Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Velásquez, author and motivational speaker, was born with a rare congenital syndrome, which affects her heart, eyes and bones, as well as her ability to accumulate body fat. Despite physical imitations and ridicule she's received, including being called the "The World's Ugliest Woman," she's learned to rise.

"A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velásquez Story" documents the ambitious journey of Velásquez, the Austin-born 26-year-old with a rare neonatal progeroid syndrome, weighing just 63 pounds. Throughout her high school career, pursued countless opportunities. She was a staff writer on newspaper, took photos for the yearbook, and she was a cheerleader. However, when Velásquez was 17, she stumbled across a YouTube clip that dubbed her "The Ugliest Woman in the World." After 4 million viewers, thousands of hateful comments demanded that she not exist, that she kill herself. Rather than shrink into herself, she chose to grow and learned become the best version of herself.

"My rare syndrome doesn't allow me to gain weight, and because of that I look different, and had to deal with bullying a lot at a young age," Velásquez told Latin Post.

"It was something that I had to learn to come to terms with. I had to figure out if it was something I was going to let define my future, if I was going to feel sorry for myself my whole life or if I was going to try to find another way to make the best out of the situation.

"I had to learn to love myself from the inside out first, and it's awesome that I'm able to have such an incredible platform where I can tell others, 'You have the exact same ability to love yourself from the inside out, and create your own definition of beauty.'"

Three books, a TED talk, and a documentary later, Velásquez has launched public campaigns that address body positivity, anti-bullying, personal definition, and the mental and emotional health of young people. She's used her wit, charm and intelligence to broadcast messages about the consequences and reality of bullying in a digital age, delving not only into her experiences with bullying, but examining the sweeping effect of habitual intimidation and impact it can have on communities. In the film, Velásquez had an opportunity to work with Tina Meier, the mother of Megan Meier, the young woman who hung herself in 2006 after being bullied on MySpace.

Velásquez has used her might as a motivational speaker, an inspiration and a human to lobby for the first federal anti-bullying bill, meeting with Congresswoman Linda Sanchez on Capitol Hill to discuss the Safe Schools Improvement Act. First-time director Sara Hirsh Bordo captured the conversation between Velásquez and Congresswoman Sanchez for the documentary, and followed Velásquez to her motivational speeches around the world, and accompanied her to doctor's visits, even capturing Velásquez's diagnosis. Justine Ezarik (iJustine to YouTubers), a fellow content creator and friend, served as an executive producer on the film.

"I hope people who see the movie will be inspired," Velásquez said. "I hope they're able to relate to the things that I've gone through, and I hope that they leave feeling a little angry; angry in the sense that they want to take stand and help other people who are being bullied. Bravery can ambitious and courageous.

"There are obstacles that come into our lives every single day, and to be brave enough to fight through ... that's really incredible. I think the biggest takeaway is that viewers learn you are enough just being you. All of us have our purposes waiting for us, and we just have to be ready and willing to go find it. I working on my fourth book currently and I'm really excited to be sharing things that I've never shared before."

"A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story" is in theaters and on demand.

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