Professional surfer, content creator and advocate Liv Stone, on the power of community to demystify disabilities
Despite being born a congenital-above-the-elbow amputee with two fingers on each of her hands, Liv Stone hasn’t let anything slow her down or stop her from living her best life.
In 2017, Liv attended the Beautifully Flawed retreat, designed to unite and inspire young women who face limb differences or the loss of a limb and uncover the beauty in every story. Founded by fellow surfer and amputee Bethany Hamilton, Liv took the inspiration and motivation from the retreat, and channeled that into her board — she now has six gold medals and is a three-time Para Surf World Champion.
At Beautifully Flawed, Liv experienced the power of community and inspiring others, and was moved to share her personal story to help increase inclusion and awareness for people with disabilities. She uses social media (primarily TikTok, Instagram and YouTube) as an outlet to share her experience including surfing, cooking, skincare, etc. She has garnered 7M+ likes on TikTok and over 206K followers on Instagram, reaching a broad range of audiences.
Jump to study findings
Building on Adobe’s commitment to creativity for all, accessibility and inclusion are at the core of everything we do and embedded into our company values. We recently conducted a study to learn more about how people with disabilities are harnessing social media and creative tools to encourage others and increase inclusion. We caught up with Liv to get her thoughts on our findings and learn more about her incredible journey.
What has been your experience as a content creator?
Since I am a new content creator, I am still learning so much about the world of social media. Overall, it’s been a very positive experience. I have learned more about myself than I could have imagined. I learned to be more confident and show my arms in photos and videos more. I have also realized that people are more willing to accept people with disabilities than I thought. I love that I can share my life and story in hopes it can inspire others.
What tips do you have for others looking to get into content creation or the influencer space?
I would say the biggest advice I have is to put yourself out there. Be vulnerable with your audience and show your true self. Don’t be worried about those negative comments you may get and focus on yourself and that you are wonderfully made. Finally, be consistent. If you want to be a full-time content creator, keep pushing out authentic content day in and day out.
How has your disability inspired you or enhanced your creativity?
My disability has inspired me to be more confident in myself while helping and educating others. I have always been a creative person ever since I was young. I loved painting, drawing and all things artistic. I found that through social media I can harness that creativity and make inspiring, fun and visually engaging content. My disability has given me a reason to stand up for myself and work towards inclusion for all abilities. People with disabilities are beyond their stereotypes. I can use my creativity to share that message of empowerment.
According to the Adobe study — 84 percent of all respondents — including 78 percent who do not identify with having a disability — said seeing content from influencers on social media has improved their awareness of what it’s like to live with a disability. How do you feel about this statistic, do you agree?
I’ve seen positive results on my channels, with the views on my posts continuing to increase. When I share relatable, inspirational content on my social channels, I feel like I am part of something much larger than myself. Social media can be a great vehicle to increase awareness and inclusion for people with disabilities and to show that we are more than a label or stereotype.
How important are creative tools to sharing your story on social media?
It takes a village to create real impact — the more people who understand and see the needs of people of all abilities, the more inclusive our world can be. The study highlights how everyone can benefit from creative tools. I truly value these platforms and tools that help me share my story with a broader audience. For example, I used Adobe Express to easily create a disability awareness poster where I explored a variety of colorful backgrounds, fun fonts, and engaging design assets. I’ve noticed when I include creative assets, my posts have more views and engagement.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
It's important for all of us to continue to increase representation of and bring awareness to people with disabilities. The more visibility we have, the more we can show how strong, successful, and unique we all are.
