Sionnie LaFollette
Photographer
Sionnie is a visual storyteller. Her mother, a native of the Philippines, and her father, a perpetual nomad, instilled in Sionnie the value of story, adventure, and connecting with people in diverse cultures around the world. She carries those values into her work, bringing a unique, authentic perspective to the human experience, both at home and around the world.
Application
- Q: In 200 characters or less, why do you want be part of #PassportToAsia?
- A: This is a unique opportunity to share a common path with others to learn, grow, connect, and become different versions of ourselves—refined by travel and mentorship.
- Q: In 200 characters or less, tell us which of the following monkey attributes best describes you: Intelligent, curious, quick-witted, versatile, or mischievous. Why?
- A: CURIOUS. It’s the fabric of who I am. At the heart of any adventure, risk, professional endeavor, stranger-made-friend, or personal project I’ve pursued is an insatiable curiosity to go, see, do, know.
- Q: What is your creative pursuit? How might #PassportToAsia play a role in developing it?
- A: I’m a photographer. I try to tell stories as best as they’ve happened to me or as thoughtfully as they’ve been entrusted to me. I’d love to continue into grow in those creative endeavors: photography, writing, and creating compelling content. I believe growth happens in the midst of community. The way we share, collaborate, learn, and pour into one another is how we are sharpened into better creatives, better communicators, and better humans. Being given the opportunity to show up is a gift.
- Q: Why is travel important?
- A: Travel is important because when we choose to travel, we’re choosing to put ourselves in the position to experience life, culture, and shades of beauty that are different or, “other than” ourselves and everyday norms. When we travel we’re choosing to be challenged, grow, reflect, and we’re choosing to evolve into different, hopefully better versions of the person that started the journey. To create positive change in the world, I believe, we begin with ourselves.
It’s amazing what travel and shared experiences can do—it’s powerful enough to disarm, and stretch you into a different person. It is constantly bubbling over with the potential to create bonds that become cemented into our life experiences; bonds that last longer than those memories we swear we’d never forget but with the nature of time, we eventually do. I’ve seen it. I’ve witnessed the process, and it’s beautiful. Community begins by creating an opportunity to show up. Change is inevitable, and I’m always different than when I started—and this is why I travel.
