Conversations with the Inspiring Hope Carter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hope Carter.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in Third Ward in Houston, TX (yes, the same one Beyonce reps). At an early age, I was diagnosed with sickle cell disease and ulcerative colitis. By the time I was in middle school I had endured multiple hospital stays and missed a lot of school, which made my childhood a bit abnormal. I still participated in activities like dance, theater, and church groups, but I had to be much more careful than other kids my age. My junior year in high school, I learned I had developed liver disease (primary sclerosing cholangitis) because of how much the colitis had scarred my bile ducts. My liver wasn’t draining properly, so my eyes were jaundiced, I couldn’t gain weight, and my hair was falling out – not to mention, I had to have a drain put in my liver that hung outside of my body right before I went to college out of state. Luckily, the drain came out after a couple months, but the liver disease was still there… and continued to be there for a total of seven years. Finally, on March 15, 2013, I received a liver transplant!

After my transplant, I was kind of a mess. You get a weird sense of depression after something like that. I felt like I had not lived a full life and, already out of college, I thought it was too late. It took some time, but I remembered what I loved to do before the illness – dance, writing, and helping people. I felt that my purpose had to somehow be connected to those things. Sharing with my mother about my journey one day, she explained to me that she was praying while I was still sick, and God spoke to her about my distended liver, saying, “Yes, she HAS a big liver, but she IS a big liver.” When I heard that, I knew exactly what I wanted to do…

I looked around at all the amazing people I knew who had overcome obstacles, striving to reach personal goals and fulfill dreams. I decided to start a vlog called “Big Livers” to highlight them and their struggles and successes and to educate people on how to best love and care for their loved ones who are going through things they may not understand. I have also become a style and travel writer for UPROXX, and I most recently accepted the position of Creative Producer for KHOU 11, the CBS affiliate in Houston.

My story is a story about the choices that come with second chances. Sure, life hasn’t dealt me the best hand of cards, but I’m still gonna play! I could have chosen to stay mad at the world, give up because I felt so behind in life, or forget about my dreams, but I REFUSE. I say that if there were one phrase to best sum up how I think, it’s “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” I am a dreamer, and I have a big “want-to.” That’s really all it takes to be a Big Liver – deciding that you will happen to life, and you won’t just let it happen to you. Everything is OK in the end, and if it’s not OK, it’s not the end. It’s up to us to keep pushing.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My illnesses were the biggest struggle because they affected not only my health physically, but my social life, my emotions, and, honestly, are STILL affecting much of my perspective on the world. When you have autoimmune illnesses, your body is literally fighting itself, and there’s not much you can do to stop it – you can only make yourself more comfortable while they persist. Perhaps chronic illnesses are much more dramatic than other issues that would affect young women, but the premise of not being in control is still the same. Life is going to happen, and there is nothing we can do about it. The key is to remember that you can endure anything for a little while. When hiccups happen along the way, learn from them and move on, even if it was completely and entirely your own fault. It was always going to happen. There are no coincidences. Lessons are blessings, even if they hurt for a little while. Every situation will get better, but it really depends on YOUR outlook. When you put your mind in a place to react positively to whatever comes your way, you’re unstoppable. That may sound cliche, but having been through so many trials that were completely not my fault, and at the same time making stupid decisions that WERE my fault, that one thing has never ceased to be true. YOU decide the severity of every situation by how you react to them.

what should we know about Big Livers? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Professionally, I am a creative producer, so I write scripts, come up with concepts for promos, and get the shot and edit them. Everything I do outside of work – passion projects, blogging, dance, etc. – involves some kind of creativity. I am most proud of my writing and how people are receiving and responding to Big Livers. I try to be as real as possible in everything I do. I am unapologetically myself, and that reflects in my writing and the production of Big Livers. I think our age group longs for authenticity, and I really try to reflect that.

It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
A Tale of Three Kings changed my life. It’s about King Saul, King David, and Absalom, King David’s son. They were three very different men with very different leadership approaches, and they all had their strengths and flaws. I apply the lessons in that book and the rest of the Bible to my everyday life and relationships. I attend Lakewood Church regularly, and remain strong in my faith. That has made all the difference in my approach to life. A favorite app is Eternal Sunshine, which provides little encouraging notes, brief devotionals, and daily mantras. It helps with pick-me-ups on days when I’m feeling discouraged.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hopecarter.com
• Phone: 281-658-5831
• Email: hcarter07@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopecarter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HopeRCarter/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hope_Carter
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/big_livers

Image Credit:
Fasçhiony, Troy Ezeq, Stephanie Rodriguez, Darele Taylor, Brian Edwards, Carla Wall, Doogie Roux

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