Meet Candance Taylor

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Candance Taylor. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Candance below.

Candance, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.

My generosity comes from who I am at my core. I’ve always been someone who willingly shares what I know and what I have, especially if it can improve someone else’s life. I’ve never been careless or given away what I needed to sustain myself, but I’ve also never been a stingy person.

Over the years, I’ve learned the true value of giving. I understand now more than ever that it is better to give than to receive, and I’ve seen how God rewards a cheerful giver. My generosity is rooted in love, purpose, and the desire to see others grow.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m excited to share more about the work we do and the mission behind each branch of our creative and community-focused journey.

I am the founder and visionary of TaylorMade Visual Productions, a nonprofit dedicated to giving youth a safe and supportive environment to explore and express themselves through the visual arts. Our mission centers on creating opportunities for young people ages 7–18 who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or autistic—youth who often do not have consistent access to creative spaces where they feel fully valued, accepted, and free to grow.

We focus on empowerment, skill building, and authentic inclusion, providing a platform where their unique voices, imaginations, and talents can shine. Through visual arts, we help them build confidence, communication, community, and a sense of belonging. Every program we offer is rooted in the belief that creativity should be accessible to all, and that every young person deserves a place where they can thrive.

Watching students discover their confidence through art is one of the most meaningful parts of what I do.
In addition to the nonprofit, I’ve expanded into several new ventures that reflect the heart of my work:

• TaylorMade Learning ASL – This new branch is all about increasing accessibility and connection. We offer resources for youth and educators to learn American Sign Language and better engage with the Deaf community. Our online curriculum is available on Teachers Pay Teachers, Boom Learning, and Patreon, making it easy for classrooms and families to begin learning right away.

• Author Candance Taylor – I also write heartfelt, inclusive, and whimsical stories that encourage readers to embrace imagination and learning. My purpose as an author is to inspire young readers, promote diversity, and create stories that feel welcoming to every child.

• Our New Patreon Page – We recently launched a Patreon that brings all of these creative and educational worlds together. Supporters can access exclusive content, early releases, ASL learning materials, behind-the-scenes updates, and unique opportunities to engage with our mission. It’s a space where our community can grow deeper in learning ASL and the funding that comes from it can help bring more projects to life.

What excites me most about this season is the expansion — not just in programs, but in impact. Whether it’s through art, education, storytelling, or community building, everything I create is rooted in uplifting others and opening doors for young people to thrive.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

When I look back on my journey, three qualities have had the greatest impact: compassion, resilience, and vision.

Compassion has shaped everything I do. My work is centered around youth & adults who often go unseen or underserved, and compassion helps me meet them where they are, understand their needs, and create programs that honor their individuality. For anyone starting their journey, I encourage them to cultivate compassion by slowing down, listening intentionally, and being present. Compassion is a muscle, it grows stronger with practice.

Resilience kept me grounded during challenges, setbacks, and seasons where the vision felt bigger than the resources. Nonprofit work and creative work both require the ability to keep going, keep learning, and keep believing even when progress feels slow. My advice is to embrace small wins, learn from every obstacle, and give yourself grace. Resilience grows when you refuse to quit.

Vision is what allowed me to see possibilities long before they existed. It helped me build programs, launch new ventures, and stay focused on the bigger purpose behind everything I do. For those early in their journey, protect your vision. Write it down, speak life over it, and surround yourself with people who believe in it. Vision will guide your steps, even when the path is unclear.

Together, these qualities: compassion, resilience, and vision—have shaped who I am as a leader, an educator, an author, and a nonprofit founder. And the beautiful thing is: they’re all qualities anyone can develop with intention, consistency, and heart.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Yes, I am absolutely open to partnering and collaborating with others. Because TaylorMade Visual Productions, TaylorMade Learning ASL, and my author work all center on accessibility, creativity, education, and youth empowerment, I’m especially interested in connecting with individuals and organizations who share those values.

I am looking to collaborate with educators, ASL instructors, artists, authors, youth advocates—both hearing and Deaf—as well as disability-inclusive organizations, community leaders, and businesses who are passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for Deaf, hard of hearing, autistic, and neurodiverse youth. I also welcome partnerships with creatives and professionals who want to support visual arts programming, literacy initiatives, and accessible education.

Whether you want to help expand our programs, become a volunteer instructor, provide a space for a workshop to be hosted, bring an ASL workshop to your school or organization, co-create educational content, or support our mission in another meaningful way, I would love to connect.

Anyone interested in collaborating can reach out directly at [email protected] or visit our website at www.TaylorMade.org. We’re always excited to build connections that help us serve youth more effectively and make a greater impact together.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Stage production photos by: TakeOver films

Shirt designs & company advertising graphics: by Candance Taylor

Book sale photo: Author Candance Taylor & Harlem

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