Describe yourself in three words

Genuine, Driven, Passionate

Being from the east coast, what sparked your interest in moving to LA?

I always knew I would move to either New York or LA. In my senior year of high school, I was signed by a great dance agency in Los Angeles. That was the sign I needed that LA would become my home. I took a gap year and reapplied to UCLA after not getting in the year before. Fortunately, the second time was the charm and persistence paid off. While continuing to pursue my acting career, I graduated from UCLA with a degree in cultural anthropology and film. I have alway been athletic, playing club soccer and volleyball, so through my classes at UCLA and living in LA, I discovered how in incorporate a career in nutrition and fitness into the lifestyle I wanted to live while continuing to pursue acting.

Where did your love for acting come from?

Where did your love for acting come from?

When I was young I had a processing issue that made things like learning to read difficult. Being a type A since birth, consequently, it caused me a lot of anxiety. It was suggested to my parents to put me in theater, dance, and sports. Being active helped to soothe my anxiety and build the type of skills that would translate well to my ability to learn and perform well academically. This helped me fall in love with the arts at a young age. In order to pursue my passions, my parents prioritize my being a good student and a human being. Being a first generation American, I learned the value of the arts and how they allow for telling stories of the people that are so often overlooked. I’m driven to tell stories that will help heal the divides in humanity and make audiences more understanding and empathetic to one another.

When I was young I had a processing issue that made things like learning to read difficult. Being a type A since birth, consequently, it caused me a lot of anxiety. It was suggested to my parents to put me in theater, dance, and sports. Being active helped to soothe my anxiety and build the type of skills that would translate well to my ability to learn and perform well academically. This helped me fall in love with the arts at a young age. In order to pursue my passions, my parents prioritize my being a good student and a human being. Being a first generation American, I learned the value of the arts and how they allow for telling stories of the people that are so often overlooked. I’m driven to tell stories that will help heal the divides in humanity and make audiences more understanding and empathetic to one another.

What’s the next goal you’re looking to achieve?

My next goal is to book a recurring role on a show.

Tell us a bit more about your fitness journey and Rise Nation!

I have always identified as an athlete and an artist. Being an athlete and a competitive dancer, the importance of fitness and staying active was important to not only my physical health, but my mental health. I actually drove by Rise Nation on my way to UCLA for years before I finally took my first class. It was my mom who actually convinced me to try it out for the first time. Little did I know that it would become such a huge role in my life. I quickly became obsessed with Rise Nation and got to know the owner of the company, Jason Walsh, after spending a lot of my free time at the studio. I remember one night when taking classes back to back, he asked me about becoming an instructor. I remember being so flattered, but thinking I really wasn’t cut out for it and feeling a little concerned about taking on a job with strict time commitments that might distract me or conflict with my ability to audition. I went back and forth for a few days, but after having a conversation with my mom about it, she helped convince me that I needed to take advantage of this unique opportunity that was presented to me.

In retrospect, Rise Nation came into my life at such an important time. It has allowed me to incorporate my passion for athletics and performance, with knowledge I gained at UCLA, while also giving back to a community of people in a direct way. Rise made me feel confident and comfortable in my own skin and gave me the platform to engage and share that confidence with others on a daily basis. It also put my ability to perform to the test, especially when people like Lebron James were in my classes. The environment encouraged me to truly be confident in who I am, what I’m capable of, and what I bring to the table.

What’s your workout routine?

I workout on average six times a week using various strength training workouts. Three times a week I focus on my vertical movement patterns and knee dominant exercises and three times a week I focus on horizontal movement patterns and hip dominant exercises. Although I am not able to teach at Rise Nation right now, I still put myself through a class 3-5 times a week on the versaclimber. Before I start all my workouts, it is imperative that I get my glutes fired up by doing some sort of glute bridge variation; this allows my lower body to maximize my workouts since I tend to be quad dominant. However most importantly, I’m only as good as my last recovery. It doesn’t matter how young you are, how fit you are or how unimportant you think recovery is, taking care of your body, as well as getting good quality sleep, is imperative.

Daily mantra?

“Today is a great day. I can, and I will.”

We love you, Iman!!