Who will walk the runway during New York Fashion Week and win $20,000? You decide.
Lila Ghising
Must finish first in their group to advance to the Finals.
Voting for this round ends on September 3, 2026 at 10:00 PM EDT
About Lila Ghising
I’m Lila Ghising, a CEO and community builder who turns hardship into healing systems. After decades in social service—including founding safe homes for women and children in Nepal—I now lead reimagine adult family home trauma-informed care in WA.
Learn More About Lila Ghising
What makes you the Next Runway Star?
I’ve turned pain into purpose and built real, measurable impact: safe homes for women and children in Nepal, and now a trauma-informed adult family home where elders experience dignity, belonging, and joy in a farm-based environment. I lead while carrying responsibility—staff, compliance, families, and residents—yet I still choose growth, learning, and service. I’m a “runaway” star because I keep rising beyond what my background could have predicted, and I shine in a way that lights a path for others who feel overlooked or “too late.” Website: www.friendsofwpcnepalr.org www.reimagineafh.com
What would this once in a lifetime experience mean to you and why?
This once-in-a-lifetime experience would mean healing and redemption for me. It would be proof that a girl who came from survival and responsibility can still be seen, celebrated, and chosen. It would also give me a bigger platform to keep telling the truth about resilience, dignity, and what it means to rise without losing your softness.
What are you most proud of about yourself or what have you overcome and why?
I’m most proud that I turned pain into purpose. I’ve overcome adversity, culture shock, and the pressure of starting over, and I still chose to lead with dignity and service. I built a life and a mission rooted in care, community, and faith, and I’ve created safe, healing environments for people who needed protection and belonging. I’m proud because I didn’t just survive, I built something that helps others survive too.
What would you do with the $20,000 cash prize?
“If I win the $20,000 cash prize, I will invest it directly into our Safe Home for women and children in Nepal to meet their essential, basic needs like safe housing, food, clothing, and medical support. A major part of it will also go toward education, because in Nepal education is not free, and school fees, uniforms, books, and supplies can be the difference between a child staying in school or being forced back into survival. This prize would create real stability and real opportunity, not just for one person, but for an entire home of women and children who deserve safety, dignity, and a future.”
Content from Lila Ghising
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Rise is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that helps sexual assault survivors across the country and around the world. They’ve created the most successful legislative reform movement in U.S. history: 120 laws passed, 1 UN Resolution and 112 million people’s lives impacted by their efforts.
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