Sasha is helping to raise thousands of dollars for Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
The Sasha Project LA, a 501c3 non-profit charitable organization, is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for The Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, helping patients heal through art.
About Sasha
Sasha is soft-spoken, but her painted jeans speak volumes. What started as a fun craft and form of art therapy soon became something much bigger—a way to give back. In 2016, at just eight years old, Sasha became a Junior Ambassador for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and started fundraising for their Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program. That same year, she filed to establish her own nonprofit, The Sasha Project LA, ensuring that her mission to support art therapy for children would continue to grow.
In 2018, Sasha had the honor of serving as a National Champion Ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a nonprofit that raises funds for 170 pediatric hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. As part of her role, Sasha was one of ten pediatric patients selected from across the country to represent the organization. That year, she was given an incredible opportunity to showcase her passion for fashion and art through her very own fashion show, “Rock the Runway.” The event, hosted by Paris Hilton, featured all ten National Champion Ambassadors modeling Sasha’s hand-painted denim designs, alongside celebrities also wearing her creations.
Sasha continues to collaborate with brands and organizations that align with her mission, including her ongoing partnership with Billy Footwear, with whom she recently launched her second collaboration. She’s also pursuing her love for fashion design, currently taking a fashion design class where she creates stylish and adaptive clothing. Her goal? To launch her own inclusive fashion line in the future.
Born on May 21, 2008, Sasha has lived with Cerebral Palsy Right Hemiplegia since birth, after suffering a stroke during childbirth. She has undergone two surgeries—one in 2016 and another in 2019—to help manage her condition. Over the years, physical therapy has played a big role in her life, and today, she stays active through fitness training and pickleball, a sport she loves.
Through art, fashion, and advocacy, Sasha is proving that creativity can inspire change—one painted jacket at a tim
Healing through art therapy
Art transcends illness and connects children and adults through creative expression. Children are natural artists. They dance like no one is looking, make their own music, color outside the lines and use every shade in a crayon box. When used as a healing tool, the arts can help patients cope with the distress that accompanies illness, injury and hospitalization.
The Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) provides opportunities for patients and families to express themselves through visual arts, music, poetry, dance and theater. The program gives children an outlet to explore feelings of anxiety, frustration or grief as they face the challenges of treatment and recovery. The Artists Program also helps fund the Handy Heroes Therapy Camp, a summer day camp program designed specifically for children with hemiparesis, a condition which often limits a child’s ability to use one side of the body due to lack of strength, coordination, and motor skills.
Expressive arts therapies are proven to have medical and therapeutic benefits. They can help decrease blood pressure, regulate respiratory signs, promote development and motor skills, alleviate pain and improve overall compliance with treatment. However, while expressive arts therapies make a profound impact on patient care, these services are not covered by insurance and are supported entirely through philanthropic giving.
