Perhaps the most striking tattoo on 41-year-old model, DJ, and host Sanya Smith is the snake that winds across her left upper arm. “Snakes in media and religion are often seen [in a] negative way [like] temptations and evil,” she says. “But in spirituality, it means rebirth, growth, transformation–-shedding of the skin.”
Smith, who stands a statuesque 5’10”, has a commanding presence that softens immediately when she starts talking. Somehow, she relates to snakes, which she describes as “one of the most misunderstood creatures.”
Jerick Sanchez
Tattoos, for her, symbolize phases of her life. Each one tells a story: where she was, what she felt, and what she’s learned.
She points to a small puzzle piece tattoo beside the snake. “I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2021,” she shares. “It made so much sense.” After years of feeling behind, the diagnosis became her missing puzzle piece. “It was like somebody handed me a flashlight and I can finally see, because I felt like I was in the dark for the longest time.”
The tattoo now serves as a gentle reminder to be kind to herself. “I’m not stupid, I’m not behind, my brain is just wired differently,” she says, with evident grace she did not have for herself before the diagnosis.
Art direction by Nicole Almero. Beauty direction by Leira Aquino. Makeup by Booya. Hair by Patty Inojales. Styling by Geno Espidol and Jermainne Lagura of Qurator. Nails by Extraordinail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sanya Smith is a Filipino model, DJ, and host known for her commanding presence in the local entertainment industry. She is also recognized for her tattoo collection, which she uses to mark significant phases of her personal life — including her 2021 ADHD diagnosis and ongoing journey of self-understanding.
Smith’s snake tattoo, which winds across her left upper arm, represents rebirth, growth, and transformation — spiritual symbolism she connects to personally. While snakes are commonly associated with negative connotations in media and religion, Smith identifies with their representation of shedding and renewal in spiritual traditions.
Diagnosed with ADHD in 2021, Smith described the diagnosis as a turning point — likening it to being handed a flashlight after years of feeling lost. It reframed years of feeling behind as a difference in neurological wiring rather than a personal failing, and she had a puzzle piece tattoo made to mark the moment.
The small puzzle piece tattoo beside her snake represents her ADHD diagnosis — the missing piece that gave her years of confusion context and meaning. It now serves as a daily reminder to extend kindness to herself and to recognize that her brain processes the world differently, not deficiently.
For Smith, each tattoo marks a specific phase of her life — where she was, what she felt, and what she learned. Rather than viewing them as purely aesthetic, she treats them as a personal record of transformation, with each piece tied to a moment of significant emotional or psychological shift.
