Meet Adriana Devers | Author, Teaching Artist & Cultural Programmer

There’s no success without a plan, I’ve tried “winging it” many times but only when I developed a clear plan and followed through I noticed the difference. Then, having a daily routine, waking up early, showing gratitude for literally everything day in and day out, taking responsibility for the wins, the fails, while approaching life with an open heart. Success can be temporary, what always remains is your resilience, your ability to recognize your own worth and give your best in everything you do. That in itself makes us successful.

It took a long time for me to start seeing myself as an artist. I was often told that I had to have a “real job” as people like me couldn’t really make a living from what we do. That thought process got me to earn a teaching degree and brought me to have endless rewarding experiences inside a classroom. Needless to say that even while teaching writing and creating was still a big part of me. What I’m most proud of is the ease in which I could create meaningful educational experiences incorporating the arts, tying whatever it is we are doing with real life skills and cultural values. Through my work I explore the themes of cultural identity, belonging, and acceptance, from a personal perspective (being an Afro-Latina immigrant living in a suburb in the U.S.). One of the things I am most proud of are the cultural programs that I have been sharing with my Long Island community over the past years. Utilizing different art forms has allowed me to reach a larger audience and truly build meaningful connections with people. I think overall that’s what makes my programs different, even my books, I create to connect, to uplift, to bring about heartfelt experiences and assists those who might need some healing along the way. I’ve come far, had a lot of improvement over the years, yet I still have a long way to go, there’s always so much to learn, and yes, there are always many challenges… the biggest challenge is the little voice in our heads that often pressures us to quit, the fear of not being enough or doing enough. I try to laugh at it now, I take those feelings and wrap them in my arms and just go with it! I think that’s one of the lessons I’ve learned. I’ve also learned that everything is temporary, that life is now, and that our words carry so much power! So I use my words carefully, I practice kindness, first to myself then to others and all things around me. There are bright days and not so bright days, I’ve learned to be ok with that, everything passes, things change, we change. I’m thankful for that.

What I want the world to know about me and Cuentos de Triadas is that through my work I’m simply highlighting a greatness that we all already possess. Our heritage, our languages, the diversity of our cultures, is beautiful, it’s okay to be different, to stand out, to blend in, at the end is about finding our own space, embracing our differences and realizing that there’s a lot we do share along the way. Art truly brings us together, that is my purpose with Cuentos de Tiadas, to create spaces, help our children flourish, accept who they are and where they come from. And even though there are things that as a society we still need to improve, there are also many great things that are worth our time and effort. I love what I do, from lesson planning, to teaching, from composing poetry to cultural performance, it all brings such joy into my life. Most of all the joy of seeing our children smile, dance, paint, participate, when kids feel heard, recognized and appreciated then I know that my program was successful, so in essence is not about who I am or what I do, is about how my students feel and how our work together helps them flourish.

This Shoutout goes to my father! The person who has taught me that there is always time to mend our path, to become more and do more for those we love.