We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Vanessa Stirling. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Vanessa below.
Vanessa , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
“Live FULL Die EMPTY UNLIMITED”, was inspired by my son’s and dad’s extraordinary life. My mom used to say, “ If you don’t have something or SEE IT, use what’s in your heart and CREATE IT!” I am inspired by people who defy the odds in life and inspire US to do the same with our own lives. My son, Joshua Devon Stirling- and my dad, Jacob Moses Green, has exemplify this order. ” Live FULL Die EMPTY UNLIMITED”, is an online website e-commerce business, to share my son’s and dad’s stories, their artistic and musical talents, passion for life, love for people and their giving spirit to make a positive difference in the lives of others. It will also testify about how good God had been in their lives and to leave a rich LEGACY, to inspire others to do the same with their own lives. My son, Joshua, transition, at the tender age of 35 years old from sickle cell anemia disease in 2018 and my dad, Jacob transition at 91 years old, from covid 19 in 2021.
Live BOLD. Think BIG. Die EMPTY is how they lived their lives. Like a DROPLET ripples out and IMPACTS a pond, YOUR LIFE will impact generations in the coming years.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Vanessa Stirling, I was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 8th, 1955. My parents moved to Harlem, New York where I spent my formative years and at 11 years old, we moved to the Northeast Bronx. I spent my adolescent years and adults years there, growing up. Now, I am a wife, mother and a former public health educator in New York City and in Atlanta, Georgia and was a schoolteacher. I was also trained as a school counselor and graduated in 2011 but instead of going into the educational sector, I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur but one with a purpose and mission to inspire other young people to pursue their dreams, gifts and passion in their lives.
When my son, Joshua passed, I realized , I never put restrictions on him of what he could do or could not do to pursue and obtain a career as an artist and creative person, even through the hospitalizations of pain crisis, the set backs in school., he pressed on. When my dad passed, it ignited a passion in me to share both their life stories where others would be inspire to pursue their dreams as well. My dad; dodged many obstacles while living in Harlem as a musician; a major one was, the plagued of drugs infiltrated that was very evasive in our communities in the 50:s and 60″s. and took many lives through overdosing on them. Their stories needed to be told, ” FOR TIME AS THIS:” based on the scripture Esther 4: 14 where today, we are losing a whole generation to drug use and abuse with opioids, and other drugs. Young people need to know, they were born with GIFTS INSIDE OF THEM. and these gifts are untapped
I am a very passionate person about setting goals, venturing out of your comfort zone to do great things and to support others in their pursuit of theirs, as well Throughout my personal, career and professional life, I have always found myself behind programs and initiatives in grassroot projects to be the FIRST, to plan, organize, coordinate and implement impactful children, adolescents and young people programs on the local, and state levels, to make a positive differences in the lives of others.
However, this business venture will be able to reach all people, no matter where they find themselves in the life cycle of their lives, To be INSPIRED to pursue dreams put aside and lost to the cares of life and deferred. Live FULL Die EMPTY UNLIMITED is that vehicle to affirm that it is NEVER TOO LATE. It is an e-commerce online website, marketing T shirts, hats, accessories, inspirational photos and blogs. to have our customers wear their declarations on their bodies affirming they are in pursuit of living for their purpose, developing their god given gifts, sharing them with the world and building a lasting legacy.
What I am most proud of in constructing this business venture is the opportunity to share that both my son, Joshua despite his health challenges with sickle cell anemia disease, he became an accomplished artist in graduating from Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida in 2010, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Animation. He set out to pursue his dream in on Los Angeles, California, as a special effect technician and composter for major motion featured films like Captain America, Batman vs Superman and others becoming a part of the Marvel Universe crew in film. He also was an artist in other genres and areas like illustrator before he passed.
My dad, Jacob, pursued his dream and set out with courage along with his family as part of ‘the Great Black Mitigation in leaving the south during the Jim Crow era and headed to the north state of New York City for better housing and job opportunities to start a better life and start his own family. He moved from a general laborer to a buyer for a Major textile company in New York. City. He also studied music in the late 1940’s and became a jazz musician in the 1950″s and 60″s, in the Post Harlem Renaissance era. I am proud that with each generation of my family, they were able to live with purpose, pursue personal goals and fulfilled their purpose until the end of their days, in the face of insurmountable odds against them.
And personally, I am a testament, as well to this, being born in 1955, the birth of the Civil Rights Movement. My son and dad would both testify to this fact, that with God’s help, you can accomplish anything, you put your heart and mind to in this life. I concur to this as well. What sets my business venture apart from the others is SUBSTANCE of sharing REAL LIVES, REAL RESULTS and the INSPIRATION of the message, ” YOU CAN DO IT, JUST GET OUT OF YOUR WAY!” Live FULL Die EMPTY UN LIMITED.
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Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
After my son, Joshua passed on June 12th, 2018, I was stricken with enormous grief after the loss. He was not only my son but my best friend and strong supporter of coming out of your comfort zone to obtain great things. This loss shook my faith in God in trying to wrap my brain and heart around of understanding, ” WHY did this happen to such a beautiful soul, selfless and giving young man who loved God, his family and his dear friends and overall, LOVED LIFE. He fought so hard to live, only to be taken out at such a tender age of 35 years old. But as I reflected on his life, his art, his zeal to live, I made a vow to him as his mother, to NEVER let his LEGACY die without telling his life story and how he lived LIFE as if it was his last day, everyday. He was intentional and focus on accomplishing his goals and completing his purpose. MY resilience kicked in and I made a commitment to carry his legacy to others to inspire them to live their BEST LIFE in the same way.
Then my dad, Jacob passed on May 29th, 2021 from covid 19,, three years after my son, once again .I suffered with severe grief and depression in losing my dad as well, who was my cheerleader in life to pursue my dreams in education and was my emotional support in doing so. In fact, he was the one who consoled me after Joshua passed to say, ” He lived a short life but a full life in completing what he loved most and that was being a noted artist and finding the love of his life and traveling parts of the world with her”. He said, ” Joshua, Lived Full and Die Empty Unlimited by this disability and was LOVED. What more can a person ask for in this life?
My resilience is based on them and the passion to carry on their legacy and run the race with the flaming torch of sharing their stories and inspiring others to do the same in, the motto, Live Full Die Empty Unlimited despite the challenges, circumstances, set backs but to carry on. It is my desire and passion to pass the FLAMING TORCH AND BATON TO YOU, my customers, in wearing the banner of my products.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Yes, there is a goal and mission driving my creative journey today. I want to give not only my son and dad a place in history and recognition for all their accomplishments., but to leave others a blueprint for inspiration and for success. As for my own legacy, I have given many children, adolescents and young people tools for success in the past. I have been given a chance to also write my own legacy in that I can testify to the goodness of God in helping me navigate this life through many trials and tribulations while growing up in New York City and beyond with years of life on this planet. The common thread that runs through my life, my son’s life and parent’s life is .GOD, He has been a present help in time of need and a constant force in completing the purpose, and mission in our lives. The vehicles he has used in our lives fulfill these aspects has been through art, music and education in leaving impact into the lives of others and making a positive difference in this world.
IAs I have made mention earlier the scripture the Lord gave my dad to tell me in my deep grief and in mentioning the inspiration for our lives here is, Esther 4:14, ” Perhaps YOU were born, For such a TIME AS THIS…” and so for others the answer to this age old question to my customers is to EXPLORE and find out WHY.?
My Analogy and Symbol for Live FULL Die EMPTY UNLIMITED is the GREAT OAK TREE. It has weathered many storms, winds and conditions throughout the years and instead of it destroying it. these elements have made it STRONG AND STEADY.
Special Thanks to all the people in my life who supported me in this project and business endeavor. I truly appreciate it.
Contact Info:
- Website: livefulldieemptyunltd.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/silverfree58??gsh=MW1ubxh6NWxMTB=NA or freedom.ws/VStirling59
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.stirling.14
- Linkedin: www.linkin.com/in/Vanessa-Stirling-a76a5117
- Twitter: X@VanessaStirlin2
Image Credits
Naomi Ghani, and Douglas Stirling as the photographers in this project