Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Trena Myers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Trena, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Volunteering with Rare Strides has been an incredibly meaningful experience for me. The organization works tirelessly to support people with rare diseases and their families, providing them with much-needed advocacy, resources, and hope. One of the most memorable experiences I had while volunteering with Rare Strides was helping to organize and emcee the second Glow in the Dark Concert for children and adults with rare diseases. It was heartwarming to see people come together and enjoy themselves despite the daily challenges they face. Seeing the children’s faces light up as they participated in activities and games was truly a joyous experience that I will never forget. We also granted our first Rare Wish.
Another reason why my time with Rare Strides has been so meaningful is the incredible people I have met through the organization. The other volunteers are some of the kindest, most dedicated people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. It is inspiring to see how much they care about making a difference in the lives of those affected by rare diseases.
Volunteering with Rare Strides has not only allowed me to give back to my community, but also being an advocate for others with a rare disease like me. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such an important organization, and I look forward to continuing to support their mission in any way I can.

Trena, 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?

I am an Emory Univ trained health coach and have provided art workshops to numerous organizations across the US. I have been featured in an international artist magazine and am an ArtPrize award winning artist. I provide LIVE art experiences for nonprofit fundraisers where I create a piece of artwork during their fundraising events with attendee participation, my favorite experience was with a Rotary Club in Iowa where I helped to raise over $3200.

My workshops give permission to paint outside of the lines. I am currently working on retreats for creative mindsets, relaxation and fun.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

It took decades of a misdiagnosed rare disease which took a toll on my mental health as medical gaslighting kept telling me that it was all in my head. I would take solace at my canvas and used art as a way to process emotions not giving up hope for answers. Once the correct diagnosis provided peace, I wanted to use my skills to help others like me, whether it is a rare disease, chronic illness, stress, anxiety, trauma or just every day life.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Society can help support other creatives by accepting the pricing that we set for our work. There is not only the cost of materials but the time that it takes to put into the work, sometimes can have hundreds of hours that it takes to produce a piece of artwork. We would never ask someone else to reduce how much they get paid for a job, people should respect the same for creatives.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.designsbytrena.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_zebra_queen
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/therarezebraqueen
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trena-myers-mba-5240242/