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

Hi Yarelbys, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters” I remind myself of this quote so constantly that it has become a value that I live by. There is so many things in life that are outside our control and the best thing we can do is to accept them and move forward. This quote really resonates with me because throughout the course of my life I’ve had to deal with situations that where not my fault but became my responsibility. At age 14 I was diagnosed with Cancer and one year later I developed a spinal cord injury that resulted on a physical disability. At first I was filled with emotions and frustration, but soon I understood that I couldn’t control what happened. I didn’t choose those situations. However, I could control how I reacted and how I handled the situation. That’s how I reclaimed my power and went from victim mode to responsible. There’s no right or wrong way to deal with a problem. There’s only one and that is the one you choose. Acting or even ignoring it It’s still a decision. Understating that I am not a victim and that I am responsible really changed the way I navigate life. No more feeling helpless and sad. Knowing that I can redirect my emotions and transform them to my best advantage feels so reliving. This quote applies to any situation and problem in life. It’s a value to help us move forward. These situations were unfortunate but I am left with an incredible life lesson that I continue to apply to any adversity that I am presented with in life.

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.
I use my social media platform to create content that inspires, educates and diversifies. I love sharing my point of view in life as a cancer survivor and inclusive advocate. My goal is to make the entertainment industry more inclusive and representative of people with disabilities. I am really proud that I decided to share my story online because that has lead me to amazing work opportunities and more important an amazing community that connects and relates to my story the same way I relate to them. It all started with me posting more about my life and soon I realized that people felt inspired by my positive view of life. It was not easy to start my social media journey. I didn’t know what to expect and what those that knew me where going to think about it. However the reward is so much bigger than my fear of posting haha. I started taking it more seriously when I started receiving messages from people that somehow connected with my story and felt inspired by it. That is what means the most for me! I want others to see me as their friend and to know that I am still learning and growing so much, but the journey is so much better when you can share it with a community that understand and relates with you. I hope to inspire others to have a positive outlook of life and embrace the challenges that come our way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
To drink, eat and have fun I would take them to;

– Kiki on the river Saturday night
– Seaspice brunch on Sunday
– B Bistro Brickell – Restaurant
– Mila, papi steak, serena – nice restaurants & drinks
– Tucandela – Hispanic club
– CH’I brickell- Fancy Asian / Latin american
– Tea room and Sugar ( same building) beautiful view to grab drinks
– Joia Beach – by the water restaurant tulum vibes.
– Swan – New American cuisine
– Back door monkey – Asian fusion cuisine
– Baby Jane – Nice bar to grab drinks and appetizers.

To walk around I would take them to;

⁃ Wynwood market place and explore wynwood around to see the walls.

⁃ Bayside market place (nice to walk around the park and they have cute shops)
There’s a floating tiki bar you can take too and they take you around while you drink.

⁃ Limcon road Miami Beach to walk around go shopping , feel the Miami vibe , grab drinks

⁃ brickell city center go shopping and eat at casa tua , or tacology on a Tuesday and Wednesday for half margaritas and taco specials.

⁃ Design District- Fancy shopping designers stores , and cute Dior coffee shop

⁃ Ocean drive- walk by the beach , get a drink and eat in all the different restaurants they have.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to recognize the community of disabled creators on Instagram. I feel so much more accompanied by having them. They have inspired me so much to continue to create awareness around disabilities.

Website: https://www.yaretua.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yarelbys/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarelbys-tua-4411ba1ba/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDtS3rTjZm9K-BBDtpDx7A

Image Credits
Jose Camacho – @MisterHindi Daniel Martinez – @Dmstudi0

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