Interview with Tylia L. Flores

852 words

7 minute read

If you've been around Tonia Says for any length of time, you know I love to interview people with CP.

Today, I'm interviewing author and advocate, Tylia L. Flores!

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TONIA SAYS:  For people who aren’t yet familiar with you, what do you want to share about yourself?

TYLIA L. FLORES:  I'm a 24-year-old born with Cerebral Palsy. Although my condition has affected my  mobility, it has never affected my will and determination to make a difference in the world.

Through my many life challenges and obstacles, I discovered my passion for writing. My goal in life is to share my stories with the world. In doing so, my hopes are to help others with disabilities realize that they, too, have the potential to make their dreams come true.

[Image: Tylia smiling at the camera]

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TS:  How are you coping with the state of things in the world lately? 

TLF:  Thanks for asking.  I’m coping pretty well.  Still trying to negotiate wearing a mask out in public places, but other than that I’m pretty much okay.

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TS:  What’s your go-to self care?

TLF:   I do a couple things for self-care.  I love to listen to Blake Shelton.  I love to read  books.  Most recently, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, which is a book I highly recommend.  Last but not least, I love going to the studio and recording my radio show Stomping on CP with positive thoughts.

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TS:  What’s your favorite part of the writing process?  What do you love about it? 

TLF:  My favorite part of the writing process is getting to release all my emotions out about an experience that I went through and being able to help others with my stories and passion.

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TS:  Do you have a favorite piece that you’ve written?  What do you want to share about it?

TLF: Yes, I have one.  A favorite piece of mine that I wrote about the ABC sitcom Speechless in its last season for The Mighty… I wrote about what I learned for the episode entitled Planet - where JJ, who has CP - has to film a short film in order to get into college.

The reason I love this piece is because I felt as JJ spoke to me in this episode, and I got to see his growth as a character. Being able to write that article inspired me to write more about my journey and accept my growth as a woman with Cerebral Palsy.

Related:  4 Lessons From the Latest 'Speechless' Episode About Life With a Disability

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TS: Who do you look up to in the writing community?  Who inspires you?  How do they influence your writing? 

TLF: Anne Frank, Jane Austen, Nicholas Sparks, RJ Palacio, Stephen Chbosky, Paul Langan, Edward Bloor and Stephen King.  All these authors inspire me to never be afraid of what my creative mind can do.

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TS:  As someone who was born to, and raised by teenage parents myself, I'm curious...  Where did the idea for your first book originate?  What inspired it?

TLF:  My friend, Daniel, and his journey.

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TS: Share a little about your history with advocacy:

TLF:  I first started advocacy when I was 18-year-old cause that was the age that I learned to love my disability and the person that I was.  So I started to write about my CP and advocate for Cerebral Palsy awareness which has very little awareness in our society.

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TS:  Do you have an advocacy-related moment that stands out to you?  Would you like to share it?

TLF: Yes, I  do.  Getting the chance to speak at the Cerebral Palsy Awareness Conference in March was an amazing experience and it's the one thing I’m most proud of

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TS: Do you look up to any disability advocate in particular?  How have they helped you in your journey?

TLF: Phew!  That's a long list!

Just to name a few:  Edward Verne Roberts, Larry Allison, Judith Heumann, James LeBrecht, Denise Sherer Jacobson, and Stephen Hofmann. They’ve all inspired me to fight for what I believe in and to keep going cause the world needs my story.

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TS:  What does the CP community mean to you?

TLF: The CP community means to me strength equality togetherness. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have them.

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TS:  If someone with CP or another disability was considering writing, what advice would you give them?

TLF: I would tell someone with CP looking into writing or considering it just to write your story.  Nothing you write is wrong or right.

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TS:  If someone with CP or another disability is considering getting involved in advocacy, what would you tell them?

TLF: Go for it!  The more people that speak up and share their stories and what matters to them the better!

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TS:  What’s next for you?

TLF: What’s next for me is publishing a second book and continuing my advocating for people like me.

TS: Thank you so much, Tylia!

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