

What are you looking forward to?
Ouuuuuu, what excites me the most personally- I’d have to say is just knowing that I am ‘adulting’ on my terms. I’m living life to the fullest while keeping my goals and integrity intact and in this industry that is important.

Professionally, I’m thrilled to be getting booked more frequently for roles and events that I actually want to be a part of and seeing how far I’ve come as I only started this path in February. I’m happy being happy and I loveeeeeee it! I also can’t wait to start applying to med schools and seeing where that journey takes me as well.