Meet Farah Ysvette Mourad Vera | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Farah Ysvette Mourad Vera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Farah Ysvette, what principle do you value most?
I think curiosity is essential for a happy healthy life. It’s the most rewarding approach I’ve found, and it applies everywhere. Curiosity makes relationships richer, work more fruitful, and the act of living more mindful and authentic. I think the more curious we are, the less judgmental we are; and that makes us better people. Often times when I am stuck, I find the way forward by venturing into an unknown direction. Uncertainty can sometimes be daunting, but I have found that it also holds the key to answers we need and new questions we should ask. I value and cherish my curiosity and that of others. I believe it sets us free.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have two parallel careers: Artist (Filmmaker/Writer) and IT Auditor. I love how different but complementary these worlds are. It’s been a strange road to navigate, but I cherish the connections I’ve made and the variety of perspectives I’ve encountered because of it. My audit work allows me to think very differently than I normally do, when working on writing or films, but I also think it’s made me a much stronger producer.

I think it’s important for writers in particular to expose themselves to worlds other than the immediate literary/academic bubble we inevitably sequester ourselves in. My favorite moment of the day is often getting on the train after my audit job, people watching, toying with the ideas that come up, then getting home to write them down or record them on my phone while I’m out on a run. It’s a lovely feeling.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Los Angeles is a sprawling wonderland filled with incredible food and amazing sights! First things first, though… we are putting two days aside to go camping in Joshua Tree National Park. The rest of the week we can do a gastro-tour of the city. I would include a visit to my personal favorite: Guelaguetza (Koreatown). No doubt, we’d overdo it on pastries at Porto’s. And we would of course make the obligatory pilgrimage to In-n-Out. In between a lot of hiking, we’d go see a (hopefully great) movie on IMAX at Grauman’s, spend a day at the beach, and visit The Last Bookstore downtown. Ultimately, the itinerary would look different for everyone, depending on their tastes (except maybe Porto’s!), but no matter what I’d make sure we get plenty of time outdoors and lots of great food!

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?
Every life is an ongoing collaboration with its context, so I’d like to dedicate this to every being, place and time that I have been sharing this life with. It’s important to me to recognize and remind myself of how fortunate I am to have come to life on this planet, and to have met so many interesting people. Having grown up in Venezuela to a mixed family (Venezuelan on one side, Lebanese on the other) and then moved to the US as a teenager allowed me to develop a sense of home within multiple cultures, which has been a humbling and enriching experience, despite the hurdles along the way. My parents are two wonderfully unique individuals and I am grateful to them for imparting their unusual perspectives on me. I have also been lucky enough to come across many well-wishers who helped me in one way or another, as I navigated difficult and uncertain times early on. I feel that I’ve always had someone somewhere encouraging me to see things differently, to aim as high as I could, and to never stop growing and exploring. Wherever they may be, I thank them.

Instagram: @FarahYsvette

Image Credits
William Caballero, Alexandria Hipple