It’s that time of the week again when we get to showcase yet another wonderful and inspiring woman to you all. We would love for you to meet our #FEMMEFEATUREFRIDAY Jorgen Makena. Jorgen is a part of our @YGTGOFFICIAL family and we consider ourselves very lucky to have her work on our team! This stunning young lady is full of talent and charisma. She made the bold decision to move to Los Angeles a few years ago to pursue both dance and acting and has been absolutely crushing it. Not only is Jorgen an incredibly talented artist, but she is a class act who's always glowing and she never fails to bring a smile to people's faces. She's a bubbly and vivacious gal who will light up any room she's in!

It didn’t take this power house long to dive right into her dance and acting career once she was in LA. Some of her many credits include working on Disney Channel’s “Austin and Ally”, Skechers, AT&T, BMW, America’s Got Talent, E! Entertainment, and Ulta Beauty. Jorgen has been seen on Fox's show GLEE as a "Cheerio" and on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel as “Jewel Sparkles” in Lalaloopsy Girls Commercials, too. In addition, she spent time last year in China dancing for the Chinese pop artist Z.TAO, and she can be seen in his music video “Black White”. Most recently, Jorgen returned from Europe after filming 'HIGH STRUNG: FREE DANCE' as the lead role of "Kayla Jordan", which will hit theaters Summer of 2018. What an incredible opportunity!

We were so thrilled when Jorgen showed a strong interest in YGTG and what this program stands for. She expressed her deep passion for female empowerment when she approached us about being on our team, and we instantly knew Jorgen was going to be a perfect fit for our company. She is a fiery spirit, and she isn't afraid to go after what she wants. Although this industry may be extremely hard at times, this badass lady does not let any challenge stop her from dreaming. No one can deny her constant enthusiasm for all of life's possibilities, and we can only hope that all our YGTGirls get that same inspiring sparkle she has in themselves, too. Get ready to learn more about Jorgen Makena and her inspiring story.

Artwork by Chloe Bruderer (@chloeheartsart)

You have been such an incredible asset to our company and we are so thankful that you decided to approach us to be a part of the YGTG family. What does women empowerment mean to you?

To me women empowerment means to be unapologetically, fearlessly and ferociously yourself. I love the fight for every girl to feel beautiful just as she is, but I also believe that it is okay to not feel pretty or act pretty. Women empowerment is our fight to speak up and think loud, to give a damn or not give a damn at all, and to take pride in what creates our character and personality. We are allowed to be messy, ugly and honest. For example, I have had many ups and downs with anxiety and depression, and the power I feel sharing that openly in conversation is because I don’t see that as an imperfection of myself but as a such big part of what makes up my feminine power. I’m incredibly grateful for what it’s taught me and it’d be a shame not to share that part of myself with the world. The things that are “ugly” to the world are the things that makes us beautiful, dynamic, and badass. Own them, girl!

What advice would you give someone who is thinking of moving to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams?

Be open to all opportunities and prepared for anything. When I moved I wrote down a list of all of the things I wanted to accomplish. Six months into living in LA I got an audition for a new show at Disneyland, and if i’m being completely honest I was not excited about the audition. (like at all haha) I remembering thinking I didn’t move down here to dance at Disney, I’m trying to dance on tv shows and in movies! Long story short I went to the audition, booked the show and can honestly say that I couldn’t be more thankful for job ever in my career. It has been a constant for years now that has taken care of me and is the very reason that I have been able to keep pursuing those goals on my list. There is no right way to getting to your dreams, so grab onto every opportunity given to you and HAVE FUN, it’s only dancing and playing pretend! ;)

You are an absolute triple threat and are so passionate about the arts. Is it hard to divide your time and energy between dance and acting for example? Do you find yourself being drawn to one more than the other?

I’ve been lucky that a lot of my acting opportunities have come from being a dancer. For a long time I compartmentalized the two as separate hustles but dancing has been the reason I’ve been able to break into my acting career! I’ve had the opportunity to film two movies this past year thanks to dance. Tip: Learn from my mistake! From the beginning - use your other talents, whatever they may be to your advantage. It’s what makes you perfect for certain roles and will separate you from the rest!

Currently, I am much more drawn to acting. I have been dancing in Los Angeles for five years and have only been acting in the past year. I’m using the momentum that I’ve been having to gain more experience, work on my craft and build a solid foundation for a hopefully successful career. I am scared sh!tless jumping in acting and putting all my focuses towards it but I know that means I’m doing something right!

You are such a beautiful role model to your little sisters. What advice would you like them to hold on to the most?

As the oldest in my family I have always tried my best to lead by example. We grew up in a city that is traditional and generally speaking the people there stick to that system. I wasn’t one of them obviously, so my sisters have watched me go against the grain and they've seen me stick up for those decisions ever since. I’m glad they get to see me living the life I want and the happiness it’s brought me. The most valuable advice I want to give them is to do exactly what they want to do and don’t ever apologize for thinking or doing life differently than others. I hope that I’ve taught them to be gutsy and do what makes them happy. Every hard day has never been hard enough to regret any of my decisions because I know I have done everything with my heart. I hope that my sisters always listen to there inner compass, go with their minds, and follow their hearts.

What is your definition of a YGTGirl?

She is a girl who lives her life fearlessly authentic. She is liberated by both her vulnerabilities and her strengths. She is as sweet to herself as she is to those around her. One day she is brilliant, bold and bright and the next day she is quiet, calm and contained. She is flawed, messy, wild, and absolutely perfectly herself. She’s the kinda girl that says to herself every morning “You Got This, Girl” and she does.