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A daughter of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Asia Camacho Hilario is a storyteller, whose mission is profoundly personal.
The self-love coach, podcaster and founder of Sagan Flores, CNMI’s first holistic mental health nonprofit and Saipan Sound Healing, is deeply passionate about uplifting her community – especially in the mental health and emotional wellness space – and she uses her personal story to connect with others in need of support.
After surviving severe childhood abuse and healing her own depression, anxiety, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD) through holistic healing, she has dedicated her life to helping others reclaim their power, self-worth, and emotional freedom.
“When I hit rock bottom and embarked on my holistic healing journey from depression, debilitating anxiety, and (cPTSD), I launched a blog to share my story of healing with others, in hopes that my story would inspire them to start theirs,” Asia says.
“To be seen and understood by someone is another level of connection.
“That’s why I lead with vulnerability, even when it’s scary, because if it can impact just one person in the world, that makes the world a better place- because it causes a ripple effect.”
While Asia makes use of the digital landscape to engage with her audience, she understands why people choose not to use it.
“To be seen online is vulnerable, and with a lot of our conditioning (societal, cultural, patriarchal) it can be daunting to take up space,” she says.
“Thankfully over the years I’ve accumulated lots of tools and support to transmute that discomfort, so that I can take up space online and in the world.”
Currently, Asia has a substack (blog), a YouTube channel, a podcast, her own wellness segment with Marianas Press, and uses Instagram regularly with long captions and storytelling in IG stories.
“I am also an international keynote speaker, so I share stories at events and through workshops,” she adds.
“Over the years I’ve been intentional with the online community I’ve grown, and I’m very blessed to say that it’s mostly an uplifting, positive, and energizing experience for me.
“It’s helped me amplify my mission and impact, so I’m super grateful for it.”
More and more, her work is being noticed, with Asia named Woman of the Year in 2019 by Women on the Rise and recognized by Yahoo Finance as one of the Top 10 Empowerment Coaches to Watch in 2021.
In March 2026, Asia will join 29 other Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand for the YPL Navigating the digital landscape workshop, with a focus on truth, transparency and technology.
The emerging and established Pacific leaders, who hail from 20 countries within the region, will take part in the four-day workshop, hosted by the United States Department of State and Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL), from March 10-13, 2026 – embarking on a journey, highlighting the power of Pacific storytelling through digital media.
Asia says the workshop is an opportunity to learn more about how to amplify her mission.
“I know for a fact this workshop will be expansive and I’m also really looking forward to meeting the incredible people facilitating the workshop and those attending.
“Unity, especially in the Pacific, is so powerful and I’m looking forward to making magic with everyone…and also learning more about culture and history of Aotearoa and paying respects to the land and people as much as I can.”
Storytelling can take many forms, and the high calibre of successful applicants selected from over 200 candidates for the workshop, have a variety of backgrounds, from media and communications specialists to educators, researchers, health practitioners, digital entrepreneurs and visual artists.
Cohort to attend the March workshop:
- Wallace Aroita (Cook Islands)
- Julie Cooper (Niue)
- Aritika Burennara (Kiribati)
- Asia Camacho Hilario (CNMI)
- Camo Diaz Egurrola (Guåhan)
- Absalom Edwards (Marshall Islands)
- Clarriann Futai (Solomon Islands)
- Gina Ishmael (Vanuatu)
- Kreetika Kumar (Fiji)
- Gabby Langkilde (American Samoa)
- Jasmine Leota (Aotearoa New Zealand)
- Tony Leota (Samoa)
- Pita Loloma (Fiji)
- Magic Lus (Australia)
- Don Maifala (American Samoa)
- Lincy Marino (Palau)
- Michaela Montoya Gatdula (CNMI)
- Ondine Moyatea-Ferdnandez (New Caledonia)
- Dr Lavau Nalu (PNG)
- Jay Nasilasila (Fiji)
- Chelsea Pedro (Palau)
- Rain Sancher (FSM)
- Antonnia Singut (PNG)
- Penina Sua-loa (Samoa)
- Maria Tanner (Cook Islands)
- Tahnee Tchen (French Polynesia
- Esther Tetava (Cook Islands
- Pohaikealoha Worley (Hawai’i)
- Gitty Yee (Tuvalu)
- Kanoelani Toshida (Hawai’i)
Visit the Young Pacific Leaders website for more information about the US Department of State program.