De’Shawna Yamini, former coordinator of the African American Male Initiative and
current employee for Sinclair Community College. Yamini had this dream of being
on Wheel of Fortune 35 years in the making.
“I wanted to start taking some chances and live life more courageously.” she said.
Starting the year 2020 when the COVID pandemic began to plague the United States.
Yamini kept prayers close, with the feeling of COVID taking a year or more to subside, but
also being a driven caretaker.
“I felt afraid and I’m like okay, lord if we make it out of this, you know people die every
day but it felt like COVID just took so much from us,” she said
This caused minor health issues to arise and, Yamini decided to take initiative in her
life and began to work towards correcting those health issues with much success. Yamini
began to aim her sights at other goals, earning her real estate license, becoming a published
author, playing as a background actor and, now Wheel of Fortune champion.
“I didn’t see being a paid background actor, but again I just took a chance, faith without
works is dead. If there’s something you want to do go do it, its just that simple and, it’s just a
decision and now I’m a Wheel of Fortune Champion and my mother was the catalyst for this
dream.” She said
Encouragement from her mother to commit to trying out for many years, finally stepping
out of her comfort zone May. 2022, receiving a call back in June 2022 to be on the Wheel of
Fortune and tell her mother the great news. The outcome of the show remained a secret for
almost a month.
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The dream of winning the show was very vivid in Yamini’s approach, with her
mother in mind while spinning the wheel and, wearing her mother’s earrings and favorite color
red. Yamini’s mom was the true inspiration behind accomplishing the Wheel of Fortune
goal, which feels to be accomplished in honor of her lovely memories of her mother encouraging
and inspiring her to follow her dreams.
Yamini was inspired by her opportunity and believes anyone with dreams bigger than
themselves can go out and achieve them with initiative. Yamini won two luxury trips and won
over $46,000.
Trey Turner
Intern