Meet Steffanie Shanks | Artist, Actress & Internationally published runway and brand model

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steffanie Shanks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steffanie, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Threw out my years of working I’ve always been told I’ve been the light in a lot of peoples lives due to my confidence and showing my passion to everything that I love. Showing everyone no matter where you come from you can always accomplish greatness, the importance of having self love knowing your worth and power to over come multiple obstacles and to empower others in a positive way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a small town girl turn to city girl I was born in Tulsa Oklahoma but was raised down south in Augusta Georgia i’ve always had a passion for style and acting and to express myself in song before I started singing and modeling I was actress at just four years old and I went to Florida to be a part of nickelodeon television show Gulla Gulla Island and to work hands on with the animation of the main character for show however are only worked two seasons because I was about to start school I started school in Georgia and graduated with my high school diploma. In the midst of school I started singing in a church choir soon after I moved to Georgia to be closer to my mother side of the family while singing in the choir I got the opportunity at age 7 to open up a show for Erykah Badu in a gospel festival those are the beautiful fun memories of my childhood as well as modeling for the mall of Augusta and winning contracts. My mother refused to pull me out of school for me to finish and graduate which I don’t blame her however she has always been very strict and sheltering being that she was a single mother. After I graduated high school life really began for me and I started to spread my wings in my calling due to my mothers finances and my family on my mother side not being as close as I thought I had to start out all by myself with any help not even relationships which I learned that later on through a lot of trials and tribulations to learn to always depend on me and to love me more to focus more on becoming greater. So yes, I’ve started out homeless for a very long time to the point where I didn’t even have a closet for myself to put any of my things so everything just remained in bags and suitcases until I moved even after I had a baby which even pushed me further into my focus zone. My little princess has been my light threw a very dark past from abuse neglect and even some undeserved jail time due to putting my heart into the wrong man. Knowing how successful my name “Barbie Steff” is gave me desire of accomplishing everything my fans love about Barbie the raw an apologetic version. The reason I named my first EP “Not your average Barbie” being myself and expressing myself in the most empowering way possible and still being a raw baddie from that success brings my happiness. Never limited myself in regards to success especially for my daughter and she deserves the world

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Before quarantine I liked turning up with friends in the city of Atlanta that was all the popular clubs and lounge’s that anybody who’s anybody was at turning up in sections sipping on champagne meeting beautiful models and artists and more there was nothing boring about the night life in the the ATL. My top favorite spots for a great night is the Gold room and also the strip club Follies before and after it closed to reopen at a new location. Now due to Covid I like to just order delivery and pick up bottles and have fun at my own home and inviting over two or one friend or to just have fun turning up on FaceTime is cool

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to thank my dear friend that’s like family to me Marv Allen for seeing my potential being there for me and seeing me for the person that I am of the reason why I’ve always been there a huge supporter as well as Gabelustman man for also seeing my potential and mentoring me. A huge thank you to all the legends I’ve met in my journey in my acting career the ones that stood out the most to me was Arsenio Hall for sitting down next to me during a fitting having great inspiring conversations about life and for him to tell me that I’m doing a great job being a focused and pure hearted individual to never change that and to keep up the good work meant a lot to me while you would know of the drama that goes on behind the scenes of the reasons I’ve always stayed positive and stayed focused. Also the man himself Forest Whitaker the moment I shook his hand and get his acknowledgment I felt so empowered and worthy of blessings to be able to work with such great people. And last but not least I’d like to thank my heavenly father the Lord above that molded me into the humble strong woman that I am today. God has beautiful ways of showing a person what life is really about

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamtherealbarbiesteff/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://zez.am/iamtherealbarbiesteff

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/officialsteff_a

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCySay20JSKIuDUdINWFzauA

Image Credits
Gabe lustman, Marv Allen, SoSo def studios, pad studios