Today we’d like to introduce you to Felicia Tisnado-Nykaza.
Hi Felicia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
This has been an interesting journey. I went from being the DIY mom to the “Nerd Mom” to the “Rainbow Mom.”
So back when my kiddo was little, like right when Pinterest was starting to take off, I had a blog, “DIY for Mommies.” And after time, I realized I needed more collaborative posts; I could only DIY for my only kid so much, lol. But in that thought, I happened to see another San Diego Mom searching for more mom-writers; she was about to kick off San Diego Moms Blog (Now Co.). It was truly an experience growing that community, and there I was deemed the Nerdy Mom. The funny thing is that title has never really left me, in fact I carry it on to this day, but as time went on, I realized I had another voice that needed to be shared, and after lots of support and pushing I kicked off “Ello Felicia” blog and media.
My life and the world we live in were changing, and I found that as much as I love writing about the fun and quirky, there was this advocacy and education voice that had been missing. My child had been very vocal in their LGBTQIAP+ coming out journey, and I found a lot of parents always privately asking for advice. I was hesitant about taking this bit on publicly, also I knew it was a harder topic and political posts hardly get traction, but I had been asked to over and over again, so one day I leaped. And “Ello Felicia” is still running strong.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I want to pretend it’s been a smooth road, but there have been more than a few bumps in the path.
With every blog transition, there have been times of giving up on this kind of media life. It’s hard to pretend that at times it isn’t easier just to wish to get those regular paychecks and live a “normal” 9-5 kind of life versus the unpredictability of being self-employed, but the more time I spend, especially in the “Ello Felicia” world, I realize this is truly the only path for me.
Don’t get me wrong, there still are the frustrations of fighting against algorithms or balancing the writing of being friendly, approachable, and relatable while maintaining safety and privacy. The joys of all social media-type jobs. But I have truly seen so much good come from my work that I know I’m doing the right thing.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
“Ello Felicia” is probably best known as social media and blogging “for good.” In fact, I have done a couple of speaking engagements for that. I tend to use my platforms to address some important weighted topics. mental health, human rights, but probably most known for LGBTQ+ topics, especially from the parent help perspective. Though it seems kind of heavy there is always breaks for some fun and nerdy content. I mean I was first the “Nerd Mom” of San Diego after all. But I’m definitely proudest for being a resource that many can count on.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t think “luck” really has a factor in my business. However, there probably is more like a “hand of fate” kind of thought. I should probably explain. So, “Ello Felicia” was a thought for a long while, domain reserved and all, but it wasn’t till the pandemic that I decided to really return to my roots and focus on my writing and media again. So not so much luck but being handed a card and making the decision to work at it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ellofelicia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ello_felicia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ello.felicia/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/felicia-tisnado-nykaza
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ello_Felicia
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/ellofelicia/
Image Credits
Adam Bouska
Robin Dayley
