The Mother-Daughter Duo Julie And Lillian Khanna Are Changing Lives By Changing The Odds STORY BY MELANIE OTERO | PHOTOS BY LOIS SPATZ
Being a mom is perhaps the most demanding yet rewarding job there is. But when you have the odds stacked against you, it takes a special kind of grit — and the support of community — to become the mother you yearn to be. Wellington resident Julie Khanna knows something about that. Raised by a hardworking single mother at a socioeconomic disadvantage here in Palm Beach County, she became a single mother herself as a teenager.Although she couldn’t finish high school with her friends, she sought a GED.And after overcoming many obstacles, Julie, a first-generation college graduate, completed her degree with young daughter Lillian at her side. Today, as a successful entrepreneur and mother of three, Julie realizes what it took to change the odds for her own life as well as her children’s. As the recently appointed chair of the development committee at Community Partners of South Florida, she now has the chance to change the odds for others. “I really fit the model of the teenagers that Community Partners of South Florida is trying to help,” Julie said.“They are committed to transforming the lives of children and families facing social, emotional and financial adversity. Looking back, I know if I had Community Partners in my corner, they could have been an advocate for me. Teens need someone to fight for them.” Julie’s daughter Lillian is that someone.
Lillian Khanna with her mother, Julie Khanna. wellington the magazine | may 2021 31