<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><em>VODA present Aliyah De Novo. She is an inspiring model and she is also passionate about her work in healthcare. 
</em></span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell us a little about yourself. What key experiences have shaped who you are today?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve been working in healthcare since I was 16. My mom was a nurse her whole life and sometimes took me to work with her, and so I grew up hanging out with residents. She really inspired me to go into healthcare since I learned the importance of empathy seeing a lot of people at their worst.&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What values do you hold most dear in both your personal and professional life?&nbsp;</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">Integrity, respect, gratitude, resilience, and innovation.</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are your long-term goals and aspirations in life?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I would be living my dream to have a house in France and a condo in Thailand. I love to travel and completely immerse myself in different cultures. On the modeling side, I also want to make my mark as a plus sized model in the industry.</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who are your biggest inspirations in the modeling industry and why?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">Right now my biggest inspiration is Precious Lee. She is bold and sexy, and committed to diversity in the fashion industry.</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you handle constructive criticism?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">I take it with gratitude because a lot of people will let you fall on your face. It’s always about how you take it and how you use it to your advantage.&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Can you discuss the importance of networking in your career?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">Networking allows you to meet people from all types of backgrounds. It opens doors for you into potential friends and career opportunities. Which is important to me because I don’t want to be stagnant in life and I’m focused on my growth.</span></span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 18pt; margin-bottom: 4pt;"><span style="font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></h2><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">I would go to Japan. It’s always been my favorite place to visit and there’s a couple of cities I haven’t even explored yet! I&#39;m in love with the fashion, the food, and have I mentioned their public transportation?</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What’s your stance on the great toilet paper debate: over or under?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">OVER. Okay. Y’all that say under…um, who raised you?&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you think technology is making us more connected or more isolated?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">It depends on your worldview. I didn’t like social media growing up, but now I see it as a tool for keeping in touch. Otherwise you really get forgotten because everyone’s so busy hustling.&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is it better to be a morning person or a night owl?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">I used to be a night owl because I found a lot of peace when everyone’s asleep. But it’s better to be a morning person because you create so much time in your day. I wake up at 6 AM, get all my tasks done, and then I make plans to have fun and enjoy the rest of my day.&nbsp;</span></span></p>

10 Questions with Aliyah De Novo

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 18pt; margin-bottom: 4pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><em>VODA proudly welcomes Honoka Tsuji, a kickboxing star from Japan who is now entering the world of acting. With her powerful presence in the ring and passion for new challenges, Honoka is set to make her mark in both sports and entertainment.&nbsp;</em></span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you define beauty and confidence in your life?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I find beauty in a smile. There’s something powerful about it—its ability to bring happiness regardless of the circumstances. A smile isn&#39;t tied to how things are going in the moment, which makes it so beautiful to me. As for confidence, having experience builds my confidence in myself. Every failure and success has been a lesson, slowly building my confidence. Through that cycle of trying, failing, and growing, I’ve truly learned what it means to be confident.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What values do you hold most dear in your personal and professional life?&nbsp;</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I value hard work because you cannot get what you want for free. Of course, just because you work hard doesn&#39;t mean you will always succeed, but I believe my efforts are never wasted. Each step contributes to the experience that ultimately leads to success.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">In what ways do you hope to inspire others through your journey?&nbsp;</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to encourage people to have courage and strong will. As a kickboxer, I need the guts to endure rigorous training and the determination to overcome anxiety and pressure. Now that I’m part of VODA and pursuing acting, I’m taking on new challenges, and I hope my journey can inspire others and move hearts.&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whenever I fail at something, my father always tells me that it’s important to have my ideas and to challenge myself. No one can hand you the solution—you have to think hard, take action, and grow from the experience.&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;">How do you see social media impacting the modeling industry today?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">I get excited when I wear new clothes, and in the same way, I think social media creates excitement by diversifying trends and giving people something to look forward to.&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you think makes someone truly photogenic?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">Confidence. Your emotions are reflected in your expressions and actions. If you’re insecure, it shows. But if you’re confident, you can present your fullest self.&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">How important is social media presence to you, and how do you manage it?</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">Social media is crucial to my career development. Whether it’s in kickboxing or working with VODA, name recognition is key. No matter how skilled you are, it can be wasted potential if people don’t know you. Social media helps me increase visibility and expand my opportunities.&nbsp;</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;">What’s your favorite guilty pleasure snack?</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I love cake. It’s my dream to eat an entire cake! However, I feel a lot of guilt after indulging, so I save it as a reward for accomplishing something significant.</span></div><div><br /></div><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Should you always tell the truth, or are there times when lying is acceptable?</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">As a matter of Japanese courtesy, there are times when it is acceptable to lie to show consideration for the other person.&nbsp;This is when you know that telling the truth will make the other person uncomfortable and that lying will not cause too much trouble. For example, when you say that the food prepared for you tastes good even if it doesn&#39;t, or when you tell someone running late that you just got there.&nbsp;</span></div><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies that might surprise people?</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I have a hidden talent for drawing. I enjoy sketching what I see around me, and I can also bring to life scenes from my imagination.</span></div>

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