Meet Christine Handy: Author, Model, Motivational Speaker, Humanitarian, Breast Cancer spokesperson

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Handy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Christine Handy Author of Walk Beside Me, motivational speaker, Model, Humanitarian, Executive Producer. When I was going through chemotherapy several years ago, one of my friends said, “People are watching you so choose wisely how you want to react to this,” and she was right. People watch to see how we respond and react to trauma, suffering, pandemics, viruses and on and on. These moments are opportunities to model to others how to handle these important and difficult seasons in our lives in an uplifting way. When I stepped out of my own pain and decided to serve others first by leading with courage not only did my life change but others did as well. After I completed chemotherapy I wrote a fictional novel about my life called Walk Beside Me and subsequently became a motivational speaker. I wrote the book in a way that was vulnerable, and in many instances exposing unflattering but true stories of my life in an effort to give others hope. I also wrote it to show the power of woman standing by each other season after season. It is in this vulnerability and the courage to be a bridge that ultimately touches lives. The power of showing women banding together versus what often gets portrayed on networks is a movement I wanted to be a part of and I have been. The world tends to highlight women tearing each other apart, that is the opposite of what I show through my book and my speaking. I carry these messages on through my website and social media platforms to continue these themes. The purpose of those were not to gain followers but to be truthful about everyday life, the ups and downs, the good, bad and the ugly so to speak. Again, by being transparent and honest I have created a brand that believes in this honesty. What we feed our minds and our souls has a bigger impact on our lives than we think. We should make it a priority to protect what and who we listen to and that is a daily choice. I try to promote focusing on nurturing our self-esteems and the idea of building ourselves and each other up. During speaking engagements I focus on reminding the audience that what we tell ourselves, self talk, is critical. My voice, our voices while we may feel are small, are not. For a long time I did not believe I could impact this world. But with hard work, determination, a lot of grit, tough days laced with grace I was able to create a brand that has helped more people than I ever could have imagined. If we are courageous enough to put our voice out there and be vulnerable it is sure to help and change lives. The world needs you, go get um.

Please tell us more about your career. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I think what sets me apart is my fierce grit and determination. I wrote my book and did not stop until it became a best-seller. I dreamt that my book would be a film and now it is becoming one. I work every singe day in some capacity, not for self serving rewards but for the beauty of serving others. I am very proud to be a speaker in the prisons in Florida. I am proud of being able to model and to have been a model since the age of 11 years. I am proud of the women who taught me that I could do and be anything I wanted. I am proud that I am back in school and getting my masters degree in creative writing at Harvard. I am proud to feel the freedom to keep pursuing.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Miami is a fabulous place to hosts friends. The views are expansive and there are so many. I would take them to Coral Gables to see the beauty of nature and the pristine neighborhoods. I would then go to the Perez Art Museum and tour the art and then have lunch on the terrace. Lincoln Road is a lovely stroll after a day at the beach as well. Then I would go to Cecconies for dinner and the Soho house to end the night after having their signature spicy margaritas. The people in Miami are all pretty interesting, so walking the boardwalk, sipping champagne at Smith and Wollensky would be perfect people watching spots. Finally I would take them to Morgans for Sunday brunch and on the way to the airport we would stop at Wynwood Walls as the finale.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The women in my life who stood by me until I could stand alone.

Website: www.christinehandy.com
Instagram: christinehandy1
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-handy-3056ba125/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/handychristine1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkbesidemebychristinehandy/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw9QebOlzk2wcLfHFkz95XQ
Other: https://www.buzzfeed.com/christinehandy

Image Credits
Albert Rivere Austin Ryde