Julia Kito Kirtley is an artist, entrepreneur and arts educator who was born and raised in California.
I relocated to NYC as an adult to pursue a career in art. After graduating from PrattInstitute with a BA in Interior Design I spent 10+ years working with underserved youth in the NYC Public School System and received certification in Healing In the Arts from Florida State University. My LLC Red Lotus Arts is focused on community engagement and healing through art.
While focusing on creating art, I was always aware that I could be affected by breast cancer as I had emotionally supported my Mom, Sister and first cousin through a diagnosis and recovery from breast cancer. I adhered to yearly screenings and practiced good eating habits, and praying that my fate would be different.
At the end of 2021 I tested positive for the BRACA 2 gene and was shortly diagnosed with stage 1 Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
Although I had supported my close family members throughout their experiences with a diagnosis and recovery, my ordeal was devastating and at times daunting. While I had support from my family & friends, it is through art therapy that I gained my strength in maintaining peace of mind.
The other element of my remarkable resilience in dealing with this life altering situation came from the expertise and empathy of the health care professionals who saved my life. Dr Bea and Dr Balogun provided a level of care and concern that seamed unobtainable given the dire circumstances that face a large proportion of black women dealing with breast cancer and other medical conditions. These doctors representation made a difference in how I saw myself and how I saw my outcome.