Meet Crystal Flores | Disabled Artist & CHD Advocate

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

Hi Crystal, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I was born with a physical disability which means I’m not able to perform at the same physical level as non disabled people. I was born with heart disease. In short My heart didn’t develop completely so I live with inadequate oxygen levels. I’m always tired and short of breathe (fatigue) I’ve had 7 heart surgeries to help my heart function through out my life.

Since I always eneded up in the hospital with tachycardia from overworking my heart when I had normal.jobs in the workplace I decided to make a career out of my disability experience.
Now I’m a self employed disabled artist on Instagram (10k followers) where i hand sew heart pillows for other heart patients recovering from open heart surgery. I designed them as a compression pillow to reduce chest pain after open heart surgery.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My artwork is deeply personal. It was born out of my personal experiences with open heart surgery. Some hospitals donate heart pillows to heart patients after surgery but my heart pillows are unique and special because another heart patient makes them my hand.
Heart patients who have received my pillows in the past say they love my pillows because it has sentimental value. They love knowing it was made by another heart patient who knows what it feels like to experience open heart surgery like them.
Im proud to know that I’ve learned to use my personal struggles with heart disease to help other face theirs. I used to see my illness as a negative thing now i see it as a gift that keeps me giving me opportunities to help others fighting heart disease.

It has been very challenging to say the least to get where I am professionally. I have faced poverty ,social exclusion &homelessness due to not being able to work and for being disabled.
In 2014 I had to quit my job. My cardiologist didn’t give me the approval go back to work after having a tachycardia episode in the hospital. My boss saw my disability as a liability. I realized then Disabled people are not welcomed in the workforce. she didn’t allow me to come back without the drs approval either. I was devastated and thought “what now ? If I can’t work what am I gonna do with my life?” I felt like my heart disease was holding me back at one point but my perspective changed when I decided to volunteer as a survivor speaker at the American Heart Association. Working there changed my outlook on life and I acquired many social networking/marketing skills that helped me build my platform on Instagram where I sell/donate my heart pillows and provide online support to the CHD community. Ive worked hard for the past 7 years to build my platform on Instagram which has grown to 10k. I’m happy to share that it has opened many opportunities to help me grow my career out of my disability experience. One day I hope to become a business owner with my artwork. It’s a work in progress.
I’ve learned alot lessons as a disabled person who’s not able to work. I’ve learned to adapt to be able to survive . My disability has made me into creative perosn. that’s the lesson I love best because I’ve been able to create my own path in life where there wasn’t one.
I want the world to know that disabled people are are not incapable. On the contrary we are capable of extraordinary things. People tend to think I can’t do anything for myself since I don’t have a job like a normal person. But they fail to realize that I’m probably one of the most creative people they will ever meet.

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?
I would take them to Hollywood to check out all the fun stuff to see and do there. Take the to my favorite clubs to dance. Definitely take them to walk down the Venice Beach boardwalk. Have a picnic on the beach. Take them out to eat athe my favorite food places like Korean BBQ ,Pho, Tacos, Boba. The mall. The museum of art and natural history

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Marie Dagenais-Lewis

Title:Disabled activist/artist/journalist

Email: marie@diversability.com

Instagram handle: @r.a.r.e.advoc8

Website: https://beacons.page/chd_hearts

Instagram: @chd_hearts