Today we’d like to introduce you to Candance Taylor
Hi Candance, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Candance “TaylorMade” Taylor, Saint Louis based author and business owner was inspired to become a sign language interpreter due to me having an older sister who is deaf. While growing up in the same household, my sister taught me sign language around the age of 5 years old. As I grew up, I immersed myself as much as I could into the Deaf community and learned more of the language whenever I would socialize with my sister and my sister’s friends. Once becoming an adult, I decided I wanted to give back to the Deaf community what they gave to me. I went to St. Louis Community College of Florissant Valley in St. Louis, Missouri where I obtained her Deaf Communications degree in 2006. I went on to take the state certification test, passed and began interpreting full time in 2007. From 2007 until 2023, I worked as a freelance interpreter in various settings, including the educational field. In October 2023, I decided to make a difference not just for the Deaf community, but for individuals with various disabilities. I wanted to empower, strengthen, and motivate them to become change agents within their communities. This led me to transition into teaching as a Special Education (SPED) Teacher in a public school, and eventually, I became the head of the Autism department at my school.
I became a published author in 2019, writing her first book titled “Tyler’s Life Story, the set back of her life” which shares a few fictional and nonfictional events. I share my life’s experience and how I lacked self-confidence, how I wanted to please others more than pleasing myself and how I looked for love in all the wrong places. I wrote the book to give people hope that it was when I found hope in God that I began to change my life for the better and not place such high expectations on people because they too were fallen, broken people not knowing their identity in Christ. I decided to place my hope in Christ which is who began to heal my brokenness and my heart.
In May 2023, I decided it was time to write another book which would be my first of many to come, children’s books. I wrote this book for several reasons but ultimately so that I could share my imagination, my stories and my impressions on life with others. My heart’s passion is to always include the deaf community in every facet of what I do because they have been disregarded and forgotten about in many settings, for far too long. I want people to gain a better understanding of Deaf culture, the struggles they may face in society, what hearing parents with deaf children encounter and how the Deaf community can overcome opposition when given an opportunity to show their strengths and abilities. I present all of my children’s books in pictorial formatting so that both hearing and deaf children can not only read the simple words on the page but “visually” see the story unfold with their eyes. I want ALL to know that deafness is beautiful, that ASL is a “real” language and that no matter who you are or what disability you’re faced with, YOU are still uniquely loved & created by God for a purpose.
During the process of getting my children’s book out to the community I have now begun the process of directing my first stage production titled “It’s DEAF-initely My Life” and has started a new nonprofit business called TaylorMade Visual Productions. The stage production is set for January 18th, 2025 in Saint Louis, MO at the Florissant Performing Arts center in Florissant, Missouri, and will showcase the story of a character named Jody who was born deaf to parents who could hear. The story is based on the children’s book where it shows the family’s determination and resilience to face the change of learning the news about their child being born deaf and how they overcame the obstacles with God, love and a community of people who cared and was willing to support them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
“No, it hasn’t been a smooth journey. I’ve encountered several obstacles, including moments when I felt unsupported, faced personal and financial struggles, and even dealt with self-doubt. There were times when the vision I was pursuing felt overwhelming, and I questioned whether I could accomplish it. I even avoided taking action on what I knew I was being called to do.
However, those challenges have been instrumental in shaping who I am today. They’ve taught me invaluable lessons about perseverance, self-awareness, and the importance of loving others, even when it’s difficult. I’ve learned to navigate relationships with empathy and understanding, even when there are differences. These experiences have also shown me the depth of my own strength and God’s guidance in overcoming adversity.
Ultimately, I don’t regret the obstacles because they’ve enriched my perspective and allowed me to appreciate the people around me, including those who are harder to connect with. They’ve helped me cultivate a mindset focused on love, growth, and resilience.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about TaylorMade Visual Productions?
At TaylorMade Visual Productions, our mission is to create positive change by empowering young individuals (deaf & nondeaf) and communities through education, support, and advocacy. We are dedicated to fostering inclusion and enhancing lives, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued.
TaylorMade Visual Productions vision is to empower youth (ages 7-18) by fostering character development, inspiring creativity, and teaching self-empowerment. We aim to help young individuals recognize their unique strengths, take control of their choices, build unwavering confidence, and develop resilience. Through these efforts, we aspire to ignite a sense of purpose and equip youth with the tools they need to confidently navigate life’s challenges and create a positive impact in their communities. We also want to provide opportunities for self-expression through various art forms—music, acting, painting, drawing, decorative and graphic arts. The classes we provide would be free or minimal cost for students and we would also want to eventually offer scholarship stipends to youth interested in attending college in the “Arts” industry.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One favorite childhood memory was when we would all gather at my grandmother’s home for the holidays or on the weekends and play games, talk, have heated debates about topics, share food and fellowship with one another. It was truly special and something I miss.
Pricing:
- Purchase tickets for the stage production $25 for adults, $8 for children by visiting https://www.florissantpac.com/shows beginning December 2nd, 2024
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.taylormadeauthor.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylormadevp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcandancetaylor
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@taylormadelearningasl
