We recently connected with Tiana Ferrell and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tiana, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I have become resilient due to being born with a limb difference. I learned at an early age how to process trauma, handle adversity, love myself, and embrace change.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a writer, filmmaker, and limb different advocate. The most exciting thing about my work is incorporating my advocacy into my projects. My art is my activism. An example of this is my short film Blind Date, which is about dating with a disability and The Ladies Car stage play, about Ida B. Wells.
I recently created a coloring book, for limb different children, which celebrates their uniqueness and resilience. The coloring book features a collection of inspiring illustrations intended to take kids on a coloring adventure while embrace the beauty of their differences. The coloring book is very special to me because I was born with a congenital limb difference, symbrachydactyly.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities that have been the most impactful for me are, problem solving, adaptation, and self-awareness. These skills allow me to quickly adjust and provide practical solutions to even the most difficult situations. My advice for those who are early in their journey is to determine the qualities that are necessary for you. The specific skills that will be impactful for your journey can be discovered through trial and error.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me as a child was to let me find my own way. They allowed me time to become comfortable in the skin that I am in and navigate my own path on embracing my limb difference on my own time. They did not force me to participate in certain things if I was not ready. I was allowed to say, no. Thus, I was easily able to transition into a confident adult and not be afraid to do what I felt was best for me and my journey.
Contact Info:
- Website:tianaferrell.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tianaferrell/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianaferrell
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Can-Be-Anything-Coloring-Differences/dp/B0CHL3RC5D/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1698503055&refinements=p_27%3ATIANA&s=books&sr=1-1
Image Credits
Tiana Ferrell
