For Diana Costas, life has been a journey marked by hardship, personal transformation, and an unwavering determination to keep moving forward.
The 45-year-old Puerto Rican author, podcaster, and Yonkers native grew up in the South Broadway section of the city and describes her early years as challenging. After leaving high school, she earned her GED and later attended college before putting her education on hold to care for her son.
Like many who face difficult circumstances, Costas found herself navigating struggles that included substance abuse and working in strip clubs. Those experiences, she says, are discussed more openly in her book, How Spirituality Saved My Life.
Through what she describes as a combination of faith, professional mental health support, and personal determination, Costas eventually changed the direction of her life.
“I feel like through the grace of God, I was able to be saved,” Costas said.
Her spiritual journey began in 2017 when she was baptized in a non-denominational church. Although raised Catholic, she describes herself as someone who studies different faith traditions and focuses on spirituality rather than a specific denomination.
A turning point came when she learned the truth about her father’s murder nearly 38 years after it occurred.
“Rather than going down depression and all these things that can trigger, I chose to follow God instead,” she said.
Costas is also quick to emphasize that faith was only part of her recovery.
“I couldn’t have done any of this without therapy,” she said. “As much credit as I give to God and my spirituality, I also give credit to therapists and psychiatrists because I couldn’t have done it without this combination.”
Today, she considers herself an advocate for wellness and believes that true wellness involves balancing the mind, body, and spirit.
That foundation has helped her navigate additional challenges, including career setbacks and a recent diagnosis of bilateral breast cancer.
Despite those obstacles, Costas remains focused on her future.
“Something in me told me don’t stop,” she said.
She currently works in the cannabis industry while pursuing her creative interests. Writing has become one of her primary outlets, and she is currently working on her second book.
Her first book, How Spirituality Saved My Life, was written in 2021 and published in 2022. The book details her experiences growing up in Yonkers, overcoming addiction, finding spirituality, and rebuilding her life.
Costas is also the creator and host of The Vibe Podcast, a project she launched to discuss wellness, spirituality, personal growth, and community issues. Over the years, the podcast has featured a variety of conversations focused on overcoming adversity and self-improvement.
Although the podcast is currently on hiatus, Costas recently secured a studio space and hopes to relaunch the show in the near future.
For Costas, creative projects serve as motivation during difficult times.
“What keeps me going is the opportunity of maybe one day being a bestseller or getting the podcast out there,” she said. “I feel like I’m in the right spot right now to take things to the next level.”
She also hopes her story can inspire others, particularly those from communities where poverty and limited opportunities can create feelings of hopelessness.
Costas encourages people to take advantage of available resources and invest in themselves whenever possible. She points to her own experience using government assistance and stimulus funds to help launch her creative projects.
“When the government gives you money, invest, don’t spend,” she said.
While she acknowledges, there is still much work to be done in underserved communities, she believes sharing personal success stories can help change perspectives.
“If I can do this, so can you,” Costas said. “That’s my biggest challenge with my community. They have this mindset of it can’t be done. We’re going to be poor forever. We’re not going to make it out of the hood. And I’m challenging them. Yes, you can.”
As she continues her battle with breast cancer in 2026, Costas remains focused on her goals, her writing, and her future.
Her message to others is simple: no matter how difficult the circumstances may seem; growth and transformation are possible.
“I pray that in sharing my story, I get more people wanting to better themselves and wanting to do more,” she said.
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