LaTonya Winfrey shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi LaTonya, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Who are you learning from right now?
Right now, I am learning the most from my son, Joseph. He has this tough tenacity for life that gives him the push to continue moving forward each day, regardless of any circumstances. Whether a defeat or win, he processes while in the moment, learns the lesson, and keeps pushing full steam ahead. He arises each morning to see what the new day has to offer, no complaining, no negativity. He begins and sees things through to the end.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is LaTonya Winfrey, President of Happy: Joseph’s Journey, a nonprofit organization focused on Autism Advocacy. We are a community of Autism Advocates that aim to offer inclusive opportunities to educate, empower, enrich, and celebrate individuals with Autism, their families, and communities. We work for families that receive the diagnosis to answer the question of: “Now What?” We provide educational series, community events and celebrations, while building a village to share with others.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that has served its purpose and must now be released is being considerate of everyone else’s happiness. While making sure that everyone was good, I prioritized others’ happiness above my own. Time is out for that. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Life must be lived to the fullest. Take advantage of every moment that is offered. My priorities are now totally different as a mother.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
There was a time in my past when I ran a campaign for an elected official position. When we created our campaign team, my one priority from start to finish, was to remain true to our values, true to our commitment, and true to our passion behind running the race. I asked my team to hold me accountable and hold my feet to the fire on that promise. When our run started, the pace picked up quickly. I remember being on a call and listening to all the veterans talk “at” me about what I needed to do. My team member paused the conversation and reminded me of why we began the race. We thanked the veterans and ended the call. Because my team listened, we ran a race true to who we are.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that relationships with family and friends matter to me. It is the core of Happy: Joseph’s Journey. We started on this journey not familiar with anyone else diagnosed with Autism. We began to form our own village. Many of the people that you see today that are part of our core group began this journey on Day 1.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I am gone, I hope the story people tell about me is: I TRIED.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.josephshappy.com
- Instagram: @josephsjourney
- Facebook: Happy: Joseph’s Journey
- Youtube: Happy: Joseph’s Journey
Image Credits
LaTonya Winfrey
Jonathan Snorten
