AWARENOW
ISSUE 26
T H E AWA R E N E S S T I E S ™ O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E F O R C A U S E S
RAIN PHOENIX ‘LAUNCHLEFT’ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
DR. NICOLAS BAZAN
THE ALLY/WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE
SANTIA DECK GO GET IT
KEELY CAT-WELLS ‘C’ IS FOR CHANGE
JESSICA FREW
LET YOUR EYES DO THE TALKING
POLINA GOLYSHEVA WAR AND PEACE
KRISTINA ALEXANDRA PRETTY POWERFUL
NASIMA DADA LIFE OF SERVICE
JULIA VARVARA
NOT TO BE SUPRESSED
THE RISE EDITION
F E M A L E S
F U E L I N G
C H A N G E
TOGETHER WE RISE. JOIN OUR NATION. WWW.AWARENESSTIES.US/NATION
ON THE COVER:
THE RISE EDITION
RAIN PHOENIX
PHOTO BY: BRIAN BOWMAN SMITH
AwareNow™ is a monthly publication produced by Awareness Ties™ in partnership with Issuu™. Awareness Ties™ is the ‘Official Symbol of Support for Causes’. Our mission is to support causes by elevating awareness and providing sustainable resources for positive social impact. Through our AwareNow Magazine, Podcast & Talk Show, we raise awareness for causes and support for nonprofits one story at a time.
06 SPEAKING IN SILENCE
78 ‘C’ IS FOR CHANGE
144 FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
12 MOTHER
84 CHRONIC RUMINATIONS
148 PAKISTAN LEADERSHIP
14 LAUNCHLEFT
88 HARASSHOLE
152 NEVER TOO LATE
22 GO GET IT
94 FINDING
156 REACHING FOR THE STARS
28 WAR AND PEACE
96 UNKEPT PROMISES
160 TECHNOCRATS
32 POWHER
108 ASCENSION
164 THE CHALLENGE OF NEURODIVERSITY
38 AT SEA
110 REMARKABLE
168 WEFIXGAPS
42 THE STORY GOES
114 ELIZABETH ‘BETTY’ ROBINSON
172 THE BLUE FLAMING PHOENIX
48 PRETTY POWERFUL
120 RECOLLECTIONS
176 CREATOR’S CALLING
54 BEHIND THE SMILE
126 FATHERS WITH PTSD
180 LIFE LESSON
60 NOT TO BE SUPPRESSED
132 INFINITE IMPACT
182 CRANES FOR A CAUSE
66 LIFE OF SERVICE
136 GOOD VIBRATIONS
186 THE ALLY
72 LIVING FOR GIVING
140 TO YOUR HEALTH
JESSICA FREW
LUKE GIALANELLA
KEELY CAT-WELLS
JONATHAN KOHANSKI
RAIN PHOENIX
LISA BOWMAN
EDDIE DONALDSON
SANTIA DECK POLINA GOLYSHEVA
RUSS PRITCHARD/ABDULLAH
EDDIE DONALDSON
CHARLOTTE ALEXANDRA NICK BOTTINI
THI NGUYEN AUDREY VANDENBROECK KRISTINA ALEXANDRA
TODD BROWN
LORI BUTIERRIES
MEAGAN COPELIN/TRAVIS WHITLOCK
ELIZABETH MATEER JULIA VARVARA
LAURA SHARPE/EMA BELL AALIYAH GRANADOS
MAJOR ANNIE
MATT GEWIRTZ
CRAIG GRAHAM
TANITH HARDING/ASMA TARIQ TANITH HARDING/LAVINA MEHTA AALIA LANIUS LEGEND
ANA GABRIEL MANN SONJA MONTIEL PAUL S. ROGERS CHIEF OGIMAA
MURSHIDUL ALAM BHUIYAN KARLA FUNDERBURK DR. NICOLAS BAZAN
LEX GILLETTE
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www.IamAwareNow.com
Together we rise.
We will no longer ask for permission to change the world.
Now is the time to rise. Together we will rise to the occasion to which we are called. Aware of needed change, we are prepared to make it. If there is a chance, we’ll take it. Giving hope to all who see a future of possibility where all are seen and all are heard.
ALLIÉ McGUIRE Editor In Chief & Co-Founder of Awareness Ties Allié is a Taurus. She started her career in performance poetry, then switched gears to wine where she made a name for herself as an online wine personality and content producer. She then focused on original content production under her own label The Allié Way™ before marrying the love of her life (Jack) and switching gears yet again to a pursue a higher calling to raise awareness and funds for causes with Awareness Ties™.
JACK McGUIRE Production Manager & Co-Founder of Awareness Ties Jack is a Gemini. He got his start in the Navy before his acting and modeling career. Jack then got into hospitality, focusing on excellence in service and efficiency in operations and management. After establishing himself with years of experience in the F&B industry, he sought to establish something different… something that would allow him to serve others in a greater way. With his wife (Allié), Awareness Ties™ was born.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in AwareNow are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Awareness Ties. Any content provided by our columnists or interviewees is of their opinion and not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, political group, organization, company, or individual. In fact, its intent is not to vilify anyone or anything. Its intent is to make you think. www.IamAwareNow.com @AWARENESSTIES @AWARENESSTIES @AWARENESSTIES 5
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I want my voice heard around the world… JESSICA FREW
ACTRESS, MODEL, DISABILITY ADVOCATE & OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR FOR AWARENESS TIES 6
AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JESSICA FREW
SPEAKING IN SILENCE
AN ACTRESS & INSPIRATION WHO SPEAKS WITH HER EYES Jessica Frew has Cerebral Palsy. Nonverbal, she communicates with an eye gaze application that she’s used since the age of 9. As a model and actress, her industry of choice is entertainment. Jessica works to inspire others and open opportunities for other non-verbal actors with communication devices. She does not allow her disability to silence her. She wants to show the world that people with disabilities can accomplish anything, if only given the chance. ALLIÉ: “When there are no words, let your eyes do the talking.” RuPaul is known for this famous quote. You, Jessica Frew, let your eyes do the talking when there are words. Though non-verbal, you can speak. Your vision paired with technology, allows you to make your voice heard. For those unfamiliar with eye gaze communication, please share how it works.
JESSICA: The way the Tobii eye gaze with Microsoft Surface Pro works is that an eye gaze camera tracks the person's eye movements, which then moves the mouse on a computer screen. The person selects items either by holding their eye gaze for a certain time, referred to as 'dwell', by blinking, or by clicking an external button, but like with all of technology, sometimes it acts up and has errors. So I just need to wait or restart the computer when it is acting up.
SPEAKING IN SILENCE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JESSICA FREW
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I don't know if I'm not good enough at accomplishing anything if I don't try. JESSICA FREW
ACTRESS, MODEL, DISABILITY ADVOCATE & OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR FOR AWARENESS TIES 8
AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“I realized I can do this and make a difference in the entertainment industry because there is a very small percentage of disabled nonverbal actors in the industry.” ALLIÉ: Let’s go back to the beginning, Jessica. Please share the story of your birth.
JESSICA: I was born in Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth, New Jersey on 8/13/01, with Cerebral Palsy because the doctor made my mother push non stop for four and a half hours, after she was fully dilated, causing me and my mother to flatline for ten minutes. They had to resuscitate my mother first which caused my brain oxygen deprivation leading to Cerebral Palsy. My father told me when my mother flatlined in his arms, he thought he had just lost his wife and his unborn baby.
I also remember my mother telling me a story. When she woke up in the ICU at 2 o’clock in the morning looking for ice chips, she saw a woman in the room. My mother thought the woman was a visiting nun since it was a religious hospital and she was wearing a bright yellow nun outfit. The woman told my mother she was a good friend of father (uncle) Tom and not to worry about herself or her little baby girl because everything was going to be okay and that she would be able to see me in the morning. The next morning when my mother woke up, she told the nurse it was so nice for that nun to come into her room to visit. The nurse gave my mother a weird look and told her that she might have been dreaming because there were no visiting nuns at the hospital and she had no visitors during the night. My mother let it go and told the nurse that she must have been dreaming but she knew it wasn’t a dream. Later on that evening, she was able to see her little baby girl in the NICU and she knew everything was going to be ok. The day after, I was transferred to another hospital where I stayed in a special NICU for 3 weeks. That was the beginning of my journey and my challenges in life.
ALLIÉ: Of all the careers you could choose, why acting?
JESSICA: The reason I decided to go into modeling and especially acting was because I always felt like I wasn't good enough at anything and people treated me differently than everyone else when I was growing up. But something happened in my life which made me realize I don't know if I'm not good enough at accomplishing anything if I don't try. So I want my voice heard around the world to help make a difference in this industry for people with disabilities and show people with disabilities to just be yourselves and to believe in yourselves because we all are amazing the way we all are. When I had my first audition for the role in Morgan Stark The Coming of Age and in that moment while I was playing the character, I felt the character just came naturally out of me like I transformed myself into the character in that moment and I felt so confident about myself in front of the camera. Also when I'm reading/pre-programing my lines into my gaze computer, I realized I can do this and make a difference in the entertainment industry because there is a very small percentage of disabled nonverbal actors in the industry. When I guest starred in a new series, called ‘Surviving the Cartel’ and for the first time experienced what being on a set truly felt like, I was home. I realized this is what I was born to do. 9
AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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…you can come through anything life has in store for you, and it makes you stronger than you ever imagined before. JESSICA FREW
ACTRESS, MODEL, DISABILITY ADVOCATE & OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR FOR AWARENESS TIES 10 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
AwareNow Podcast
SPEAKING IN SILENCE
Exclusive interview with Jessica Frew
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ALLIÉ: If you could have any role in any production, what would it be? What character would you choose? Why?
JESSICA: I would say, I would pick a lead role in any production and a character that is unstoppable through the challenges they face in life because people automatically generalize all disabled nonverbal people to have a severe cognitive neurological disability. In other words, they think we are just looking into space and don’t understand everything. In some cases that might be true but every disabled nonverbal is different so we need to educate our audience on the camera. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Go talk to a nonverbal person and look into their eyes to see if you get any reaction..
ALLIÉ: Each and every one of us has had losses and wins in our life. Jessica, what has been your hardest loss? What has been your greatest win?
JESSICA: My father passed away from cancer when I was 14. That was my hardest loss at the lowest point of my life because I was broken and so lost. I didn't care if I lived or died, I didn't want to take a shower, I cut all my hair off. I thought his death was my fault. I should have been a better daughter and saved him. I was stuck in my mind with all the negative thoughts. I told no one and I actually put on this happy face. I remember we had a big fight the day before he got sick and he was gone in a week. I didn’t even get the chance to say I was sorry for the mean things I said, because I loved him. That broke me for years. So I completely shut down from anyone around me and completely stop communicating with my eye gaze computer, even to my best friend, but a few years after my father passed, my mother went to a medium and I was able to talk to my father again. I know he was pain free and very happy where he is now, and that put my mind at peace with everything. So I started to turn my life around to help make a difference in the world for people with disabilities and make my father proud. Guest starring in the new series, ‘Surviving the Cartel’, was my greatest win because that was the first project I ever did. I don’t have the words to describe how I felt in that moment.
ALLIÉ: There are many dealing with great loss, just looking for one good win. For those who feel hopeless, what words of hope would you like to share?
JESSICA: What I learned from losing my father is that you can come through anything life has in store for you, and it makes you stronger than you ever imagined before. So, I would say no matter what life throws at you, just remember there’s always going to be a bright light on the other side. Don’t let anything or anyone stop you from getting to the bright light. ∎ Today, Jack and I are honored to welcome Jessica to the Awareness Ties family as an Official Ambassador for Disability Awareness. With her fellow ambassadors, we are all working to raise awareness one story at a time.
Allié McGuire
Co-Founder of Awareness Ties
Learn more about Jessica:
JESSICA FREW
www.awarenessties.us/jessica-frew
11 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
So close yet so far. In the other room lies The closest person to it. LUKE GIALANELLA
FOUNDER OF GOVLEARN 12 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
ORIGINAL POETRY BY LUKE GIALANELLA
MOTHER
FINDING HOME AGAIN Bliss. So close yet so far. In the other room lies The closest person to it. The giver, the taker, The arbiter of Bliss. She is Bold, Beautiful, Born to RISE. She is Mother. Before this, she was just a mother. Now, She walks for miles and miles And m i l e s To find home again.
Her Son is scared, Her Daughter is flying, and Her Husband is fighting. There is no Bliss here. The Two of them have anything but. The shadows of Kyiv lie beneath them, But Mother only looks up, Dreaming of being with Her mother again, Back when She was only a daughter.
AwareNow Podcast
MOTHER
Written by Luke Gialanella and Narrated by Allié McGuire
https://awarenow.us/podcast/mother
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LUKE GIALANELLA
Founder & President of GOVLEARN www.awarenessties.us/luke-gialanella LUKE GIALANELLA Founder & President of GOVLEARN Luke Gialanella founded GOVLEARN when he was 11 years old, in the summer after the 2016 presidential election. Finding that there was a lack of substantive civics education for elementary and middle schoolers, he went on a mission to correct that. Creating a website and YouTube channel, Luke is obviously extremely passionate about government and politics and has participated in many mock governments, Model UN, and debate programs outside of school.
13 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Don’t always do what's on the page. RAIN PHOENIX
FOUNDER OF LAUNCHLEFT Photo Credit: Brian Bowman Smith 14 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RAIN PHOENIX
LAUNCHLEFT
AN INTENTIONAL SPACE FOR ART & ACTIVISM LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists. An intentional space for art and activism where famed creatives launch new artists, the LaunchLeft ecosystem currently includes a podcast, live production arm, record label and NFT gallery. They work to grow and nurture collaborative projects from production through distribution with artists that span artistic disciplines, but share a commitment to integrity in process, execution and vision. LaunchLeft aspires to inspire a new model for art that places people over profit. Founded by Rain Phoenix, LaunchLeft is highlighting unconventional and underrepresented artists who champion culture change. ALLIÉ: A left-of-center artist and activist driven by passion and purpose, Rain, tell us about your journey with LaunchLeft. Where did you begin? Where are you at? And where do you want to go?
RAIN: I think that all can be summed up in a wish, an aspiration, like a fervent desire that there be more kindness and joy in the world of entertainment not only between artists, but what we call the industry side as well, that there is injected into this thing called entertainment, a different view, a different way of bringing people up that's less about competition and more about collaboration. The reason for that is, for my personal heroes in music and film and all things
RAIN PHOENIX EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY ALLIÉ MCGUIRE
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15 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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…a different way of bringing people up that's less about competition and more about collaboration. RAIN PHOENIX
FOUNDER OF LAUNCHLEFT Photo Credit: Michael Muller 16 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“Often they pursue through their art a kind of storytelling that can uplift and potentially change hearts and minds and change the world.” RAIN: (continued) entertainment, when they were told things like you can't do it that way, you have to do it this way, or that person doesn't fit the mold for what we want and so you shouldn't use them or whatever are those can’t-do-that linear thinking people say, that they said, “Yes, I can, and I'm going against the grain. I’m doing it my way, because I am impassioned to do it this particular way.” And then somehow quite beautifully, they not only were able to do it the way that they felt in their heart that they should, but that it resonated with many other people.
It’s that kind of dedication to one's own passion and art for the sake of purity of being… your own passion and knowing that there's gotta be someone out there that might resonate with it and staying true to that when the whole world is saying you can't do it that way. It’s specifically that idea when the entertainment machine is saying, you can't do it that way. Instead, they bust outside that box and do it that way and became successful at that. They became an example to others and to younger people. Don’t always do what's on the page. Don’t always perform what is being asked of you. Think for yourself, have a free and open mind, and make art that is not only exciting to you, but that could touch people in a powerful way. I think those artists often are thinking in a wider way about others. Somehow through the process they have the courage to go against the norm or the pop culture narrative to do it their way. In the process of getting there, the suffering involved connects them to the suffering of others. Often they pursue through their art a kind of storytelling that can uplift and potentially change hearts and minds and change the world. That is really what I'm interested in and what LaunchLeft in that real deep heart space is for me — past, present, and future.
ALLIÉ: Similar to Awareness Ties, LaunchLeft has a lot of parts and pieces. With a podcast, a record label, an NFT gallery and production, you wear a lot of hats. What hat do you enjoy wearing most?
“We’re not helpless even though we might not fit the norm…” RAIN: I like to think that all those things you named are spokes in a wheel, and what I like to do is at the center of it. What I hope that my team enjoys, and I think they enjoy most, is this community of artists. It’s this sense that we are a community, and we can help each other. We’re not helpless even though we might not fit the norm or be the most popular type of music or art or whatever… We can help each other. That's actually at the core of what even the most popular artists, I think, enjoy most. It’s feeling connected to others and that they matter. For me, the most exciting thing, or hat that I like to wear, is helping lift up artists and see them go from feeling relegated to the ‘where-are-theynow' files to feeling like they're in this center of a community that cares. 17 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
It’s that kind of dedication to one's own passion and art for the sake of purity of being… RAIN PHOENIX
FOUNDER OF LAUNCHLEFT Photo Credit: Michael Muller 18 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
ALLIÉ: On your podcast, there are so many amazing conversations with so many amazing people. What was one that amazed you most? Is there a question you’ve asked and a response that was given that you’ll never forget?
RAIN: I think we’ve done 118 episodes now… There has been, like you said, more than one great moment, but I think it was the Jane Fonda episode. When she spoke about art and activism, that particularly has stuck with me. And I feel like instead of trying to paraphrase it for you here, I encourage you and any of your listeners and watchers to listen to that episode. It was such an inspiration right when I needed it during the pandemic. Her light is so bright, and she was so gracious. I just felt fortunate to have her on the show. It was one of those ‘wow’ life changing moments, for sure.
ALLIÉ: Favorite song to sing, not in public or for a crowd, but for you. What’s your favorite song to sing in the shower?
RAIN: Well, the last few days my sister, Summer, has been getting some songs together that I'm helping her with to record soon. I can't get her song out of my head. So, it's nothing you would know, but it's something that for 3 days I’ve continued to sing in my head. I'm excited for the world to hear it. Hopefully she'll put it out soon.
ALLIÉ: Speaking of having the world hear and see you, as an artist this isn’t always easy. In fact, it’s really damn hard – especially if you don’t fit the mold. For artists uninterested in ‘mold-fitting’, what advice do you have for finding your fit in the industry?
RAIN: Be courageous if you really know who you are and you are self-possessed. Find your self-possession, first of all. I'm assuming if they don't fit the mold, they already have, and that's wonderful. Then remain open and not rigid about that. Be willing to take critique if it's constructive and kind. If you're really strong in who you are, you know the boundaries and the limits of what you're willing to do.
LAUNCHLEFT: JANE FONDA RAIN PHOENIX WITH JANE FONDA FROM THE ‘PORTRAIT’ SERIES
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19 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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LAUNCH LEFT
Exclusive Interview with Rain Phoenix
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“It will start to reverberate and touch others. It will be something that matters to others… even if it’s just a handful.” RAIN: (continued) At the same time, I think it's important to remain supple and kind and to listen to all things. If you are only just super headstrong, you might miss something that would not necessarily change what you're doing, but would let the light in a little bit. Be open to other people who have differing opinions. You can still stay strong. You don't have to listen to them always, but you can listen to them in the moment and stay open and not too rigid.
Just don't give up. Keep going… Keep making art because I think the best way of knowing whether something is great is that somehow, even if it's in your small community, it will move people and it will be something that is not just you alone thinking, “I think I do got something here.” It will start to reverberate and touch others. It will be something that matters to others… even if it’s just a handful. Just keep doing it so that you are getting more to the core of how you can help. It’s not thinking that you’ve got all the answers.
If I were to sum it up, humility is the word I'm looking for here. ∎
LAUNCHLEFT
www.launchleft.com
LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists. An intentional space for art and activism where famed creatives launch new artists. The LaunchLeft ecosystem currently includes a podcast, live production arm, record label and NFT gallery. We work to grow and nurture collaborative projects from production through distribution. Artists span artistic disciplines, but share a commitment to integrity in process, execution and vision. LaunchLeft aspires to inspire a new model for art that places people over profit. We are committed to growing our left-of-center community and highlighting unconventional and underrepresented artists who champion culture change.
20 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
AN ALIANCE OF
AN INTENTIONAL SPACE FOR
WE BELIEVE IN
OVER
WE ARE COMMITTED TO UNCONVENTIONAL AND UNDERREPRESENTED ARTISTS WHO CHAMPION
LAUNCHLEFT.COM
Art by Chris Tucci
…you can wear that cape when you need to and pull that sword out if you have to. SANTIA DECK
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER, FOUNDER OF TRONUS & AWARENESS TIES OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR 22 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SANTIA DECK
GO GET IT
AN EMPIRE TO EMPOWER WOMEN Her throne of success is built from hard work and determination. A queen holding court in an empire of her own design, Santia Deck (aka ‘Queen of Abs’) defied odds as a girl when advised she shouldn’t play sports and overcame obstacles as a young woman when told she shouldn’t play football. She attained a royal status forged in strength and fortitude making history not only as the world’s highest paid female football player but also as the first female athlete to own her own shoe company, Tronus. Hail Queen Santia, empowering women to go on even when told to turn back. Hoping women will see their own strength in hers, Santia uses her platform to inspire possibility and support gender equality. ALLIÉ: When you were young, doctor’s told your mother you shouldn’t play sports. However, her faith in you and your ability carried more weight than their recommendation. Despite doctors advising you not to play, you played. Your mom has been your advocate since the beginning and serves as your manager now. In all your years together, what was the best advice she ever gave you?
SANTIA: That's tough. She's given me so much advice and so many nuggets that I still hold onto to this day. One of them is “You can fly.” I remember, like every little kid, thinking one day I wanna fly. My mom, she’d say, “No, you CAN
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23 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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For me, it was bigger than me. It was about who am I gonna be bringing up. SANTIA DECK
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER, FOUNDER OF TRONUS & AWARENESS TIES OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR 24 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“I don't do well with being told that I can't do something.” SANTIA: (continued) fly. You can really fly.” We would literally sit there and try to jump off a bike and try to fly. Even as I got older, she continued to say that. She would say you literally have the ability to do whatever it is you want in this lifetime, if you really just believe and put that faith in. So, I always say I believe I really can fly, because I've been able to break through glass ceilings. I've been able to do some things that a lot of people thought was not possible.
ALLIÉ: Your talent is undeniable, Santia. You are an incredible athlete with both physical and mental strength. When you were told that as a woman you shouldn’t play football, did you ever question your course? What gave you the strength to stay the course that you chose?
SANTIA: Honestly, I never followed the path of ‘a normal woman’. When I was younger, I was doing things that technically I wasn’t supposed to be doing. I was out there playing tackle football in the background with my brothers. I would go to their football camp when it was ‘boys only’, but my mom said, “No, she can go.”
I don't do well with being told that I can't do something. If you tell me that I shouldn't it, I'm gonna wanna do it… If not me, then who? Who is going to break through this glass? Who’s going to open up this door for other women to do the same thing? At first, it was kind of painful to see some of the blogs and posts when I first went viral for signing that contract, but it allowed me to grow thick skin. I realized that's what comes with the territory. You’re gonna have people that don't wanna see you winning. There's gonna be people that don't wanna see you doing these things in a male dominated sport. For me, it was bigger than me. It was about who am I gonna be bringing up. It was about who I’m gonna help walk through this door one day when they wanna play tackle football on a high level or if they just wanna do something great in life and they don't have someone that looks like them doing it. I wanna be the one that they can say, “Hey, she did this. So, I can do this too.” That's always on my mind.
ALLIÉ: You made history the first time when you became the world's highest paid female football player, and your only getting started. How will you define success in the career ahead of you?
SANTIA: For me, success has always been setting your own personal goals and achieving those. Every single year I write out what I want to do and what it is I want to achieve. As long as I'm continuing to achieve those goals every single year, then that to me is success. But the ultimate success for me is when I can say I've literally changed lives on a huge level. I feel like I'm touching a few people here and there, but I wanna get on a bigger platform to tell my story. Hopefully that's when I can really touch a lot more people and show them that this word is ours. There's nothing you really can't do. Ultimate success is when I have my own family one day and get to see my children reaping the benefits of what I have left for them.
ALLIÉ: When it comes to gender equality, we see the inequity women deal with not only in sports but in business. Making history for a second time as the first female athlete to own her own shoe company, you officially launched Tronus. There are many parts to starting a company. For other female entrepreneurs eager to know, what’s been the worst part? What’s been the best?
SANTIA: This company is a hundred percent family owned. We don't have any investors; we don’ have anybody funding us. This is strictly out of our pockets. So, I would say of course the financial part of just launching is definitely 25 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
AwareNow Podcast
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Exclusive Interview with Santia Deck
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SANTIA: (continued) tough, but it is something that is possible. It’s gonna take a lot more work. It’s gonna take a lot of team power to get it going. We launched during the pandemic, which in itself was so chaotic. Our products come from China. So making sure that we were able to get it out before the Chinese New Year and everything else. It was a whole mess, but through the grace of God, we literally got our shipment out the day before. I remember when we finally got everything out, me and my mom just sat in her office and cried. It was so stressful. But at the same time, it was the most beautiful part of our journey, because we did it. We launched a freaking shoe company during the pandemic, and now our customers are gonna be happy. It was a super bittersweet moment. That moment was the best and worst to be honest. Of course getting into Eastbay was definitely like a close second best moment for sure.
ALLIÉ: You inspire so many women, Santia. Who inspires you?
SANTIA: Definitely my mom. She's been an entrepreneur pretty much her whole entire life, and so has my father. Having those two around me as just a kid and seeing how they worked, I was always so curious to know how they did what they did. I always wanted to sit in on the meetings and all the different things. I got to watch my mom be a super strong, powerful, but gentle and nurturing woman. I learned from her that you can be a beast in life, but you can also be a sweet and nurturing woman… You can be giving and loving, but you can also wear that cape when you need to and pull that sword out if you have to. I learned how to be a gentle beast from her.
ALLIÉ: Santia, one of my favorite quotes of yours is this… “If you want it, go get it.” You make it sound so easy, though we know it’s not. What advice would you give to women seeking to make history as you have?
SANTIA: One of the most powerful things that I heard from someone that even to this day haunts me (in a good way) is that you don't ever want to be that person that when you pass everybody goes to the graveyard and sees there your dreams, your goals and your talents buried with you in that grave.
My advice is to do every single thing in this world that you want to do. Life is too short. You’re gonna make mistakes, you're gonna fail, and it's gonna suck, but understand the gift of life. You get to wake up again and try again. For me, it's about emptying my tank. God put all these special, hidden talents we all have to find. That's our job in life. Find your talents, find your gifts, find the things in you that are going to help motivate and change somebody else's life… because this life isn't even about us. That's the crazy thing. It’s about helping somebody else. It’s about helping the next generation of people become better. Use everything. People are so afraid to take that leap because they don’t know if it's gonna work or because it's scary. But you can't even comprehend what's on the other side of that fear. There's a life that's just waiting for you that you can't even imagine. Take that leap, take that jump, use everything, and empty it out… Do whatever everybody says you can't do. Have fun, enjoy life, make memories, spend time with your friends and family, praise God and just live your life to the fullest. ∎ 26 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
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This isn’t Russia’s war. It’s Putin’s. POLINA GOLYSHEVA
RESEARCHER AND PEACE ADVOCATE
Russian Village w/Traditional Wooden Houses Photo Credit: Alexander Golyshev
28 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
PERSONAL STORY BY POLINA GOLYSHEVA
WAR AND PEACE UKRAINE THROUGH THE LENS OF A RUSSIAN WOMAN IN LONDON When the news of the invasion of Ukraine broke out, my husband and I were grieving the loss of our beloved 14-year-old cat who passed away from kidney failure only two days before. I was taking time away from work (and social media) to organise the cremation as well as the other little errands you are faced with after losing a pet. When I finally opened Facebook as a distraction to this, the newsfeed drew me right back into a state of deep shock and disbelief. But this time for entirely different reasons. Everything felt surreal – the world as I knew it has collapsed. If you’ve been following the news recently, I’m sure you can relate. I am a Russian woman, living in London. Like many Russians, I have connections with Ukraine - my aunt is Ukrainian, I’ve got Ukrainian friends, I’ve been to Kyiv and Odessa, I love Ukrainian vyshyvanka and cuisine. Ukraine and Russia were part of a vast Soviet Union. Bombing of Kyiv on 22nd June 1941 marked the beginning of World War II for our countries, where our soldiers were fighting fascism together as allies. To quote one of the famous Soviet war songs:
On June 22nd
At 4am exactly
Kiev was bombed
We were told
That the war has started
The sudden bombing of Kyiv by Russian missiles in the early morning of the 24th February 2022 was so reminiscent of this event and for that reason so sickening.
For the first time in my life, I felt extremely ashamed of being Russian, but this feeling quickly transformed into anger and rage. The pain for Ukraine is excruciating and obvious. What’s not so obvious is that Putin’s war machine has actually created victims on both sides. What’s also not so obvious is that while no one is questioning the wrongdoings of the Russian regime, the unavoidable fact is that when it comes to the populations themselves there remain good people on both sides. In the end, the long path to peace is not about taking ‘sides’. It’s about forgiveness and reconciliation – it’s about acknowledging and taking back our shared humanity and our compassion for the people we used to consider enemies.
There’s a danger of people in the West making some innocent, yet misguided, assumptions about what Russia is and how it works. I see many comments on social media from non-Russians saying that Russian people need to wake up and remove Putin from power which makes complete sense from the western democratic viewpoint. However, it’s important to remember that despite a sometimes convincing façade, Putin’s Russia has never truly been a democracy in the western sense. During Putin’s years, the regime has been systematically getting rid of opposition, tightening repressive laws and brutally silencing street protests. These aren’t merely misjudgements of an overzealous democracy, these were a gradual descent into the totalitarianism of Russia’s past. Ordinary people don’t feel they have any legal leverage over political decisions and to an extent there has been a history of learned helplessness stemming from the old Soviet identity and therefore a sense of detachment from those in power in the Russian society. Much more so than might be obvious through the lens of a western democracy. 29 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“Immune to the state propaganda, they are guided by their own inner sense of right or wrong.” The Russian government recently issued a statement that any anti-war actions would be treated as treason, facing a prison sentence of up to 15 years for the offence – be it for either participating in protests or supporting anti-war posts on social media.
Despite that, thousands have been protesting on the streets. And, while it’s the young people who are more likely to protest, let’s not forget that there are also many decent people among the older generations. I am very proud of my parents, in their 70s, no higher education, living in rural Russia. Though they live in a country whose media seem to have a looser and looser grip on the what’s right or true, there are forgotten people in Russia like my parents who do still question the rhetoric. These people are our hope for the future. Immune to the state propaganda, they are guided by their own inner sense of right or wrong. They are kind-hearted, peaceful people. These people and many like them are all now hostages in their own country, and with the Russian boarders closed from the rest of the world, I might not be able to see my Russian family and friends until the regime changes, which may not be in our lifetime. I may never see my aging parents again. This isn’t Russia’s war. It’s Putin’s.
No matter how directly or indirectly you are connected to the Ukraine crisis, most people don’t want war. I know that myself and millions of my countryfolk don’t. So in order to heal, we need to unite for peace and humanity and to take a stand for what we know in our heart is right. There’s no question that there will need to be a practical path to peace. And beyond that, on a day-to-day, human-to-human level there is also each individual’s path to peace and that’s something we can all be part of starting right now. How we’re being in the world, the extent to which we act peacefully in everything we do, the extent to which we act responsibly and from a place of love and compassion – that’s the real measure here. From this place there can be no more division. No war. ∎
Polina w/Kasya Photo Credit: Polina Golysheva 30 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘THE WRITING ON THE WALL’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY EDDIE DONALDSON
POWHER
A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN VISUAL ARTS This is where it starts… Be seen to be heard to be known. SugarPress Art is proud to present a collection of pieces by women with signature style. The collection shared on the pages that follow comes from POWHER2022, the 4th annual exhibition celebrating women in the visual arts curated by Anne Martin of Sugar Press Art.
“As a female entrepreneur it is my pleasure and passion to showcase powerful women leading the way in the arts.”
SUGAR PRESS ART
www.sugarpressart.com
Sugar Press Art is the leader in contemporary, ecologically sustainable, archival art printing.
Launched on Earth Day in early 2016, once technology had advanced enough to create museum quality fine art prints on state-of-the-art, 100% recycled paper. We started with just six artists and have grown to represent over 70.
Our progress comes through our excellent reputation as the highest quality fine art printer, and the leader in ecologically sustainable museum quality printing. Our personal, unique and often philanthropic partnerships with artists, galleries, companies and charitable organizations makes us exceptionally positioned in a brand-new niche.
Every print is made at our printing studio, in Los Angeles, where we print for museums and gallery exhibitions throughout the world. Working one-on-one with artist, gallerists and curators, we ensure their vision is translated onto paper with the highest technical and archival standards.
Sugar Press also represents original works from our eclectic roster of artists. Ranging from emerging new talents to internationally recognized icons.
EDDIE DONALDSON
GuerillaOne x The Seventh Letter www.awarenessties.us/eddie-donaldson Louisville, Kentucky native Eddie Donaldson moved to Los Angeles in 1986 and became involved with the graffiti movement as an alternative to the turbulent gang activity of his generation. Immersed first as an artist amongst diverse L.A. crews like TCF, AWR, and The Seventh Letter, Donaldson had the vision to develop their homegrown graffiti movement into something beyond the streets. His loyalty and business sensibility transformed the graffiti scene and he evolved into the point person for producing art events and exhibitions that inspire and spread the stylistic of southern California art into the world.
33 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“She held all the power in her hands…” Broken Hartist
“The longer I sculpt the less I know about what I'm doing while I’m doing it, and it all comes together.” Cheryl Ekstrom
“The joy of art, and for me especially public art, is that you don’t have to stand it front of it to be seen.”
“I am fascinated with chronicling our time creatively, with no dogma, critical thinking and skill.”
BKFoxx
Andrea LaHue
“Don’t downgrade your dream just to fit your reality. Upgrade your conviction to match your destiny.”
“We are limitless beings. If you can dream it, you can create it.”
Beth Bowmen
Franceska Gámez
34 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“Painting is a practice in curiosity.” Lucy Ford
Adele Renalut
Paola Delfin
"Everyone women has the power to create in this life for We Are All Stars here to shine!” Brandy Adams
“If you have a vision, bring it to action.” Emesa
35 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
S. Wolf-Hicks
www.IamAwareNow.com
“To heal the body I had to quiet the mind and listen to my heart.”
“Remind Humanity we are the Angels of this Earth.” Colette Miller
Gloria Muriel
“Tackling Climate Change and Cultural Solidarity Through Art by Reimagining the World” Erin Yoshi
“Work is not an expression of the desire for recognition, or prizes, but the deepest manifestation of your gratitude for the gift of life." Amanda Lynn
“iBelieve comes from thinking that everything is possible if you believe in yourself.”
“Exploring the intersectional identities within us all through multidisciplinary art.”
Haydee Escobar
Katie Ruiz
36 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“Engaging the public by creating debate and awareness around important issues…”
“The colors highlight the spiritual strength of these tales, giving them a surreal touch.”
Karen Fiorito
Natalia Rak
Granet has been there working forever with a kind hand and a semi sweet voice to warn in her pointed visuals, “Things Must Change” Ilona Granet
“Women are SO powerful; they can create heaven on Earth!”
“Make the art you want to see.” Nani Chacon
“Art is healing by creating it, but also by receiving its energy frequencies…”
Tej Kaur Khalsa
Chloe Trujillo
37 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Sometimes rising up is finding the will to survive. THI NGUYEN
NONPROFIT CONSULTANT, ENTREPRENEUR & PHILANTHROPIST 38 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
GO GREEN DRESS: ‘RECOLLECTIONS' EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY THI NGUYEN
AT SEA
PART 2: PIRATED I did not understand much of what was going on and was not prepared for what lies ahead. But, what I am about to share is one of the most horrific untold stories of the Vietnamese refugee flights. Stories that should be highlighted to spotlight the cruelty of the sea and the suffering of the people. Like many that perish at sea, these stories are lost forever through PTSD, grief, death, loss, shame and the need to forget in order to survive. This story is a culmination of actual events, experiences, shared stories, and uncovered truths from individuals I've been fortunate to come in contact with mixed with my own personal story of bits I can recall. Again, please understand that the story written below is a recount of actual experiences from other individuals written from my point of view. Across the water sprinkled black specs like the polka dots scattered throughout a blue Grecian gown, flowing in the wind with changing patterns as the light hits it from different angles. I looked up at the sun piercing through, and followed the speckles of sunlight dancing on the water. It was a vision to behold.
We could see a few other boats within our line of sight. Moving in different directions, dancing across the water. Some allowed the current to stir its destination while others moved further towards the open water and navigated with certainty. After a few hours we noticed a couple of larger boats heading towards the smaller ones ahead. Is this it? Could it be that we've been rescued from our journey?
Little did we know these were not rescue boats but pirates out to plunder, pillage, rape and kill those on board. We could hear screaming and yelling in the distance. Shots fired, then silence. Smoke billowed from the small vessels and soon the sea engulfed them like a hungry shark hunting for its meal. Scattered broken wooden pieces and lifeless bodies floating aimlessly in the water, and just like that one by one they disappeared into oblivion.
My mother held me tightly against her bosom; so tight I could hardly breathe. There was chatter among the elders and suddenly dead silence. I could feel our boat pulling a hard left, as if Poseidon himself opened the sea with his triton, as we moved faster than ever before. Were we safe from the fate of those boats? Had we maneuvered fast enough to escape the atrocities of our fellow countrymen?
Unfortunately for us our successful flee was short lived. We were suddenly surrounded by three larger vessels. Shouting to us from across the way they pointed guns demanding we shut off the engine. Men with weapons in hand carrying knives, guns and even hammers came on board. More than half of our boat consisted of women and children; we were no match for these pirates.
They forcibly separated the men from the women. Speaking in a foreign tongue, they used their weapons to make everyone hand over all their valuables. They searched all of our belongings pulling jewelry off our bodies, stealing everything we had (paperwork, jewelry, food, water, gold, money and even our clothes). 39 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Imagine escaping war unscathed… only to be pillaged, plundered and raped out at sea. THI NGUYEN
NONPROFIT CONSULTANT, ENTREPRENEUR & PHILANTHROPIST 40 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“In the course of a few days, our boat was pirated four more times… each time we lost more bodies.” They raped the women right on the boat and took some as hostages. If you fight them, they would shoot you and throw you overboard. Survival was key. Why else would you leave everything behind to go into the unknown? This went on for hours as they towed our boat taking turns docking. One by one the women were pulled. Over and over again they were taken advantage of. One of the most beautiful young girls on the boat was gang raped by multiple men and then taken hostage as a sex slave. We never saw her again. You could hear screaming and sobbing; we all felt helpless and all I could do was cry.
We were buffets out at sea, unarmed and free for the taking. Helpless against these scumbags and the need to feast their cravings, all we could do is keep our will to survive despite the circumstances.
Two men were killed and thrown overboard. Then after the pirates cleared our boat of its property and the women of their dignity, they left headed for their next prey with new passengers on board for pleasure. Later on we discovered our boat was considered lucky because we actually survived.
Sobbing ricocheted off the wooden planks and somberness was in the air. Imagine escaping war unscathed only to be pillaged, plundered and raped out at sea. It was the reality of the unknown journey and the uncertainties that lay ahead. In the course of a few days, our boat was pirated four more times and each time we lost more people.
The kids, including myself, were too young to understand. All we could comprehend is the sadness we felt from our mothers’ bosoms as they held us crying while we drifted off into our own imaginative worlds… at least for those left behind who actually survived the multiple attacks. How could you rise when all you were trying to do was survive for your children, your family you left behind, and with the hope placed upon you to find freedom?
Daylight broke and in the distance a vessel drifted towards us. No! Not again… ∎
Follow along as I continue to share stories of the Vietnamese people after the Vietnam War through the eyes of a refugee. For more writings, stories and travels please follow me on Instagram @GoGreenDress. If you missed ‘Part 1: Where The Journey Begins’, you can catch up here: https://awarenow.us/at-sea-1
Photos taken with my Samsung.
“Sometimes rising up is finding the will to survive.” - Thi-ism #GoGreenDress
THI NGUYEN
Nonprofit Consultant, Entrepreneur & Philanthropist www.awarenessties.us/thi THI NGUYEN brings with her over 2 decades of non profit experience as a participant, advisor, board member, consultant, volunteer and research and development specialist. Her expertise combining technology to further advance the vision and mission for philanthropic causes has allowed her to serve as a trusted partner with many notable organizations large and small. Thi has experience working with organizations focusing on combating various global issues such as: human sex trafficking, homelessness, poverty, fair wages, global warming, malnutrition, gender equality, humanitarian assistance and human rights. She's currently developing an app to connect individuals and corporations to assist nonprofits in furthering their vision and mission.
41 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
I definitely believe that a superpower of storytelling revolves around embodying emotion… AUDREY VANDENBROECK
VP OF CUSOMER SUCCESS AT ISSUU 42 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH AUDREY VANDENBROECK
THE STORY GOES
BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING STORIES SEEN Dedicating her career to supporting success for clients through storytelling, Audrey Vandenbroeck is a VP at Issuu, the world’s largest digital publishing and discovery platform. With every discussion and directive, she supports the stories that shape our world with a purpose and passion to elevate engagement through storytelling. Audrey helps make stories ‘go’. ALLIÉ: When it comes to storytelling there are many parts and pieces. From creation to consumption, there are a number of steps to speak and be heard. But in every step along the way, there is an ‘emotional experience’ that you, Audrey, believe drives that connection within the communication. Do you feel the ability to embody emotion is then the superpower of storytelling?
AUDREY: I definitely believe that a superpower of storytelling revolves around embodying emotion because the fact of the matter is, the written word is done with intent. It is done on purpose. You know, as a reader, that the author of the story is writing their story, with the intention of being read. And when you analyze a story, you try to find a meaning for the story. You make a claim about the story's meaning but others will make different or the same claims about the meaning which is the true beauty in storytelling. It’s open to interpretation! It’s open to all the feelings that the reader chooses to succumb to. That’s why storytelling is so powerful.
THE STORY GOES EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH AUDREY VANDENBROECK
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43 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
To know of someone else who struggled like me, gives me comfort - not because they suffer as I had but because they were strong enough to tell the truth of their hurt to the world. AUDREY VANDENBROECK
VP OF CUSOMER SUCCESS AT ISSUU 44 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
ALLIÉ: Let’s get real personal real quick. Of all the emotional connections with content that you’ve had, what is one of your most memorable? Is there one story that stands out? One story that you’ll never forget?
AUDREY: There was a comic strip/meme I saw as a social post a few years ago. It was of a stick figure who was shown leaving their house, happy. As the figure approached another figure, appearing to be in distress, the happy figure began to console the distressed. As the happy figure consoles, the transfer of stress from one figure to another is apparent. The distressed figure is now happier, with the initially happy figure carrying some of the weight of its stress. Throughout the rest of the day, the more interactions the once happy figure had, the more weighed down it became. Upon returning home, the once happy figure is now depleted, after taking on the everyday stresses of others.
This is me. I live to take care of others, and I routinely forget to take care of myself. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a manager, a coach and I choose to put everyone else’s needs above my own. It pierced my heart - because that was me, in stick form, in 6 panels of storytelling. Now tell me, is there no better way to succumb to embodying emotion? Because I was depleted. I think about that strip of storytelling all the time.
There’s another story that resonates with me from ‘The Human Edition’ of AwareNow. It was a story with Charlotte Alexandra, the CEO of Eleven11. She talked about the invisible disability of endometriosis. As a woman, one of our superpowers is the ability to bear children. To conceive, to grow, to nurture, to “build” another lifeform within you, is an unbelievable gift. To have learned that I too suffered from endometriosis while trying to get pregnant with my first child for 5 years, took me and my husband to a whole other level of pain. It would never have occurred to me that I, a very healthy, early 30 something year old, with a budding career and beautiful partner of a man who loved every inch of me, would struggle with an invisible disability. I definitely hid our story from others in fear of being judged or talked about. I did not want to be people’s topic of conversation around the kitchen island. To know of someone else who struggled like me, gives me comfort - not because they suffer as I had but because they were strong enough to tell the truth of their hurt to the world. And because of her, another woman will be able to do it too.
SIDE EFFECTS A SHORT FILM BY ELEONORA STELLA HARIYONO OEI
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45 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“We recognize that storytelling is the best way to effectively transfer knowledge or information from one great mind to another…” ALLIÉ: I’d like to explore the form and function of storytelling. The format of our stories is bound only by our creativity. The functionality to serve our stories to an audience was once bound by print in pages, but it’s now digitally packaged in pixels. Stories once only held and touched in physical books are now held on digital screens. And while the stories still touch us, the experience has changed. At Issuu, with your digital publications how have you preserved the desirable qualities of print publications?
AUDREY: Preservation of the qualities that bring print to life is important to us at Issuu when content is being uploaded to our platform. The ability to read content in a variety of formats on different mediums is important to us too, and we’ve made investments in making digital formats accessible on mediums such as tablets and mobile phones in the past few years. We also recognize that storytelling takes on not only long form documentation but in short form too - so supporting social media outlet formats is critical to exposing the best parts of storytelling. We recognize that storytelling is the best way to effectively transfer knowledge or information from one great mind to another, and so we aim to make content accessible and readable.
ALLIÉ: We got personal a couple of questions back. Now, let’s get technical. While there were print properties preserved, there were digital disruptions made. What digital features and functionality is Issuu able to deliver to enhance the storytelling experience?
AUDREY: As mentioned earlier, we are making the effort to provide access to all types of digital stories (content) to readers, on all types of devices, through all types of digital forums like social media and email marketing and to some degree, through ads generated on the Issuu platform in an effort to reach readers and audiences across the world.
ALLIÉ: There are stories that we want seen and heard by the world. We want them shouted for society to see them, hear them, and change because of them. Then there are stories we want to whisper to our children – not to convert them, but to comfort them. As a mother of two, what are two bedtime stories you most enjoy reading with them?
AUDREY: There are a few that jump out to me but if I had to pick just two, my first pick would be “Just One You” from Sesame Street. My children are of mixed race. They have a European last name but look Asian and are growing up American. It’s important for their dad and I to have them understand that they are uniquely perfect - just the way they are. They will never encounter anyone else that looks or sounds like them and I want them to always feel confident in their bodies. And that it’s OK to be different because being different is what makes them, them.
The second story that we enjoy reading with them is, “I Love You To The Moon And Back” by Amelia Hepworth. As a parent, I want my children to understand and feel what “healthy love” is like. In every conversation, teachable moment, silent moment, playful moment, and even the obnoxious moments, all emotions are rooted from a profound love I have for them. And although not everyday is a perfect day, they are reminded they are profoundly loved no matter what. ∎
Audrey Vandenbroek is the VP of Customer Success at ISSUU, our Official Partner since we began. Dedicated to serving storytellers with the tools needed in to be seen and heard, Audrey is an Official Advisor for Awareness Ties and a dear friend.
46 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
It is a mirage to think that we are powerless. KRISTINA ALEXANDRA
ENTREPRENEUR, INNOVATOR AND AMPLIFIER 48 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KRISTINA ALEXANDRA
PRETTY POWERFUL THE BRAVERY BEHIND THE BEAUTY
Beyond beautiful, she’s bold and brilliant as well. As a child refugee in America, Kristina Alexandra Kovalyuk made her way as more than just a ‘pretty face’, while creating a space for others to rise and to thrive. In her career, she’s held her own in corporate America, while holding others up in New York City during 9/11. Despite the circumstances of any battle, she shows up not just ‘pretty’, but powerful. ALLIÉ: Born in Kyiv, Ukraine which was part of the USSR at the time, you emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 13 under religious asylum as a refugee with your family. Let’s begin with when you landed. What was life like for you growing up in America as a child refugee?
KRISTINA: I’ve had 2 vastly different childhoods. One was in Ukraine and one in the U.S. In Ukraine I had the happiest, most carefree time in my life. I was living, laughing, playing, enjoying life like only kids can. I’m a natural extrovert and a lover of people. I love making new friends which was most evident in my childhood. I would make friends with the grandmas sitting on their porches and other adults who nicknamed me “Little Director”. I was an advocate for fairness early on; anytime I saw something wasn’t right, I’d step in, take the initiative, and make it right. It started around 3 or 4 years old. Amongst kids my age I was quite popular, leading activities whether it be play, sports or school. I participated in multiple after school activities in chorus, theater, ice skating, dance, tennis and usually
PRETTY POWERFUL EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KRISTINA ALEXANDRA
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49 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Bravery is not the absence of fear, but taking action despite the fear. KRISTINA ALEXANDRA
ENTREPRENEUR, INNOVATOR AND AMPLIFIER 50 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“The most severe stereotype of course, and one that many Eastern European women have had to face, is that of a ‘working girl’, a scam artist, or a user.” KRISTINA: (continued) being the lead in all. I’ve always had a strong sense of fairness and anytime I saw bullying or meanness I became a protector and stood up to injustice.
My childhood in the states was a different story. It was fraught with hardship. When I arrived in the states and went to school, I was bullied viciously. Kids used to tease me about my looks, my weight, my short hair, glasses, braces and for being a nerd. I didn’t speak English, so I couldn't answer back. For 2 years I didn’t have a single friend and would cry on the way to school, during lunch, and on the way home. Being a refugee, not having the proper clothes, sneakers, backpacks, etc that the other kids had was a huge disadvantage. In fact, the bullying got so bad that I was convinced that I was wasn’t pretty.
ALLIÉ: You’re beautiful. You’re smart. And you’re an Eastern European woman. Kristina, what are some common incorrect assumptions that have been made about you over the years?
KRISTINA: Thank you kindly. For many years, I’ve had trouble believing that I’m pretty. Happily, I have worked on myself and come to believe in myself. We often look at someone and make assumptions. A number of celebrities that we look at and admire for their beauty, actually struggle with self esteem.
To answer your question, I would say that being Eastern European, blond, and pretty has definitely lent itself to a number of negative stereotypes. It’s been assumed that I must be a daughter of an oligarch, I’ve married well, or I’m dating men for money. The most severe stereotype of course, and one that many Eastern European women have had to face, is that of a “working girl”, a scam artist, or a user. It’s extremely hurtful and damaging. While being attractive certainly opens doors, it also makes it hard to be taken seriously while in those rooms. Men, especially those in high ranking positions, tend to think they can use their status, wealth or power to lure a woman with false promises only to be at a dinner meeting when they ask if they can take you shopping or on vacation. They are then are surprised to get rebuffed. I’ve faced this more times than I’d like to admit. It’s hurtful and demeaning. Women from Eastern Europe are assumed to be cunning and nefarious.
It reminds me of a Margaret Thatcher quote: “I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”
ALLIÉ: Despite adversity, you’ve done so much. Please share the achievements you’ve had while climbing the corporate ladder in America. Please also share the obstacles you’ve had to overcome on your way up.
KRISTINA: The obstacles have been many. They have ranged from not being taken seriously, to getting a ‘discount’ for my looks, to being in the room and despite being the most senior person there - not being addressed directly. There have been times when I arranged the meeting yet was not invited to it. There have been times when at a business dinner I wouldn’t be asked questions unless it was something social. Times when I heard words like “Wouldn’t you have a happier life if you just got married and spent your time shopping?”, or “You’re too pretty to work”. Also, there have been clients who have tried to be inappropriate, trying to use intimacy as a way of business.
51 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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For me, finding power within has required me to separate what I can control from what I can’t. KRISTINA ALEXANDRA
ENTREPRENEUR, INNOVATOR AND AMPLIFIER 52 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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ALLIÉ: Before we end, let’s go back to where you began - Kyiv. You were born there. You have friends and family still there. While you aren’t physically there now, you are there in spirit and with support. What are you doing to help the people of Ukraine? What can others do?
KRISTINA: Yes. There are no words to describe what’s happening there now and what people are going through. I have some family that managed to leave Ukrain, and I have some family members that either cannot leave or won’t leave. There are no safe passageways for people to leave and some are not in the condition to do so. What’s happening on the ground is more dire than what the U.S. news outlets are reporting now.
I have marshaled my relationships and resources in a multitude of ways. I’ve reached out to my network, which includes CEOs and leaders of organizations to arrange donations and aid to Ukraine. Items arranged have included baby food, infant incubators, clothing, protective gear/equipment, medicine, and first aid kits to name a few. I’ve also reached out to and am currently working with a Miami based startup, Lula, who’s founders announced they would sponsor visas for Ukrainian tech talent. I’ve already connected them with the people I know on the ground and expanded the effort to include two more startups. Then I saw a news report on CNBC announcing what big tech companies like Apple, Meta and Uber are doing and I thought, “Why do we piecemeal when we can pool our resources and work together?" This gave me the idea to bring the greater tech community (both startups and VC firms) together to create a coalition — a tech community in New York, Miami and San Francisco. This is the initiative I’m working on now. Through my network we’ve already recruited a few people and have spoken to the likes of Venture Miami, Mayor Suarez’s team and a few notable big VCs. I’m most excited about this effort at the moment.
ALLIÉ: For those braving a storm they didn’t sign up for and feeling particularly powerless, what advice do you have for seeking bravery and finding power within yourself?
KRISTINA: The feeling of powerlessness is debilitating and can stop you in your tracks. I have been there a few times in my life. Since the Ukraine-Russia war, it has been a feeling I’ve been intimate with on an almost daily basis. Bravery is not the absence of fear, but taking action despite the fear. For me, finding power within has required me to separate what I can control from what I can’t. I cannot stop the war in Ukraine. I cannot stop Putin. I cannot stop innocent people from dying. If I focus on that, I will feel depressed, stressed and powerless. I refocus on what is in my control and what I can do to help the situation. I can reach out to my network. I can organize support, aid and packages. I can keep in touch with friends and family, stay in the loop of what’s needed hour by hour, and be active on Twitter. This is how I helped a few African students stranded in Ukraine get out and get transportation and housing.
Powerlessness is a state that comes over us during times of our life when a traumatic event, one beyond our control, takes over. However, it is a mirage to think that we are powerless. Too often we want to change the entire situation and all at once. When we focus on what we can do and do those things, it will affect the world around us and help us feel powerful. ∎
Learn more about Kristina and her work: www.tridentadv.com
53 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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I had to lose everything to actually appreciate what I had. ELIZABETH MATEER
SISTER, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER & MS WARRIOR 54 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH MATEER
BEHIND THE SMILE LIVING (NOT DYING) WITH MS
The most beautiful smile I’ve had the pleasure and honor to see belongs to my sister, Elizabeth Marie Mateer. Whether in tears of immense joy or intense sorrow, she wears a smile and wears it well. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis over 20 years ago, MS has knocked her down on many occasions, but every time she gets back up with a smile in response to the pain. Having been diagnosed with MS just over a year ago myself, I can think of no greater source of inspiration for a condition that can’t yet be cured, only endured. Her smile makes me smile. ALLIÉ: You’ve known me all your life, and I’ve known you since I was 3. As your older sister, you had to look up to me, as I was taller, but I’ve always looked up to you because your smile was wider. I’m not sure if you are aware of the impact your signature smile has, but perhaps by the end of this conversation, you’ll know. For now, getting back to ‘years of knowing each other’, it’s not a person but rather a diagnosis that you’ve known for over 20 years now. Take us back to the beginning. Liza, can you share the story of when you were first diagnosed?
ELIZABETH: From what I can remember, because it was kind of vague, I didn’t know what to think, because I didn’t know what multiple sclerosis was. It was pretty dramatic… I went blind in my left eye. Optic neuritis took complete
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55 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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I don’t want to just exist. I want to live. ELIZABETH MATEER
SISTER, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER & MS WARRIOR 56 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“My brain has so many lesions on it… I’ve had to be creative to get from here to there. Sometimes backwards. Sometimes forwards.” ELIZABETH: (continued) sight… It didn’t really hit me until a little further down the road. I didn’t really accept what it was because I didn’t know what it was going to do… It has affected my life in more ways than one. People always said to pray and ask God to take it away, but I did not do that even once. God doesn’t put anything on us that we cannot bare. So, I just asked him to give me the strength to deal with it. It was hard sometimes, but it gets easier… Not really. That was a joke… It doesn’t get easier. I used to say, “It is what it is.” But it is not… It’s what we make it. It’s really not bad, if you learn to have fun with it. Learn that the pain does not go away; if anything, it gets worse… but you just have to have fun with it, in one way or another. You can’t let it take you.
ALLIÉ: You grew up with your nickname, Liza, but as an adult you go by your real name, Elizabeth. I will always call you Liza, just like you’ll always call me Alisha, my real name. Beyond your name and beyond your diagnosis, you have a spirit and a strength that can’t be defined or diminished by either. Where does it come from? I’ve seen you knocked down so many times, and each time you come back stronger. Where do you get your strength?
ELIZABETH: God… I had to lose everything to actually appreciate what I had. MS has been difficult, but by God’s grace and mercy, I am able to see the benefits of it. I was going way too fast through life… I had to slow down. I am that strong and stubborn that I had to have my legs taken from me. I had to be paralyzed, in order to sit my behind down. I had to lose my sight, in order to slow down. My speech… I have to really think 5 times before I speak, like I’m supposed to. I’m forced to do things that I should be doing. God is the only thing that has given me the strength. A lot of this experience I’ve had to experience by myself… but I’ve never been really alone.
ALLIÉ: In all things, there is something to lose and something to gain. When it comes to MS, what’s been your hardest loss? What’s been your greatest gain?
ELIZABETH: My relationship with God has been the greatest gain, because that has been my saving grace. The most difficult thing has been my relationships — or lack thereof. It’s hard to give something that you don’t have. I mean I can go without my legs… but not being able to provide for my son in the way I’d like to… even my granddaughter now… There are things I’d like to do, but it’s okay. I’ve learned that I can do it. I’m going to do it. I’m going to get from point A to point B. I just have to take a different path… My brain has so many lesions on it… So, I’ve had to be creative to get from here to there. Sometimes backwards. Sometimes forwards.
ALLIÉ: I remember when I video called you one day a year or so ago to tell you about an article on MS that we had just published in our magazine. I remember telling you that I would send you a link so that you could read it. I remember you crying. When I asked why, you told me that you couldn’t read it. You were having a flare up with your MS. Optic Neuritis is a bitch. You couldn’t read it. I remember you smiling while crying and saying that it would be okay. I remember being inspired. Do you know that it was your smile through those tears that inspired the AwareNow Podcast? If our stories couldn’t be read, we would make them heard. You inspired more accessibility and more inclusivity.
ELIZABETH: First of all, it’s not ‘my’ MS. I will not claim it as mine. It’s a disease that lives inside me, but it is not mine… You know, I don’t think I’ve been able to go through what I’ve gone through for nothing. God has allowed me to have something and get through something for a reason. I haven’t figured out that reason yet, but I think I am
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“Life is for living…” ELIZABETH: (continued) supposed to share my experiences and what I’ve done to get through this to help others who may be dealing with the same thing. I did read this book called ‘The Wahls Protocol’, and the first couple things I read from it was people sharing their stories. I thought, “Oh my gosh! They’re going through the same thing I’m going through.” With MS it’s so difficult talking to someone who has never felt even a part of it. There are no words to describe it. Can you put my feelings into words? To this day, I cannot. Hopefully this interview will reach people because… there’s a lot of pain. There really is, but there is greatness in everything. We just need to find it.
ALLIÉ: I want to go back to the topic of strength. Not only are you spiritually strong; you are physically strong as well. It seems like one day you are in the hospital, and the next day you’re back at the gym. An uphill fight, battling chronic fatigue and physical weakness from MS, even when requiring your walker, you hit the gym. What is your motivation?
ELIZABETH: Life. Life is for living. I don’t want to just exist… I want to live. I love to workout, and I am not going to let some illness keep me from working out. I was in the military… PT? Oh, not a problem. That was before I was diagnosed, but still. At that time, the MS was still inside me, but I’m stronger than that. I enjoy it.
Do what you love. Do what makes you feel good. There are too many things that make you feel bad. I get rid of a lot of stress by working out. To me, it feels good, emotionally and physically. With MS, you have to be strong. A body in motion stays in motion.
ALLIÉ: “What a beautiful girl. What a beautiful smile.” More people that I can count have referenced you this way over the years. Complete strangers, I’m sure, find hope in that smile of yours. If there were words of hope that you could offer, not only to those with MS but to anyone feeling hopeless, what would those words be?
ELIZABETH: Remember who you are and what you want to be. Don’t let anybody or yourself bring you down. You just have to think positive. Mind over matter… Smile. ∎
58 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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To be honest, I dare myself every single day… JULIA VARVARA
ACTRESS, PRODUCER & DIRECTOR Photo Credit: Maria Khavanskaya 60 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JULIA VARVARA
NOT TO BE SUPPRESSED
A FILM & FILMMAKER EXPRESSED IN THOUGHTS CONFESSED Julia Varvara, a photographer, actress, producer and director is the CEO of Hollyfield Productions. Based in London, she and her partner, Adam Morse, work with established and emerging artists to create original and thought-provoking cinematic content for a global audience. In alignment with their mission to make commercial movies with visionary filmmakers while promoting inclusion on screen and behind camera, they unveil ‘Suppression’. What follows is a conversation not only about her film, but about herself. ALLIÉ: Having watched the film, I’m stoked to speak about Suppression. However, before we get to the film, I want to get to know the woman who directed it – Julia Varvara. After perusing your posts on Instagram, I was as inspired as I was intrigued. I’d like to reference a few things you’ve shared and hear more. Let’s start with this, “Only you can dare yourself to do the best things.” My question, potentially obvious, is what have you dared yourself to do?
JULIA: To be honest, I dare myself every single day. It's everything. You have to always push the boundaries. Don’t have fears, don't let fears stop you. Don’t ask, “What if I can't do it?” You won't know if you're not gonna try. You have to try. Always go for it. If you see the vision, don't be afraid.
When I was 15, I went to this audition. I'm a dancer as well, but actually self-taught. I can call myself professional now because I taught dancing after and I choreographed. But actually I was a self-learner when I went to this big audition.
NOT TO BE SUPPRESSED It was with a very famous Ukrainian dance crew. They worked with big stars and they had their own show. They
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JULIA VARVARA toured around Ukraine, and I just saw the poster for auditions. So, I went for it without any preparation or anything. I'm walking into the room, and there are professional ballerinas there. They are wearing proper shoes and everything, and I'm in high heels. They started to show choreography. I was like, “Oh, this is serious.” So I sat and I watched. At the end of it, they auditioned freestyle dancers. They wanted to see who might have potential to dance. Anyway, I danced. I impressed the choreographer of the dance crew, and a week later I was in. I was dancing with professionals. They all had a choreography education. They were very powerful, strong dancers. I was just a self-learner. I could never do a CLICK, TAP OR SCAN proper split at that time, and they were holding their legs behind their head… So, you just need to believe in yourself, and sometimes ignorance is bliss.
When I was 16, I wanted to make money for my education. I wanted to be a film director and actress. My parents couldn't afford to pay for my education because I needed to go to Kiev. I'm originally from Odesa, and we literally have TO WATCH NOW nothing there to become a filmmaker. My parents said, if you want to study, you can make your own money. So I did.
61 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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I love everything about London… it’s my life. JULIA VARVARA
ACTRESS, PRODUCER & DIRECTOR Photo Credit: Alexandru Lucian 62 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“London is the love of my life… I feel safe here. I feel free here.” JULIA: (continued) to try. Always go for it. If you see the vision, don't be afraid. When I was 15, I went to this audition. I'm a dancer as well, but actually self-taught. I can call myself professional now because I taught dancing after and I choreographed. But actually I was a self-learner when I went to this big audition. It was with a very famous Ukrainian dance crew. They worked with big stars and they had their own show. They toured around Ukraine, and I just saw the poster for auditions. So, I went for it without any preparation or anything. I'm walking into the room, and there are professional ballerinas there. They are wearing proper shoes and everything, and I'm in high heels. They started to show choreography. I was like, “Oh, this is serious.” So I sat and I watched. At the end of it, they auditioned freestyle dancers. They wanted to see who might have potential to dance. Anyway, I danced. I impressed the choreographer of the dance crew, and a week later I was in. I was dancing with professionals. They all had a choreography education. They were very powerful, strong dancers. I was just a self-learner. I could never do a proper split at that time, and they were holding their legs behind their head… So, you just need to believe in yourself, and sometimes ignorance is bliss. When I was 16, I wanted to make money for my education. I wanted to be a film director and actress. My parents couldn't afford to pay for my education because I needed to go to Kiev. I'm originally from Odesa, and we literally have nothing there to become a filmmaker. My parents said, if you want to study, you can make your own money. So I did.
ALLIÉ: As we welcomed in 2022, on this most recent New Years Eve you made a statement and asked a question. “I am ready to take over the world! Are you?!” I’ll first answer by saying on behalf of Jack, myself and all of Awareness Ties, “Yes, we’re ready.” With your readiness, Julia, how will you take it over? What’s your game plan?
JULIA: First of all, my life policy is to be in charge of your own destiny. Don't sit, wait, and expect somebody to bring you something on a plate because that's not gonna happen. Sometimes you just get lucky, but not in most cases. Let’s be realistic. If you want something, you need to see the goal. You need to have a vision and go for it. Always be confident, and don't doubt yourself.
There are a lot of people with a lot of talents… You need to bring something to the table in this industry. There are thousands of actors, directors, and producers. You can't just sit on your bum waiting for somebody to bring you something. You need to fight for it. You need to believe in yourself. If you are not gonna believe in yourself… if you're not gonna back yourself up, why should other people? So, my strategy is to go for it.
ALLIÉ: You’ve said, “One of the keys to happiness is to live in a place you love.” Julia, what is it about London, where you live, that you love?
JULIA: London is love of my life… I love everything about London. I love the architecture. It’s gorgeous! Every time I walk, I look around and I feel so happy and blessed. I actually have tears in my eyes every single time when I just walk alone when I’m not distracted by people. But people as well! I love that London is so cultural… that there are so many nationalities, so many languages, and so much beautiful food and clothes. I love fashion so much! I love to see authentic people. To see somebody from Africa… or an Arabic woman when you can see just the eyes… It provokes me. I wonder, what's going on with that person? What is she about? What is her life like? My favorite thing is to watch people on the train. It’s the best when you look and everybody's so different. You can see somebody sixty years old with purple hair, crazy earrings and a fluffy yellow coat. You would not see that in Ukraine, for sure. That's why I love it. The people are free here. I like that it’s also very inclusive with the gay community. You don't have to hide here. You can be yourself and talk your truth. You’re actually free. I feel safe here. I feel free here. It's my life. 63 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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You need to have a vision and go for it. JULIA VARVARA
ACTRESS, PRODUCER & DIRECTOR Photo Credit: Maria Khavanskaya 64 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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AwareNow Podcast
NOT TO BE SUPPRESSED
Exclusive Interview with Julia Varvara
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ALLIÉ: Let’s talk ‘location’ a bit more. Other people live in and love other places, of course. There are those who are friends and family of yours who live in Ukraine. Regarding the series of events as of late, please share your thoughts, feelings and hopes.
JULIA: My hope is obviously that it's soon going to be over without any further casualties. It's very important to specify, because when you wish for something in the universe, you need to be careful what you wish for. So I say, for it to be over without any more casualties. I hope that the two presidents, Putin and Zelenskyy, find a resolution, speak and make peace, but I'm not sure it's going to happen. I'm not gonna lie. I have fears. I want to say that there's nothing to do with Russian people because I have friends in Ukraine and I have friends in Russia. I’ve never actually seen the difference between our cultures. For me, Russia and Ukraine is the same thing… That’s why it's painful for me when I watch the news and they say a Ukrainian sniper hit some plane. I understand that this is someone's son. This is someone's husband, and this is also someone's dad dying… I want nobody to sacrifice their life because it’s not worth it. I'm against the fighting for the flag. I just want peace. I want people to live in peace and be healthy and safe and not under any suppression. Funny.. I didn't mean to put that in there like that.
ALLIÉ: But you did, and on that note, I’d like to learn more about your most recent film. In SUPPRESSION, the tables turn on a troubled psychoanalyst when he is assigned to evaluate a detained killer and is soon forced to look inside himself and faces his own demons. This short film is a MUST see. I know, because I’ve seen it. For those who haven’t, in the words of the director, what would you like to share about your film?
JULIA: For me, I think the most important thing is that every film should have a message. My message in Suppression is about how unhealthy it is to store negative emotions. When it's built up to a certain point, you can actually explode in a very ugly way. So, I think it's always best to talk through things. At the same time, the film teaches people about compassion and not to force people to live through problems the same way you would… It’s important to understand that everybody deals with problems differently. You need to accept that and don't judge. ∎ Want to hear the full interview with Julia?
Watch it here:
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To learn more about her upcoming film, SUPPRESSION, and more of Julia’s projects,
visit her website: www.hollyfieldproductions.co.uk
65 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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I served with people of all kinds. It didn’t matter what color or religion. MAJOR ANNIE
RETIRED UNITED STATES AIR FORCE MAJOR 66 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MAJOR ANNIE
LIFE OF SERVICE
A FEMALE AFGHAN AMERICAN MAJOR LIVING TO SERVE Air Force Major ‘Annie’ (as we’ll refer to her), who was born in Afghanistan, came to the U.S. as a teenager to get an education. She enlisted in the Air Force in 1985 and attained the rank of Master Sergeant. On September 11, 2001, Major Annie was the only Airman in the Air Force to understand Pashto (the same language spoken by the insurgent group known as the Taliban) and was immediately deployed as an Aircrew Linguist. After two deployments, she was assigned to the National Security Agency for four years. In recognition for her work in a global war on terror, a bronze statue of has been erected in the Veterans Park on Okaloosa Island. While retired, she still works to serve (and save) others. ALLIÉ: First and foremost, thank you, Major Annie, for your service to this country. While you retired from the Air Force in 2011, it’s your 26 years of service are still talked about and honored today. In previous interviews, you’ve stated those 26 years were the best of your life. Why?
MAJOR ANNIE: When I joined the Air Force, I was kind of, I would call it a little bit of a lost soul. I was on my own since basically the second semester of my junior year. When I came from a large family in Afghanistan, I went to not really having a family at all, because all of them were back home. When I joined the Air Force, they became my family.
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What gives me hope in the United States is the American people. MAJOR ANNIE
RETIRED UNITED STATES AIR FORCE MAJOR 68 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“I felt like a prisoner in my own body.” MAJOR ANNIE: (continued) It’s hard to explain that sometimes, but they truly are my brothers and sisters. From assignment to assignment, especially when flying, your life is in the hands of the person sitting next to you. You trust that they're going to do the right thing. With the closeness that you feel, what made it most amazing was honestly the people I served with. Missions come and go. Some are good and some are bad, but to this day what's amazing is that I know people all over the world because of my 26 years of service. I can go to Norway, there's somebody there. From Germany to the Philippines, I know somebody there because I've served with them along the way. And that's what made those years so special. I served with people of all kinds. It didn’t matter what color or religion. It doesn't matter. I served with all of them.
ALLIÉ: I’d like to go back to the years before your career – your teenage years. Coming from a village in Afghanistan that had no running water, you came to the U.S. as a teenager without knowing English to get an education. What was life like for you growing up as an Afghan American in the 80’s?
MAJOR ANNIE: Well, in the eighties I was in the U.S. Let me backtrack a little bit… I remember Afghanistan very well because I was in my teens when I left. We didn't have any running water. We didn't have electricity. One of my first chores in the morning when I got up was to go get water for tea and breakfast. I'll never forget in the wintertime, there was a creek near our house, but in the winter when it gets so cold you have to cut through the initial ice to get to the water, to take it home for tea. Our classroom was on the ground with no blackboard or anything. We just sat on the ground and went to school six days a week. When it rained, we got to go home because we didn't have a roof over our heads. But we went to school six days a week, and we learned all different subjects. I did through sixth grade there, and that’s what life was like.
When we came to the U.S., it was such a different lifestyle. It was women and men created equal. What?! I think my brother had the hardest time with it because our stepmother made sure that all of us did chores. In Afghanistan, he would just sit there and say, “Go get me some tea.” I would have to go get him some tea, because he was the man of the house. He was ‘the king of the house' as they call it. But when we got to the U.S., my stepmother's said, “No, you're doing chores like everybody else.” And he had such a hard time with that. And for us, it was really weird. I remember being in the same classroom as boys… and boys and girls playing together. I remember just basic things that Americans take for granted. It is such a culture shock — to be in the same room with boys that are not related to you, to not cover yourself up from them or to talk to them.
When my dad brought us to the US, I was here just for a couple years. Then I went back and lived in Saudi Arabia briefly. By then, the Soviets had invaded and my mother, bless her soul, was in the refugee camps in Pakistan. So I went to a boarding school for a short time in Pakistan. The reason I wanted to bring that up is because I had freedom when I was in the US. But then when I went back, as a woman… I'll give you one story out of Pakistan. It was right before I left, but I wanted to go see a movie really bad. I love Pashto music and movies. My brother was visiting from the U.S. He told me to dress like a man, and he’d take me. I got so excited. I borrowed my cousin's clothes, and I dress up like a man. I had four or five cousins with me. They took me to the movies. Within five minutes, the men realized I was a woman and oh my God… the security that happened there. They like to pinch and grab and do different things. It was pretty scary. So, my brother brought me back home, and then he was upset with me because he felt like I put all of us in danger. Yeah, me dressing up like a man did not work out well.
I think that is one of the reasons why my heart is so broken for the Afghan women right now. Imagine being a 20 year old Afghan woman. Since you’ve been born, you've been told to go get educated. You’ve had all the freedoms within Afghanistan. But now since August, all your freedoms are gone. For me, I felt like I was a prisoner of my own body when I was going back through it like that. When I was in Afghanistan the first time, I didn't know any better. So, I was just like everybody else. But when you taste freedom, when you come to America and you taste it… and then you lose it again… It’s just like I said, I felt like a prisoner in my own body. It was that bad. 69 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“Right after September 11… a little time goes by and I get a phone call from the Pentagon.” ALLIÉ: In 1985, you enlisted in the Air Force. What drew you to the military? Of the branches to choose from, why did you choose the Air Force?
MAJOR ANNIE: I moved around a lot, obviously from country to country. My grades out of high school were not very good, but I knew I wanted to pursue an education. I know how important it was because my dad had received his PhD. That’s how we got out of Afghanistan; he came to the U.S. on a USAID scholarship. So, I knew how important education was, but I didn't have the grades and I really didn't have the means. I saw a commercial for the military. I didn't know anybody in the military. I was not affiliated with the military in any way, but I saw a commercial for the military that said we'll pay for your college. Okay.
Why the Air Force? Keep in mind, I was 17. I went to the recruiting office, and they had all these pictures of people in uniform. The air force was the only one that had a female in uniform. I thought, “I like that uniform.” That was my only reason for choosing the Air Force. There was a female in a uniform. In hindsight, it was the best decision. Don’t get me wrong. I love my brothers and sisters in the other services, but I have my experience of the Air Force. I would not join other services because I love my service so much.
ALLIÉ: Your story makes a great point. The fact that you saw a woman in a uniform and you based your decision based on what you saw to be an opportunity for you. You made that association, which makes the case for why representation is so important. If you don't see yourself, you don’t believe that could be yourself.
MAJOR ANNIE: Absolutely.
ALLIÉ: Let’s fast forward to September 11, 2011. As an Airman, you were the only one in the Air Force to understand Pashto (the language spoken by the Taliban). Your life changed after that day, as did the lives of so many. Tell us about your work as an Aircrew Linguist, the role you were immediately given on that day.
MAJOR ANNIE: First, I do want to make this clear. Pashto is a beautiful language, and Pashtuns themselves are the friendliest, kindest people you will meet. The Taliban happens to speak Pashto. So, I just want to clarify that not everybody that speaks Pashto is a member of the Taliban. The Taliban just happens to speak Pashto.
ALLIÉ: Great point that everyone should be aware of.
MAJOR ANNIE: Right after September 11, I had just crossed over and became a brand new Lieutenant… I had never even deployed at that point. Not because I didn't want to, but we had a long period of peace time. My sister asks me, after we go into Afghanistan, “What does this mean for you?” I don’t think it means anything because I'm a personnel officer. I don't know what they could want with me. A little time goes by and I get a phone call from the Pentagon. They said, “Hey, LT. It shows in your record that you were born in Afghanistan… it shows in your record that you your ethnicity is Pashtun. Do you speak the language?” And I said, “Well, yeah, it's my mother's tongue, bless her soul.” They said they needed to find somebody to give me a telephone interview to check your efficiency… I did a telephone interview in Pashto so they could assess how well I spoke Pashto. I get off the phone. I get a call back. Usually, those grades take weeks to get, but I get off the phone with the in interviewer and I get a call back from the Pentagon later that afternoon saying they need me to go to this building and fill out this paperwork… They needed me to get higher level clearance to do my job. So, I went there and literally they gave me the higher level clearance in 72 hours. 70 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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LIFE OF SERVICE
Exclusive Interview with Major Annie
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“It’s more of what we have in common than our differences.” MAJOR ANNIE: (continued) Fast forward, intelligence is very complex and it's hard to explain it, but what I want to make sure people know is that my job was really to say, “Okay, here are the insurgents, and these are the Pashtuns that are just there.” When you're fighting urban warfare, it is extremely, extremely critical to find people that understand their language… For me, not only was I able to do our missions from the U.S. perspective, but I felt like I saved a lot of Afghan lives because I could say, “Okay, this person is not an insurgent. And here's why…” And that was crucial. Prior to that, they thought because they spoke Pashto, we bomb them. No. The whole country speaks Pashto. You can't just bomb the country. When you have no linguist, what do you do? I got to do some amazing things and unfortunately I can't get into details about it because of the classifications… But the things I got to do, no words, no statues… it was the lives that you get to save on both sides, not just American lives.
ALLIÉ: Before the U.S., you lived in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. You’ve traveled to all parts of the world. You’ve served in the United States Air Force and have been recognized, with a bronze statue no less, for your great service and sacrifice over the years. In looking back at where you’ve been and what you’ve done, despite the challenges the U.S. faces to this day, you have said, “This is still the greatest nation in the world.” What is it that gives you hope for the future of this country and the future for our world?
MAJOR ANNIE: What gives me hope in the U.S. is the American people. I wrote an article of all the issues within our government. But it is the American people, you know, it is my neighbors next door. It's my family. And it's not just in the US, it's I think, you know what, a lot of times as human beings, we forget, we have more in common than we have in differences. First and foremost, we're humans… What gives me hope every day is looking at my past. I look at where I came from. When I joined the Air Force, all the regulations in the military were written at the ninth grade level of reading, right. They give you a reading exam. When I first took it, I failed it. Part of it could have been because English is my second language, but my supervisors helped me. I studied and studied and passed it. I went on to get a bachelor's degree and then get a master's degree. I was the first in my family to do that as a woman. That’s what gives me hope. I could do it, and I know the struggles I've had… I think there's hope for everybody. That's what I think we need to focus on. It’s more of what we have in common than our differences. ∎
71 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Connecting with each person and community is where it starts. MATT GEWIRTZ
FOUNDER OF THE 4NORTH PROJECT 72 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MATT GEWIRTZ
LIVING FOR GIVING
A LIFE DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE OF OTHERS Offering developing worlds sustainable and secure solutions while educating and empowering the people, The 4North Project seeks needs and finds ways to fill them. Dedicating not only his career but his life to the service of others, the story of Matt Gewirtz, founder of The 4North Project, is one of ‘living for giving’. ALLIÉ: With the advancement of technology, our society has adopted what I call a ‘self serve’ model. So much of what we want is available ‘on demand’, from what we want to watch to what we want to eat, to where we want to go. When it comes to what you want, you demand something a bit different and not for yourself – but of yourself. As opposed to self service, your life is one of service to others. When did you decide that you would not only dedicate your career, but your life as well, to serving others?
MATT: This was not a lifelong dream when I was a child. This was a discovery I made, later in life, after traveling to Africa on a personal assignment. It started out with donating used school supplies to developing communities around the world. One of the most difficult parts about giving back to communities that don’t exist on Google maps is the logistics, proper location and most importantly the safety. This was the first discovery I made that led to building a network of people that I could work with globally. The second was, many people really want to volunteer globally but don’t know where to start. We became a logistical engine for many people, helping connect them with communities.
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73 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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One of the most difficult parts about giving back to communities that don’t exist on Google maps is the logistics… MATT GEWIRTZ
FOUNDER OF THE 4NORTH PROJECT 74 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“Although some days are difficult, we feel we are always moving forward…” ALLIÉ: In exploring the work you’ve dedicated yourself to doing, let’s begin with the name of your organization. How did ‘The 4North Project’ get its name?
MATT: The number 4 represents the 4 pillars or cause areas we focus on when entering a developing community. Education, Sustainability, Empowerment and Security. They are all important but it does start with education for communities to understand the other three. As for the word North, we wanted something that represents always moving forward. When you say, “hey it’s gone south” it means things are not going as planned. Although some days are difficult, we feel we are always moving forward and focusing on what is ahead of us.
ALLIÉ: To address a number of problems, a number of solutions are required. Please take a moment to share details about the number of programs The 4North Project offers.
MATT: A few programs offered in the past would be:
STEAM In the Classroom
Our educators have presented carefully created projects to the students. Projects include S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math), Skills For Living, Team Building and much more.
Personal Protection
We've focused on teaching young women the importance of self awareness, having a voice, who to trust and fighting back. We have also taken it a step further by mentoring the young men of the community and teaching them the importance of becoming a community leader, not an aggressor.
Dance Empowerment
In the past, we have offered dance programs for all ages. Our step by step dance routines not only builds excitement throughout the communities but in empowers the young dancers as well.
Feeding The Community
We have walked the food to doorsteps, set up food stations within the community and even taken a sustainable approach by planting fruit trees at the schools. It doesn’t matter the method, 4North will work hard on making sure meals are delivered.
Sports & Activity Camps
In the past, basketball had been our way of building character and educating young children about the importance of teamwork. We have always felt that we can accomplish more by working together.
Sustainable Living
We care about the communities and their future. Our global efforts started with planting mango trees to building small businesses through our micro-financing courses. We also have assisted in small build projects for families and the community.
75 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“I signed up to help change lives, but it’s truly amazing how these communities have changed mine.” ALLIÉ: Some say, “Go big or go home.” However, we all know that bigger isn’t always better. For the scale and scope of your work, your focus is on local communities. How has this been a win for your program?
MATT: Connecting with each person and community is where it starts. Then building trust, following through and creating partnerships. We never walk in and assume what a family needs. We have meetings through translators and also find opportunities for sustainable income for those families. For example, if we are going to build a bathroom then we ask the family if they know anyone that has the background to help with the construction of the project. We will hire them. Our reputation speaks for itself within the communities. They may not know our names personally, and that’s okay! But after 3 years of connecting, they certainly recognize our logo when we are driving down the road. We often hear screams of “Gracias, mi amigo!” with thumbs up in the air.
ALLIÉ: When there’s a problem, funding is often what fuels the solution. Then there are situations when cash alone doesn’t cut it. For the solutions you provide, sustainability is a requirement. What have you done with The 4North Project to make the work you do sustainable for the communities you serve?
MATT: Sustainability is the most difficult pillar we face. The pandemic made those projects almost impossible. We are committed to relaunching each one of our projects in a sustainable fashion. I’m not talking about building water wells or creating jobs. We are currently building better ways to hold workshops and teaching a skill set so we can pass the torch to community leaders after we are gone.
ALLIÉ: What I love about what you do is how you do it. You serve the people ‘receiving’, while serving the people who are ‘giving’. Can you share a story about a volunteer who signed up to give with their talent and ended up getting so much in return for that time?
MATT: We have been extremely blessed with our volunteers. I talk alot about becoming a travel family when new volunteers arrive and it holds true every time. I can’t just pinpoint one single moment, but I can say is we receive many notes after they volunteer and they continue to say the same thing. “I signed up to help change lives, but it’s truly amazing how these communities have changed mine.” ∎
Learn more about The 4North Project: www.4north.org
76 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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FIND STORIES, STATS & SUPPORT
FOR THE CAUSES THAT TIE US ALL TOGETHER
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It’s about going beyond compliance. It’s going beyond words. KEELY CAT-WELLS
FOUNDER & CEO OF C TALENT 78 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KEELY CAT-WELLS
‘C’ IS FOR CHANGE
A NEW VIEW AND VISION FOR DISABILITY IN ENTERTAINMENT Reframing the view and rewriting the definition of disability on and off stage, Keely Cat-Wells, Founder & CEO of C Talent, is redefining disability as it’s been previously seen and heard in entertainment. She’s built a platform for those with disabilities to take center stage and claim the spotlight they more than deserve. ALLIÉ: Seeing is believing. This, it seems, should be reverse engineered. After all, seeing is just one of our 6 senses… taste, smell, vision, hearing, touch and… awareness. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Please share, Keely, about invisible disability and your intimate experience with it.
KEELY: I definitely have struggled with that nuance… Because you can't see it, people often don't believe it. I struggled with misdiagnosis and being undiagnosed for a very long time. I used to be a dancer and that's when I got sick. I remember going from doctor to doctor and waiting list to waiting list but every single person, consultant, doctor or nurse that I would see would say it was an eating disorder… even if I didn’t have any eating disorder. They were treating it so badly. I think there's so much misinformation about mental illness and about invisible disabilities or hidden disabilities or non-apparent disabilities or whichever term you prefer to use. And I just remember not being taken seriously for so, so long. It was only when things got so bad that people started to take me seriously. I've
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79 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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We need to look at the conversation from rather than being equal, to being equitable. KEELY CAT-WELLS
FOUNDER & CEO OF C TALENT 80 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“…we are not disabled because of our impairments; we’re disabled because of the social barriers that surround us.” KEELY: (continued) definitely learned never, ever judge a book by its cover. Never, ever judge what anyone is going through because you will never know the deep depths of someone's situation. I became disabled when I was 17 and now have a permanent kind of hidden disability… but not hidden. If you see my stomach, it's very weird. And yeah, interesting nuances for sure.
ALLIÉ: Misguided, misinformed, mistake… ‘Misdiagnosis’ is a mistake that happens far too often. We’re guilty of ‘faking’ before we’re acknowledged innocent – a result of someone not checking boxes that couldn’t be checked for diagnosis that was suspect. How do we help validate those who can’t find validation?
KEELY: There are so many broken systems in this world that we live in, and I think we have to stand up for each other. I know, ‘stand up’ is relatively ableist and comes from ableist language, but take action together. And I think it shouldn't be on the individual. I remember fighting so hard, and that itself put so much strain on my health. I just didn't feel like I could speak to anyone. I didn’t feel like I could get support from anyone, because I didn't think anyone would understand. It was only when I turned to social media and created a social media page that I actually found a community of people who were dealing with what I was dealing with, and I didn't feel as lonely. And as a collective, even though we weren't together as it was all via social, I could share my experiences. They would share what worked for them. I would share what worked for me, resources, and approaches. It’s taking on a bigger scale and working as a team, not necessarily with everyone having the same lived experience. We all have very different experiences but really getting allies on board and working together to make that systemic change is crucial.
ALLIÉ: You are not just a woman. I am not just a race. We are not just our disability. We are beyond all of that. When it comes to ‘disability’, how do we break the barriers and omit that from our definition and reference? How do we shift from ‘the deaf girl’ to ‘the girl’?
KEELY: It all starts with accessibility… At C Talent, we go by the social model of disability where we are not disabled because of our impairments; we’re disabled because of the social barriers that surround us. For instance, when I've got everything I need or my medical supplies, I’m not disabled, but when I don't have any of my medical supplies or I can't get access to what I need, then I'm disabled by society.
There's also that stigma. Sure, I'm a disabled entrepreneur, and I'm proud of it. It's taken a lot of time to definitely get to the point to say I'm proud of being a disabled entrepreneur or I'm proud of being a disabled person. I think if we disassociate and manage to get rid of those stigmas and stereotypes, then we can be identified as whatever we want. When we identify as ‘disabled’ people, it shouldn't be looked down on as it is. I think there's a lot of negative connotations to the word disabled because of the misinformation, the stereotypes and the stigmas that have been portrayed about us or written by non-disabled people… I mean, we could go back years and years, decades or even centuries. Where did we go wrong? Where did the disabled people get all of these horrible stigmas and stereotypes? I think rather than taking the emphasis off disassociating ourselves from the word disabled, I think it's disassociating the stigmas and stereotypes from the word so we can be loud and proud about our identities. 81 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“We don't need special treatment… we need equity.” ALLIÉ: So, this next question… “So close, yet so far away.” A bit ‘Hall and Oates’ in wondering where we’re at. It seems like when it comes to the conversation about disability so many people are talking, yet so few are ‘doing’. What are your thoughts? Are we so close or so far away from where we need to be?
KEELY: I think both. I think in terms of legislation, for instance, obviously the ADA and in the UK, the Equalities Act, these pieces of legislation are so crucial and so important, but I feel like society has got so stuck in this rut of comfortability. It's there, that's cool, let's be compliant, and then we're good. There's a law in place, we are good and totally fine… I think people completely miss the fact that we are people. We’re humans and we are not always going to be tied to the laws. We have needs, wants and desires outside of what those laws currently provide us. They're still so restrictive. In other systems, policies and procedures within companies, as they're getting built, that gets lost. The human aspect of people who are disabled gets lost.
There has been so much action, and there have been so many trail blazing disability activists who have got us to this point today. I feel so lucky to live in a world where I don't have to struggle near as much as I would have, if this was just 10 or 30 years ago. That being said, we still have so much work to do in terms of representation, in terms of policies, systems, procedures, and even laws. It’s eliminating laws like Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which is a law that still allows for disabled people in many states to be paid sub minimum wage. We need to look at the conversation from rather than being equal, to being equitable. Often that term gets misconstrued. We need equity — true equity. We don't need special treatment. We don't always necessarily need equal, but we need equity.
People need to definitely keep those conversations going, but also take action from those conversations. I love seeing all of the movements that come out and companies taking pledges and doing various things, but let's actually take action. That can be as small as having live captions on your videos. Automated captions are great, but let's go beyond compliance. Instead of just wearing a shirt that says I support this cause, it's actually making sure that everyone who's attending the event has access to it. It's about going beyond compliance. It’s going beyond words.
ALLIÉ: Let’s talk C Talent. Your words, Keely… "I believe to change the world we have to learn to tell and listen to a new set of stories about the world we want to create, in accessible spaces and with authentic voices." Please tell us about C Talent and your work to redefine disability.
KEELY: As I mentioned, I went through so many health issues… I became disabled when I was 17 years old, and I was in love with the entertainment industry. It had been my entire life. I was so passionate about it. And then all of a sudden, I lost a job because of ableism in Hollywood. I quickly realized that this problem of me losing a job is much bigger than me and this one job. It’s a huge systemic problem not just tied to this industry. Obviously, I was very disappointed, and it took a long time to get over the fact that I lost a job because of my lived experience or because of my new situation with disability. But then I put into practice different things I'd learned in the entertainment industry and started representing talent. I started helping disabled talent get work and educating those companies on how to create access for our talent so they can go on set and just concentrate on the work. They don't have to worry about not having access to something or educating the people they're on set with; they can go on set and just do their job of what they're actually there to do. 82 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘C’ IS FOR CHANGE
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KEELY: (continued) Slowly but surely, we started this company, C Talent, initially representing disabled actors and then behind-the-camera talent as well. Now we represent influencers, filmmakers, and the whole gamut of different talent. We also consult for companies, helping them become accessible and inclusive beyond compliance. Now we’re adding tech to our business. It's evolving so much, just as the disabled community is always constantly evolving, and I'm always learning something new. I really want this industry to not just have on-screen representation of the world that we live in, but also make sure that they are putting in gold practices of accessibility internally, in their corporate structures so it's accessible and inclusive. It’s really just creating a system that society can look at and say we should do that too.
ALLIÉ: Allow me to sing your praises, Keely… CEO and Founder of C Talent, named a Forbes 30 Under 30 Entertainment honouree, Diana Award winner, an AdWeek Young Influential, GBEA Young Entrepreneur of the Year, appointed as an Advisory Board Member to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, a Forbes Contributor, Disability Subject Matter Expert for companies and organizations including, The LEGO Group, United Nations, Google, UCLA, NBC, Vidmob, Advertising Week, No Barriers USA, Toronto International Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, The Valuable 500, and Virgin Media’s Ultraviolet event among others. That’s a lot. What’s next for you? What’s next for C Talent?
KEELY: I am so excited that we are working with, learning from, and creating with so many different, incredible disabled artists in front of and behind the camera. Internally at C Talent, we have new talent managers coming up through the ranks. We’re working with the community to help open some doors wider and to such an untapped pool of talent that hasn't had the opportunity to shine in so many ways before. It’s not just down to us or our work. This is down to an entire community fighting for so long to get in the door. So, I'm really excited that we can be a small part of such a big movement. We are consistently growing. We are building out our departments right now, and we're actually also working to get a bill passed in Michigan to hopefully enable us to build a film studio — an accessible studio designed with disabled people in mind in the Midwest. I'm super excited about that.
I just love learning from the talent that we work with. Every day is such a joy, to be able to work with people who you can empathize with and also want to see on screen. It’s the future. It’s super exciting. ∎
Learn more about C Talent: www.ctalent.org
And stay tuned to hear more from Keely Cat-Wells & C Talent with their upcoming exclusive column in AwareNow Magazine entitled ‘Representation Matters’.
83 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Behind the smiling and laughing there’s a silent struggle… JONATHAN KOHANSKI
OPEN WATER SWIMMER, PHOTOGRAPHER & MS WARRIOR 84 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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PERSONAL STORY BY JONATHAN KOHANSKI
CHRONIC RUMINATIONS A STORY OF THE SILENT STRUGGLE
I had gone out one night over the fall with someone (I’ll call her Paula since I don’t know a Paula) and was meeting her for the first time. Maybe it was pride, stubbornness, or an insane belief that even after 17 years with MS, that I was just like everybody else. Whatever the case may be, I wanted to look and feel “normal”.
I was meeting Paula to see some music and as open as I am about MS, and my life in general, don’t want to appear that I am somehow extra work, a liability, or burden. As I stumbled a bit, trying and having trouble navigating an uneven sidewalk at night, Paula, almost instinctively, grabbed my arm to help steady me, it was a pretty embarrassing moment… 42 years old, unable to let go of my pride, make the right decision, and use the cane. Great first impression, and great attempt at trying to feel normal.
March is MS awareness month. 17 years ago, at the age of 25, my MS diagnosis was hard to come to terms with. Here was a disease that literally appeared overnight for me, hiking one day and then barely able to walk unassisted the next. It doesn’t get much faster than that and my life morphed overnight like I was in the twilight zone. My balance was now gone, never to come back completely.
Doctors continue trying to unravel MS and as much as they know and have learned, still can’t predict, and ultimately tell patients, what their life is going to look and be like in the years ahead. 17 years of visits to neurologists and MS clinics and I can tell you exactly what could happen, I’ve seen it with my own eyes and what could happen isn’t the scariest part of MS for me. As I get older, as the disease progresses and symptoms worsen, what scares me most is the prospect of potentially relying on others to help me. It’s my fear of being a burden.
MS can be an extremely isolating disease, it limits hobbies, where I go, the activities I do with people. MS is embarrassing, it leaves me feeling like I’m being judged, that my own worth has somehow been diminished by something I have no ability to define, control, or fix.
At 25 I was upset about my diagnosis, upset about the lost potential, normalcy, my physical abilities. MS has changed my life and lead me down paths that I likely wouldn’t have gone down otherwise. I’m happy with who I am, but do I still struggle? Every day. I struggle physically and mentally.
There’s nothing that can really prepare you for the changes. Even after 17 years, the lessons keep coming, people come and go, the mental health aspect (of the chronic illnesses, MS has the highest rates of depression, around 50%), the perpetual uncertainty, the fear and anxieties, or infinite desire to feel normal again. Behind the smiling and laughing there’s a silent struggle that I’m not sure anybody can fully understand until they have to live it as well.
85 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Going back to that evening with Paula, while being embarrassing, it offered a slight glimmer of hope. There are people out there who care without being asked, show kindness, and understanding rather than jokes, and toxic positivity. As of right now, nothing is going to bring the feeling in my hands back, it’s not going to fix my balance, or miraculously cure my fear of the future and the uncertainty it holds, but then again love, compassion and caring won’t either, but they at least make it bearable. ∎
JONATHAN KOHANSKI
Open Water Swimmer, Photographer & MS Warrior
www.awarenessties.us/jonathan-kohanski Hi, I'm Jonathan, I'm a wanderer of sorts, looking to further enrich lives and share experiences that show we are all capable of truly amazing feats that push my own boundaries and can many times turn heads. I'm a sucker for raw and real stories and attempt to share my own, with all the good and bad through that same lens. I'm always open to finding my next adventure that will help me to continue writing the stories that can help others overcome their own demons. I'm a lover of the water and spend a lot of my free time in it, whether it be swimming, body-boarding, or taking photographs while in it. I was diagnosed with MS at the age of 25 and it has changed the course of my life, not just in a physical sense, but also in my perspective of life, what is valuable to me and worthy of my time. We all have our struggles and triumphs, I'm here to share mine and maybe, help others through theirs.
86 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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SIP OF HOPE IS THE WORLD'S FIRST COFFEE SHOP WHERE 100% OF THE PROCEEDS SUPPORT PROACTIVE SUICIDE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION. Prevention starts with a conversation, and the conversation starts here. To learn how you can break the silence, visit SIPOFHOPE.COM
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This is a battle I’m ready to fight… LISA BOWMAN
SPEAKER, CONSULTANT & AUTHOR OF HARASSHOLE 88 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH LISA BOWMAN
HARASSHOLE
A TRUE STORY CALLING OUT THE UNCALLED FOR It takes guts to stand up for what’s right when others choose to run, as opposed to fight. While many walk away from adversity, Lisa Bowman stood and stayed to speak and publish the truth. Too many women are harassed, inappropriately talked to or grasped. Too often these actions are seen, and too often the only consequences come to the harassee, not the harasser. ‘Harasshole’ is Lisa Bowman’s narrative of her journey from award-winning Chief Marketing Officer at “America’s Favorite Charity”, United Way, to her allegations of harassment and retaliation that eventually resulted in her termination. ALLIÉ: From dream to nightmare, Lisa, for those who haven’t followed your story in the press, please share what happened at the United Way, from the dream job to the nightmare it became.
LISA: I spent fifteen years at UPS, the last several in The UPS Foundation, where as part of my role, I oversaw the company’s United Way campaign, and grew it significantly. In 2015, I was recruited by the CEO of United Way, Brian Gallagher, for a global CMO role. It gave me the ability to do what I really wanted; using my skills as a marketer to ensure some person somewhere I’d likely never meet would have a better tomorrow because of work I did today or yesterday.
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89 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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90 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“I never in a million years was worried about retaliation–although hindsight being 2020 (no pun intended), I should have.” LISA: (continued) I started in November of 2015 and quickly realized this was my DREAM job; I loved it. That all changed in late 2017 when I was asked by the CEO to interview a candidate for a peer role on the executive team. The interview was off to an odd start from the moment I introduced myself. I’m five feet tall–maybe 5’4” in heels. He stepped very close to me–into my personal space,and his response to “Hi, I’m Lisa Bowman” was to look down at me (he’s about 6’2”) and say, “FGee, you’re really intimidating”. The rest of the interview was also “off” with him making some other inappropriate comments. Long story short, he was hired and immediately began to be antagonistic towards me, often making nasty comments which were then usually followed by a compliment which almost always was about my appearance rather than my work product or the value I brought to the organization. This persisted for ~ fifteen months until February of 2019 when I had two women on my team, younger women of color, share with me his behavior towards them. I had no reason to doubt what they said as it was totally consistent with what I’d both personally experienced and observed. This is a really important point–people very rarely believe “her” in these instances whereas the perpetrator is almost always considered innocent until guilty. I was obligated by policy to report what they had shared. Two weeks later, I had to report him on my own behalf. From that moment on, I had a target on my back. I fully believe that the CEO spent the remainder of 2019 trying to get me to quit; my performance was downgraded for no reason even though my metrics were exceeding expectations, resources were removed from my team yet the workload wasn't adjusted commensurate with the staffing. I was omitted from key meetings. When that failed, he terminated me in January of 2020, telling me simply, “I don;t need you anymore. Get with HR and work something out”.
ALLIÉ: While sexual harassment in the workplace happens a lot, reporting sexual harassment doesn’t. In fact, nearly all sexual harassment at work goes unreported – and those who do report often see zero benefit. Knowing this, Lisa, why did you choose to report the harassment you experienced?
LISA: I had to. First and foremost, we had a policy that mandated it. Second of all, it was impacting my ability to do my job. Not my performance, but my job. I was anxious and started to experience physical symptoms as a result. I was distracted–worried about avoiding interactions with him. I also knew he was harassing others; as a leader i had a policy AND a moral obligation to address this in an effort to get it to stop and ensure that we had a safe workplace. I never in a million years was worried about retaliation–although hindsight being 2020 (no pun intended), I should have. A 2020 study by Time’s Up indicated that more than seven out of ten people who reported sexual harassment in the workplace said they also faced some form of retaliation, up to and including being fired.
ALLIÉ: The decision to go public with your story came down to making a choice of either protecting the safety of your career or preserving the substance of your character. You chose the latter. For that I, along with so many women, thank you. The ultimatum you were given was unjust to say the least. How do we change this?
LISA: My grandmother instilled in me that “you can never go wrong by doing right” and that’s the code I live by, so I guess preservation of character wasn’t necessarily a conscious choice. It’s 2022, SIX YEARS after the start of the #MeToo movement that was supposed to change this. I don’t feel like things are really changing. Employers need to own up and start practicing what they preach. We have policies, we have statements about zero tolerance. My former employer did. They not only didn't protect me from my harasser, they enabled him and emboldened him by not having him face consequences. Trust me, nobody wants to have to go sit in HR and talk about this, but please take people seriously when they tell you this is happening. I risked the safety of my career, again, without being fully cognizant that would happen. I can’t get a job–in a market where companies can’t find people to hire. I’ve had job offers yanked. My last interview a few weeks ago, I had the head of the organization ask for my assurance that if they hired me, I wouldn't be “a problem” there. That in and of itself is a problem. I withdrew my candidacy–there was already bias against me. Companies should WANT to hire people that do the right thing. 91 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
AwareNow Podcast
HARASSHOLE
Exclusive Interview with Lisa Bowman
https://awarenow.us/podcast/harasshole
TAP/SCAN TO LISTEN
“The longer we stay quiet, the easier it is for this behavior to stay hidden in the shadows.” ALLIÉ: As opposed to persecution, your goal with this book is prevention. Saving employees and employers from this hell is why you wrote this book and created a program entitled ‘The Empowered Employee’ which pulls insights from the book into 8 actionable steps that empower both employees and employers. Can you share just one of these 8 steps here and now?
LISA: Bystander intervention training is critical. Everyone should have the responsibility; “see something, say something”. People in my organization knew what was happening to me but nobody–absolutely NOBODy stepped in or stepped up. They were too worried about also being retaliated against. We need to empower people to hold each other accountable. The HR folks will hate me for this, but truly, it will help reduce instances if done right. There are multiple Bystander Intervention frameworks sometimes using the 3Ds: Direct, Distract, Delegate, or even the newer 5Ds, which include Delay and Document. This is how we start to make small steps towards change.
ALLIÉ: For women who are dealing with harassment in the workplace and afraid to come forward because of potential retaliation, what advice would you give?
LISA: Speak up. The longer we stay quiet, the easier it is for this behavior to stay hidden in the shadows. It’s only when we come together and raise our voices collectively we become too quiet to ignore. There’s safety in numbers. This is a battle I’m ready to fight–it needs to change. And now. ∎
"What makes this story different is that we hear, and are used to hearing, about these issues every day in entertainment, sports, the government and corporate America. We haven’t heard it much in the Non-Profit sector, and surely, it happens. What rings sad here is that these are the very people who are tasked with doing good for our larger society.”
Gretchen Carlson
Co-Founder Lift Our Voices, Female Empowerment Advocate, Journalist, Author
Available Now via Amazon: https://awarenow.us/book/harasshole
Learn more about the Lisa and her book: www.harasshole.com
92 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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94 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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ORIGINAL POEM BY GLORIA DONALDSON PROUDLY SHARED BY EDDIE DONALDSON
FINDING
ADVICE ON FINDING YOURSELF BY GLORIA DONALDSON This original poem by Gloria Donaldson, submitted by her son, reminds us all to look within for what we seek to find outside ourselves — faith, truth and love that’s been waiting within all along. Don’t be closed. Dare to be open. Nice things can happen when you are open for it. Find your faith in yourself. Find truth in yourself. Find love in yourself… Maybe then, you won’t expect so much from others.
95 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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I want the international community to know the story of the Khider District massacre. ABDULLAH
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ENGLISH TEACHER (IN HIDING) Photo Credit: Scott Chapman & Russ Pritchard 96 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘HOPE FOR AFGHANISTAN’ EXCLUSIVE SERIES BY RUSS PRITCHARD & ALLIÉ MCGUIRE
UNKEPT PROMISES & UNYIELDING HOPE
AN UNSEEN MASSACRE & AN UNRELENTING DRIVE TO SURVIVE TRIGGER WARNING: THIS TRUE STORY FEATURES GRAPHIC IMAGES THAT MAY BE DISTURBING.
I'm here with Russ Pritchard, founder of the Afghan Medical Corps and the Afghan Supply Corps, who lives here in the United States. Joining us, we have Abdullah who is hiding in Herat, Afghanistan. While there are 6,600 miles between them, they have stayed connected with constant communication that began in September of last year after the Taliban took control upon the departure of U.S. and NATO forces. Almost every day, Russ and Abdullah speak about survival. Abdullah was previously involved in a U.S. Department of State project. He and his relatives are in constant danger now, as a promise of evacuation in exchange for information was not kept. Today, Russ and Abdullah join me to share the story behind the story. It's a story that's unknown until now. Our hope is that it is heard and never forgotten. - Allié McGuire ALLIÉ: Let’s start with what was in the news on August 30th, 2021. We saw the last U.S. military flight leave Afghanistan. Everyone has seen that iconic photo as the plane left the tarmac at HKIA airport. What we did not see was the massacre that took place on the same day, at the same time, in the Khider District. Let's begin there. Abdullah would you like to start? What happened on that day?
ABDULLAH: On August 30, 2021, the Taliban executed a group of National Directorate Security officers in the Khider District of the Daykundi Province. They killed eleven of them and two civilians in the Spargag Village. A truce had been negotiated which granted immunity to the thirty-five NDS officers. The Taliban made them a promise not to kill them and to let them return to their families. Unfortunately, the Taliban broke their promise. Upon surrendering, the Taliban surrounded them, made them form a line, and started binding their hands. They were all Hazara which the Taliban hate, and many were married with children.
RUSS: I think it's important to mention that it was a truce negotiated by the local elders and local clergy, and the NDS officers had every reason to believe the promises would be honored if they surrendered their weapons and vehicles. They were assured immunity because when the elders and religious leaders make those kinds of promises they are supposed to be kept, right?
ABDULLAH: Yes. On that day, the village elders and the head of the clergy, or Mullah, guaranteed their safety if they came to the Spargag Village to surrender. When the NDS officers came to the village, they were told they would be surrendering to a Red Brigade unit of the Taliban. They are the most dangerous group in the Taliban. They are merciless and kill many women and children. They don’t care about human life. They just know killing and nothing else. When the NDS officers saw the Red Brigade unit approaching, they knew they were going to be executed so they ran in many different directions. The Taliban Red Brigade soldiers opened fire. This story was not reported by the news media. It was barely reported in Afghanistan. The Taliban won’t let news of their daily murders be told. Here and now, I wish the story of this massacre to be known. I want the international community to know the story of the Khider District massacre and what is happening to the people in Afghanistan who helped the United States. While it is very hard for me to talk about, I am here now in hiding talking to you from Afghanistan. 97 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
It’s genocide. ABDULLAH
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ENGLISH TEACHER (IN HIDING) Photo Credit: Scott Chapman & Russ Pritchard 98 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“Every hour of every day, the Taliban kill innocent people, and it is not a crime.” RUSS: One of the things I wish to convey is while eleven of the thirteen massacred were NDS officers, two civilians were also killed. There was chaos. The NDS surrendered thinking they would be granted immunity. When they realized they were going to be executed, the officers dispersed, running into the Spargag Village. The Taliban Red Brigade unit fired indiscriminately into the crowd. One of the two civilians who was killed was a young teenage Hazara girl. She was hit by a rocket propelled grenade, an RPG, and blown to bits. There was nothing left of her to even bury. It's important to name some of the main Taliban commanders who were involved. There was Mullah Aminullah, Governor of the Daykundi Province, and also, Muhammad Ali Sedaqat, the Taliban General in Command of the Daykundi Province. The presence of the Red Brigade unit is indication there was never an intention of keeping the promise of surrender for immunity.
ABDULLAH: There were three hundred Taliban in the village when the thirty-five NDS officers arrived for the truce. Three hundred Taliban with fully equipped Red Brigade units to attack and kill innocent people. Just another broken promise in Afghanistan.
ALLIÉ: Wow. That's a story, one of many stories that has not been heard. I go back to the numbers of the dead at the Spargag village – thirteen. We heard about the thirteen Marines killed at the Abbey Gate. I think there were only a few days between the deaths of the thirteen Marines and the thirteen massacred in the Khider District. For those who don’t know, are things getting easier or worse for the people of Afghanistan because I think a lot of people think things are fine. Like, we are done with that and have moved on. Have we? Or is it just the beginning of something becoming more and more difficult to manage?
RUSS: I can answer that. It’s a humanitarian crisis. It’s a disaster that is only mitigated by hundreds of civilians around the world moved by conscience and loyalty to Afghans. It’s a response by people connected by the internet – a digital fight to save lives, feed the starving, and render medical care to a population abandoned by the rest of the world. It’s getting worse by the day, and accurate data is either not kept or suppressed. The heroes are the Afghans trying to survive, the digital army of volunteers who sacrifice their personal lives, and the private foundations who write the checks. In the last couple weeks, the Taliban have commenced what they call a “clearing operation” and they go house to house. They conduct surveillance with drones. They go into homes with canine units, and they search for weapons, military uniforms, any kind of evidence of a relationship of someone who worked with the United States or NATO forces. The consequences are severe. Doctors I communicate with say bodies come into the hospital and are placed in containers, not even sent to the cold temperatures of the morgue. They are shot in the head and labelled as “homeless.” Any events in Afghanistan are obviated by the news that's going on in Ukraine. Many of us feel that the Taliban have been able to hide behind that media veil, because everything is focused on Ukraine.
ABDULLAH: The people of Afghanistan believe the world is not aware of the reality that faces Afghans who supported the United States. Every hour of every day, the Taliban kill innocent people, and it is not a crime. It’s genocide. Killing is a habit Taliban enjoys. It’s been seven months that we are living in hiding every day. Every day and night, I hear the shooting. I know it is people being killed, but there is no one to broadcast this. None of us have rights as a human in Afghanistan if we are not Taliban. They especially target ethnic minorities. They see it as 99 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
They see it as ‘cleansing’ Afghanistan, and the Taliban seize the opportunity to kill those they see as their enemies. ABDULLAH
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ENGLISH TEACHER (IN HIDING) Photo Credit: Scott Chapman & Russ Pritchard 100 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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I know some day it will be our turn to die if we remain in Afghanistan… If you want to know who keeps us alive with hope, it’s Russ. ABDULLAH: (continued) ‘cleansing’ Afghanistan, and the Taliban seize the opportunity to kill those they see as their enemies. Three of the massacred in the Khider District were my relatives. The Commander of the surrendering NDS unit was my relative. He survived and has left the country. The son of one of one of the deceased hides with us. We know the Taliban are looking for our family. They will kill us when they find us. They want no evidence to be told about the massacre.
ALLIÉ: Considering everything you have been through, considering the unkept promises and what you live with every day where is it that you find hope? What gives you hope each day?
ABDULLAH: I know some day it will be our turn to die if we remain in Afghanistan. The only source of hope I have, that my family has ever had, is Russ. He is always, always helping others. He never quits. He never sleeps. Russ is a hero to the people of Afghanistan. Many people in my country know him. He is a true hero. He feeds people, gives medical care to the sick, delivers babies, and saves lives. if you want to know who keeps us alive with hope, it’s Russ.
RUSS: Thank you, brother. I’m always here.
ALLIÉ: Do you know what inspires me? In all of this horrid darkness, there is light from the relationship that you, Russ and Abdullah, have been able to sustain. There isn't another choice but to go forward. It is through one story at a time that we see things happen, and opportunities present themselves that maybe didn't exist before. It is our hope by sharing this story, your situation will be seen and will be heard. For the many others who are out there who go unseen and unheard, we know of the many unkept promises that need to be kept. We need to find ways to keep them.
RUSS: I think the biggest morale killer has been the unkept promises. In September 2021 my writing partner, Scott Chapman, noted author and U.S. Army Ranger, and I met Abdullah and learned of the Khider Massacre. We were introduced by a U.S. Government subject matter expert known as a GS 13 CENTCOM SME who had concerns the story of the Khider Massacre would never be told. At the time, I was editing Chapman’s manuscript of twenty-two deployments to Afghanistan over fifteen years, and we were writing stories of Afghans in peril for the volunteer group, Operation Freedom Birds. We were all asked by James Young, President of Operation Freedom Birds to put as much information together on the massacre as possible, which included numerous photographs, first-hand accounts, any and all collaborating evidence and images. Young promised Chapman and me a meeting with Condoleeza Rice in California and immediate testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Several weeks went by with Young, Chapman, Abdullah, Loren Bembry, and me working on an ever-growing Power Point presentation on the Khider District Massacre that was kept on a shared Google file at Freedom Birds. Young promised Abdullah’s family in hiding the first eleven seats on the very first plane out of Kabul and told them they would be testifying before Congress within thirty days. He assigned a woman named Tracy Cullo to communicate with Abdullah to get his information directly to the Department of State for emergency priority evacuation. It was a huge risk for Abdullah and all his family members to gather photographs and information because if found by the Taliban, they would most certainly be killed. Their motivation was knowing they would soon be out of Afghanistan, in the United States, and testifying before Congress. They wanted to tell the story to the world in which almost a quarter of the people massacred were their family members.
101 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
I am not exactly sure how to put into words what we experience every day… I am, or rather I was, an English teacher for the U.S. State Department… I should know words. ABDULLAH
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ENGLISH TEACHER (IN HIDING) Photo Credit: Scott Chapman & Russ Pritchard 102 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“I want the world to hear the story of the killings that continue in Afghanistan, the brutality against those who supported the United States, the raping of women, the selling of children, the lack of food and medicine. Should I go on? I can…” RUSS: (continued) It never happened. The Power Point presentation was completed and polished by James Young of Freedom Birds, and then nothing. There was no interview with Condoleeza Rice. There was no presentation before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. There was no presentation before Congress. Abdullah’s family of eleven is still in hiding because there was no plane with eleven seats on it. Hell, Young even filmed me at the Afghan Embassy in DC telling the story of the Khider Massacre, and when I refused to take a political stand against the Biden administration by stressing I was apolitical, the tape got buried, and no one has seen it since.
Unkept promises. It’s a theme in Afghanistan. So, Abdullah and I have had no choice. As brothers, a term of endearment in Afghanistan, we go day by day and keep fighting to keep his family alive and get out of Afghanistan. Sadly, the unkept promises continued because that same group, Operation Freedom Birds and James Young, would not contribute money when it came time to keep Abdullah’s family warm and fed during the winter. Fortunately, through the U Foundation and the foresight and generosity of Marcel and Barry Oberholzer, we were able to buy a wood burning stove and have it installed in the one room hiding place of Abdullah’s family. The U Foundation paid for food, clothing, and blankets. Barry Oberholzer checked with me weekly and made sure this family survived the winter.
We're in March now. We're still struggling day by day. They're still there. They're still in hiding.
ALLIÉ: It's truly unbelievable, and yet with such grace, you both are here sharing this story. I think this story will give others hope. Just the fact that you and your family are still here Abdullah to tell your story is a reason for hope. What else is it out there that you want and need people outside of Afghanistan to know and understand what is going on inside your country.
ABDULLAH: I am not exactly sure how to put into words what we experience every day because this is something completely new to me. I am, or rather I was, an English teacher for the U.S. State Department. I should know words. For seven months, eleven of us have hidden one room waiting for death from the Taliban should they find us. There are children with us. We have lost everything. We have lost our freedom. We have lost our education. It is meaningless. At times we have lost our hope. The promises by Mr. Young of Freedom Birds turned out to be lies. There was never a plane. There was never an invitation from the U.S. Congress. I have my suspicions as to why he wanted all the information about the massacre. We took and still take all the risk. I’ve learned politicians are not to be trusted. Only Russ and the U Foundation have been there for us. They run the Afghan Medical Corps and the Afghan Supply Corps. Without them, we would have frozen or starved to death this past winter. They have fed so many. They have fed tens of thousands.
I want the world to know the power of an individual. I want the world to know the power of what one determined person can do when he resolves to never quit. I want our voices heard. I want the story of the Khider Massacre heard. I want the voices of Afghans heard. I want the world to hear the story of the killings that continue in Afghanistan, the brutality against those who supported the United States, the raping of women, the selling of children, the lack of food and medicine. Should I go on? I can. I want action. The world must help the victims of Afghanistan because every day our numbers lessen by those murdered from the day before. 103 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
It’s not in your news. No one knows what goes on in Afghanistan except for those who live here… ABDULLAH
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ENGLISH TEACHER (IN HIDING) Photo Credit: Scott Chapman & Russ Pritchard 104 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“It’s not just about food and clothes; it’s about the connection you have been able to make… It’s about the lives you have touched and saved along the way.” RUSS: It should be noted that Abdullah and his family are very well educated.
ABDULLAH: Yes. I was in the last semester of my master’s program when the Taliban seized power. I have brothers and sisters who were in the University or getting ready to go to the University. All that is lost. My father is a well-known supporter of women’s rights. He is a published author on the subject. Now, women can no longer attend school, and my brothers cannot go outside. Their right to education; their hope for education has been stolen from them. We all lost hope. Russ keeps our hope alive. Sometimes it’s with food and wood. Sometimes we just need to hear his voice, see his text.
RUSS: Abdullah worked for a State Department sponsored project. He supported the United States. It's hard to comprehend that a year ago, part of his family were just a bunch of kids in college.
ABDULLAH: Yes, that was a lifetime ago. Our lives, and the lives for most in Afghanistan, are very different now. It is not in your news. No one knows what goes on in Afghanistan except for the people who live here and those around the world who live on the internet trying to help us. I know Russ communicates with people in England, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Canada, and many other countries to help Afghans. He wears a bracelet you know. It says “Never Quit.” He has promised me one when we meet. We already have so many memories in the seven months we have known each other. He keeps his promises.
RUSS: Abdullah and I talk almost every day. Sometimes we talk several times a day. One day I will always remember is the first time we were able to deliver food and wood to his family. It was early winter. His family had no source of heat, and food had run out. Morale was shot. I remember when Abdullah called as the supplies were unloaded. There was this connection I felt.
For a moment, even though 6,600 miles away, I felt as if I was there in the room with them. I can’t explain it, but I felt the heat as the fire was lit and the room warmed. I could smell the food cooking on the stove top.
ABDULLAH: Yes. That was a very happy day for my family. We were as one family with Russ and his family. I felt like Russ was here. It was as if he found a way to our house and came in to say hello. I remember that day even now. I always will.
ALLIÉ: That's beautiful. It's interesting how much you get when you give. Russ, for you to be able to give through your Afghan Medical Corps and the Afghan Supply Corps, and the school you have created for Afghan pilots in the United States, you receive support both financially and spiritually from Marcel and Barry Oberholzer and their U Foundation. There is a symbiosis transcending and emanating from all of you that should inspire others. It’s not just about food and clothes; it’s about the connection you have been able to make with others; it’s about the lives you have touched and saved along the way. 105 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
I will never lose hope… I will never quit. ABDULLAH
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ENGLISH TEACHER (IN HIDING) Photo Credit: Scott Chapman & Russ Pritchard 106 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
AwareNow Podcast
UNKEPT PROMISES & UNYIELDING HOPE
Exclusive Interview with Russ Pritchard & Abdullah
https://awarenow.us/podcast/unkept-promises
TAP/SCAN TO LISTEN
“The world needs to know what is happening to the people of Afghanistan. Save my family of eleven hiding in one room for seven months…” ABDULLAH: Russ is a great source of hope for me and my family, Whatever he shares, I share with my family and all who I know. So many people know him in Afghanistan.
ALLIÉ: So, you keep going, keep talking, you keep finding ways to stay alive. I have so much respect for the both of you. Despite unkept promises, you show that there is this unyielding hope, this never quit attitude. It’s an example for all to follow who wish to make this planet a better place. It’s the power of one human who won’t quit no matter the obstacles. This has been quite a special conversation. Is there anything else that either of you would like to share?
RUSS: I’d like to state this interview is quite unique. You have an Afghan, hiding in Afghanistan, on the phone. You have the story of the Khider Massacre which no one in the States knows better than Scott Chapman and me. No one in Afghanistan knows the story of the Khider Massacre better than Abdullah. It’s a highly unusual opportunity for voices from two continents to be heard. It’s my honor and my privilege to work for the people of Afghanistan.
ABDULLAH: The world needs to know what is happening to the people of Afghanistan. Save my family of eleven hiding in one room for seven months; keep your promises; you can save Afghanistan if you want to.
ALLIÉ: It seems with all this sacrifice and devotion of service, there must be a solution.
RUSS (laughing): That’s easy. Get me a really big airplane; one with a capacity for about 225,000. Abdullah’s family can be one of my neighbors.
ABDULLAH: Inshallah. I'm waiting for that. I'm waiting for the call that it is the time to pack up and leave the country. I will never lose hope, and like Russ, I will never quit.
ALLIÉ: What an exceptional bond the two of you have. This is an extraordinary story, one that needs to be read, told, and heard so people can become more aware. I second that motion for a really big plane. Russ knows plenty of Afghan pilots who would be willing to fly it. Thank you both for your time. Abdullah, thank you for calling in from Afghanistan. It is not lost on me that you are surrounded by ten other people in one room listening to our conversation. It is not lost on me that there are Taliban checkpoints all around you. Stay safe. ∎ 107 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
…it’s how we rise after we fall that determines our ascension. CHARLOTTE ALEXANDRA
FOUNDER & CEO OF CULTUROSITY 108 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘FEARLESS’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY CHARLOTTE ALEXANDRA
ASCENSION
SMALL STEPS LEADING TO BIG CHANGES Its not about the destination. it’s about the journey… The only way you’re going to reach your destination is by taking one step at a time in the direction of your dreams. Even if you can’t see the end of the road, by taking small steps down an unknown path you can create big changes. Sometimes we are afraid to take the first step because the path is unclear, the goal seems to far away, or we’re anxious because we can’t see over the mountaintops. Or perhaps we’re scared of heights. But when we follow our curiosity and find our inner strength, we realise that the climb is the most significant part of reaching our goals.
Personally, this month I ve been struggling to crawl up the stairs.
Dealing with a hidden disability (endometriosis) and producing a travel documentary in the middle of a global pandemic is not an easy route to take.
But sometimes we have to sit back and reflect on how far we’ve already come…
We need to take are time because there is no rush or pressure to get there.
We need to realise that the most important thing is that even if we have to take steps back or we stumble, it’s how we rise after we fall that determines our ascension. ∎
CHARLOTTE ALEXANDRA
Founder & CEO of Culturosity www.awarenessties.us/charlotte-alexandra CHARLOTTE ALEXANDRA, founder & CEO of Culturosity is a business mentor, empowerment coach & serial entrepreneur with a passion for Media. She is on a mission to help You unlock your fullest potential! Helping people around the globe expand, grow, connect and to build a business they are proud of, a life they love and a mindset that will take them places. After kickstarting her career in Marketing + Advertising following a journalism & communications degree, she decided to launch Eleven11 Media Networks. Creating a platform for likeminded creatives to collaborate on spreading a positive message through media. Her work as both an entrepreneur and a media coach has provided her with an international network of inspirational and influential associates ranging from entrepreneurs, business leaders, public speakers & celebrities - uniting and combining their talents to make to world a better place.
109 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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At a time like this when the world is in many ways deeply divided, Marion’s work brings people together… NICK BOTTINI
AUTHOR, SPEAKER & COACH Photo Credit: Maarten Kools 110 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘MUSIC FOR MENTAL WEALTH’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY NICK BOTTINI
REMARKABLE
MARION VON TILZER & MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE WOMEN Why is it that we find it so easy to admire others, yet when it comes to (metaphorically) looking in the mirror it can seem so much harder to admire what we see? Through the eyes of objectivity, or of unconditional love, it is easy to see and acknowledge that which is beautiful. That which is great. That which is inspiring. But for some reason unbeknownst to us, when we think about this thing we call ‘myself ’ it can seem harder to see past our own thinking ‘baggage’ about ourself. So this is my invitation to you right now – as you read this article, please do not read it about the remarkable women described. Instead, please read it about you. Read it as a reminder of your innate capacity as a human. Read it as a reminder that through the eyes of unconditional love, you are already remarkable. Put the pedal down and strike a B on a piano and other B strings will resonate sympathetically. So rather than greatness, or clarity of mind, or resilience being something that is out there, as possibility, what if the only reason you notice greatness or clarity or resilience is because you are it? What if you already are what you seek? What we call ‘inspiration’ is nothing more than a spiritual call to Being. In 1927 the Russian/Armenian mystic and composer George Gurdjieff began work on a book that he would call Meetings With Remarkable Men about people, specifically men, who had inspired his worldview and had influenced his teachings. Though this work describes the influence of various men on his life, ultimately, he points to our relentless search for a real and universal knowledge – the knowledge of the self and the nature of reality. Deep stuff.
As an author and transformational coach, I’ve always been drawn to deep conversations and so it’s probably no surprise that the same depth and spiritual essence that I admire in spiritual teachers such as Gurdjieff, I also admire so much in the work of my remarkable client the award-winning composer and pianist, Marion von Tilzer. Marion von Tilzer started playing the piano at the age of eight. At fourteen she met her principal teacher, the American pianist Suzanne Bradbury, with whom she studied in Germany and Mallorca, Spain for several years. In 1989 she came to Holland to study classical piano at the Amsterdam Conservatory with Ludmilla Baslawskaya. Since then she has been based in Holland.
Paralleling Gurdjieff’s book, Marion has been creating an ongoing series of compositions entitled ‘Meetings with Remarkable Women – Music Inspired By Women’s Lives’. Meetings with Remarkable Women is a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary series of art projects about the lives of inspirational women. In this project, Marion portrays women whose way of responding to life’s challenges has left a deep impression on her.
“What strikes me as remarkable,” says Marion, “is that these women were able to connect to their inner peace even in most difficult life situations and thus became larger than life. When looking at their life story, one realizes that their response to life’s challenges was not something they had studied for or followed any curriculum to be able to come up with, but it emerged from them - as an innate human capacity. They rose to the occasion from their inherent humanness.”
Meetings with Remarkable Women is an intuitive, artistic exploration of our humanness and inherent capacity as humans. While there have been many inspirational examples throughout history, this project is an attempt to introduce a more diverse perspective of human stories and role models. By shining light on the lives of these women, ‘Meetings with Remarkable Women’ is an ode to the beauty of life amidst a world of chaos. This series is an ongoing exploration. The first three projects of the series focus on three protagonists. 111 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘Meetings with Remarkable Women’ is an ode to the beauty of life amidst a world of chaos. NICK BOTTINI
AUTHOR, SPEAKER & COACH Photo Credit: Arkady Mitnik 112 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
The first is Malala Yousafzai, the young woman of our times, who has become a symbol of hope and leadership. Malala, as a twelve-year-old girl, stood up and spoke at public events when the Taliban banned girls from going to school in Pakistan. She was subsequently attacked by a Taliban gunman and miraculously survived, serving as an inspiration to children, especially young girls, all around the world. Marion’s first ‘meeting’ is entitled Malala Speaks – A song to reach out, connect & inspire for children’s choirs from all the different continents – a short documentary about the song Malala Speaks and the process of the young singers rehearsing and performing the song and hearing about Malala’s life. The text for this composition consists of excerpts from the Nobel Lecture that Malala gave and a speech she gave at the United Nations Youth Assembly: “The Taliban tried to stop us and attacked me and my friends. But their bullets could not silence us. We survived and our voices have grown louder. Weakness, fear and hopelessness died; power strength and courage were born. I am not a lone voice – I am many. I am Shazia, I am Kainat, I am Kainat Soomro, I am Mezon. I am Amina. Let us be the last generation to see empty classrooms, lost childhoods and wasted potential. Let us bring equality, justice and peace for all. Peace for All.”
The second is Kisagotami, a woman from an ancient Buddhist parable about compassion and shared humanity. Kisagotami lost her child and as she had a profound insight of acceptance, was able to let go and became enlightened. This second meeting, with Kisagotami, will become a ballet.
The third is Vilma Grunwald, a young woman from the last century, who in her short life became a silent agent for love. The meeting with Vilma Grunwald is called ‘A Shrine for the Soul’ – an interactive musical installation about courage and love, echoing the farewell letter of Vilma Grunwald to her husband just before her death in Auschwitz. A living sculpture with an orchestral vocal composition about the love letter Vilma wrote to her husband, just before she was taken to the gas chambers in Auschwitz. Vilma’s letter will be sung in the original Czech. The English translation reads: “You, my only one, dearest, in isolation we are waiting for darkness. We considered the possibility of hiding but decided not to do it since we felt it would be hopeless. The famous trucks are already here, and we are waiting for it to begin. I am completely calm. You – my only and dearest one, do not blame yourself for what happened, it was our destiny. We did what we could. Stay healthy and remember my words that time will heal – if not completely then at least partially. Take care of the little golden boy and don’t spoil him too much with your love. Both of you – stay healthy, my dear ones. I will be thinking of you and Misa. Have a fabulous life, we must board the trucks.
Into eternity, Vilma.”
Each story is heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and profoundly moving, each woman uniquely remarkable and a source of inspiration to each who opens their heart. As Marion’s coach I feel deeply privileged to be working with her and find many things remarkable here, not merely the amazing stories being told, in such vivid and immersive ways, nor the huge scope and emotional depth of this amazing project, but also of Marion herself. To talk to Marion or to hear her play is in itself a meeting with a remarkable woman; an incredible creative force of nature with an astonishing understanding of and love for humanity, not to mention an immeasurable musical talent. What touches me most deeply about the work that Marion is doing is that at a time like this when the world is in many ways deeply divided, Marion’s work brings people together, it inspires and most of all it finds new and exciting ways to tell stories about that which is remarkable in human beings that might otherwise have remained untold. She has an uncanny ability to artistically cut straight to the chase and present these intensely human emotions and deep universal truths in a way that helps us understand with a little more compassion, who we truly are and what we are truly capable of. Marion’s project is well underway now, with the first premiere anticipated for 2023, but I suspect that as word spreads of what she’s up to more and more people will want to be part of the experience. ∎ NICK BOTTINI
Author, Speaker & Coach www.awarenessties.us/nick-bottini NICK BOTTINI is the author of the number one bestseller Just Play: The Simple Truth Behind Musical Excellence which was endorsed by Grammy winners, music industry professionals and mental health experts. Nick is also a speaker and transformational coach to the music industry and for over ten years has worked with musicians at all levels from competition winners, child prodigies, entrepreneurs, conservatoire students, sports people, to aspiring professional musicians and international rock stars. For more info about Music For Mental Wealth visit: musicformentalwealth.com
113 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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This is the tale of the most remarkable comeback story that you have never heard. TODD BROWN
FOUNDER OF THE INSPIRE PROJECT & CO-FOUNDER OF OPERATION OUTBREAK 114 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘THE INSPIRE PROJECT’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY TODD BROWN
ELIZABETH ‘BETTY’ ROBINSON TRAINS, PLANES AND OLYMPIC THRILLS
Many of you have probably heard of the book series about the ‘boy who lived.’ But, have you heard the true story of the ‘girl who died’? Maybe I am being too vague. How about the 16-year-old that started her career because of a train, won an Olympic gold medal, died, and then won another Olympic gold medal eight years later? This is the tale of the most remarkable comeback story that you have never heard. Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Robinson was 16 years old when in a tiny town of Riverdale, Illinois, on her way home from school, bounced up the stairs on a cold winter’s day to catch a commuter train in 1928. As a matter of happenstance, her biology teacher and the boys’ track coach, Charles Price was seated on the train and took note of Betty, a selfproclaimed ‘hick’ as she did the impossible making it on the train. The following day Coach Price asked Betty if she would mind if he timed her running down a 50-yard school hallway. Her time impressed him enough to garner an invite to train with the boys’ track team at Thorton Township High School. Why the boys’ team? There was not a girls track team. Betty, who had never run competitively and spent quite a bit of time practicing her guitar skills, accepted. She was insatiably competitive and knew she was fast, but would now find out how fast.
Incredibly, after a few weeks of training, she was thrust into her first competitive race finishing second to the U.S. record holder in the 100m dash. Because of her close finish, Betty was immediately invited to enter the IWAC (Illinois Women’s Athletic Club). Only weeks after her attempt to catch a train, and only her second race, Betty not only beat the U.S. record holder but recorded the fastest time in women’s history in the 100m. Yes, in her second competitive race of her life at 16 years old, she was now the fastest female in history, but unfortunately, due to her wind-aided effort, it was not verified. One month later, she competed in the Olympic Trials in New Jersey. After racing three times in a single hour, she placed second, earning her a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in 1928 for the first women’s track and field competition in Olympic history.
Betty trained on the deck of the ship while on the nine-day trip across the Atlantic crossing from New York to Amsterdam. Within months, Betty Robinson went from chasing a commuter train outside of Chicago to chasing history. She faced incredible odds competing against three Canadians and two Germans in the finals. Her stiffest competition came from the 24-year-old, multiple Canadian national record holder who had already beaten Betty in their only head-to-head meeting in the preliminary heat. Betty, still almost a month shy of her 17th birthday, entered the Olympic finals with less than ten races under her belt. It did not begin well, as she arrived for the finals wearing two left shoes. She considered running barefooted but sent someone to her team’s base to retrieve the right shoe. With the race set to begin, there were two false starts disqualifying two sprinters, leaving only four women to race. When the gun went off and after a slow start, Betty caught the leader from behind, squeezing out a victory, becoming the first-ever women’s 100m dash Olympic gold medalist tying the world record (she is still the youngest Olympic track and field gold medalist in history). She later added a silver medal in the women’s 400-meter relay bringing her total to two medals, one world record, and the first women’s 100m gold medalist in history in less than six months of sprinting competitively. Not bad for a ‘hick’ that spent her time inside practicing guitar. This incredible story could stop here, but ultimately it was not Betty’s most unbelievable achievement. 115 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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116 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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In 1996, an 84-year-old frail but determined grandmother carried the heavy Olympic torch as it headed towards Atlanta. Regardless of her physical age, she refused help. After returning home and being greeted by a crowd of 20,000 people in Chicago, Betty returned to high school, graduated and attended Northwestern University, pursuing a degree in physical education with the intent to defend her title in the 1932 Olympics. Betty set records in the 50 and 100m dash in Chicago as her career continued. The National Committee Chairman on Women’s Athletics Fred Steers said she was the ‘most sensational performances of the meet’ from ‘the slim, smiling Chicago girl, who runs like a man’ (was that supposed to be a compliment?). In 1931, Betty set world records in the 60 and 70-yard dash. Then, suddenly, she died.
Betty had asked her cousin to take her flying to help ‘cool off.’ When the plane reached 600 feet, the engine stalled, nosediving to the ground. A witness of the crash placed her broken body into the bed of his truck and drove her to the mortician. Upon arrival, it was found she had a weak pulse. She sustained a shattered hip, leg, arm, and severe internal injuries. After multiple surgeries and being unconscious for seven weeks according to Olympic historian David Wallechinsky, she had a long pin inserted into her leg, making one leg shorter than the other. After three months, she was released from the hospital. She was alive, but her dreams of the ’32 Olympics and ever running again died in the plane crash. But according to her granddaughter Brooke Doire in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Betty, “did not like to be told no and was not a fan of the word impossible.” Betty was wheelchair-bound for six months and progressed through two years of rehabilitation to walk. Walking with a limp was too slow. She began to jog. Jogging was painful but not enough to stop her. Betty began to run again. After years of working through the discomfort, she began to not only run but sprint.
After continuing to train, in 1936, after missing the previous Olympics, Betty made the team again. She traveled to the Berlin Games as a member of the 4 x 100m relay team. She was the oldest member of the team held together by pins and pure determination. The U.S. team progressed to the finals but had tremendous competition from the Germans, who had in a previous heat broken the world record. During the finals, with the U.S. in a close second behind the Germans the third leg of the home team dropped the baton. Betty helped her team hold off the rest of the competition earning the gold medal with the German team out. Would the U.S. have won if the Germans had not dropped the baton? Here’s what Betty had to say, “I wish they (the Germans) hadn’t dropped the baton. Helen (the anchor leg) was faster, so we would have won anyway.”
It is well known that 1936 belonged to Jesse Owens and his four gold medals. But Betty Robinson also solidified her name in history once again. Afterward, she retired from sprinting and worked as an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) timekeeper, public speaker for the Women’s Athletic Association and the Girls’ Athletic Association, and even at a hardware store. She stored her total of three Olympic medals in a Russel Stover’s candy box in her dresser. Betty was inducted into the USA National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1977 but for some reason, has yet to enter the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. 117 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
She turned it on, and it is now our job to tell her story and keep the bulb burning. TODD BROWN
FOUNDER OF THE INSPIRE PROJECT & CO-FOUNDER OF OPERATION OUTBREAK 118 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
AwareNow Podcast
ELIZABETH ‘BETTY’ ROBINSON
Written and Narrated by Todd Brown
https://awarenow.us/podcast/elizabeth-betty-robinson
TAP/SCAN TO LISTEN
In 1996, an 84-year-old frail but determined grandmother carried the heavy Olympic torch as it headed towards Atlanta. Regardless of her physical age, she refused help. No one was going to tell her she could not do it. This was the last time Betty would contribute to the Olympics and a sport that she helped build.
On May 17, 1999, Betty Robinson passed away at 87. She had fought for years with Alzheimer’s and had been diagnosed with cancer. Her passing went somewhat unnoticed in the national and international press. Betty was the first woman to win Olympic gold in the 100m and to this day is the youngest woman to win the event. At 16, she was the fastest woman in the world, virtually killed in a plane crash only to recover and capture a second Olympic gold in Berlin eight years later.
In 2015, her story was purchased by DreamWorks for a major motion picture. As of today, it still sits on the shelf in someone’s office. Regardless of the movie ever being made, we must celebrate the light Betty Robinson lit for generations of women in track and field.
She turned it on, and it is now our job to tell her story and keep the bulb burning. ∎
Learn more about Betty Robinson’s Foundation: www.traincatchersfoundation.org
Follow on Instagram: @elizabethbaberobinson
TODD BROWN
Awareness Ties Columnist www.awarenessties.us/todd-brown Dr. Todd Brown is a winner of multiple education awards, including the U.S. Congressional Teacher of the Year Award, U.S. Henry Ford Innovator Award, Education Foundation Innovator of the Year, and Air Force Association STEM Teacher of the Year. Dr. Brown is the creator and founder of the Inspire Project and cocreator of Operation Outbreak, which was named the Reimagine Education Award for Best Hybrid Program in the world. He is also an Education Ambassador for the United Nations and an Educational Ambassador of the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
119 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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In the military, the mission comes first… LORI BUTIERRIES
AUTHOR, NAVY VETERAN & MOTHER OF 2 WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 120 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘SCARRED NOT BROKEN’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY LORI BUTIERRIES
RECOLLECTIONS
RETROSPECTION FROM A FEMALE SEARCHER "Don't worry. You will be safe. Women don't go into combat," my husband assured me as we lay in each other's arms the night before I deployed with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU) to the Middle East after I whispered my greatest fear aloud in the dark. Soon after arriving in Afghanistan, though, I discovered that my husband was mistaken. To be fair, the policy prohibiting women from serving in positions that would put them in the direct line of fire was still in place, so it was a logical assumption. However, in the military, the mission comes first, so when cultural differences regarding handling or interacting with Afghan women sprung up, that might have hindered the efficacy of OPERATION MOUNTAIN STORM, the rules regarding females in the military serving in tactical elements altered accordingly.
I recall the moment fondly.
04/24/2004- KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN: I'm trying not to freak out! Yesterday, twelve females got assigned to Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/6 to act as "Female Searchers." I am one of the twelve women who got selected. I will be attached to Charlie Company. This is the first time U.S. Military Women have "officially" been assigned to a combat infantry unit. What a historical moment! We fly out tomorrow.
Granted, using females as "searchers" was not a novel idea or a new undertaking but embedding them with combat infantry units on the frontline, in hostile enemy territory, for an extended time was "a first as far as I know," stated Capt. Marte (Lowrey, 2013), another Female Searcher.
That was the general understanding of everyone involved in the decision-making process, and the info relayed through the pipeline to the women preparing for the dangerous mission.
Anyway, once the thrill of the unprecedented experience began to wane, the reality of what it would take to keep pace with the men in the field sunk in; that's when the determination not to become the weakest link overtook all other feelings, well, besides surviving, that is.
The extreme temperatures, harsh terrain, constant cordon & search operations, etc., were brutal to deal with but made bearable through shared misery, dark humor, letters & care packages from home, and daydreaming about returning to the States.
One experience unique to the Female Searchers regarding hygiene in the field was menstruation. That issue came to light when OPERATION EL DORADO extended from a 10-day OP to 15. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but not all the Female Searchers had the supplies on hand to take care of their bodily functions in that capacity. Thankfully, it was a problem quickly remedied. 121 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Six out of the twelve women initially selected to be Female Searchers opted to continue the war efforts. LORI BUTIERRIES
AUTHOR, NAVY VETERAN & MOTHER OF 2 WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 122 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
I cannot help but laugh as I re-read the journal entry documenting the monumental moment that a riffle company radioed in for a shipment of period products.
05/05/2004- MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN [Nicknamed Walton’s Mountain]: ***NEWS FLASH*** We will be extracting from this site and flying to a new LZ (Landing Zone) early tomorrow morning. The enemy is said to be located next to a waterway in Hogan's Alley [which is the unofficial nickname the Marines gave the Shah Wali Kowt Valley]. We are going in after them. The only problem with this plan is that the women did not pack the necessary items for an extended stay out in the field. I made a list of the things that needed to be flown in for us… Capt. Merida, the CO (Commanding Officer) of Charlie Company, said that he would bite the bullet and call over the radio for the list of items. 1stSgt Hoopii was immensely relieved not to have to be the one to do it. RP1[Bousquet] said that she bets that this will be the first time an infantry company has ever called in for a re-supply of tampons! The girls all got a laugh out of the men's obvious discomfort and embarrassment over this predicament.
Our laughter was short-lived, however, between the loss of Cpl. Payne & the wounding of six other Marines by the Taliban, and the subsequent wrongful accusation of mistreatment of Female Searchers a few days later, everyone found themselves wrestling with hard feelings. Not to mention a potential political nightmare while trying to figure out how to move forward with the next mission, OPERATION RIO BRAVO.
Since the BLT still required Female Searchers, volunteers were asked to stay behind to assist the grunts. Six out of the twelve women initially selected to be Female Searchers opted to continue the war efforts.
The women who remained in the field were divided into pairs and split between the companies. Capt. Marte and I were the team given to Alpha Company but eventually worked with Charlie Company, too.
Regarding our reception within the companies following the abuse allegations, all I can say is that it took a lot of effort to get the male Marines to trust the Female Searchers again. Thankfully, we proved ourselves over time, especially during OPERATION ASBURY PARK.
One great example of a positive interaction between myself and a male Marine following "the incident" occurred after our first engagement with the enemy.
06/02/2004- VILLAGE OF SIAH CHUB KALAY: … One of the SSgts pulled me aside to shake my hand. He was impressed with the way that I handled myself today, especially during the grueling hike through the mountains. I never complained once or fell back…
As I flip through my deployment journal, story after story of my time spent as a Female Searcher with BLT 1/6 jumps off each page. They beg me to remember my experiences and the trails that we blazed through the mountains of Afghanistan- trying to win the hearts & minds of the locals while simultaneously hunting for weapons, ammunition, information, and periodically engaging with insurgents.
Sadly, besides a few articles on the topic, the Female Searchers' groundbreaking contributions were not made public.
Even so, it was honor to be part of the MEU’s campaign marked “the longest incursion by a Marine Expeditionary Unit into Afghanistan, and one of the furthest in-land pushes in Marine Corps History” (Milks, 2004).
A campaign touted as “the most successful military operation since OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM began,” by Army Maj. Gen. Eric Olson, Commanding General of Combined Joint Task Force 79 (Milks, 2004), which the Female Searchers played a critical role in helping the MEU achieve. 123 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Thankfully, our collective journey isn't over yet… LORI BUTIERRIES
AUTHOR, NAVY VETERAN & MOTHER OF 2 WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 124 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Unfortunately, it is hard for women in the military to break barriers when their accomplishments get swept under rugs and hidden from society. All these years later, the why of the secrecy surrounding the Female Searchers is still a mystery. Unfortunately, it is hard for women in the military to break barriers when their accomplishments get swept under rugs and hidden from society. Thankfully, word of mouth still works, and so do firsthand accounts with journal entries to back them up.
Technology is also a helpful tool. It can take the recollections from this one Female Searcher and spread them around the world, unveiling the truth that women can effectively serve in ground combat units and have been for years even before it became legal in 2015 to do so in the United States.
Please don't just take my word for it. Listen to what Lieutenant Colonel Khan, the Commanding Officer of BLT 1/6, said on the matter, which was, "I couldn't accomplish my mission without the female Marines and Sailors [who acted as Female Searchers]. They're integral to our success here in Afghanistan." (Milks, 2015) It is validating to know that what the Female Searchers did in Afghanistan mattered in the big scheme of things as well as personally.
07/11/2004- KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN: I arrived back in Kandahar early this morning. The CH-46 helicopter that I rode in on seemed to hover just above the Earth as it flew… As I watched the mountains pass by… their majestic beauty called out to me in a primitive way and made my heart ache with the knowledge of and a greater appreciation for the simplicity of life… I remember with great clarity the shortness of breath, pain, and difficulty that each step up one caused me. By the time I reached the top, I would be red in the face, panting like a dog, drenched in sweat, and thirsty beyond belief, but there is no greater satisfaction than overcoming a challenging obstacle. Those mountains [and the operations we conducted within them] pushed me to the limits physically, mentally, [spiritually], and emotionally. I'll always be thankful for being able to experience the adventure of a lifetime.
I hold fast to the memories of my deployment with the 22nd MEU and share them with anyone willing to listen. Because if I didn’t, the forgotten Female Searchers would truly cease to exist as their footprints in the sands of time slowly fade back into the landscape.
Thankfully, our collective journey isn't over yet. There are still stories to be told about our exploits. I pray that the words I weave, now and in the future, on the topic will leave a more lasting imprint this time around. ∎
LORI BUTIERRIES
Author, Navy Veteran & Mother of 2 with Special Needs www.awarenessties.us/lori-butierries LORI BUTIERRIES is a full-time caregiver to two children with special needs, one child being terminally ill and physically disabled. Lori uses her life experiences and the medical knowledge she gained while serving as a Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy to help others facing similar hardships. Lori focuses primarily on advocating for and educating others about the special needs, mental health, and veterans communities. Her long-term goal is to reduce the stigma associated with disability by talking about it with people of all ages, thus minimizing the fear and the mystery attributed to the unknown in this regard.
125 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Self-love is critical. TRAVIS WHITLOCK
FOUNDER OF FATHERS WITH PTSD 126 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘MENTAL HEALTH TALK’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY MEAGAN COPELIN
FATHERS WITH PTSD A CONVERSATION WITH TRAVIS WHITLOCK
Travis Whitlock is the Founder of Fathers with PTSD. He is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corp and served honorably for five years. Travis is also a proud father of three children. Travis founded Fathers with PTSD in December 2020, as he has faced various traumatic experiences to include childhood trauma and military trauma. He is open about his mental health and has suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for many years. Travis is an advocate of men’s mental health, especially black men. He believes that PTSD has the ability to affect any and everyone who has been through a life changing and traumatic event. He knows from first-hand experience that his PTSD has not only affected his life, but it has also affected his family and friends. Through his personal healing journey, Travis decided to create Fathers with PTSD. Fathers with PTSD is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Through his organization, he hopes to empower fathers, like himself and people from all walks of life through enlightenment, education, and inspiration to help neutralize living with PTSD. MEAGAN: Why do you believe self-care is important for your mental health?
TRAVIS: At the age of 39, self-care and self-love was not very important to me until two years ago. I was very busy washed up in making sure the kids were taken care of because I didn’t want to display that dead-beat father image. Focusing on my kids mainly, did take away a lot of time that I needed for myself. My heaviest weight was over 240 pounds and at that time, I thought being that weight was healthy. When I looked in the mirror, I thought I was fly but was suffering from severe gut issues, stress, and depression. My ex-wife was solely responsible for teaching me about nutrition and self-love. Although my major in college was nutrition and culinary, my focus was success and money, so I didn’t focus on making sure I incorporated healthy lifestyle habits into my daily routine. Although my ex and I are divorced, she still plays a huge role in making sure I take care of myself and has introduced me to various herbs, alkaline water, and sea moss. Fear and stress are major issues holding us back in the black community. Men need to take care of themselves and go to the doctor for check-ups and annual physicals. Men and their feet are important, and many men do not care properly and maintain their feet. Our feet are connected to the very part of our body that keeps us active and men fail to understand the importance of getting our feet checked for signs of diabetes, fungus, or calluses. When I learned the importance of self-care and self-love, I started with a fast and then decided to cut out fried food, pork, shellfish, produced foods and sugar. This process of changing my habits took about three years to become fully engaged in a lifestyle change. Remember, we are what we eat, and unhealthy eating habits can control how we think and act. Meditation is key to controlled thinking as it allows for proper breathing techniques as well. Once you control your breathing and thinking, your outlook on certain things will change in your life.
I believe many black men do not go to the doctor based off the ideology of systemic traumatization. Black women do go to the doctor, but 3/5 are misdiagnosed. The medication that is being provided to us can ruin our bodies, hence why I believe in holistic healing. During my time in the military, I was placed in the brig (jail) for refusing to take an anthrax shot. I am very careful about the things that I put in my body as I do not want to have any issues years from now. I invest in my body and make sure that I am purchasing food products and drinks that will allow me to live a healthy and sustainable life. I am not perfect and have my everyday struggles. Fathers with PTSD is very authentic because I am still struggles with my mental health daily. The first person that you should love and care for is yourself. Every day I wake up focused with a smile on my face as I do not know who will smile with me that day. 127 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
There must be transformation in changing the black culture in which men are more comfortable expressing themselves. TRAVIS WHITLOCK
FOUNDER OF FATHERS WITH PTSD 128 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“The reason why there are so many service members who don’t even know they have PTSD is because they are focused on just surviving.” MEAGAN: Can you please share your day-to-day life dealing with PTSD? Did you show any signs before or after leaving the military?
TRAVIS: When I joined the military, I was just a young, country kid growing up in South Carolina. Honestly, I joined the military because I wanted to get away from my parents. If I had attended college, they would have had some control over my life, so the military was the next best thing. I also received a full scholarship to play football at Clemson University. During my time in the military, I realized that I probably should have gone to college instead. I did learn many essential life values while in the military, however being a Marine is very stressful and you deal with everything associated with violence. In the Marines, you are dealing with mostly men, and I was trained to kill. During 911, my pantaloon was called out to help at the Pentagon. The military enlist you as babies and you really need to learn to adapt quickly. For those who adapt, it is possible to be enlisted for 20 years. For those who don’t, you get out.
In the military, people deal with racism, stressors of going to war, sexism, ageism, just to name a few. This is depressing. The reason why there are so many service members who don’t even know they have PTSD is because they are focused on just surviving. I filed for PTSD disability in 2006 and did not receive a response from the VA until 2009. It was 3 years later. PTSD became public light when service members came back from war and started shooting and killing others. PTSD can also occur for anyone outside of the military as well. 72% more women suffer from PTSD than men, however, 54% more men commit suicide because we are not taught self-love and how to manage our emotions properly. Women tend to deal with PTSD better than men.
MEAGAN: Why do you think mental health is at times overlooked, when it comes to men, especially black men? Do you think that speaking about your struggles with mental health comes across as weak?
TRAVIS: NO. Speaking about my mental health struggles do not make me seem weak. At a young age, I was told by my mom to “man up” and I knew it was wrong to be told this. My first child was born when I was 18 years of age and I currently have a 17-year-old son. I have never told my son that he needed to “man up” because it is important that he learns it is okay with having emotions. I make sure to tell my son that being honest is important and I do make sure I show him love as my dad never did this for me. I also make sure to tell my son that I love him and yes, he does see a therapist as he is facing struggles being a teenager.
I had lots of resentment toward my parents for the choices they made with me, and this is the reason why I make sure to have a healthy relationships with my kids, as I was not provided the same from my parents.
Men are protectors and providers by nature but when that protection is needed from others, we are simply overlooked. There is a such thing as toxic masculinity. There are fathers that will punch their sons in the face because they received a bad grade on their homework. This is unacceptable. As parents, no one is perfect. There is not a manual
129 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“Black men and women need to be the change for their black sons, in order to break generational curses.” TRAVIS: (continued) for parents to teach us how to be the perfect parent. We learn as we go or seek advice from others who have walked in our shoes.
I think it was good for me to “man up” at a young age because I had a child at a young age. My mother was abusive, and I am the man I am today because of the things my mother did. I know it is weird, but at times, we as parents need to be tough on our kids. Black men and women need to be the change for their black sons, in order to break generational curses.
There is a lack of fathers and father figures in the black household, hence the reason why there are so many young boys in the streets at the age of 13 and 14. There must be transformation in changing the black culture in which men are more comfortable expressing themselves. Mental health is a taboo subject for black men. In general, there is an intense stigma associated with mental health problems and illnesses. Issues related to culture, masculinity, and the socio-political environment keeps black men from tackling problems related to mental health. There are many reasons that black men constantly have struggles in speaking up about their mental health. Being called weak and unstable is one of the many reasons, hence why it is difficult for us black men to open up about our mental health issues.
MEAGAN: What do you think the role of social media plays in men’s mental health?
TRAVIS: Social media is responsible for aggravating mental health problems. It was used to divide us. Think about it, the average man can’t have a conversation face to face but sees no issue in texting. Mental health is a huge rabbit hole for everything, and social media plays is the number one thing in how we view ourselves compared to others. These perceptions do play apart in our mental health. Mental health is everything.
MEAGAN: As a black woman, can you provide tips on how we can support our black men who are having a hard time with their mental health struggles?
TRAVIS: Let’s think about this question in a different light. Do you understand the object of the game of chess? The object of the game of chess is for the queen to protect the king. The king can only move left and right, one spot at a time. The king is at times compromised. The queen runs the whole board to protect the king.
The woman in the household provides the vibe, the heart, the soul, and the comfort of the house. As a black man, the best way a black woman can support me through my mental health journey is to allow me to be heard with no prejudice, to be heard with empathy. It is important that my significant other listens to me with no intent to respond BUT to show empathy, sympathy and offer help. Even if that help is allowing me to vent, it is important for me as a black man to be heard and understood. Black women are out here in the world shining and have been afforded that ability to do so. There are still hurdles for black women to jump over and none of those things should be done without black men. There should not be as much of a divide as there is today with black men and black women. We need to start healing our women and put them back into the protective state that they need to be so they are able to operate the best that they possibly can. 130 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“…we need spaces in order to be heard.” TRAVIS: (continued) Too often, black men don't share their feelings and miss out on getting mental health help. Why do you think most black men don’t seek out help or talk with a counselor? The black man has not been heard, and we need spaces in order to be heard. There are some baseline things in which we have to pay attention to. We have to pay attention to the movement and image of black women and black men. This ties into how the world perceives us within the United States. We know how black men and black women are perceived in other countries. ∎
What’s up next for Travis?
Travis is currently working on a YouTube channel, a podcast, webinars, seminars, and coaching for men’s mental health.
Website: www.fatherswithptsd.org
Email: info@fatherswithptsd.org
Instagram: www.instagram.com/fatherswithptsd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Fatherswithptsd
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@fatherswithptsd
MEAGAN COPELIN
Founder of Mental Rich www.awarenessties.us/meagan-copelin MEAGAN COPELIN is an international speaker, author, empowerment coach, blogger, contributing writer and podcaster. She is the founder of Mental Rich, a mental health company & brand, dedicated to helping young girls and women who suffer from mental illnesses, steaming from abuse, abandonment, and rejection. Meagan’s passion is to become a trailblazing voice for young girls and women worldwide. Drawing on her own experiences of mental illness due to abuse, rejection, and abandonment, Meagan uses her words to encourage others to build a home within themselves; to love, live, and create fearlessly. Her tremendous projects and efforts have helped her to be featured on several platforms for the purpose of empowering women to tell their story from struggle to success and live up to their full potential.
131 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
river flows through me like a southern baptism EMA BELL
WRITER & POET 132 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘FELLOW TRAVELERS’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY LAURA SHARPE
INFINITE IMPACT
WOMEN IN POETRY: MASTERS OF WRITTEN & SPOKEN WORD I received the gift of introduction to Ema Bell in 2014; meeting her that first time as the caring, loving wife and life partner of dear friend and talented quadriplegic artist Richard Bell. Over time, I learned Ema is a deeply focused, creative woman and well-articulated artist of poetry and spoken word. It is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, poet and Fellow Traveler, Ema Bell. Ema Bell possesses a powerful, creative voice which she has mindfully focused, with great discipline trained, and manifested her soul, thoughts, observations and feelings, into poetry and spoken word. She artistically and metaphorically expresses herself while honoring the infinite value and impact of women and women of color on humanity over generations of time.
Indigenous
New Sugar
Black Phoebe swooping to protect her babies.
How vulnerable they are.
when fruit sugars it consumes
sweetness that grows into something else
i cannot ease
Honeysuckle cloying. Mist covering the underbrush As if walking with no feet. Yellow and rust seeping through the gray.
spoiled if not eaten
choice taken by time
None of this bothers the stillness of the lily.
on my knees do you hear me
exposed
Saco palms with there fiddleheads
Peaking through the anorexic branches
Starving for light.
river flows through me
like a southern baptism
But the lily remains still. As if she knows I’m sneaking away
And using the morning as my protector.
I pass by her lean stems and she does not break.
Wildwood takes on her light As if to genuflect to her sovereignty.
Petals flow from my mouth.
Tongue thick with nectar. And the lily wraps around my torso
So my breath is chlorophyll green
And I am motionless.
untouched
little brown girl
not sticky
nor sweet
just new
without shame
-Ema Bell
-Ema Bell
133 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
THE HILL WE CLIMB AMANDA GORMAN SPEAKING AT THE 2021 BIDEN-HARRIS INAUGURATION
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Like many, I had the blessing to be introduced to Poet Amanda Gorman’s heart, mind and focused talent when watching U.S. President Joe Biden Inaugural Ceremonies. On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet at age twenty-two, to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. Taking the stage after the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden. Amanda Gorman captivated the nation and brought hope to viewers around the globe. Her poem “The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country”, celebrates the promise of America and affirms the power of poetry. In that moment, I palpably felt Amanda, her manifestation of leadership, paving the way for the next generation of women and women of color, exhibiting and emanating the irrefutable value and power of poetry and spoken word on humanity, then, now and forever.
I encourage you to follow these two amazing poets, powerful voices of and for women as well as all mankind through poetry and spoken word. I find they both enrich, empower and inspire me to personally and professionally perform to even higher levels of greater good.
Resources:
The Poetry Foundation Catapult.co Sarah Lawrence College Amanda Gorman
https://www.poetryfoundation.org
https://catapult.co/classes/?utm_source=ppc-google&utm_medium=online-writinghttps://www.sarahlawrence.edu/writing-institute
https://www.theamandagorman.com LAURA SHARPE
Artists For Trauma Founder & Executive Director, Trauma Survivor & Artist www.awarenessties.us/laura-sharpe LAURA SHARPE contributes to AwareNow with her exclusive column, ‘Fellow Travelers’. Trauma, tragedy and miracle are all part of the life process. They do not discriminate nor are they fairly distributed. Simultaneously they occur across all diverse cultures, countries, colors, ethnicities, genders, religious beliefs, and dimensions of time and thought on planet Earth. In this process of life, birth and re-birth; decay and destruction are integral to creating new life. As fellow travelers, we are mindful, compassionate, and intentional through our attitude and actions to one another. We share our authentic personal story of survival or service to offer relatability, respect and hope to others who are navigating intense physical, mental and emotional life impact. Uncomfortably or joyfully, we share the range of human emotions related to our personal trauma or miracle. In the end or the new beginning, we learn we are all fellow travelers.
134 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
It’s all about intention. AALIYAH GRANADOS
FOUNDER & OWNER OF THE VIBE HAUS 136 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH AALIYAH GRANADOS
GOOD VIBRATIONS
A BRAND & WOMAN VIBRATING AT A HIGHER FREQUENCY At the intersection of metaphysics and glamor, there you will find The Vibe Haus. Founded by Aaliyah Granados, The Vibe Haus is a vegan line of ‘cause-metics’ inspired by her own personal story as a single mother with the will to find her way. ALLIÉ: Let’s begin this cosmetic conversation with the subject of intention. Start at the very beginning. How did the story of The Vibe Haus start? What was your intention pairing products with zodiac astrology?
AALIYAH: To be honest it all started with a storyline that I feel a lot of people can relate to. I had just gotten out of a really dark period of my life and now had a non-verbal one year old on my hip and bills starting to pile up on me. I was just trying to find myself again while also figuring out how I was going to make enough money to take care of my child. I just needed a little push in the right direction, so I started researching crystals, meditation, and affirmations. Basically I unknowingly started my journey into my spiritual awakening! I became enthralled with feeding myself knowledge about all the metaphysical properties each crystal brings and the power of intention. Soon after I had started my collection of crystals, I began seeing ads for Zodiac crystal boxes (boxes of crystals in them that are suited best for a specific astrological sign), which I thought were so cool and really nice gift ideas! Then that led me to wondering if anyone has created makeup with crystals in them, which a lot of people have, but I could not find anyone that was creating makeup with crystals that has your astrological sign on it. Again i started thinking well that would be so cool and i would buy that! Well a couple of google search entries later on “how to make lip gloss” and next thing I know i'm writing out a whole business plan for The Vibe Haus.
GOOD VIBRATIONS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH AALIYAH GRANADOS
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137 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
ALLIÉ: Not only are your ingredients earth and animal friendly, but your descriptions are entirely lovely. Let’s take your Rose Quartz Lash Oil. “Our Rose Quartz Lash Oil assists your lashes to grow longer and fuller! The infused Rose Quartz promotes self love and confidence while also attracting love into one’s life”. Share why it was important to you for your products to come with affirmations.
AALIYAH: This is very important to me because even for myself, through my own spiritual journey, I'm finding out there is so much power in affirming what you want in life. That's a big reason why I describe with each of my crystal infused products, how each crystal benefits the wearer and the properties they bring. All my products are specific to each of the 12 signs, but the properties of the crystals stand the same for everyone. So that being said, my customers affirming what they are trying to attract or amplify out of the crystals in their glosses is really where all the magic begins! It's all about intention.
ALLIÉ: For those who aren’t crystal-clear on the significance and use of crystals, of which some of your products are infused with, please bring us up to speed. What’s the win with crystals?
AALIYAH: Well there truly is a crystal for everything! You can attract abundance, amplify your confidence, deflect negative energy, and so much more! With intention, crystals can be a very powerful asset to everyday life. As you learn more and more about the specific properties of each crystal you'll find ways to use them to your advantage! For example I keep a chunk of rose quartz by my vanity to amplify my self love while I get ready for the day. I also keep a piece of Black Tourmaline in my car for protection while I'm on the road, next to a stick of Selenite to enhance the power of the Black Tourmaline. The same thing can be done with my products! Before I leave for a night out, I put on my Gemini gloss because it is infused with Carnelian to intensify my confidence. On the daily I wear my Aquarius gloss because I’m an Aquarius and also because it is infused with Amethyst, which aids in relieving my stress. That's why I have a plethora of different crystal options, you never know which one you're going to need that day!
138 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“It’s more than just cosmetics, it's ‘cause-metics’.” ALLIÉ: You go the extra mile with every purchase. Always giving more than is expected, a card, a note, a crystal… you bring extra light and love to so many. Can you share one of your favorite reviews?
AALIYAH: I'd have to say one of the most rewarding reviews I have received was from an amazing young woman who had messaged me when she made her order. She started out with how excited she was to receive her order for herself and her sister. She then went into detail about the struggles that her and her sister have been facing financially and mentally, and she asked me if I could pack their order with lots of love and positive energy. This actually brought tears to my eyes and it felt so amazing to think that somebody out there actually felt like ordering my products was going to help them. They believed in me and in my products! Their response to receiving their order was even more amazing than the first message. They left two reviews where she mentioned “You can tell everything was made with love and positivity!” and “Nothing but positive vibes!”. She also messaged me again telling me, “You genuinely don't know how much this means to me!”. That review has stuck with me because in itself it represents what I have been affirming with my business. It’s more than just cosmetics, it's ‘cause-metics’.
ALLIÉ: As a single mother with a special needs child, you had a need to do more for you and your son by starting The Vibe Haus. For other single mothers out there scared to start something like this of their own and on their own, what advice would you give?
AALIYAH: My advice to any single mother out there wanting to start their own business, whether their child or children are special needs or not is definitely to just make sure you do something you love and believe in. Being a full-time mom and business owner can be really hard and exhausting at times, but doing something that is a part of your everyday life already is what helps keep the focus on point! I've had many failed business attempts in my past because they were just ideas that were trendy at the moment, and I thought, “Hey, that's easy enough to do!” With The Vibe Haus, however, I have put my whole essence into, and I personally use my own products everyday. Once you have found what you are good at and that it’s something that you love to do, i say go for it… And never stop believing in yourself. ∎
THE VIBE HAUS
vibehauscosmetics.com
Their flagship product line, ‘THE VIBE HAUS’, provides representation of every Zodiac sign with their own smell, shade and all around vibe. Signature items are infused with crystals that are curated specifically for amplifying your sign's strengths and aiding your sign's weaknesses. This hand curated, vegan line of ‘cause-metics’ is designed to empower with positive vibes.
139 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
My nutrition isn’t just key to enhancing my ability to compete, it’s key to setting myself up for my post-track life as well. LEX GILLETTE
5X PARALYMPIC MEDALIST, 4X WORLD CHAMPION & KEYNOTE SPEAKER 140 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘NO NEED FOR SIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE VISION’ BY LEX GILLETTE
TO YOUR HEALTH
CHEERS TO DIET, HYDRATION & TESTING March is National Nutrition Month. Nutrition is so important for overall health, but as an athlete, it’s essential not only to health but to performance. Let me start off by saying I’m from North Carolina. My mom fed me well. However, traditional Southern thinking on what eating well means, differs a bit from the high-performance diet of elite athletes.
I think back on my protein and vegetables growing up. The hamburger steak with gravy and either green beans or collard greens. Of course, either of those have bacon in it and are served with a side dish of mac and cheese and rice or mashed potatoes with even more gravy. Oh, and let’s not forget fried chicken. Please, let’s not forget the fried chicken. Mmmm. I suppose you could say I got my veggies in, but it wasn’t the cleanest eating I could have done.
When I came out west to train in 2008 at what was then known as the Olympic Training Center, it took some getting used to. At the time, I viewed it less as nutritional enlightenment and more like a taste of purgatory.
The first thing I noticed was a lack of seasoning on my food. And fried food was reserved for very, very special occasions like Super Bowl Sunday. Outside of that, everything was grilled, broiled, boiled and baked. From your boneless chicken breast to your rice and vegetables.
I adapted to cleaner eating pretty quickly though. One thing that helped was the center’s amazing cafeteria. Think about feeding hundreds of elite athletes their three squares a day. There needs to be a lot of variety, and the Olympic Training Center steps up. It has fresh fruit, cereals, an oatmeal bar, a salad bar, a made-to-order grill, a hot table, drinks, coffee, a Coke machine, and, of course, chocolate milk. It was great having all these choices. I have always been in charge of my own nutrition and felt I had a reasonable idea of what I should be eating. My weight didn’t fluctuate a whole lot, but I was far from a nutritional expert.
In 2014, I stepped it up. I started working with my dietician, Liz. She established a solid plan for me and tracked my diet, my weight, and my performance as we fine-tuned my nutritional needs. I am fortunate that my needs aren’t as strict as some others’ whether it be due to allergies or weight class restrictions.
One of the biggest things Liz instilled in me was getting more variety in my diet. I remember her saying, “I want you to work on getting the colors of the rainbow in your diet.” But she had a point. I was eating the same thing every day. She taught me that a more diverse diet helps ensure I’m getting everything I can from my nutrition. This, in turn, fuels my brain and body from training through competition and into rest and recovery.
Hydration was another area where Liz helped me out. She would test my levels to make sure I was maintaining a healthy amount of fluids. It’s easy for me to drink 32 ounces of water at each meal. Add a couple extra glasses during the day and what I drink on the track means I’m likely clearing a gallon of water each day during training and competition.
She also started skinfold testing. Skinfold testing is basically pinching the skin on different areas of the body to determine body fat. After a few years, it became obvious that it wasn’t unusual for me to be a little heavier at the beginning of a season from weight training and running. But as long as my body fat was in check, I was still on track to adjust my diet and weight to ensure I perform at my best for my biggest events.
141 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“Now that I have my mind and energy set on the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, I want to dial my diet in even more.” All these things, healthy choices, variety, hydration, testing, came together and elevated my performance. Working with Liz within that time frame (2014-2019), I won three long jump World Championships, got a silver medal in Rio, and tied my existing world record long jump.
Currently, I work with a dietician named Sally, and she continues to build on what Liz started. I got another silver in Tokyo and I attribute a lot of that success to the help I’ve received from these two great dieticians.
Now that I have my mind and energy set on the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, I want to dial my diet in even more. I feel like there are areas where I can improve.
In the lead up to Tokyo, I gave up all kinds of chips. I also gave up French fries. If you don’t know me, you don’t know how hard that was. I could eat French fries every meal. And I definitely ate some fries when I got back to the States. The chips, I can take ‘em or leave ‘em, but fries were hard.
But 2024 will mark my 6th Paralympic Games and my 18th year of international competition. I’m not saying I’m old or anything, but just realistically I have a lot more track behind me than I do ahead of me. My nutrition isn’t just key to enhancing my ability to compete, it’s key to setting myself up for my post-track life as well.
I'm definitely a huge advocate of taking care of yourself and being able to do everything you need to perform well, whether that’s training, competing in athletics, or if it's just getting up and going to work and hanging out with your family. I want everyone to understand nutrition is very important. I know not everyone has access to an Olympic Center cafeteria. And certainly, most people don’t have dietitians waiting in the wings to help out. But nutrition information is readily available. I encourage everyone, even healthy people, to review what the research says and find the nutritional plan that makes the most sense for you.
Even small changes to your diet can increase your energy levels or relieve joint pain or help you focus or sleep. Overall, it can just make you feel better. You want your body to operate well, not only for yourself, but to allow you to connect and enjoy others for a long time to come. ∎
LEX GILLETTE
5x Paralympic Medalist, 4x World Champion & Keynote Speaker www.awarenessties.us/lex-gillette LEX GILLETTE has quickly become one of the most sought after keynote speakers on the market. Losing his sight at the age of eight was painful to say the least, but life happens. Things don’t always go your way. You can either stay stuck in frustration because the old way doesn’t work anymore, or you can create a new vision for your life, even if you can’t see how it will happen just yet. His sight was lost, but Lex acquired a renewed vision, a vision that has seen him become the best totally blind long and triple jumper Team USA has ever witnessed.
142 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
All of his worries and fears about the workouts began to melt away as he grew in confidence… CRAIG GRAHAM
PERSONAL TRAINER & FOUNDER OF ALT MOVEMENT 144 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘ALT MOVEMENT’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY CRAIG GRAHAM
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS TRIUMPHS IN INCLUSIVE TRAINING
Exhausted and breathless, bodies lay on the floor in a crumpled heap. The music pulsated loudly but all that could be heard was the ringing in their ears and the blood that swirled around their heads, heart still pumping hard. Suddenly, fists started to fly in all directions, knuckles impacting on one another as sweat (and even tears) dripped on the floor. “Well done” they congratulated each other. It was the end of the CrossFit open where the adaptive athletes had just given it their all for the final workout. Just to clarify when I talk about athletes, I don’t necessarily refer to those that get paid to participate in their respective sport. But anyone who is committed to regularly giving their mind and body to a gruelling workout.
For the athletes at Alt Movement this was their debut event and a test of everything they have been training for over the past year. I Have to say it was a proud moment for me as a coach, to watch everyone get stuck in and to see all of their hard work pay off. This however was not only a first for the adaptive athletes, but also for a lot of our able bodied athletes. Not just competing in the open but competing along side individuals with a disability. With the growing popularity of CrossFit and now, the inclusion of the Adaptive category. Next to the Paralympics, CrossFit has become one of the most inclusive sporting platforms out there, not just for those with an impairment but also allowing your every day joe the opportunity to take part in scaled variations of the prescribed workouts. During the CrossFit Open, that lasts for a total of three weeks a workout is released every Thursday for people all around the world to come together and compete for a chance to qualify for the Games. And to potentially win the title of fittest man, women or adaptive athlete on earth. Like with many other sports, we see different categories and divisions. CrossFit is probably the most diverse. Some of the adaptive categories we see within CrossFit for example are, upper extremity, lower extremity, seated with or without hip function and vision. For most of the athletes we work with at Alt Movement, fall within the neuromuscular category. Meaning they have some form of brain injury or neurological condition. One of these conditions in particular I would like to bring to light is Cerebral Palsy, which is a group of disorders that can effect each individual in different ways. Cerebral Palsy can affect just one limb or multiple limbs and can also cause issues with balance and coordination. On these events in particular all of the adaptive athletes that took part in the open, have completely different variations of Cerebral Palsy. But this did not stop them competing in the exact same workout as every other person. Of course with slight alteration and adaptations made to some of the movements, depending on what part of their body has been affected. On this Friday night every single athlete came in and gave it their all, putting everything they have into each of the workouts. However one individual in particular really stood out to me, a young man by the name of Oliver. Eighteen years old, Oliver has a variation of Cerebral Palsy that affects the right side of his body (Hemiplegia). I have been working with Oliver for almost a year now and for him this was the first time he had ever competed in an event like this. As all the athletes started to warm up for the next wave you could see in Oliver’s eyes he was concerned that doing this workout, may not be possible for him. Let’s be honest; we would all be a little nervous competing in front of a room full of spectators. The room went quite. Then the five minute warning went off for Oliver’s wave to begin. Panic set in as he pulled me aside to say he felt he wasn’t ready for this workout. But all it really took was a quick prep talk from myself and little encouragement from a few of the other guys, and Oliver was ready to go. 145 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Over the coming weeks you could see a dramatic transformation. All of his worries and fears about the workouts began to melt away as he grew in confidence with the continued support that flowed in from all the other participants. By the time it came to the last competition, Oliver did not even hesitate for a second to dive into the workout. And in my personal opinion became the star of the show. My goal has always been to create an inclusive environment for those with a disability to train. To finally see this vision come to fruition was a truly amazing and humbling experience. ∎
CRAIG GRAHAM
Personal Trainer & Founder of Alt Movement www.awarenessties.us/craig-graham CRAIG GRAHAM is a Personal Trainer based in the UK, as well as the founder and creator of Alt Movement, which aims to provide individuals with disabilities alternative and adaptive ways of exercising.
146 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
As a child I could not speak, so I started listening. ASMA TARIQ
FOUNDER OF PAKISTAN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM 148 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘GLOBAL GOOD’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY TANITH HARDING
PAKISTAN LEADERSHIP A PROGRAM FOUNDED BY ASMA TARIQ
Asma Tariq is Founder of Pakistan Leadership Program, Secretary of Insan Party and one of the youngest published authors and international award winners in Pakistan. She has been nominated and has won several awards for her work including a Global Youth Award 2021 for Empowering Leadership. Her mission is to empower youth through global leadership and during the pandemic her digital Pakistan Leadership School trained over 1,000 students. She joins me today. TANITH: Asma you are passionate about empowering and educating young people, where did your passion and drive come from?
ASMA: Even today in many places, girls are used as show cases before getting married to a boy which leads to everlasting problems. Even today, a girl is considered a burden. As soon as she’s born, her parents start worrying about her marriage, spend their whole life collecting their daughter’s dowry. Women empowerment is considered against the dignity of the family due to which the girl has to depend on others for her entire life. As a child I could not speak, so I started listening. Someone said that I was like a straw; the wind would blow me away. People used to pity my parents because of having all daughters. I used to abhor these things. They kindled a fire inside me that made me wish to do something; make an identity that not only benefits me but also inspires other girls.
Q6 If you could change just one thing in the world what would it be and why?
ASMA TARIQ The Biggest challenge, I observe while working with the people is that most of the people are ignorant, they don't have
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY Sometime TANITH HARDING the right awareness. you just need the right awareness to discover and utilize your inner potential. Our people have great potential, they just don't know how to use it. My mission is to provide the right awareness throughout Pakistan especially the far areas, North Punjab and Sindh through writings, interviews, podcasts, and trainings sessions using all the modern ways. My goal is to provide awareness to 5 Million People by 2025. I'm on a mission to create millions of digital schools throughout the world. CLICK, TAP OR SCAN
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TANITH: You have talked openly about suffering from severe depression after losing your father how did this impact your journey?
ASMA: My father’s sudden death left a void in me. Everyone worried about what would happen to us. Some women suggested to my mother that she should get her daughters married. Mom refused these words and sent us to school. Circumstances had changed in every way; the pressure of being the eldest sister, loads of expectations, loneliness and disappointment. I had to go to the biggest university to study, but I was not allowed to go out of city because of being a ‘girl’. I fought it a lot but all in vain so in the end I had to give up. This created more depression. I began to wonder what was the use of reading when I can’t avail opportunities just because of being ‘a girl’. But inside there was a search that made me wander into books and sometimes onto the internet. I began to feel a sense of responsibility which grew with the passage of time. At the same time, I started to figure out what should be done in life.That’s when I learned the greatest lesson of life, realisation and acceptance. Feeling pain is not bad. It tells you what's wrong but ignoring it isn't okay. Accept it to cure it.
TANITH: During the pandemic you created the Pakistan Leadership School which, as mentioned, trained over a 1,000 students through the online classroom - tell us more about that?
ASMA: In the past we had limited tools with which to do such things, but technology and tools have advanced to such a degree, that the whole paradigm of communication and education is forever altered. We can now immediately connect to people, reach educational content and mentors from all over the world. Meeting new people can be a very rewarding experience.
PLP or Pakistan leadership program is an initiative taken to develop the skill, knowledge and capacity building in the youth. The idea started with the fact that the students in schools and colleges haven't enough opportunities to polish their abilities and skills. We didn’t have offices, we converted our rooms into classrooms with the help of online classes from remote areas of Pakistan.
Our team decided to structure a 6 week training program for Matric and inter level students so that they can have better choices and options in their professional life. This 6 week journey helped them in grooming their personalities, making better decisions, providing better understanding of surrounding environments and teaching them how to deal with them.
The two month program covers all the main requirements to have a better personality and a successful career for the individuals. It includes topics which are needed if one wants to to stay competitive in this race of continuous change and tough competition. Different guest speakers also join us during sessions to share their experiences and how they achieved success in their careers. Through their personal stories they try to motivate and inspire the youngsters to work harder to achieve something great in life.
TANITH: In addition to this you have also set up a WhatsApp classroom for Rohingya refugees and conducted 400 online sessions throughout the world. What are the plans for this?
ASMA: While connecting with Bangladesh Rohingya refugees, I had realised that education is the most important issue. Basic things like career counseling are missing in 90% people yet they do not know anything about it. More than 75 % people think that the phone is only to call, send messages and for entertainment purpose.They have a fear towards social media and unaware about the golden advantages of the smart phone and internet.
Our purpose is to develop them and their personalities so that they can lead their lives in the right direction, because awareness is a key ingredient in success. If you have it, teach it and if you lack it, seek it. Use of social media sites in a positive and productive way can give limitless benefits to the user. For example YouTube and Google can be an ocean of information for the user who seeks knowledge and an ocean of useless things for the unaware person. Therefore it is essential to have the knowledge about the digital literacy for the sake of making them a good global citizen. 150 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“I'm on a mission to create millions of digital schools throughout the world.” TANITH: You are also an author of five books, what are your books about and do you plan on writing more?
ASMA: I was sitting with my book in my hand thinking that there was a time when I was so fond of reading, the reason was that I could not speak; so started writing. Just then writing became my catharsis, I started writing diaries regularly, it was my companion of happiness and sorrow. I had accumulated many diaries and I used to jokingly say that when I die, you will bury them with me. Sometimes I wish someone would read me and say that she has written my thoughts and my feelings; Perhaps God had heard me and my dreams were fulfilled.
After losing hope, going through severe depression at the age of 15 when father died. I worked on myself and realized the power of the internet. I had one broken phone and an internet package. I wrote more than 300 articles for national and international sites and newspapers about social and developmental issues. Then wrote some books with others as co- author and then my own self-help book "Aas" for all young students which made me one of the youngest published authors. Then others like the Diary of My Healer where I share my healing process.
TANITH: If you could change just one thing in the world what would it be and why?
ASMA: The biggest challenge, I observes while working with the people is that most of the people are ignorant, they don't have the right awareness. Sometimes you just need the right awareness to discover and utilize your inner potential. Our people have great potential, they just don't know how to use it. My mission is to provide the right awareness throughout Pakistan especially the far areas, North Punjab and Sindh through writings, interviews, podcasts, and trainings sessions using all the modern ways. My goal is to provide awareness to 5 million people by 2025. I'm on a mission to create millions of digital schools throughout the world. ∎
TANITH HARDING
Director of International Development, The Legacy Project, RoundTable Global www.awarenessties.us/tanith-harding Tanith is leading change management through commitment to the RoundTable Global Three Global Goals of: Educational Reform, Environmental Rejuvenation & Empowerment for All. She delivers innovative and transformational leadership and development programmes in over 30 different countries and is also lead on the international development of philanthropic programmes and projects. This includes working with a growing team of extraordinary Global Change Ambassadors and putting together the Global Youth Awards which celebrate the amazing things our young people are doing to change the world.
151 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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…go for it and say it’s never too late. LAVINA MEHTA MBE
PERSONAL TRAINER & WELLNESS COACH 152 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘GLOBAL GOOD’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY TANITH HARDING
NEVER TOO LATE
FITNESS JOURNEYS WITH LAVINA MEHTA Lavina Mehta is a 44 year old Personal Trainer, Wellness Coach and mum of three, passionate about promoting the health benefits of exercise to treat, prevent & reduce risks of chronic diseases like Diabetes & Heart Disease. She is an Ambassador for Diabetes UK and supports Alzheimer’s Society & Brain Tumour Research fronting charity fitness campaigns. Her commitment to fitness saw her honoured with an MBE for her services in Health & Fitness over the covid pandemic in the Oct 2020 Queen’s honours list. She joins me today. TANITH: Lavina, talk to me about your concept of Exercise Snacking - what it is and how exactly do you want to help people of all ages in breaking the common barriers to fitness. What snacks do you recommend?!
LAVINA: It’s the healthiest type of snacking around. We're trying to hit the government guidelines of exercise to help reduce lots of chronic illnesses. Obviously, we know exercise helps our physical and mental health. But we don't always have that full hour in the gym and exercise snacking is taking short bite sized amounts of movement throughout the day. There's lots of scientific studies that I researched a few years ago showing that these could be as effective if not greater benefit than doing that long workouts. So it's about making it easy for us. We're all leading such busy lifestyles, so even things like five or ten minute bouts of movement, I call little treats for your body and your mind because it is literally not just how we look in terms of exercise. My whole slogan is to exercise for sanity, not vanity. We know that even a couple of minutes of any exercise you enjoy will help boost your mood.
LAVINA MEHTA MBE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY TANITH HARDING
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“I’m a mum of three and I only started my fitness journey in my thirties.” TANITH: You have mentioned that, whilst slim, you weren’t always as fit and healthy as you are today, what made you decide to become a personal trainer and wellness coach?
LAVINA: I’m a mum of three and I only started my fitness journey in my thirties. I've never really been into fitness or the gym. I used to work in the corporate world and I did have free access to a gym for my last company, but I never really found time to use it. My main message is that it's never too late to start your fitness journey. I joined the gym and I used to go for coffee mornings and group classes, it was only really when I invested in my own personal trainer and fell in love with the world of strength training and I saw how it really transformed my own body and mind that I decided to do some home study courses. I didn't tell anyone, did them in the evenings, just my family knew and it was more to find out about the science behind fitness exercise, physiology and anatomy. I fell in love with what I was learning. I qualified as a personal trainer and about three and a half years ago women started contacting me because I have a private gym in my home.
There was definitely a big market pre-pandemic when I was training women one to one between the ages of about 30 and 70. I saw many different challenges they were facing on their own journeys. I found it immensely rewarding. Since the pandemic, life has completely changed. I started doing live workouts on my Instagram. I was a very shy private person and just decided that I wanted to help people and launched my lunchtime exercise snacks with my husband and son trying to encourage people to stay positive to boost immune systems right at the beginning of the pandemic. The whole fitness space has been revolutionised by the pandemic. There are so many content producers now out there, but I'd never expected the response that we got, which was 1000’s globally joining us. I started streaming on lots of different social media platforms. Then I got my 72 year old mother in law to help me reach those that were a little bit elderly that weren't used to Instagram. It's been incredible. We've had people up to the age of 100 join my chair workouts. I encourage all ages because we all sit so much more sedentary and show them that you can take little snack size amounts and build up to hitting those government guidelines.
TANITH: Pre-COVID you launched a national press campaign to “Get UK Asians Fit!” What can you tell me about the campaign and also why you wanted to target the asian community specifically?
LAVINA: I’m born in London. My parents came over in the 60s. I think all Asians probably have someone in our family or extended family with things like diabetes or heart disease that are prevalent in South Asian communities. I did a bit of research after I was on Sky News before the pandemic, and I started talking about health, awareness, things that I was passionate about, and started researching diabetes and found that South Asians are actually six times more likely to have diabetes than the white population and then I started researching the power of exercise for type two diabetes. How lifestyle changes, eating healthily and exercising has amazing effects in helping reduce risks. Even people with pre-diabetes, as some of us may be living with it and not know about it. I found it so incredible. I have to say that the exercise snacking concept that I've got is also proven to help reduce things like blood sugar levels. It’s very effective and I raised the campaign across TV and radio a couple of weeks before the pandemic hit. I feel there is a bit of a lack of education and awareness around the power of movement and exercise in my community. There's probably a lack of role models and people don't really know what to do, I wanted to make it very easy for them. Having people that would typically not exercise like my parents generation join me and my mother in law every week, its something that I've continued to do and hopefully will be able to continue giving back in that form.
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TANITH: During lockdown you launched a free online fitness programme with your mother in-law using some interesting alternatives to weights - tell us about that?
LAVINA: I was on Sky News January 2020, a couple of months before the pandemic, I was talking about how people trying not to break New Year's resolutions and make it more of a long term lifestyle change. I actually suggested doing these small bouts of movement at home. You don't have to have fancy equipment. You don't have to pay for an expensive gym membership. You could use things like plastic bottles and tins and that's exactly what happened during the pandemic because everyone was forced to be indoors. We couldn't afford the prices and the availability of gym equipment, so I started saying let's start using things that we can find at home. I've had the elderly, the vulnerable and disabled children, people working from home. I've done corporate wellness and encouraged everyone to use things they have at their desk, I've got people getting very inventive on my workouts because I try to get them to progress. That's part of strength training is the progressive overload. So challenging your body gradually. I've had them bring in boxes and weighing scales and things from the kitchen, even candlestick holders. It's been really fun.
TANITH: Your work has been recognised with an MBE from the Queen, a British Asian Heroes Award endorsed by the Prime Minister among many others! What is next for you?
LAVINA: It’s been a surreal two years. It's things I've been passionate about and my wild ideas have been supported by everyone. It's thanks to everyone out there that's taken part in my workouts. What's next? I'm on a mission to help all ages and my brand is feel good with Levina. I really believe in the power of exercise to help us feel good physically and mentally. I'm going to try and keep going, trying to help break down the barriers and time costs and motivation. I'm still providing free workouts with my mother in law. There's tonnes of content and exercise snacks on my Instagram. I would love to keep helping, keep serving and hopefully making a difference. I think there's lots of things on my goal list. My message especially as a mum that's given up her corporate career is to women and mums that are at that stage in their life where their children are a little bit older and they can have a bit of their time back. To anyone out there with a dream to follow, I never expected to be in this position and I hope it inspires people to go for it and say it's never too late. ∎
Learn more about Lavina and her work: https://feelgoodwithlavina.com
TANITH HARDING
Director of International Development, The Legacy Project, RoundTable Global www.awarenessties.us/tanith-harding Tanith is leading change management through commitment to the RoundTable Global Three Global Goals of: Educational Reform, Environmental Rejuvenation & Empowerment for All. She delivers innovative and transformational leadership and development programmes in over 30 different countries and is also lead on the international development of philanthropic programmes and projects. This includes working with a growing team of extraordinary Global Change Ambassadors and putting together the Global Youth Awards which celebrate the amazing things our young people are doing to change the world.
155 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Some of the biggest obstacles we face are the assumptions made about us as women, our goals and ambitions. AALIA LANIUS
NOVELIST, SPEAKER, PODCAST HOST & SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR 156 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘UNSUGARCOATED’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY AALIA LANIUS
REACHING FOR THE STARS WOMEN AT SXSW 2022
As my heels clicked the pavement in the Texan city of Austin for the first time, I felt a vibe of eccentricity and expressionism in the air. From bold-colored murals to the feeling of a pulse emitting from the pavement—I had arrived at SXSW 2022. SXSW has become the most anticipated and encompassing music and film festival in the world, and it’s been three years since it’s been held in person due to the pandemic. I’m very often at film festivals and events around the world, but admittedly, my impression of SXSW was that it was mostly indie music focused, and I never really made the effort to attend. A few things changed that. First, as I reviewed the program I recognized SXSW has expanded into much more than just music, especially where film and media are concerned. It made sense for my husband and I to be there.
Secondly, it’s Women’s Month and I wanted to focus on something that celebrates the multiple achievements of women, while also marking a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. There's one thing I’ve observed at international film festivals like as Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Hong Kong—the rooms are still predominantly men, sprinkled with women. I wondered if SXSW would be different.
SXSW approving my press credentials, was the final sign. I knew UNSUGARCOATED™ was supposed to be there and I attended the first five days of the festival. It was wonderful to see and meet other female executives or walk into packed sessions and see diverse panels that equally included impressive women in music, tech and film.
I overheard a group of women commenting on how it was the first time they’d heard so many foreign languages while attending SXSW. Another sign of growth. But in looking to see if SXSW is using their platform to create space for women, I found out just how much they are—literally.
Kim Macharia is the Chair of the Board of Space Frontier Foundation and focuses on promoting STEM education and increasing the representation of women in aerospace careers. Among four other inspirational Black women, she spoke for a session titled, “Hidden No More: Black Women in Space”. The description of the event refers to the film Hidden Figures, which exposed the unknown and important contribution of Black women to the US Cold War Space program. Discussions were had on the “growing impact of Black women as leaders of the human breakout into space, and what can be done to accelerate the trend”.
Over the weekend, she sat down with me. Donning a beautiful blue and white dress, Kim arrived with a bright smile and warm greeting. She shares how the beginning of her journey in space started during a college screenwriting fellowship. In her final year, she wrote a musical-comedy screenplay based on two immigrant women competing for a free trip to space. It was through her research that she came to find out how difficult it is for women, people of color, and people from non-space faring nations to enter the industry. 157 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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“It is important that everyone is taught about what both conscious and unconscious biases are…” “I dedicated my senior thesis as a philosophy student to write about democratizing the space industry,” Kim said. With no knowledge of the space industry or connections to people that could help her, she gave herself the summer of 2018 to find a way to utilize her ideas. She attended a space conference, New Space, and it was there she met her future boss, while holding open a door. Three weeks later she found herself moving to New York to start working at a blockchain company that had just acquired an astro mining company.
Speaking on her first space conference, and an experience that represents the bias women face, “I was the only Black woman there,” she says, “out of about 400 or so people that were there…that was my very first entry point.”
On breaking the bias, she shared that she now manages that organization in a way that has allowed her to bring on more women in leadership and encourage diversity. This direction has been well received and people who are qualified but not previously being given opportunities, are now being presented with them.
“It’s been a real privilege for me to be able to create these spaces where folks can engage in the space industry in an inclusive and welcoming environment that I hope I foster within the Space Frontier organization.”
Kim’s experiences already include speaking at the UN Space Forum, and she says her objective is to ensure that the workforce of the space industry is truly representative of the global population. Ultimately, we concluded our interview, and I appreciated her final words, “Whether women get into space or not… I just want them to know what is possible and see the opportunities that exist.”
Those words resonated with me, because I share a similar desire. The effort to unlearn preconceived notions of what is possible for women is not new. International Women’s Day has been celebrated since 1911, yet I’ve only learned of it in the last few years. It is important that everyone is taught about what both conscious and unconscious biases are, as some of the biggest obstacles we face are the assumptions made about us as women, our goals and ambitions.
Educating and networking are one of the biggest ways to create that shift. As I wrapped up and headed back to Los Angeles, I reflected on my first-time attending SXSW knowing it won’t be my last. I was beyond happy to meet and see incredible women creating impact here on Earth—and beyond. ∎ AALIA LANIUS
Novelist, Speaker, Podcast Host & Social Entrepreneur www.awarenessties.us/aalialanius AALIA LANIUS is the Founder and President of Unsugarcoated Media, a 501(c)(3) media organization. Dedicated to helping survivors of trauma lead mentally healthier lives, Lanius' focus is creating media and events that empower, educate, heal, and inspire another the way it has for her. Lanius is also a multiple awardwinning American novelist, social entrepreneur, and advocate with over 20 years of sharing her personal experiences with audiences of all age groups and diverse backgrounds. Executive Producer and host of the award-nominated seasonal podcast show, “Unsugarcoated with Aalia”, a visual and audio experience that features conversations intended to bring value and amplify voices that create more empathy and understanding of one another.
158 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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technocracy: (noun) a form of government wherein the decision-makers are selected on the basis of their expertise
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‘ACCORDING TO LEGEND’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY LEGEND
TECHNOCRATS
A LESSON ON THE WEIGHT OF WORDS Words are important, very important, and they become even more important when spoken by a person who represents the United States of America. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” who doesn’t know these noble words or how about “Don’t Tread on Me.” Words are powerful, and leaders must choose their words carefully and stand behind them. Let’s assume for just a moment that it is in fact the case. Regardless of whether it is the case, we have some serious troubles brewing.
“My boss asked me to continue diplomacy with Afghanistan in order to advance American interests,” says the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mr. Thomas West, under the current U.S. Department of State Secretary Anthony Blinken during an interview on Tolo News. “I come to the table to meet the Taliban representative [and] on the other side of the table, I see professional technocrats...” Well, we know who you are on this side of the table, Mr. West. Let’s talk about your professional Taliban technocrats on the other side of the table. Professional suicide bombers, acid throwers, war wagers, murderers, democracy snatchers, freedom hating terrorist Taliban technocrats. See how words have a way, Mr. West.
Let’s be very clear and show the professionalism of the Taliban to the American people whose safety is on the line here and to the Afghan people whose lives will be impacted by these professional technocrats.
In August 2021, in a matter of 72 hours, 27 children were killed and 136 injured by the Taliban, your professional technocrats, Mr. West. And the list goes on and on...
“Our belief is that diplomacy with the Taliban is part of what’s necessary to see our interest achieved in Afghanistan.”
And what is our interest, Mr. West? And whose interest? The interest of the American people? They can’t fathom the idea of the terrorists Taliban in power. Point to a single elected official whether Democrat or Republican out in the open that supports the Taliban? The American people have the right to know. And so, whose interest, Mr. West?
The American Military and Veteran community? 3000 of our brothers and sisters in uniform were killed by the Taliban. We certainly know it is not in our interest.
The CIA? 7 of their agents were killed in just one attack by the Taliban. They are certainly against the terrorists. It’s clearly not in their interest.
The FBI? They work day and night to prevent another 9/11 attack from the terrorists. They certainly don’t think it’s in our best interest.
And so, whose interest? And who do you serve, Mr. West?
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This is Bibi Aisha. Bibi is Dari for Lady. Lady Aisha’s nose and ears were cut off by the Taliban, your professional technocrats, Mr. West.
This is Shamsia Husseini, a teenage schoolgirl. For the crime of attending school, acid was thrown on her face by the Taliban, your professional technocrats, Mr. West.
This is Caitlan Coleman Boyle, an American from Pennsylvania. She is not an Afghan. She is your neighbor, Mr. West. She was kidnapped, raped and held in captivity for 5 years by the Taliban, your professional technocrats, Mr. West.
This is Banu Negar, an Afghan female police officer in Ghor province. She was 8-months pregnant when she was killed in front of her husband by the Taliban, your professional technocrats, Mr. West. When did they kill her? At around the same time you were holding talks with them.
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The American people are against it.
The U.S. Military is against it.
The Gold Star families are against it.
The Veterans of the Afghan War are against it.
The Afghan people are against it.
That is why they have a National Resistance Front.
America’s reputation is at stake and without it we will cease to remain the America we are and proudly claim to be. Let’s keep our promise to the Afghans that we will not rest until our common enemy in the Global War Against Terrorism is defeated.
Let’s work with our veteran community involved in rescuing our own American citizens and our Afghans allies from the terrorist Taliban. Let’s be the hope we want to see. ∎
LEGEND
Former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant, Human Rights. Activist & Evacuation Specialist www.awarenessties.us/legend LEGEND is an Afghan-American, former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant currently working tirelessly to evacuate atrisk humans from persecution by the terrorists. Since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, Legend has assisted hundreds of at-risk Afghans, U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, vetted-allies, and persecuted religious minorities to safety. Most recently, he returned to Afghanistan to personally aid in the evacuations. He continues to work day and night with numerous stakeholder groups who call on “Legend” to assist those in desperate need. Prior to the 2021 evacuation efforts, he served in the U.S. military directly in Afghanistan and then focused on anti-terrorism efforts.
163 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Why does it take so much energy to get one child’s needs understood and met? ANA GABRIEL MANN
CO-AUTHOR OF THE GO-GIVER MARRIAGE 164 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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‘THE GO-GIVER MARRIAGE’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY JOHN & ANA MANN
THE CHALLENGE OF NEURODIVERSITY BATTLING BROKEN SYSTEMS
My parents had their first child in the 1950s. It was a difficult birth and should have been a C-section, but after hours of hard labor the doctor knocked my mother out with anesthesia, grabbed my big brother by the head with forceps, and pulled him out—a common practice at the time.
It didn’t take long to sense that something had gone wrong. My mother’s baby was not developing at the speed at which most babies develop toward toddlerhood. By the time he entered school, his difficulties were clear to everyone. He was neurologically different from his peers. He seemed socially isolated and, while he had an interest in learning, he was not grasping reading, writing, spelling, or any other subject with the same ease as his peers.
What we know today is that my brother was brain-injured, and as a result, his view of learning and the world around him was unique to him. In the fifties and sixties, the educators my parents dealt with had no real solutions to aid their child’s development. What they had were plenty of labels to attach to him, the principal one being “slow.” “Your boy is slow. He’s lazy. He’s stubborn…” Underneath the labels was always the real message: Your son is just not that smart.
Fast forward to the 1980s, when I had a nearly identical experience to my mother’s with my first-born child. A difficult birth, a daughter who suffered a stroke in utero, and developmental delays that were described by our neurologist as “moderate,” meaning that her brain injuries were significant enough to delay and impair her development in significant ways.
Like my big brother, my daughter was also unique in her experience of the world. In a word, she was neurodiverse.
The difference for us was that thirty years later, there were now laws in place that required school systems to develop specific academic plans to meet a “special needs” child’s unique learning needs. If you disagreed with your local school system ‘s approach, there were state and national laws to back you up. In theory, it sounded good. It should have been amazing. Yet it was an uphill battle all the way. As I soon learned, there was no education in place for the parent struggling to figure out and advocate for their neurodiverse child’s needs. Too many parents would accept whatever their school system would provide, simply because they didn’t know they could ask for more.
Today, in the 2020s, the situation has scarcely improved at all.
Growing up as the other child in my core family and witnessing my parents’ deep desire to help my brother find educational and personal success helped make me a warrior for my child. After years of frustrating special-ed meetings with no clear results, I sued my public school system for an outside placement for my child. The placement was costly and they fought to deny it. I won. Once in her new environment, my third-grade daughter went from not reading at all to reading and spelling at a tenth-grade level in one academic year—because the intervention understood her unique learning style.
Why does it take so much energy to get one child’s needs understood and met? Primarily because neurodiversity is so widely misunderstood. Society still doesn’t acknowledge that between learning disabilities, ADD, ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, mild to moderate brain injuries, and children and adults on the autism spectrum, an estimated 20 to 30 percent of the world’s population is neurodiverse. If you include such mental health issues as OCD, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and other psychiatric differences that affect behavior and neurological functions, then well over 50 percent of the world’s population is neurodiverse. Yet few understand this or are even aware of it. 165 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Like my big brother, my daughter was also unique in her experience of the world. In a word, she was neurodiverse. What compounds the challenge is that these conditions typically demand interventions at an early age to enable full developmental progress. Right now, that only happens when parents are empowered by advocacy groups that work to educate and empower them to get their children’s needs met—even if means going to battle.
Enter a true warrior, whom I will call “Scarlett,” a mother of three children on the spectrum and a leading advocate for parents in her situation.
Scarlett lives in the US, where she leads a nonprofit that teaches, educates, and advocates for parents and children who are caught in the quagmire of fruitless special-ed bureaucracy. It is hard to write about heroes like Scarlett without using their real names, but Scarlett is still very much in the system herself, and naming her here could jeopardize her work.
When I ask her why it’s so hard to get the world to rally around children and adults with neurodiversity, she says, “A lot of parents don’t understand their rights—and the special education systems don’t educate them. As a result, they are denied services and end up spending huge amounts of needless money and energy.”
This is crazy, I point out, especially considering that early intervention is so critical to helping neurodiverse children become independent, high-functioning adults.
“It is,” she agrees, “but the system is truly broken. Schools are overwhelmed, social services are overwhelmed, and the available tools and resources are not made at all clear to parents. Advocacy is everything—but advocacy doesn’t happen without education and a willingness to fight for your child.”
After learning all the nuances of the special-education laws and spending years advocating for her children, Scarlett realized that large numbers of kids were falling through the cracks and not being served, simply because their parents were overwhelmed and had no education in how to navigate the system. Her mission grew larger than her own family, leading her to create her own nonprofit.
When I ask if she sees any signs of positive change on the horizon, Scarlett replies: “What I see is one more starfish that made it back into the ocean. It can feel discouraging when you understand how big and how broad neurodiversity really is. My hope is that more people will rise up and educate those around them to make a safe place for neurodiverse kids and their families to learn, grow, and make a difference in the world.” ∎ ANA GABRIEL MANN
Co-Author of ‘The Go-Giver Marriage’ www.awarenessties.us/john--ana-mann ANA GABRIEL MANN, M.A., earned her degree in clinical psychology before going on to serve as an educator, therapist, corporate trainer, speaker, and coach. She currently coaches Go-Giver Marriage clients and leads the Go-Giver Marriage Coaches Training Program, training coaches from around the globe.
166 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
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By 2025, WeFixGaps has the goal to create safety and life security for 1 million women in India… ANMOL SEHGAL
FOUNDER OF WEFIXGAPS 168 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘THE DECIDED HEART EFFECT’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY SONJA MONTIEL
WEFIXGAPS
AN APPLICATION OF EMPOWERMENT PRINCIPLES “It’s my soul purpose in life to bring people closer to what they want to become, by helping them realize who they are now, and recognize what they are truly capable of.” - Anmol Sehgal As a child growing up in India, Anmol Sehgal was very shy and timid. She had a hard time expressing herself, and wasn’t able to stand up to her bullies. Limited in her experiences to truly see herself and the influence she could have on others, Anmol struggled with low self-esteem.
The Thomas Reuters Foundation conducted a survey in 2018, finding India to be the most dangerous country for women who were suffering from sexual violence and human trafficking, including sex slavery and domestic servitude. In a developing country like India, 40% of girls between the ages of 14-18 are not attending any type of educational institution at all, keeping them in the home without opportunities to personally and professionally develop. To this day, Anmol is no stranger to the rigid family and social rules of when and where females should be when it comes to life outside of the home. She shares that “outdated beliefs and practices of keeping women and girls at home and prohibiting them from going out alone must change.” This paradigm creates increasing danger to women and girls as Anmol has observed them becoming rebellious, developing low self-esteem and finding themselves vulnerable in dangerous circumstances.
After college, when Anmol entered the workforce, she began to overcome her shyness by speaking to 80-100 people everyday as a sales manager. She had a voice, and an influential one at that. When she transitioned from sales to recruitment, Anmol’s confidence grew and she discovered her leadership contributions when collaborating in teams. She says, “Work has taught me so many life lessons, but it took a while. I want to teach people what I learnt sooner than later. I want to help them find their voice and avoid unnecessary struggles. Everyone has the right to learn these skills and create experiences they desire on their own terms.”
Anmol continued to witness a lot of positives in her country that included limitless potential, untapped resources, higher percentage of youth in the population, and progressive changes in beliefs that were taking place every single day. With courage and advocacy, she decided to anchor to her leadership and cofounded WeFixGaps with her American partner, Steve Donofrio. Anmol is a soft skills trainer, motivational speaker and most recently has become a Wise Escapes Empowerment instructor. Wise Escapes Empowerment Program is a principle-based self-protection program under the WeFixGaps banner. She, and the team she leads at WeFixGaps, have spoken and trained with an array of clients that includes business schools, educational institutions and mid-size firms, in-person and virtually around the world.
Her professional title? The Empress of Awesome.
WeFixGaps is a social impact, training and development company fixing gaps in education, equality and opportunities, helping people lead safer, healthier and happier lives. Anmol states that “there is still a lot of work to be done but we are moving forward. We are intentionally starting with the gap of women’s self-protection, education and the reduction of violence and sexual harassment. By 2025, WeFixGaps has the goal to create safety and life security for 1 million women in India by building women and girls up to be confident and courageous to have their voices heard.”
169 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Anmol applies empowerment principles that include the power of personal responsibility… SONJA MONTIEL
CO-FOUNDER OF THE DECIDED HEART EFFECT 170 AWARENOW / THE ORIGIN EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
AwareNow Podcast
WEFIXGAPS
Written and Narrated by Sonja Montiel
https://awarenow.us/podcast/wefixgaps
TAP/SCAN TO LISTEN
“Fixing the gaps in equality and opportunity for women starts with women and girls feeling confident and empowered…” Of the many training topics that Anmol offers, she is especially passionate about how self-protection is taught to women worldwide. She says, “We need to do more than just teach women not to get raped. We need safer cities and safer streets, and we need to teach men how to treat women. It is time to stop victim shamming and putting all the responsibility on women.”
Anmol applies empowerment principles that include the power of personal responsibility, ensuring that each of us understands that we have the capacity to design the life we want. Through specific mindset tools and awareness training, Anmol shows women and girls how to learn from their challenges and setbacks, and see these experiences as moments for discovering and learning.
She states, “Fixing the gaps in equality and opportunity for women starts with women and girls feeling confident and empowered, believing they can achieve any dream they have. Then they need to feel safe to go out into the world and pursue those dreams. When we look at new paradigms, think more holistically about how to teach and learn about protection and empowerment we begin to do our part in ensuring that every woman and girl has a chance to live a safe life. There are gaps we have realized and we can fix it. WeFixGaps isn't what we do, it's who we are!” ∎ SONJA MONTIEL
Co-Founder of The Decided Heart Effect www.awarenessties.us/sonja-montiel SONJA MONTIEL has served more than twenty-one years in the college admissions profession, having extensive experience in the areas of freshman, transfer, and international admissions. During her time working with thousands of teens and young adults worldwide, she began to witness many societies creating an unhealthy college-bound culture that misguides our young people in their pursuit of living a life of fulfillment. In 2021, Sonja met Hilary Bilbrey to begin something amazing. They created The DH Effect – The Decided Heart Effect with a mission to guide individuals, schools, and organizations to build high-trust relationships and belonging through self-discovery and personal accountability.
171 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Without resistance, strength cannot be developed and the phoenix will not arise. PAUL S. ROGERS
TRANSFORMATION EXPERT, AWARENESS HELLRAISER & PUBLIC SPEAKER 172 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘RELEASE THE GENIE’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY PAUL S. ROGERS
THE BLUE FLAMING PHOENIX FROM TRAUMA WE RISE
Release The Genie Fact: Voldemort refers to the Genie as ‘You Know Who Nothing symbolises the concept of rising and defying the odds more than a phoenix. It rises from its ashes in a blaze of hope and strength.
I'm a firm believer that each challenge or level of life demands a different you. By way of a personal example, let me show you this change. When I was diagnosed with skin cancer (melanoma) in 2014, I wanted a reminder of strength which I could look at whilst in the hospital. I decided to get a tattoo on the inside of my left arm which said the words “no fear” as an affirmation for myself. I also had the black ribbon tattoo, which represents melanoma. It really did help me, gave me the courage and strength to rise up to face those terrifying moments.
The next level in life demanded a different me. In March 2018, I suffered a life changing traumatic brain injury (TBI). I found that the tattoo “No fear”, which had been so helpful previously, didn't have the same effect. The reason being is that the person who existed before the TBI was not the same person anymore. I therefore arranged for a cover-up tattoo, which symbolized where I then stood in my thinking just 4 years later. The tattoo I chose was a flaming blue phoenix feather. What could be more powerful than emerging from the ashes? It has given me courage and strength on multiple occasions since. But surely, phoenixes are orange, red and yellow fire colour. So why the colour blue I hear you say? Initially, it was because of my love of the ocean as an ex kitesurfing instructor and school owner.
Since then, I have discovered a deeper meaning behind why I chose a blue flaming phoenix feather. For this personal insight, I am going to take you back to school. Ok, so here we are back in a high school chemistry lesson. We used to use a lab burner/Bunsen burner to heat test tubes for our experiments. The lab burner has 2 settings, with an open/ shut collar at the base of the burner. With the collar closed, it restricts the air flow. This results in a yellow-orange colour flame, which you would associate with a normal fire flame. The thing is that it is a very unstable flame and it lurches as it tries to consume everything it can. It leaves a thick sooty smoke behind.
When the collar at the base of the lab burner is opened, the air supply is no longer restricted. The flame transforms into this bright blue flame, commonly seen as a gas flame. This flame is very stable, it makes a roaring sound and is considerably more powerful than the orange flame. In fact, the hottest part of the gas flame is the area just above the very bright blue coloured part of the flame, found at the base of the burner.
For me, trauma represents the closing off of our inner air supply, which produces the unstable marauding flame. It is common that people say that trauma makes you stronger. This is not true. Trauma burns through and will consume and destroy what it can. We have all suffered and felt the burn of trauma in our lives. There is nothing easy about trauma; it can be mentally, emotionally, spiritually and/or physically painful.
So, if trauma is destructive and doesn’t make you stronger, what does? You do. You make yourself stronger. You are the one who dragged yourself out of the darkest places. You opened the air supply to allow the intense cleansing blue phoenix flames to appear.
173 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
There is a powerful, stable bright blue flame of strength and hope that burns unapologetically. PAUL S. ROGERS
TRANSFORMATION EXPERT, AWARENESS HELLRAISER & PUBLIC SPEAKER 174 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
AwareNow Podcast
THE BLUE FLAMING PHOENIX
Written and Narrated by Paul S. Rogers
https://awarenow.us/podcast/the-blue-flaming-phoenix
TAP/SCAN TO LISTEN
“I believe that when a person stands for something, rather than against it, the effect and energy is infinitely more powerful.” What is strength but a test against resistance?
Without resistance, strength cannot be developed and the phoenix will not arise.
They say that in order to be fully free, you need to die whilst you are still alive. This does not have to be physical. You can experience the end of something in your mind. The phoenix, and the gentler example of the butterfly, represent this transformation.
We are seeing this in a very tangible and distressing manner in the current Russia/Ukraine war. We are witnessing the inner strength of the resistance of the Ukrainian people. In the face of yellow and orange flames bringing daily death and destruction, there is a powerful, stable bright blue flame of strength and hope that burns unapologetically.
I believe that when a person stands for something, rather than against it, the effect and energy is infinitely more powerful. Mother Teresa, in the 70’s, was asked if she would join a march against the war in Vietnam. She refused. She instead said she would support and join any march in favour of peace and freedom. PAUL S. ROGERS
Transformation Expert, Awareness Hellraiser & Public Speaker www.awarenessties.us/paul-rogers PAUL S. ROGERS is a keynote public speaking coach, “Adversity to hope, opportunity and prosperity. “ Transformation expert, awareness Hellraiser, life coach, Trauma TBI, CPTSD mentor, train crash and cancer survivor, public speaking coach, Podcast host “Release the Genie” & Best-selling author. His journey has taken him from from corporate leader to kitesurfer to teacher on first nations reserve to today. Paul’s goal is to inspire others to find their true purpose and passion.
175 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
We're still not recognizing that human beings have human rights… CHIEF OGIMAA
ANISHINAABE KNOWLEDGE KEEPER, CHIEF OF FOOTHILLS OJIBWAY ON TURTLE ISLAND 176 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘FROM THE BEGINNING TO NOW’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY CHIEF OGIMAA
CREATOR’S CALLING
FROM THE BEGINNING TO NOW: LESSON 13 Once again, I’m talking to you from here on what we used to call Kânata, it became Canada. It was one part of this world we call Turtle Island (this includes North America) the Anishinaabe people always maintain the connection to Turtle Island, in spirit. What I mean by that is there are spiritual ties, spiritual connection, in my leadership. People call me Ogimaa (Acha-Kooh-waay)…. which means ‘leader of the sky’. I maintain that, because it has to do with the Spirit. That’s how we had our connection to the beginning of the creation, for this part of the world, Turtle Island. I’ve talked to you before about the effect of the “Doctrine of Discovery” on the first peoples of Turtle Island and I imagine it has been the same in other islands of the world.
All creation is part of creators everything….. the water… the air… the plants… the animals… the spirit. Creator has given us all we need… and everything has spirit….
Everyone, even the leaders, must take care of things for future generations, for everyone together.
That is why the spirit must be included in the way land is to be shared, everything must be taken care of, and allowed to take care of all the parts of creation together.
Sometimes, in some islands of the world… there is too much want for land, natural resources, and power. In Turtle Island, now in the part called Canada, thousands of children are found… buried at residential school grounds. Other parts of the world have their own history of human and cultural genocide this also includes environmental genocide. It is all part of us. There is one race… “the human race” as creator intended.
Children have been taken from their parents, their culture, their language and many have lost their lives…
It is a human right for us to help children grow for the future… their future….. our future.
Sometimes the genocides are hidden and lied about. Sometimes they are in front of our eyes. We have a responsibility to Creator to take care of this basic human right. We are one creation. We must take care of children and their future… which is the future of everything. We have a responsibility to Creator to take care of this basic human right. We are one creation we must take care of the children.
The natural order… the organization by the Creator is to come through the creation. Mothers are next to the Creator, therefore, I believe your mothers and grandmothers connection, generation to generation… for reasons of the Creator Himself….. We come to be a human race… it is one race in this world wherever we go. It’s the human race.
I don't know how Columbus missed that, when he came to this part of the human race in the world. We have Spirit connection to the environment. We were connected to our mothers and the spirit at is part of everything.
In this part of the world we call Turtle Island, our connection for our own origin comes from here….now called Canada. I'm pretty sure everywhere there are these connections and I'm pretty sure mothers have a heart for their children. We must make the right decisions and that includes the land and the world. We live in the Creator’s natural organization for a reason. It’s the reason for us to always take care of it. 177 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Nobody can say land hasn't taken taken care of us, because without the land to take care of us, everything that was put there by the Creator is nothing. It is not going to be there for the future generations. We have spirit life and purpose. We have soil. Air. There’s got to be air. Then a seed. It all has spirit. It's got to have a purpose which is why Creator created everything that’s needed. That seed will not grow without the sun. A seed will never grow without the soil….. without the air… we wouldn't function without their food source. And it all won’t start without the water.
We wouldn't survive because we're part of the spiritual connection for children that come here. Like I said, we were chosen one time, no matter who we are…even a Queen or a King. They were children at one time and somebody took care of them and that's why they're still here today. And that's how we should be thinking about our children. The children of tomorrow. The future generations, our own children, our grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren and great great great grandchildren…
We need to think about them because everything that gives life… never stops… the sun comes up every day….. it rises… so we rise every day. We need to take care of everything… It was put here for us. It didn't start 50 years later, after the Creator created everything. This continues thousands of years into the future. Everything began at the beginning. It's about people…. it's about the humanness of the children waiting for you…and that we were children. At one time….. We were somebody’s children… We were somebody’s grandchildren.
Every human being has to be respected. Doesn’t matter who you are. Doesn’t matter….if you are First Nations or not…everyone is still a human. Doesn’t matter what colour we are. Nobody's greater. Nobody's higher…. If we think we're higher, we are missing the boat…that we are one human race… Creator's creation never made us to be different, and we're not different. We'll never be different. Always gonna be one race, the human race. The human race has a spirit. That human race has a purpose. The human race has a future. Those children should be respected, to be children… to be happy… to grow as creator intended that life.
Creator gave us to be babies… the baby life. Creator gave us to be children. …the child life. Creator gave us the adult life. He gave us the elders, the grandparent life. Creator gave us to be great great grandfathers to respect the world. He has given us the children that were taken away and punished because they were not recognized to be human. Children who weren’t taken, they weren't treated like humans.
Today, here in Canada, as in the rest of the world… there are children being dug up, because respect is not for all children… To me, it's still happening. We're still not recognizing that human beings have human rights… and I'm talking to you today from the year 2022… I thought things would have changed by now….. The children are still not respected. The children are not being looked after as children, because if they were… they wouldn't be in these situations… What happened to them and the institutions that are to protect them? Agendas of genocide wouldn't happen?
We have a responsibility from Creator to take care of this basic human right. We are one creation….. we must take care of the children of tomorrow and onward. Look at and care for the environment that they live in…. What kind of life or even better, what kind of life are they going to need?
Migwetch
Thank you for listening. Thank you for considering what we must do.
Respectfully recorded and submitted by Kathy Kiss
OGIMAA (ACHA-KOOH-WAAY), JIM
Anishinaabe Knowledge Keeper, Chief of Foothills Ojibway on Turtle Island www.awarenessties.us/ogimaa I am Ogimaa (Acha-Kooh-waay), I begin with words from my own language to say hi to everybody. My identity… which is because God put me in this part of the world is my Annishinaabe language and name. That means “leader” for people and environment here. So I am not saying I am the leader of Turtle Island but that’s what that means. It is an individual’s name, which is a spirit name that we carry on from our traditional culture and lineage in this part of the world. We were put here on this Turtle. This Turtle Island is massive.
178 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
SUICIDE IS A PREVENTABLE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. YO U C A N BE T H E O N E TO START THE CO N V ERSAT IO N . H F T D.O R G
Leaders are those who know the way, go the way and show the way. DAO NGOC PHUONG LINH AGE: 25 LOCATION: VIET NAM 180 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘BERTHO’ EXCLUSIVE COLUMN BY MURSHIDUL ALAM BHUIYAN
LIFE LESSON
FROM DAO NGOC PHUONG LINH Start to be a leader with self-leadership. Then, get the others to see their potential so clearly that they start to make their dreams come true. When I was smaller, I thought being a leader meant to have many followers who admire me or at least teammates who follow my lead. However, with time and wisdom, I have met with and been inspired by so many talented people and realized that to start my journey of being a great leader, I have to be good at managing and leading myself first.
It is not easy to do it. I had to fight with my bad habits, my toxic thoughts, and got out of my safe zone to reach for more. To form disciplines and practice healthy lifestyle with good habits takes a long time and great effort to achieve. But believe me, it worth it. Once you master self-leadership, you will know how to manage time and task effectively. The best way of working is to have in-depth understandings of yourself and to be in control of your life. That is the best feeling that you will ever have, after all the struggles.
Leaders are those who know the way, go the way and show the way. I am still improving and developing day by day, and I invite my teammates to join this journey with me. I show them their potential and make them believe in how amazing they could be if they will try their best. Then, we thrive together. We support, accompany and accept each other. As a leader, I myself take responsibility for showing them our vision and how we get there. I help make them a better version of themselves by working, learning and persisting.
Our team is devoted to 2030 Youth Force Vietnam, one of the first and largest domestic youth-led networks in Vietnam that works toward the United Nations SDGs implementation. We are proud of everything we have achieved together. Deep inside, we know that by learning self-leadership and believing in our potential, we’ll make our dreams come true.
Dao Ngoc Phuong Linh
Age: 25
Location: Vietnam
MURSHIDUL ALAM BHUIYAN
Founder of Team Bertho & Official Ambassador for the Human Cause
www.awarenessties.us/murshid MURSHIDUL ALAM BHUIYAN is the Founder and Director of "Team Bertho", a Storyteller, Advocate, Filmmaker, Actor, Dancer, Scout & a Wisdom Historian who is highly motivated by a passion to make a difference in the lives of the people all around the world. Murshid is an educator whose life is dedicated to collecting human wisdom and educating the rest of the world on it.
181 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
This interconnecting energy is redefining, transforming, and evolving our grief… KARLA FUNDERBURK
OWNER OF MATTER STUDIO GALLERY & CEO OF MEMORIAL CRANE PROJECT 182 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
PERSONAL STORY BY KARLA FUNDERBURK
CRANES FOR A CAUSE THE MEMORIAL CRANE PROJECT
My name is Karla Funderburk and I am an artist and a gallerist in Los Angeles. My intention for creating the Memorial Crane Project is to commemorate those individuals lost to Covid and to bring inclusion, awareness and support to those impacted by this loss. I chose the Japanese Origami Crane because I was inspired by the tradition of a community coming together to fold and the legend that if anyone folds 1,000 cranes, their wish will be granted with eternal good luck, good health, peace, safety, and safe travels into the next life. I felt it was truly a fitting symbol for this memorial project, and the perfect way to mark this time in our history. The deep meaning of the origami crane is the safe transport of the soul into their next life. I was also moved by the story of the young girl Sadako Sasaki, who folded 1,000 origami cranes before her death from exposure to radiation after the U.S. nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, and Nagasaki Japan. Sadako inspired the greater symbol for the origami cranes by her prayer of healing and wishes of peace on earth, which I feel is exactly what the world needs now.
BOULDER MUSEUM MEMORIAL CRANE PROJECT MEMORIAL CRANE PROJECT INSTALLATION IN MUSEUM OF BOULDER HONORING LIVES LOST TO COVID -19
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183 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Folding origami cranes has helped me process and contemplate the volume of the souls we were losing from this pandemic. KARLA FUNDERBURK
OWNER OF MATTER STUDIO GALLERY & CEO OF MEMORIAL CRANE PROJECT 184 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“I have and continue to receive origami cranes from all over the globe.” Folding origami cranes has helped me process and contemplate the volume of the souls we were losing from this pandemic. On May 14, 2020, the number ticked up to 88,000 deaths. I was so shocked that I decided to do the math, to figure out how long it would take me to fold a crane for each of these souls lost to Covid-19. It would have taken me approximately 24 years. I decided to invite people from my community to help me recognize and honor these loved ones lost. I started receiving packages in the mail daily! In my art gallery, I created an installation of close to 7,500 cranes suspended from copper wires, creating a maze that invites visitors to contemplate, and commemorate those that we have lost, as they move through the installation. I chose copper as the material for the suspended armature because copper wires are what bring light into our lives and homes, and these souls have brought much light into our lives as well.
Since the first Memorial Crane Project installation, I have received national, and international publicity. This exposure continues to bring even more cranes, more names of loved ones lost, and more stories commemorating these lost loved ones. Today as the numbers exceed 848,000 in the United States alone, I have received over 170,000 Cranes, 2,500 names and numerous stories as well that are accessible on my website www.memorialcraneproject.org.
I have and continue to receive origami cranes from all over the globe. I also have many volunteers that contribute by folding, stringing and donating money and items such as housing while we are traveling and installing in other cities. These “chapters” bring awareness, community involvement and commemorative contemplation and emotional healing. Through the Memorial Crane Project collaborative art installation, we are able to witness and reflect on our infinite points of connection. This interconnecting energy is redefining, transforming, and evolving our grief, our feelings of separation, isolation, helplessness and fear into compassion and a greater understanding of our common humanness, united with growing consideration for one another. My goal is to eventually create Memorial Crane Project installations or “Chapters” in each U.S. state to commemorate each individual from each state as a means to mourn and heal collectively, as a nation united in spirit. ∎
"You are not a single drop in the ocean, you are the entire ocean in one single drop." - Rumi
Want to learn the art of origami crane making?
Tune in as Karla shows you how…
awarenow.us/video/origami-crane-making
Learn more about the Memorial Crane Project
& donate to support their work:
memorialcraneproject.org
185 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Seated from left to right: Alise J. Aucoin, Marie-Audrey Kautzmann, Dr. Nicolas G. Bazan, Dr. Haydee E.P. Bazan, Madigan Reed Standing from left to right: Zevenaar Flowers Davis (Executive Assistant of Dr. Bazan), Mala Mukherjee (Research Assistant), Kiernay Shelvin, Megan Cothern, Rasangi Perera, Gethein Andrew, Dr. Jorgelina Calandria
There is no place in the lab for discrimination based on gender. DR. NICOLAS BAZAN
BOYD PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR OF LSU HEALTH NEW ORLEANS NEUROSCIENCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE 186 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
‘BEING BAZAN’ A SPOTLIGHT SERIES FEATURING DR. NICOLAS BAZAN
THE ALLY A NEUROSCIENTIST’S RECOGNITION OF WOMEN LEADING THE WAY The culture that Dr. Nicolas Bazan has built in his lab helps aspiring scientists overcome adversities encountered when exploring uncharted biomedical terrains. Scientific excellence is facilitated through gender inclusivity and opportunity equity. “I have been determined to enable a workplace culture where everyone, regardless of gender, feels encouraged and supported. Although my lab has always been inclusive of all members, I am taking this opportunity to highlight women.
This lab culture is achieved, in part, by making all understand that what is done is meaningful and that the background and knowledge acquired will open career doors of progress. I often tell students and trainees that it is best not to conduct research for the sole purpose of publishing papers. Rather, we do research to open inroads into unchartered biological territories. The approach that I have followed has, for the most part, been to avoid doing gun-shot research and instead to build ideas and hypotheses to be tested by properly designing and performing experiments that ask questions. Intellectually, I have found this approach stimulating, driving further curiosity and exploration.
The culture that I try to foster every day seeks to contribute to enriching minds and to train constructive and effective future leaders. An additional essential component of my lab culture is that our hypotheses target specific disease mechanisms. For example, we are very interested in neurotrauma and novel manners to tackle neuroprotection. Our hypotheses focus on understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms to prevent, ameliorate, and cure Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, pain, stroke, long-COVID-19 neurological consequences, lung protection, age-related macular degeneration, and other neurodegenerative diseases. The questions asked aim to uncover new gene regulation and necessary proteins for cell survival at the onset of brain and retina diseases. These hypotheses aim to understand mechanisms that preserve synaptic circuitry integrity during aging as well.
We talk openly about the need to stimulate the translation of knowledge from the lab bench to the patient’s bedside and the community. We also discuss entrepreneurial avenues to facilitate the translation of discoveries. From my very first lab, I worked diligently to provide a silent example of overcoming challenging situations and attitudes, even in difficult times—when papers were rejected; grants were not funded; or experiments did not work as expected because the hypothesis needed refocusing, to be changed, or because of mistakes.
Our lab culture helps overcome hurdles in the work environment, and I have always taken women’s questions seriously during the early stages of their careers. Science does not care who makes the discovery. It does not care about gender. Such limitations, in fact, are impediments to acquiring new knowledge. There is no place in the lab for discrimination based on gender or any quality other than scientific merit and work ethic. Different perspectives, voices, and backgrounds are necessary to further research and help humanity.
I have been determined to facilitate a workplace culture where everyone, regardless of gender, feels encouraged and supported. Although my lab has always been inclusive of all members, I am taking this opportunity to highlight women with their personal statements, in addition to my own providing recognition where it is more than deserved.”
187 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
women of
EXCELLENCE in science
In recognition of scientific excellence witnessed both inside and outside the lab, Dr. Nicolas Bazan is honored to share the following stories and statements from women raising and setting the bar in their respective fields of study. 188 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Haydee E. P. Bazan, PhD “Throughout her career, Argentinean-born scientist, Dr. Haydee E. P. Bazan, has conducted countless pioneering studies on lipid messengers in the cornea, resulting in groundbreaking discoveries and peer-reviewed publications. Her laboratory focuses on defining the significance of lipid-mediated pro-homeostatic signaling in corneal wound healing, nerve regeneration, and dry eye. I would know. She is my wife. Our laboratories also share the same floor. Haydee has always been an exemplary partner both in life and work, whether it be raising our five children or publishing research papers. Together, we have risen above adversities. For four decades, she has been a fully independent Professor of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience working on the cornea. Both of us trained as research fellows at the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University in New York before completing a fellowship at Harvard Medical School. We went back to Argentina for over a decade, and at the age of 28, I became the founding director of the Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas, the University’s joint project with the National Research Council. In Argentina, Haydee did her PhD on the retina, with me serving as her advisor. Together, we worked on the retina and continue to publish important discoveries on that topic. In the middle of her PhD studies, Haydee also gave birth to two more children, in addition to the three we already had at the time. In 1981, we were forced to flee the country when a military junta committed atrocities and other human rights violations resulting in major political upheavals. When we came to the U.S. then, she set up a successful independent project on the cornea, and we continue to collaborate often. Haydee has also been competitively funded by NIH for the last 35 years. Her lab was the first to describe the complete human corneal nerve architecture which led to uncovering abnormalities in corneal nerves in insulindependent diabetes and corneal dystrophies. She and her colleagues discovered that pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF) plus the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) induces recovery of nerve density, restores sensitivity, increases tear secretion, and facilitates epithelial wound healing after experimental refractive surgery. Using LC-MS/MS lipid mediator-based analysis, her lab also found that PEDF plus DHA triggers the biosynthesis of a novel stereospecific isomer of resolvin D6 (RvD6) that precedes the onset of corneal nerve regeneration. Moreover, her laboratory has developed techniques for quantitative immunostaining of epithelial, sub-epithelial, and stromal nerves, acting as a leader in uncovering mechanisms to restore alterations in corneal nerves and the significance of innervation to regulate impaired corneal sensation, effects of diabetes, severe dry eye, and damage to the epithelium that may lead to corneal ulcers, melting, and perforation. My wife, Dr. Haydee E. P. Bazan, is not only a highly accomplished scientist in her own right but also a wonderful mother to our five children and a beloved grandmother of fourteen. She is a true partner in every sense of the word.” - Dr. Nicolas Bazan
189 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Professor Dr. Marianne Schultzberg “I’ve collaborated with Dr. Marianne Schultzberg, a Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at the Karolinska Institutet since 2005. Dr. Schultzberg’s research focuses on the role of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and combines cellular and animal experimental models in a translational approach based on in vivo and in vitro models in close association with the geriatric clinic at Karolinska University Hospital, with the goal to find new treatment strategies. I was also appointed Foreign Adjunct Professor by the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2017 and continue to work regularly with Dr. Schultzberg on research related to Alzheimer’s disease and more. I also cosupervised Ceren Emre, who recently completely her PhD at the Karolinska Institutet and worked in my New Orleans lab for 8 months prior to the pandemic. Now, I have a new graduate student at the Institutet, Makiko Ohshima. This international research collaboration between my lab and Dr. Schultzberg’s lab is actively advancing our understanding of aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Projects include looking at the novel signals that protect the brain in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The Karolinska Institutet has a superb repository of Alzheimer’s disease, brain, blood, CSF, and new data from patients. My lab advanced innovative studies on the CSF of patients with Alzheimer’s disease at different stages of cognitive deficits. Our collaboration includes exploring non-invasive intranasal delivery of lipid mediators in an Alzheimer’s disease model, thus supporting the potential therapeutic intranasal delivery of lipid mediators to sustain memory decay. Dr. Schultzberg has led her own research group at the Karolinska Institutet since the 1980s and has been a guest scientist at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in the United States, as well as Director for Doctoral Education, Dean of Doctoral Education, and Pro-Dean of Doctoral Education at the Karolinska Institutet. She believes there is a strong link between clinical practice and research, requiring good opportunities for clinicians to embark on doctoral studies. While she herself is highly accomplished, she also makes it a point to provide a highquality learning environment for her students and teaches them how to create openings for themselves in their respective fields.” - Dr. Nicolas Bazan
190 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Marta Aveldaño “In 2020, the Research Institute of Biochemistry (INIBIBB) and the Department of Biological Sciences that Dr. Bazan founded at our university in 1970, and directed for 12 years, celebrated its 50th anniversary. Half a centennial later, those of us who started our careers with him as our research team leader are so thankful for having had the opportunity of working with him during the Institute’s initial years. Rather than referring to the innumerable scientific achievements of Dr. Bazan’s that followed, I would like to evoke subjectively those initial years of him as a Director of INIBIBB. Even though he himself was young, he initially summoned an eager group of young male and female scientists to collaborate with him. Those were challenging years for females to pursue scientific careers, with nobody worrying about concepts like diversity, equity, and inclusion. At that times, Dr. Bazan’s endeavor of creating a new research team from scratch was a turning point in all of our lives, which were literally revolutionized (academically, scientifically, and otherwise) by his novel approaches of guiding us into modern science and his example of how to practice it seriously, with tenacity and excellence. He was exigent but inspiring, ambitious but able to transmit to all of us, not only his know-how, but also his motivation, his enthusiasm, and his strong drive to accomplish. No fear of defies was the motto! In those initial years there were no technicians. All of us had to learn how to master techniques and to handle equipment we had never seen. There was no internet, so long hours each day had to be spent in the library and then at home reading uncountable reprints. To prepare us to speak at scientific meetings, over the course of several years, we had to deliver internal seminars, requiring us to learn how to deal with critiques of our published articles. During these same years, several copies of each paper manuscript had to be sent via postal mail to the publishers while we waited for responses. And, the same was the case with reprints of published articles with yet again more waiting. I have no nostalgia for those days, but I do have memories of the former ways of life in a research environment that I believe contributed both to our resilience and problem-solving abilities. By his initiative as professor, Dr. Bazan created and organized a new career in Biological Sciences and introduced new content in the Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology areas. He delivered his lectures, not only as an excellent teacher in the classrooms, but also at seminars and conferences populated by attentive audiences of graduate students. With base at the INIBIBB, he created a postgraduate career in Biochemistry at our university, of which I was one of the first students and research fellows under his supervision. Personally, I feel proud and pleased for being one of his first PhDs, and then one of his first scientific career members. In addition, many of us are indebted for his intervention allowing us to “see the world”, by opening roads for us to meet, and some of us to collaborate with, renowned members of the scientific community abroad. He also introduced us, as dedicated collaborators, into the organization of international meetings at home and abroad, and in the edition of a couple of books. From his research at our institute, Dr. Bazan was one of the first neuroscientists to make the link between the brain and the retina, having thereafter contributed mightily to our present understanding of how the brain and retina work in health and disease. After Dr. Bazan, the INIBIBB had four directors. A colleague of mine who was also one of his first disciples, Dr. Norma Giusto, and myself, have had the honor and the privilege of successively occupying the position once held by Dr. Bazan, as directors of the research Institute he once envisioned in his mind and heart.” Marta Aveldaño
191 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Khanh Van Do “My name is Khanh Van Do. I was born in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), Vietnam. Like many people born in the 1980s, I learned of the starvation and other difficulties faced by older generations during the Vietnam wars. I saw my own grandfather, who survived the wars, suddenly becoming forgetful, losing his vision, and within a year dying as a result of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The inability of local doctors to help him fueled my interest in improving human health, and especially age-related degenerative diseases in my country. In 2013, I was awarded a Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF) fellowship. I met my mentor, Dr. Nicolas Bazan, at the LSU Health Science Center (LSUHSC) in New Orleans. He is a compassionate family man, fierce businessman, generous person and extraordinary scientist. His extensive knowledge of cellular and molecular signaling in neuronal and retinal dysfunction has stimulated and enhanced my understanding of the pathophysiology involved. Dr. Nicolas Bazan and his wife, Dr. Haydee Bazan, always supported my research and gave me wise career advice. Before my wedding in 2014, he asked me to come to his office. His wife, Haydee, was also there. She smiled and said: “Khanh, you are a very young female scientist. You have to find the right partner in your life. Nicolas has been my partner for several decades.” In 2015, my husband, Thang Pham, became a graduate student in Dr. Haydee Bazan’s Laboratory. During my graduate program and postdoctoral training, under the supervision of Dr. Bazan, I had prestigious research publications. I also gained awards and fellowships, such as Schlumberger Foundation's Female Faculty for the Future (2016 – 2019) and NIH Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience (2020). Dr. Bazan was also extremely supportive at work during my two pregnancies and a huge help as I experienced being a mother for the first time. My husband, 2 little boys and I just returned to Vietnam to continue my dream to improve the healthcare system. It is about 9,000 miles away and a 12-hour time zone difference between Vietnam and New Orleans but Dr. Bazan and I continue to have many conversations about both research and life. In the last day in his lab, he said to me: “Your life is short, follow your dream in Vietnam and don't hesitate to learn anything from anyone, anywhere. But if you have a new dream, I will welcome you back and support your dream.” - Khanh Van Do
192 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Dr. Maria Soledad Cortina "It was January of 2002 when I received a phone call that would forever change my career and my life. I was a recently graduated physician in Argentina searching for a path forward. I wrote to Dr. Bazan asking for an opportunity on his research team without really expecting an answer. Twenty years have gone by but I still remember this moment like it was yesterday. I picked up the phone and Dr. Bazan was on the other side of the line. He said: “I have asked for references about you and reviewed your application, I would like to offer you a position as a postdoctoral fellow in my lab”. I was wordless. To which he answered: “ I realize you have some thinking to do, call me when you are ready”. Fast forward to the present and I am an Associated Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Illinois in Chicago. I direct the General Eye Clinic, the Comprehensive Ophthalmology practice and the Artificial Cornea Program. I have made a name for myself in the field of cornea both nationally and internationally and have published over 60 peer reviewed articles and many book chapters, including two books that I have edited. Most importantly, I also have a wonderful family that supports me, my husband and four boys born here in the US. My path has been challenging and required sacrifice and hard work. Many told me it was impossible as a woman and a foreign graduate. Dr. Bazan not only believed in me, he also showed me the way. When I arrived to New Orleans and the Neuroscience Center in June of 2002, I had never done research before. I was amazed by the technology and thriving force of this place considered one of the best Neuroscience centers in the world. Dr. Bazan was a dedicated but tough mentor. I realized quickly he was being intentional, pushing me to develop and achieve my full potential. He had high standards and expectations. But I was never known to shy away from challenges and maybe that is why we have always worked so well together. Being immersed in this environment of curiosity, hard work, brilliant minds, and true desire to make a difference led to the foundation of how I approach every scientific question now. It gave me purpose and made me the scientist I am today. My early work in his lab led to discoveries of mitochondrial DNA repair in photoreceptor survival; I later pivoted my interest to cornea working closely with Dr. Haydee Bazan. Together, and in collaboration with Dr. Nicolas Bazan, we began a project with seed funding from LSU on lipids and corneal nerve regeneration. Our early work resulted in continuous RO1 funding for the past 16 years. Dr. Bazan’s mentoring didn’t end when I left New Orleans to pursue a cornea fellowship and an academic career. On the contrary, he has actively supported me throughout the years, and he continues to be a role model and an inspiration to me, and many others like me. This experience has encouraged me to become an active mentor for young women in science and ophthalmology, and I hope my story helps other women thinking about a career in science believe it is possible.” - Dr. Maria Soledad Cortina
193 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Dr. Ana M. Pechen “When Dr. Nicolas Bazan arrived at the National University of the South (UNS) in Argentina and became my professor, I was an undergraduate student. The ideas posed by this young scientist who dared to dream big enraptured me. He transformed our small biochemistry department into an internationally renowned research institute: the INIBIBB. Today is the 50th anniversary of his legacy as a leader in the biological/biochemical sciences, a field in which he is recognized by the world’s most prestigious scientists, and I am very proud to have been a part of this enterprise at the beginning. Dr. Bazan gives each of us—both men and women—the opportunity to begin a scientific career under his personal supervision, inspiring us to think ahead. He was my mentor in my PhD studies, and he taught me how to manage myself in the lab, handle equipment, observe and supervise the development of experimental animals, and prepare and present results. He has always been a persuasive and exigent man with contagious optimism and a special commitment to all of the women working at the Institute. Those early years, when we had few resources, were particularly challenging, but there was always an abundance of enthusiasm and fresh ideas to keep us going! By that time, I had married, and a year later, my first daughter was born. The second year, my second daughter also came into my life. With the support of my husband, I continued working on my PhD program, struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance in the process. Despite not being a woman himself or personally understanding my struggles as a woman, Dr. Bazan helped me, as well as other women, succeed through his attention to equity and diversity. When I finished my PhD studies, my family moved to Neuquén, a small city in southern Argentina in the Patagonia Region. It was there that I commenced the extraordinary journey of creating my own research program (CITAAC: Center for Environmental Toxicology and Agrobiotechnology of Comahue), becoming the first women President of the National University of Comahue (2002-2006), and the first women Vice-Governor (Lieutenant) of the Neuquén Province (2007-2011; 2011-2015). My transition from scientific activities into politics was guided primarily by a desire to address how to overcome the drawbacks in the participation of women in decision-making. I believe that women´s empowerment improves social development, and this genuine change lies within our capacity as female leaders. My entire career has been based on the fundamental education that I received at the INIBIBB under Dr. Nicolas Bazan’s supervision. In 1991, I visited the LSU Neuroscience Center of Excellence as a Visiting Professor, and it was a great opportunity to collect new ideas to incorporate into my research program on the effect of pesticides on wild animals and human beings. Dr. Bazan’s counseling, positive reinforcement, and mentorship have always been pivotal in not only my scientific career but also in my political life as well. I am incredibly grateful for his enduring advice and presence.” - Dr. Ana M. Pechen
“Dr. Ana Pechen was my graduate student (for 5 years or so) in the early 70's when I was Director-Founder, and Professor of Biochemistry, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquimicas, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina. She was exceptional, dedicated, creative and productive. We published papers in major journals. After she set up a research program at the Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Neuquén, she published extensively on studies regarding environmental contamination and its effects on developmental biology, and she also trained a cadre of younger scientists. She was appointed Professor and a few years later elected President of the University (Rectora), 2002-2006. She then became involved in civic issues and was elected Lieutenant Governor (Vicegobernadora) of the State of Neuquen, 2007-2011 and 2011-2015.” - Dr. Bazan
194 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Miriam Kolko, PhD A Danish professor whose career as a clinician-scientist was shaped by her training at the LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Miriam Kolko, PhD has just been named one of the Top 100 Women in Ophthalmology in the world. She is on the Ophthalmologist’s 2021 Power List. Miriam Kolko, MD, PhD, a professor at the University of Copenhagen, spent more than five years as a medical student, during her PhD program and as a postdoctoral fellow at LSU Health in the laboratory of Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, Professor and Director of LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center. Dr. Kolko is also President of the Danish Glaucoma Society; Head of Eye Translational Research Unit (EyeTRU); Head of Personal Medicine Research Cluster at the Department of Ophthalmology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
“It all started in 1994 when I came to Nicolas' laboratory as a Fulbright researcher. I was completely new to research and just wanted to explore the brain. Nicolas gave me a unique opportunity to try out different areas of research and introduced me to the marvelous neurobiology. I chose to work with cell cultures and various analysis methods. I worked closely with many of other researchers in Nicolas’ lab and had all the support I could dream of. I was allowed to attend conferences and quickly realized that I wanted to pursue a PhD. However, I had to return to Denmark to complete my medical education. Right after medical school, I came back to do a PhD under the guidance of Nicolas. I received more support not only with my research but also personally. Nicolas became a close friend to me and also to my family. During my PhD, I had many conversations with Nicolas. I was in doubt as to which clinical path I should take. Initially, I wanted to be a neurologist, but during my PhD, I found out that I had a particular fondness for microsurgery. Nicolas put me in touch with the eye department, which was located on the floors below the laboratory. It quickly became clear to me that ophthalmology would be right for me. I clearly remember all my conversations with Nicolas about career choices, which led me to the conclusion that becoming an ophthalmologist specializing in glaucoma was just right for me. Today I am a glaucoma specialist. I treat glaucoma patients medically and surgically. In addition, I am a professor of translational eye research. I lead a research group that focuses on a greater understanding of glaucoma pathophysiology, the management of glaucoma, and finally the treatment of glaucoma. I have a great international career and a drive that all started in Nicolas´s lab. Overall, I have been fortunate to have Nicolas G. Bazan as my supervisor both during my Fulbright scholarship, my PhD and since then as a postdoc. The time in Nicolas' laboratory has laid the foundation for my career as a clinician-scientist. Nicolas has always supported me and still does. Thus, although has been many years since I’ve been in his lab, I stay connected both in terms of science, but even more so as a close friend.” - Miriam Kolko
“Miriam’s transformative thinking has led her to build innovative, experimental, and clinical models to understand the pathophysiology of glaucoma and to contribute to improving the current management of glaucoma” - Dr. Bazan
195 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Jorgelina Calandria, PhD "My story starts in 2003. I came from Argentina with my freshly new degree in Molecular Biology to become a graduate student at Dr. Bazan’s lab. I quickly found myself feeling right at home. Dr. Bazan’s insightful and original projects cause my attention, and I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in Neuroscience and Lipidomics. While I was a graduate student, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I will never forget when Dr. Bazan gathered us all together in a borrowed lab at Pennington Research Center in Baton Rouge for a strong pep talk, giving us the comfort and security we needed during those uncertain times. In a sense, the Neuroscience Center of Excellence has thrived because of Dr. Bazan’s tenacity and grit and his ability to conquer the most difficult obstacles in life. Because of this, I choose him as my mentor. In May of 2008, I became a young widow. After graduation, it took some time for me to recover emotionally from the loss of my husband, and Dr. Nicolas Bazan and his wife, Dr. Haydee Bazan, gave me the emotional support I needed during this difficult period of my life. He mentored me throughout my postdoctoral training. In March of 2016, I applied for and obtained as Assistant Professor Research position in the LSUHSC Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Neuroscience Center of Excellence, and I joined the faculty in December of 2016. Currently, I am en route for a promotion to Associate Professor Research in the department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center of Excellence, and I developed my own line of investigation related to mechanisms of omega-3 fatty acids in the protection of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s Disease, but I am still collaborating with Dr. Nicolas Bazan and taking advantage of his wisdom and mentorship. I enjoyed very much the environment Dr. Bazan has created in the Neuroscience Center, because the fairness, equality and diversity are very high standards here, so I always feel respected. I hear Dr. Bazan’s stories about students he has had in the past, more often than not female colleagues, and how great he speaks about them, and I feel fortunate to be part of this scientific family.” - Jorgelina Calandria, PhD
196 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Maria-Audrey Klautzmann, PhD "I was a junior postdoctoral fellow in California working in a basic research laboratory studying retinal development. Although this field was interesting, I was attracted by the clinical aspect of research, precisely how to apply our basic knowledge of cellular and molecular biology to develop treatments and help patients, in other words, translational research. As I was looking for the next step in my career, I decided to extend my new job quest to the South. I looked up laboratories that were working in my field of interest, which is disease mechanism for retinal pathologies, and more broadly neurobiology. Browsing through the research produced down there, the work of Dr. Bazan’s team and of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence that he is directing came up constantly. I was delighted to have found a laboratory that had all the criteria I was looking for, which are productivity in terms of papers and patents, diversity of the research, translational research and renowned around the country and the world. I send out an email to Dr. Bazan in regards to getting a position in his laboratory. He said that he did not have any open positions but to call him a month later as he was waiting to hear back from a grant application. A month later, I reached out to him again and after giving a presentation and interview, he hired me! I was thrilled to join his team back then and 6 years later, in my role of senior postdoctoral researcher, I am as much excited as I was the first day working for him…or should I say working with him, as he always corrects us. Dr. Bazan constantly ensures that we are an equal team and that everyone’s role is as much important in making our work successful. Dr. Bazan does not leave anybody behind. He is a master at guiding people, helping them reach higher grounds and achieve greater opportunities in life. Every time we attend one of the key annual conferences in our field, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, he makes sure that the women in his laboratory attend the Women in Eye and Vision Research (WEAVR) symposium that supports women who are pursuing careers in the visual sciences. Often, we hear success stories from his former female students that are now thriving in their careers as scientists or clinicians, which is inspiring and shows how Dr. Bazan’s mentorship is the vector of success for aspiring young females.” - Maria Audrey Klautzmann, PhD
197 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Dr. Ludmila Belayev “Dr. Bazan and LSUHSC have directly and indirectly been part of my successful professional career since 1998. I was trained as a Neurosurgeon, but my motivation about disease causes and potential therapies led me to academia. While working at another institution, I attended a conference in Marburg, Germany, where I was introduced to Dr. Bazan. He was one of the organizers of an insightful meeting on the pharmacology of stroke, and was full of novel ideas and projects. He and I planned and executed the first study of stroke neuroprotection, combing his discoveries of neuroprotective molecules and my experimental stroke model (Belayev et al., 2005). Then I left academia and took a position as Director of Research of a pharmaceutical company in Boston. After almost two years in this role, I realized that it was not for me and that I wanted to be back in an academic environment. I remembered the positive experience I had collaborating with Dr. Bazan years before, and I made a phone call to him. He told me he would explore ways for me to procure the best possible job in academia, and I told him, “No, I would like to go and work with you.” This, of course, turned out to be an extremely beneficial move for my family and me. Dr. Bazan welcomed me into his lab at the Neuroscience Center of Excellence as Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience in 2006. Since then, I have been afforded every opportunity to advance my career, and the support available to me has enabled huge advances. I have authored and co-authored many papers, published articles in prestigious journals, written many chapters in books, and received grants from NIH working in close collaboration with Dr. Bazan. Opportunity does not always knock on your front door; sometimes, you have to make the call to get the job. His openness, generosity, and leadership have enabled significant findings on stroke mechanisms and have opened avenues for potential therapeutic translation.” - Dr. Ludmila Belayev
“It was remarkable to work with Dr. Ludmilla Belayev, and I was lucky that she joined our group. Early on in 2003 (Marcheselli et al., 2003; Mukherjee et al., 2004; Bazan, 2005). for example, we published the discovery of what turned out to be NPD1 in ischemic stroke, and we have the experimental model in my laboratory. Luckily, when Dr. Belayev joined us, she also brought in an innovative experimental surgical technique that she improved by coating polystyrene thread with poly-l-lysine, and this major development prevents damage to microvasculature endothelial cells while we block the middle cerebral artery to generate ischemic stroke. Otherwise, there is a complex outcome because the model is not solely ischemic stroke but also has a thrombotic component. When she came to work with us, we set up an experimental model together, controlling all the physiological parameters. She truly is an exemplary scientist, and we have graduate students and fellows coming through our lab where we are uncovering new approaches for neuroprotection that hopefully will open avenues for therapeutics of stroke.” - Dr. Nicolas Bazan
198 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Tabitha M. Quebedeaux, MD, PhD "Long before I started medical school and the MD/PhD program at LSUHSC New Orleans, I had my intentions set on pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience under the guidance of Dr. Nicolas Bazan. His innovative thinking and success in acquiring competitive funding was inspiring, and I knew under his guidance that I would reach my goals. What I didn’t expect when starting my PhD was the actual project that I was assigned. I had desired initially to work on a model of stroke, but I was instead assigned to develop a project on epileptogenesis. Now 14 years later, I still remember sitting with Dr. Bazan to discuss my project and looking over at the daunting stack of knee-high papers he had printed for me to review. Amongst those papers were three separate models of epileptogenesis that were being used to create epilepsy, and it was my job to find the right one. Of course, this came with the immediate mentorship of a junior faculty member from Dr. Bazan’s team who helped me work out the nuances of a new project and introduced me to the world of epilepsy. Dr. Bazan ensured that I had the guidance that I needed to succeed but also the autonomy to develop skills as a future academic physician. Over the next three years, the environment in the Neurosciences Center and Dr Bazan’s mentorship gave me the opportunity to develop my writing skills, expand my knowledge in both basic science and clinical coursework, and most importantly develop my own personal insight into what I wanted in my future career as a physician scientist. This time helped me mature clinically as I realized that research was not simply applying an identified treatment to a disease and looking at the outcomes. Instead, Dr. Bazan pushed me to understand disease pathology, develop research goals that directly addressed our knowledge deficits, and that true objective of research was conquering disease prevention – not solely treatment. This has directly impacted my decision to enter the field of Maternal Fetal Medicine. For many, my connection between Neuroscience and Obstetrics was not obvious. However, it is because of my mentorship and education at the LSU Neuroscience Center with Dr Bazan that I was able to develop my long-term career goals. My ambitions as a perinatologist include improving our understanding of fetal neurodevelopment, using our current clinical tools to detect fetal brain pathology, and identifying in-utero complications that impact childhood neurological outcomes. I truly believe that finding my own niche within the field of perinatology is due to the mentorship, environment and inspiration of Dr Bazan and the LSUHSC Neuroscience Center of Excellence.” - Tabitha M. Quebedeaux, MD, PhD
“Dr. Tabitha Quebedeaux is exemplary in many, many ways. She is dedicated now to maternal fetal issues. It gives me so much pleasure to see that my trainees are tackling also other areas of medicine. Also, she is here in our medical school.” - Dr. Nicolas Bazan
199 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Madigan Reid “In 2019 I had the pleasure to begin my PhD at the Neuroscience Center of Excellence, during which I have been trained by and worked alongside Dr. Nicolas Bazan. During my initial interview at the Neuroscience Center in Spring of 2019 I met with him for the first time. I could immediately see that Dr. Bazan would be a dedicated mentor who would facilitate my growth as a scientist and future physician. The way he spoke about science and the research that was currently happening showed he had an incredible passion for his work, something I greatly admired. Throughout my training, Dr. Bazan has pushed me to achieve beyond what’s expected and has always believed that I would excel in my endeavors. This support allowed me to challenge myself and achieve goals I didn’t think were possible at this stage in my career. I have developed into the emerging scientist I am now because he has provided an ideal training environment that rewards curiosity, dedication, and passion. Dr. Bazan is a brilliant scientist and has changed the way I and others approach research. My work in his lab focuses on novel therapeutic approaches to stroke and uncovering the molecular mechanisms of these therapies, and his involvement, guidance, and know-how has been paramount in the progress of this research. Dr. Bazan has instilled the value of “good science” in me as well as all his other trainees and it is something I take very seriously. He emphasizes that our focus is on discoveries and advancements that have not yet been investigated to open new avenues of exploration. Value being placed on this approach rather than a more standard approach is what has led to the innumerable success of the Neuroscience Center and Dr. Nicolas Bazan. Dr. Bazan has truly cultivated one of the most impressive, productive, and forward-thinking research environments, enriched with many female scientists that have also helped to mentor me during my doctoral training. It is my hope that even after my doctoral training and during the pursuit of my medical degree Dr. Bazan will continue to have a mentor role. Dr. Bazan will always be an inspiration to me, as I know he is to many others.” - Madigan Reid
200 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
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Rasangi Perera, PhD “I joined Dr. Bazan’s lab as a postdoctoral researcher in January 2022 after completing my PhD in Chemistry at Louisiana State University. Currently I am working in lipidomics projects in a mass-spectrometry laboratory using LCMS/MS and it is exciting to see how these sophisticated instruments help to see the effectiveness of a potential treatment in graphs and numbers. My PhD work was mainly based on neutron and X-ray scattering studies of nanoscale model membranes of lipids and polymers. The transition from the world of chemistry to neuroscience is a bit challenging. But, Dr. Bazan’s patience and guidance have helped me to grasp the connections between the two subjects. He makes sure that we are up to date with the current research and findings – this includes reading several journal papers per week, and short but very productive discussions we have almost daily with him. And now I find myself not only learning new techniques, instruments, and test procedures every day but enjoying every bit of it. Coming from Sri Lanka, a conservative society, I am aware of how women face restrictions when advancing their careers, especially in the STEM field. It is amazing to see so many women who are engaged in cutting-edge research thriving in Dr. Bazan’s lab. Apart from his great mentoring I believe the positive work culture he has created is another main reason for the increased productivity in our lab and the cheerful and encouraging attitude among my colleagues.” - Rasangi Perera, PhD
201 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Kierany B. Shelvin “In June of 2021, I had the privilege of working in Dr. Bazan’s stroke laboratory as a summer medical student. Once I entered my second year of medical school, I was accepted into the Honors Research Program which allowed me the opportunity to continue researching in Dr. Bazan’s laboratory for the remainder of my medical school career. It’s been an honor learning from Dr. Bazan, gaining new skills, and being able to be involved in novel research. Working in his lab has confirmed my desire of becoming a neurosurgeon once I graduate medical school. As a neurosurgeon, I plan to continue conducting research while utilizing the skills that I have learned while working under Dr. Bazan’s supervision.” - Kierany B. Shelvin “Kierany is a highly driven and dedicated medical student who is aiming to prepare an honors thesis. Over the last year, she has participated and contributed to our experimental stroke studies that aim to uncover specific novel neuroprotective approaches using the lipid messengers that we discovered. These messengers protect the penumbra that evolve in ischemic stroke and is the salvageable brain area in this condition. She is very dedicated, ambitious, and insightful.” - Dr. Nicolas Bazan
202 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Gethein Andrews “As a young researcher, it was important for me to find a laboratory with a rich history of success and an educational environment that would encourage me to reach my fullest potential. I am a first-year graduate studies student pursuing a Ph.D. at LSUHSC-NO’s Neuroscience Center of Excellence. In June of 2021, I moved to New Orleans to join The Bazan Lab. Here I gained not only a mentor who is invested in helping me succeed in my future career, but also a mentor who was willing to take a chance on a young female researcher. Over the past 9 months it has become increasingly more apparent how invaluable a good mentor can be. Dr. Bazan has provided my research with his ideas, a wealth of resources, and networking connections that would have been previously unattainable. One reason I most admire Dr. Bazan is for his drive and passion for science. His attitude toward mentoring allows the confidence he has in your abilities to shine through. In my case, my focus for the semester is defining the receptors responsible for Elovanoid N32 and N34 signaling cascades. However, Dr. Bazan has also helped me apply for my first grant, given me the privilege of helping maintain breeding mouse colonies, and has presented me with tasks to aid many projects across his laboratory, all of which will aid my growth into becoming a research scientist and future PI. I am ever thankful that Dr. Bazan chose to mentor my scientific career. His attitude, intelligence, and long-standing mentoring success gives me the confidence in myself and my research to live-up to the standards of women who have come out of The Bazan Lab over the years and who have excelled in their careers whether they be M.D. or Ph.D.” - Gethein Andrews
203 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Alice J. Aucoin, MS Alice Aucoin is a second-year medical student at Louisiana State University Health New Orleans School of Medicine. Outside of being dedicated to her coursework, Alise is investigating lipid metabolism dysfunction in models of retinal degeneration guided by Dr. Bazan and his team. This work inspired her to continue her medical pursuit in discovering the unanswered questions of neuroscience while complementing it with a clinical perspective that she will acquire through her medical education, residency, and future career, which she hopes to pursue in Ophthalmology. “Alice is an unusually motivated and talented medical student at the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. She already has experience working in my laboratory, having been with us last year. She is developing an honors thesis. Her interests are in Ophthalmology and her project is on retinal degeneration. She is using one of our genetic models where impairment and survival of photoreceptors, due to a failure in retinal pigment epithelial cells can be followed. She is following potentially rescue pathways of essential fatty acids.” - Dr. Nicolas Bazan
204 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Megan Cothern, M.S. “I was eight years old when I first experienced a scientific research laboratory. The lab was run by my grandfather, a pharmacist and Professor of Cellular Biology, university of Southern Mississippi, who instilled in me a curiosity for science and the world around me at a young age. Competing in the science fairs throughout elementary school helped grow my confidence in my ability to excel in science, despite the predominately male presence. In college I completed an undergraduate thesis on Listeria monocytogenes in the lab of an amazing female advisor, Dr. Janet Donaldson. I went on to earn a Masters of Biomedical Sciences degree under Dr. Donaldson. While my passion is science, I feel called to pursue a career as a physician, where I can use my knowledge to serve others in a clinical setting. In June of 2021, I decided to apply for a position as a research associate in the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health Sciences Center while I applied for medical school. From the moment I first met Dr. Bazan, he has been immensely supportive and enthusiastic about my goal of becoming a physician. Over the past nine months of working full time as a research associate in Dr. Bazan’s mass spectrometry lab, I have continued to feel the encouragement of Dr. Bazan to not only excel as a future medical student, but as a scientist. Coupled with Dr. Bazan’s encouragement is a laboratory filled with diversity, as I have numerous female colleagues that are amazing role models. Now I can see that my drive to be a female scientist and future physician was fueled by both male and female role models. When I was young, my grandfather never doubted my ability to become a female scientist or doctor. In fact, I was unaware of the gender difference in scientific fields until years later because he never recognized my gender as a hindrance to achieving my goals. Going into college, as I started to notice the polarized STEM departments full of male professors, I continued to be inspired by female scientist role models, such as my advisor. Today, I am extremely thankful to be part of a laboratory that represents the work of a diverse group of people who are passionate about furthering medical research.” - Megan Cothern, M.S.
205 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
Dr. Jennifer Lentz “I began my postdoctoral training with Dr. Bazan in the summer of 2008, having received my doctoral degree a year earlier in Genetics developing animal models of Usher syndrome, the most common genetic cause of deafblindness. After learning how to use genetic tools to create animal models of hearing and vision loss, I was interested in learning the neuro-anatomy and -physiology of the eye and the ear so that I could use the models to study disease mechanisms and to develop novel therapies to cure them. After a short conversation about my scientific interests in his office, Dr. Bazan simply said “Absolutely.” Dr. Bazan provided bench space, training, and support to begin to understand how a genetic change causes combined deafness and blindness in the mouse model of Acadian Usher syndrome I created during my thesis research. We next developed novel antisense and gene replacement therapies that restore hearing and vision in the mice. Throughout this time, Dr. Bazan’s approach to mentorship – a sort of hands-off while his minds-in style – provided an opportunity for me to learn, discover, and grow both scientifically and professionally. When discussing an unexpected result or challenge he would ask questions that would lead to an opportunity. Many times, over the years would I hear him say “Absolutely. Give it a try, and let me know if I can help.” The Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSUHSC includes individuals from around the world at all levels of scientific and professional development. Here, I have grown from a post-doctoral researcher to an Associate Professor and witnessed Dr. Bazan’s long standing practice of continuous learning through collaboration, which has fostered his own growth as a scientific and professional leader. His knowledge of science and science history across the various Neuroscience fields is certainly impressive, but it is his love of learning and compassion for the individuals he works with that sustains us.” - Jennifer J. Lentz, PhD
206 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
“When women and men come together with our stories and statements, we craft a needed narrative for sustaining our shared humanity one discovery at a time.” Left to Right: Dr. Haydee Bazan, Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Dr. Ken Atchity (@ken_atchity)
This photo was taken a few years ago in Haydee's lab during the planning of the film "Of Mind and Music" with
Dr. Ken Atchity from Los Angeles who guided the publication of the first two novels by Nicolas Bazan. Support Dr. Bazan’s work with a donation to the LSU Health Foundation.
While LSU Health New Orleans strives to discover, teach, heal, and serve, LSU Health Foundation New Orleans strives to connect the needs for critical funding to those capable of providing critical funds.
Donations to support Dr. Nicolas Bazan’s work can be made here:
https://give.lsuhealthfoundation.org/givenow
Please designate: ‘Medicine – Neuroscience Dr. Bazan Research’
Born in Argentina, MD, at the University of Tucuman in Argentina, trained at Columbia University P&S, NYC, and Harvard Medical School. He was appointed faculty at age 26 at Univ. of Toronto/Clarke Institute of Psychiatry. He is Founding Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence, School of Medicine, LSU Health New Orleans, inaugural founder of The Ernest C. and Yvette C. Villere Chair for Research in Retinal Degeneration (1984-), and appointed to the highest academic rank in the LSU System, a Boyd Professor (1994-). He is also a Foreign Adjunct Professor of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Learn more about Dr. Bazan: www.awarenessties.us/nicolasbazan
207 AWARENOW / THE RISE EDITION
www.IamAwareNow.com
THROUGH THESE STORIES WE SHARED
I AM AWARE NOW. www.IamAwareNow.com
R E A D , L I S T E N & WAT C H T h e M a g a z i n e , T h e P o d c a s t & T h e Ta l k S h o w