Story & Lesson Highlights with Kale Sudhoff

Kale Sudhoff shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Kale, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
After I began college this semester, I have recently began waking up much earlier than I used to. This means that before I go to class, I have lots of time to plan out the day to make sure I don’t forget anything important. This also gives me time to relax and get into the right headspace before I go anywhere, and this makes me feel like I’m not rushing around from place to place. One of the most important things that I do in this time is read my Bible which helps me feel connected to God, and reminds me that whatever may happen this day, God’s got me. I would totally recommend to others waking up early, it is truly a great habit to start.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I have been a Children’s book author and illustrator for the past five years, and have been writing for children in the disability community. I was working on my new book “Born to Stand Out” for those in the Deaf community when I met my now good friend, Allie Gray from the Miss Ohio Program. I had contacted her after finding out her talent was doing sign language to see if she had any insights on how my book could be better. After talking with her, we discovered that we shared the same values and wanted to do more in our community, so we founded the Silent Opportunities organization. With this organization, we work to bring more opportunities to those who do not have them, or have very difficult lives through fundraising events, donating materials to schools so they can be more accommodating, and awarding scholarships to teens who have been impacted by these difficulties in their own lives. We have seen an incredible impact through our organization and hope to continue to create more opportunities for those in need.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
I would say that the most important relationship that has shaped how I see myself is my relationship with God. I’ve come to learn that support from the people around me will come and go, but the only relationship that I can always count on without fail is the love of God. He will never leave me, nor forsake me, and through Him I am fearfully and wonderfully made. With this in mind, I can confidently walk through life knowing I have been called to something bigger than myself, and I am doing what I am meant to do.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I believe that everyone who is trying to do something meaningful, no matter what that may be, will eventually have a moment where they have to choose whether to quit or keep going. My moment came when I was sixteen years old and was just starting my career as an author and illustrator, I had finished all of my sketches for my first book but was unsure where to go from there. I had never used an online program to color a work of art before so I wasn’t quite sure how I would color my pictures. My Mom remembered that she had known a children’s book illustrator a while ago and contacted her to see if she could maybe give me a few pointers on what program to use and things like that. She agreed to meet with me and gave me some great pointers that I really appreciated, but what she said to me next would change how I approached working toward my dream for years to come. I brought all of my initial sketches with me to show her and see what she thought, and then I asked if she had any advice on contacting publishers when the book was done. She told me the name of a great little print shop in my area that could make some copies to give to friends and family, but that if I ever thought I was going to be a published author, I was wrong. I had received a lot of doubts up to that point from people that I told I wanted to be an author, but this was by far the most harsh. Something changed in me that day though and as soon as I got home, I got to work. It was like a fire was lit in me, I thought to myself, “She must not have known who she was talking to.” Ever since that day, I have taken the doubts of others and let them drive me forward to success.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
A very important belief that I have that I don’t think a lot of people my age share is that hard work works. Any time that I’m not doing anything, I am working on what I am passionate about because it is what I love to do. A lot of people my age don’t have something they are passionate about, and rather than searching for that, they spend time on social media or other things that are not enriching or improving their lives. If you are trying to do something meaningful, it is important to not get distracted by things that aren’t getting you closer to your goal. Hard work works, and this truth will never change.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
One thing that I don’t think people understand about what I do is why sad things sometimes happen in my books, and why I advocate for those who face big challenges in life. I have been asked on multiple occasions why my books showcase such hard obstacles to overcome, I do this to show kids that bad things happen sometimes, but that doesn’t have to define us. I am not working to please everyone, I am writing to show people facing big challenges that they aren’t alone and that they can overcome anything they face.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kalesudhoff20.wixsite.com/portfolio, https://silentopportunities.wixsite.com/hearinglossawareness
• Instagram: @kale_r_sudhoff
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kale-sudhoff-303369263
• Facebook: Kale Sudhoff Author/Illustrator