Who will walk the runway during New York Fashion Week and win $20,000? You decide.
Suzy Lee
About Suzy Lee
Korean-American, single mom, AI architect and founder of IntelliCraft Labs US. At 45, I’m building a life rooted in resilience, family and purpose. Empowering entrepreneurs through AI while proving it’s never too late to step into something new.
Learn More About Suzy Lee
What makes you the Next Runway Star?
At 45, I'm redefining what a runway star looks like. I'm the daughter of Korean immigrants, a single mother, an AI architect, and the founder of IntelliCraft Labs US. There was a season when fibromyalgia and chronic illness became so severe that I relied on a cane just to walk, and I realized traditional employment was no longer possible. Instead of giving up, I reinvented my life. I built a business that empowers entrepreneurs and organizations through AI while continuing to navigate chronic pain with resilience, faith, and purpose. Today, I'm applying to walk a runway I once couldn't have imagined reaching. I want every woman who's ever felt overlooked because of her age, health, or circumstances to know that reinvention has no age limit. Beauty isn't defined by perfection—it's revealed through perseverance.
What would this once in a lifetime experience mean to you and why?
There was a time when simply walking across a room required a cane. Walking the runway at New York Fashion Week would be the visible reminder of an invisible journey. At 45, after years of navigating fibromyalgia, chronic pain, rebuilding my life, and becoming a single mother and entrepreneur, this opportunity would represent something much greater than fashion. It would celebrate resilience, faith, and the courage to begin again. My son has watched me rebuild through every challenge. I want him to see that our greatest opportunities aren't limited by age, setbacks, or the expectations of others. I hope women watching see themselves in my story and realize it's never too late to pursue a dream that once felt impossible.
What are you most proud of about yourself or what have you overcome and why?
I'm most proud that I never let my hardest seasons become the end of my story. I've overcome chronic illness, fibromyalgia, domestic violence, and the uncertainty of rebuilding my life while raising my son. There was a point when I questioned whether I'd ever work again after needing a cane just to get through daily life. Those experiences forced me to rethink everything. Instead of focusing on what I had lost, I focused on what I could build. Today, I'm the founder of IntelliCraft Labs US, where I help entrepreneurs and organizations confidently embrace AI and create new opportunities through technology. At 45, I've learned that resilience isn't pretending life isn't hard. It's choosing to move forward anyway—with faith, gratitude, and purpose. That's the legacy I hope to leave my daughter and the message I hope people see when I step onto that runway.
What would you do with the $20,000 cash prize?
Winning this prize would allow me to turn one opportunity into many. I would invest in growing IntelliCraft Labs US so I can expand affordable AI education, consulting, and training for entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and small businesses that often don't have access to emerging technology. I would also invest in creating long-term stability for my son and our future after years of rebuilding our lives through chronic illness and adversity. Finally, I would dedicate part of the prize to mentoring and supporting women who are rebuilding their own lives—whether after health challenges, personal hardship, or career transitions. Success means the most when it creates opportunities for others. That's exactly what I would do with this prize.
Content from Suzy Lee
IntelliCraft Labs US Suzy Luv Lee AI Update
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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