Stories are more than just a narrative. They have the power to fill the void so many people feel in their lives, including mine.

 

I’ve spent countless hours in front of my living room television, reading books late at night and watching movies in an empty theater. The stories filled my heart with purpose, meaning and perspective. Without those storylines, growing up, I would not have survived some of the most painful experiences in my life.

 

Born with achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism characterized by short stature, I was targeted for being “different” every day of my life. Over the years, I was judged solely by my appearances, rather than by my passion and potential. As a child, I could never fathom why I was targeted and singled out. The fact that I did not find a place where I truly belonged allowed me to dive deeper into the world of storytelling. It let me flee reality and build inside my imagination a place of acceptance and originality. In that world, I wasn’t afraid or ashamed of living my own truth. It was a place where I accepted my reality and I didn’t let it affect me.

 

Growing up, I didn’t see many people who looked like me on a magazine cover or as the lead actress in a big Hollywood movie. Representation was lacking, and for me, that was critical for my self-esteem. Millions of people around the world have, in some way, shape or form, felt neglected at some point in their life. Their voices were silenced by those who oppressed them, just as I was silenced by the people who hurt me the most with insensitive comments and ignorant behaviors. The moment I changed my mindset, that’s when I started looking at stories in a more meaningful way.

 

To me, stories became the small crack of light in the middle of some of my darkest moments. Despite their small size, they can still be seen and felt.

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Based on my deep love for storytelling and my past life experiences, IMVISIBLE was born. Through this outlet, I hope to shed a light on the overlooked stories within our own communities and create a more compassionate world. Just as my story was so many times ignored or underestimated based on my appearance, there are many remarkable people with amazing stories out there who were never given a chance or had their voices silenced. Now, as I embark on this storytelling journey, I will make sure to tell as many stories as I can in the most truthful way possible.

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Let the journey begin!

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Leda Alvim