We were lucky to catch up with Latoya Smith Farmer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Latoya, thanks for joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
Wow this is a great question! My parents were always believed in me and set very high expectations, but If I had to sum it up in one thing I would say they let me dive head first into whatever dream I wanted to explore. I remember when I was around 7 years old and my mom took me to the candy lady’s house. When we left I said “ I want to open my own store”. The very next day my mom took me to buy supplies, candy and anything else I could think of and she let me open up my own candy store in our dining room! This may seem silly to some, however it gave me the belief that anything I wanted to do was possible.
Latoya, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Of course! I am a school counselor in Clayton County by profession and I utilize my love for helping children understand and express their emotions in everything that I do. So much so that I started writing Emotional Health and character Ed children’s books in an effort to help children gain a better understanding of who they are and how to express themselves to others. I love what I do and find no better joy that watching a little one utilize the tools that I gave them to advocate for themselves and others. I am most excited that my book Super Jacob is now being published by Lightswitch Learning publishing company
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I used to believe that My professional worth was directly tied to my years of experience and that simply is not true. Don’t get me wrong I have worked in the field of education for more than 15 years, however I have only been on the public speaking circuit for a few years now. I felt like I couldn’t charge what other speakers were charging because I was new to the game, when in reality I have always had just as much to offer as everyone else and it was up to me to walk in all that I deserved. A lot of times we are our biggest critic and we have to let go of all of those insecurities and take a leap of faith.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
We all have situations that we go through. When we are not equipped with coping skills those situations can turn into depression, anxiety, or so many other emotional strongholds that affect people and their families.
My mission is to provide children with coping skills and emotional support in fun and creative ways. The earlier children are empowered with social and emotional technics and tools the better their relationships and overall quality of life will be.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @alwaysdevotedbooks
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCOZHcNgXiFWAXa74TGlFf2A
- Other: Purchase my books at: https://lightswitchlearning.com/?s=Super+Jacob&post_type=product&type_aws=true https://www.amazon.com/s?k=latoya+marie+Smith&crid=3K3MV7TQCTP28&sprefix=latoya+marie+smith%2Caps%2C284&ref=nb_sb_noss
Image Credits
Photographer: Darnell Johnson