Fiana Garza Tulip, MA
Fiana Garza Tulip, MA lost her mother, Isabelle Papadimitriou, to COVID on July 4, 2020 (Brooklyn, NY / Dallas, TX)
A Texas native born in Brownsville and based in Brooklyn, New York, Fiana Garza Tulip, MA received degrees from The University of Texas and Parsons School of Design. She is communications and PR professional with experience representing a range of companies including Teach For America, American Heart Association, AstraZeneca, Unilever, Microsoft, IBM, Nokia, and Kodak. A trip to Barcelona reignited her interest in fashion so, after studying at Parsons, she held leadership roles for several high-profile luxury brands before taking time off to pursue passions and start a family.
Fiana joined Marked by COVID within days of her mother’s passing on July 4th. Fiana’s mother, Isabelle Papadimitriou, was a Hispanic respiratory therapist in Dallas who spent her life helping others breathe. Her life was, unfortunately, viewed as collateral damage in the race to reopen the economy. Because of this, Fiana has committed her energy toward ensuring the country takes COVID seriously, urging everyone to wear a mask in unity (#MaskOnForMyMom), holding leadership accountable for their COVID response, and campaigning to elect federal and state officials who will prioritize human life above politics and the stock market. She credits her resilience to her mother, who taught her at a young age a chant that has been a lifelong mantra for both women: “Fight, fight, fight for what you know is right.”
Outside of this important work, Fiana spends her time trying to get her 1-yr old daughter Lua to take naps and squeezing in runs around Prospect Park when her daughter grants her permission to do so.
Press Coverage:
The New York Times - As Covid Deaths Rise, Lingering Grief Gets a New Name (12/08/2021)
NBC News - A Texas respiratory therapist died of COVID-19. Her daughter is turning grief into action (09/10/20)
CNN - Woman who invited Texas governor to her mother’s funeral says she would be alive if state had mandated masks sooner (07/23/20)
CNN - Op-Ed: Why I’ve been so vocal about my mom’s Covid-19 story (07/27/20)