Episode 158: When Life Changes Course: Purpose, Poetry, and Possibility

🎙️ New Episode: Healthy Living with Yoga AnitaThis week, I sit down with Derek Craig, owner of Canvas and founder of the nonprofit Coff33 Corp. Derek is a Leominster native, LHS football alum (Class of 2006), whose journey took him from Central Massachusetts to Texas and into a career in specialty lighting—working on major projects including the African American Museum in Washington, DC.After a life-altering eye infection that led to near-total vision loss, Derek returned home and transformed adversity into purpose. Through Coff33 Corp, his mission is to cultivate creativity, innovation, and community by creating an inclusive space for artistic expression and collaboration.We’re also joined by Ascenzio Valeri, a friend of the program—musician, poet, and published author of My Descent Before Ascension. Ascenzio recently recited his poetry on WGBH (PBS), sharing powerful words rooted in resilience and self-expression. 🔗 Learn more about Ascenzio: https://respectedrejectz.com/This episode is a heartfelt conversation about creativity, community, overcoming challenges, and the healing power of the arts.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/healthy-living-with-yoga-anita/id946777214Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3svd2Z30ttYt1n25vg8C8hYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HealthyLivingYogaAnitaor your favorite podcast station#HealthyLivingWithYogaAnita #PodcastInterview #CommunityHealing #CreativeCommunity #NonprofitSpotlight #Resilience #OvercomingAdversity #ArtAsHealing #LeominsterMA#CentralMass #PoetryAndPurpose #InclusiveSpaces #CreativeExpression