Meet Tiffani Brooke Fest | Actress|Activist|TEDx Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tiffani Brooke Fest and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiffani Brooke, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I’ve been an actor and a performer since I was a young girl. Only in my adult life however, did I really start understanding the relationship between art and social impact. Now I believe strongly that all art exists at the intersection of storytelling and social justice. And that my work as an activist is not separate from my work as an actress. The job of any form of art is to hold a mirror up to humanity, to create a dialogue with our reflection, to challenge it, and often to be a catalyst for social change.

Known on-screen for my work in the horror genre, I began my global activism journey 6 years ago, as a solo female traveler, and never could have imagined it would lead me down a path of public speaking and survivor advocacy work, transforming a real life “horror” in my own life into my greatest sense of purpose and fulfillment.

In my new TED talk, I reveal publicly for the first time how I transformed my own greatest suffering as a sexual abuse survivor, into my greatest mission to advocate on behalf of female survivors around the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOGxKNBzFQo

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m most proud of my new TEDx talk, which is the culmination of my storytelling and performance skills, my global activism, and my survivor advocacy work. Before this talk I’d never shared publicly my own journey as a sexual abuse survivor, and I am deeply honored to now share it with the world.

As a burgeoning speaker, I’m excited to use my personal story of survival and transformation, to empower women (and men!) to turn the source of their greatest suffering into the source of their greatest mission. As the great poet Rumi says, “the wound is where the light enters us,” and I believe wholeheartedly that it is exactly the place where we have personally suffered, where we can often make the most impact.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the greatest things about LA is all of it’s hidden gems. Personal favorites of mine include The Magic Castle for a night of up close magic in a historical setting, Malibu pier for sunset and golden hour cocktails at Malibu Farm, wine tasting in Malibu canyon at Cornell Winery and dinner at the historic saloon next door, The Old Place.

I also love taking waterfall hikes in the San Gabriel Mountains, or a drive to Joshua Tree for desert digs and epic star gazing, and for some quintessential old Hollywood glamour, taking a driving tour through Mulholland Drive and the Hollywood hills to stop and marvel at all the mid century modern architectural gems.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My global activism led me to New Light India, (www.newlightindia.org), the largest non-profit operating in the red-light districts of Kolkata, whose mission is to educate and empower women and girls there, thus ending the cycle of second generation prostitution. Championing New Light’s work & supporting their initiatives has transformed my life into one of purpose-driven joy and fulfillment.

So most definitely this shout-out is dedicated to them, their amazing founder Urmi Basu, and the incredible women and girls they serve daily.

Website: tiffani-fest-speaks.com, www.imdb.me/tiffanifest

Instagram: instagram.com/tiffanibrookefest

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/tiffani-brooke-fest/

Youtube: TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOGxKNBzFQo

Other: for speaking engagements: https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/speakers/451290/Tiffani-Brooke-Fest

Image Credits
Gregg Brown (the feature image) Theo&Juliet (the headshot in the group of photos)