Brandon Farbstein, a 22-year-old speaker and activist, advocates for empathy after facing cyberbullying and overcoming personal challenges linked to his rare form of dwarfism. He shares powerful stories from his public speaking journey, touching on the mentorship that guided him to TEDx at 15. Brandon discusses his legislative efforts on bullying prevention and emotional intelligence in schools. He emphasizes self-love and community while reflecting on his Jewish upbringing, highlighting personal storytelling as a vital tool for resilience and advocacy.
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Brandon's Mental Health Crisis
At age 11, Brandon Farbstein had a very difficult day and told his mother he wanted to end his life.
This led to him starting therapy and counseling, which helped him significantly.
question_answer ANECDOTE
First LPA Event
Brandon attended his first Little People of America (LPA) event at age nine in Brooklyn.
This experience provided him with a sense of belonging and acceptance he hadn't felt before.
insights INSIGHT
Judaism and Theater
Despite initial resentment towards Hebrew school, Brandon found value in the principles of Judaism.
He discovered a sense of community and belonging through theater at the local JCC.
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CONTENT WARNING: Please be advised that this episode includes conversations involving suicide, bullying, anti-semitism, and PTSD.
This episode, Judy interviews Brandon Farbstein. They discuss their many shared experiences of public speaking, Judaism, theatre, writing, and more. Brandon also shares the personal stories that led him to where he is today, and why his work centers around elevating empathy.
Find this episode's transcript here.
Brandon Farbstein is a 22-year-old is a speaker, activist, and author. He was diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism at the age of 2. After a severe battle with cyberbullying in high school, he decided to share his story - to both offer hope and to enact change. Brandon was the driving force behind two new pieces of legislation that were signed into law in Virginia, one on bullying prevention and the other requiring empathy and emotional intelligence to be taught in all K-12 classrooms across the state.
He has written two books, Ten Feet Tall and A Kids Book About Self-Love. He frequently advises foundations, boards, and large scale organizations on their DEI efforts, especially towards the disability community. He was named in Instagram's #19under19 as one of the 19 most influential teenagers in the world with his mission to Elevate Empathy®. In 2020, Brandon made his runway debut at NY Fashion Week wearing Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive.
Brandon's website
A Kids Book About Self-Love
Ten Feet Fall: Step Into Your Truth and Change Your Freaking World
Brandon's TEDxRVA Talk
If you'd like to submit a question for Ask Judy, send it to media@judithheumann.com or DM Judy on Instagram or Twitter.
Find a shortened video version of this interview on Judy's YouTube channel.
Outro music by Gaelynn Lea: https://violinscratches.com/
The Heumann Perspective