Meet Ciara Yvonne Lovelace, a talented poet, writer, actress, independent living counselor, Center for Independent Living, and effective motivational speaker, who uses her writing, talents, and her physical disability to address societal issues and concerns of young adults. She speaks eloquently on contemporary issues and is described by her audiences as: “Powerful speaker; Speaks to my needs; Effective motivator; Moves me to tears; and Speaks to you with wisdom beyond her years”.

Ms. Lovelace is a performer sitting down who looks forward to performing standing up. She has performed in Stage Readings: Short Comedy Plays about the disabled & nondisabled; Vagina Monologues; And then we were jumping; and Break Every Chain; Americans Got Talent, tryouts in Los Angeles; AME Lay Regional Conference, Kansas City; Flash Plays Festival, Wry Crips Disabled Women Theater Group; and many local venues in the San Francisco Bay area. Her publications include: Poem – Chances Are. Berkeley Times, Vol. 7, No 19, page 13, Column 1, August 17, 2017; Co Author - Reflections of a Survivor, Published in USA, San Bernardino, CA August 2017; and Co-Author - Strength of a Woman, Published in USA, Baltimore, MD December, 2017

True to her career objective, Ms. Lovelace uses her artistic abilities to motivate others to achieve. Her most meaningful work experiences have been mentoring disabled clients at the Berkeley Center for Independent Living and preschool children in the Oakland Unified School District to help them become self-assured and communicate their ideas. She is currently an independent living counselor.

Ms. Lovelace earned an AA in Humanities, Laney College, Oakland, California, and two years of Performing Arts Studies, Academy of Arts University San Francisco, CA. She was recognized as Who’s Who among American High School Students; was a student member of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs; and Strathmore’s named her 2016 Who’s Who World - Wide in acting and writing.