Kayla Casanova: “In the Canary Islands I found love and it is a place where there is incredible respect for the LGTBi+ community”

 

 

MASPALOMAS PRIDE by FREEDOM PROGRAM HERE

 

Kayla Casanova, writer, artistic director, actress and photomodel, presented her biography, 'Tierra Amarga', in the Plaza del Yumbo, within the Maspalomas cultural program Pride by Freedom, which narrates all her personal experiences, from her childhood in Italy, until his arrival in Gran Canaria, where he found “true happiness” and announced that he is preparing the second part of his biography dedicated to his life in the Canary Islands.

 

 

This book, Kayla explained, written as a comic and at the same time dramatic story, is “an obstacle course” in which she had to overcome difficult situations, such as bullying, anorexia, homophobia and transphobia, which led her to have thoughts about suicide, and “many other phobias that I have overcome.”

 

The event was presented by Eva Pascual Rodríguez, a coach and speaker specializing in supporting families with transgender children and adolescents and founder of Chrysallis Canarias. She highlighted Kayla Casanova's personality, describing her as "one of those 'life warriors' who teaches lessons in overcoming adversity and has the remarkable ability to see the good in people and in life. She is a burst of life."

 

For her part, Kayla pointed out that she owes a lot to the Canary Islands, “because here I found love and it is a place where there is incredible respect for the entire LGTBI+ community and where I have never been discriminated against,” explained Kayla, who was a pioneer, three years ago, of the Maspalomas Paddle Tournament for Diversity, which this year is included for the first time in the Maspalomas Pride program.

 

The former dancer and choreographer left her hometown in Italy at the age of 16, and has lived in Gran Canaria for more than 25 years. She speaks 7 languages, represented Las Palmas in the Miss Trans Spain 2023 Contest and, in addition, won the titles of Miss LGTBI Activist and Miss Trans Gold (+40) in 2023. She participated in the documentary 'Transparentes' that will be released on Netflix, soon.

 

The story of 'Tierra Amarga' began in the 80s in Italy. A story about his life that combines humor and drama, which is told in a positive way and tells how he overcame the obstacles that he found in his path. The motivation for writing his most personal story is that it can help the people who read it and come to understand that, “despite everything, life is beautiful. I am a trans woman who has turned everything she has experienced into something positive, and that can help people.” Her message is: “no matter what happens: the bad things stay in the past and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.”

 

'Tierra Dulce', dedicated to his life in the Canary Islands 

 

'Tierra Amarga', from the publishing house 'La Calle', has been presented in Madrid, Torremolinos, Ingenio and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Currently, Kayla is preparing the second part of her biography, which will be titled 'Tierra Dulce', which will narrate her life in Gran Canaria, including her wedding to her husband, with whom she has started an adoption process.

 

She began working at the age of 16, in Rome, as a dancer on television. She arrived in the Canary Islands when she was 19, to work in a hotel in Fuerteventura, as a dancer in shows for the hotels. She later worked in Madrid, Germany and Italy. In Gran Canaria, where she found love and happiness, she was artistic director of shows and animations in hotels. She has traveled to five continents and her passion for travel has led her to discover many countries and traditions. 

 

“All people have gone through difficult situations since childhood, and when you grow up you put everything together very slowly, like a puzzle, and you understand everything that happens to you. The important thing is to understand that there are situations that depend on you and others that happen without you being able to do anything,” Kayla said.