Rosie Curiel’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We recently had the chance to connect with Rosie Curiel and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Rosie, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I’m being called to step into a bigger, more intentional version of myself — the founder, the creative director, the woman building something with heart. For a long time, I kept myself small because it felt safe. I stayed comfortable, even when I knew I was capable of more.

Now, I feel pulled to build something I’ve only recently allowed myself to dream about: Roro Media Collective. It’s still in its early stages, but the vision is clear — I want to help brands and creators build communities that reflect their core identity and true mission. Not surface-level marketing, but genuine connection. Storytelling that feels lived-in and real. Spaces where people see themselves, feel supported, and feel like they belong.

It’s new, and it’s a little scary stepping into this role, but it also feels like the most aligned thing I’ve ever created. I’m choosing expansion over fear, visibility over hiding, and trusting that this idea I used to only daydream about is actually something I’m meant to bring to life.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Rosie — a photographer, lifestyle creator, and autism mom based in Los Angeles. I run Rose A. Photography, where I focus on portraits, live events, and storytelling through imagery. Photography is what opened the door for me creatively, and it taught me early on the power of capturing people exactly as they are.

But over time, my world expanded. I became a mom, and my son Ford has shaped everything about the way I move. He is autistic, and being his mother has given me a deeper sense of purpose, patience, and advocacy. I share our journey openly because I want other families to feel less alone — and because I believe our stories deserve to be heard with honesty and compassion.

Today, I also create lifestyle content under Californiaroro, where I share motherhood, fitness, girlhood, cozy home moments, and the real behind-the-scenes of our life. My platform has become a community of women and parents who relate to the realness, the humor, the challenges, and the beauty of raising kids with diverse needs.

I’m now in the early stages of building Roro Media Collective, a new creative venture where I hope to help brands and creators build communities that reflect their identity and mission with authenticity. It’s still growing and taking shape, but the vision is rooted in storytelling, connection, and creating content that actually makes people feel something.

What makes my work unique is that it’s all connected — photography, content creation, advocacy, motherhood. Everything I create comes from a place of heart, lived experience, and a desire to make someone out there feel seen, supported, or inspired.

That’s the story I’m telling today… and I’m excited for where it’s going next.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that has shaped how I see myself the most is the one I have with my son, Ford. Becoming a mother changes you no matter what, but becoming a mother to a child with special needs rewires you on a soul level. It makes you see your strengths, your softness, and your resilience in ways you didn’t know existed.

Ford has taught me more about myself than any adult relationship ever could. He’s shown me how deeply I can love, how patient I can be, and how much I’m capable of fighting for the people I love. He’s made me braver, more empathetic, and more aware of the world around me.

Through him, I’ve learned that my sensitivity is a strength. My intuition matters. My voice matters. My ability to advocate, to create safe spaces, to show up even on the hard days — that’s who I really am.

Motherhood didn’t just give me a child; it gave me a mirror. And through Ford, I’ve come to see myself as someone who is strong, steady, and meant to do meaningful work in this world. He continues to shape me every single day, and I’m grateful for the version of myself I’ve become because of him.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I think I stopped hiding my pain when I realized that creativity could hold the things I didn’t know how to say out loud. Before I ever shared my story online, I was quietly pouring all of my emotions into my photography.

When Ford was diagnosed, I felt a mix of love, fear, hope, confusion, and protectiveness that was almost overwhelming. I didn’t have the words for any of it — but I had my camera. Photography became the place where I could breathe. It was my outlet, my therapy, my way of processing the ups and downs of being an autism mom.

Every photo I took during that time had a little bit of my heart in it.
The tenderness.
The exhaustion.
The resilience.
The way motherhood was reshaping me.

I started to realize that the reason my images connected with people wasn’t just because they were “pretty” — it was because they were honest. That honesty came from everything I was carrying inside.

And later, when I finally started sharing more openly on social media, I discovered an entire community of autism moms who felt the same heaviness and the same hope. We relate to each other on a level not many people can understand. What started as quiet expression through my camera turned into real conversations, shared experiences, and deep connection with other mothers.

So for me, the moment I stopped hiding my pain wasn’t one single day — it was a slow transformation. A shift from holding everything in, to pouring it into my art, to finally speaking it out loud.

Turning my pain into creativity gave it a place to land.
Turning that creativity into community gave it power.
And that continues to guide everything I do today.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what matters most to me is love — the kind of love that shows up every day, in the small ways and the big ways. They’d tell you I’m fiercely devoted to my son, that Ford is the heartbeat of everything I do, and that being the mother he deserves is at the center of my entire world.

They’d also tell you that I care deeply about people feeling seen. Whether it’s through my photography, my content, or the way I talk to other autism moms online, I want people to feel understood, supported, and never alone in their struggles. Connection isn’t just a value to me — it’s a calling.

My friends know that honesty matters to me too. The real moments, the unfiltered conversations, the messy middle of motherhood and womanhood. I don’t like pretending everything is perfect. I’d rather share what’s real if it means someone else feels less pressure or less shame.

They’d say I’m loyal, nurturing, and protective of the people I love — and that I’ll go to war for my family without hesitation. But they’d also say that I’m passionate about growth. I want to be better. I want to evolve. I want to build something meaningful, not just successful.

At the end of the day, what matters most to me is purpose. Purpose in my motherhood, purpose in my creativity, purpose in my advocacy, and purpose in the community I’m building. Everything I do comes from wanting to make life a little softer, a little easier, and a little more hopeful — for myself, for Ford, and for anyone who crosses my path.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
I feel the most at peace in the really simple moments — the ones where I’m not rushing, not overthinking, not trying to be everything at once. Just me, breathing.

A big part of that peace comes from being with Ford. When he’s happy and regulated and doing the little things he loves… I swear it’s like the whole world slows down. Watching him smile or get excited over something only he notices — it brings me back down to earth. It makes me feel grounded in a way nothing else can.

I also feel so calm when I’m creating. If I’m behind my camera or filming a cozy little moment at home, it’s like my brain finally quiets down. Creativity is where I exhale. It’s where everything messy inside me turns into something beautiful.

And honestly? I’m at peace during the slow, cozy moments — a clean house, fresh coffee, sunlight coming through the window, no noise, no pressure. Just me existing for a second.

That’s when I feel aligned.
That’s when I feel like myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.roseaphotographygallery.mypixieset.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roseaphotography
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@californiaroro