Be Brave Magazine #3

MAGAZINE

July 2023

Casey Arthur Rochester artist and community advocate shares about herself and her art studio!

David A. Jackson

Rudolph Valentino

Stand-up Comedian and actor shares about his journey

Professional actor talks about pursuing his dreams!

No. 3 w w w . B E B R A V E M A G A Z I N E . c o m

Credits

Faculty: Kijana Crues - Publisher/Designer/ Editor/ Director of Editorial

Writers: Kijana Crues- Interview writer/ Editor

Photography: Kijana Crues- Lead Photographer *Photographer for all features in Rochester, NY Tanisha Jackson- Photographer for David Jackson Stock photos from Pixabay.com

Graphic Design: Kijana Crues- Director of Graphic Design Graphic Designer

Artist From Gallery: Carla Coots- Photographer Katrina Gaspar- Poetry

Sponsors:

Minister Robert Matthews

If you’d like to sponsor Kijana Crues Imaging, LLC and Be Brave Magazine, Contact Us! BeBraveMagazine@gmail.com All featured stories were written by the warriors being featured.

All stories edited by Kijana Crues with Kijana Crues Imaging, LLC.

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Copyright © 2023 By Kijana Crues Be Brave Magazine is a magazine owned and created by Kijana Crues Imaging, LLC

Letter From The Editor Welcome to the 2nd issue of Be Brave Magazine! Be Brave Magazine is an online magazine that spotlights everyday people, warriors, that pushed through life’s struggles and refused to be stopped. These are articles and stories of warriors sharing about their triumphs through adversity, sharing advice for those that need it, and are all showing the importance of having Faith and never giving up.

After a whole year of putting things in order it’s finally here! The journey was long and hard but I pushed forward and continued to listen to the Lord. God put this project on my heart to complete. So I HAD to keep pushing... no matter what and be obedient.

I’ve been through a lot in my life. From a massive weight loss journey beginning 2014, resulting in losing over 270 lbs... and my getting “healthy”... to then finding out I had Stage 4 NH Lymphonma Cancer in 2018. I found myself in a position of having to fight for my life... and even more later. I know all too well about the importance in valuing every day like its your last, because anything can happen. Since battling and BEATING cancer and becoming cancer-free, I’ve made it a priority to go after everything I’ve ever wanted or dreamed of. Time to make pipe dreams a reality. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. I’ve also made it a priority to use my life as an example to others... to hopefully inspire them to keep pushing too! Know that you too can achieve whatever You put your minds and actions to.

This magazine is about just that! People sharing their stories so that others can relate and get through their struggles as well! These warriors talk about the real parts of life that are sometimes swept under the rug and/or are hard to talk about. They give real advice meant to truly help you get through your life and get to your goals.

Also this magazine has an amazing Art Gallery section that showcases amazing artists from all over the United States. If you are an artist and you want the opportunity to share you talents on this platform contact the magazine!

Be Brave Magazine is continuing to build its team. If you are interested in joining the team and feel you have a skill that could help push the magazine... contact us!

Lastly... No, This isn’t a “Christian Magazine” but it IS A CHRISTIAN’S magazine. So I always have to give reverence and praise to the Lord.

Its because of Him that I am here today!

Thanks to everyone that contributed in this first issue. You all are truly appreciated and loved!

With Love, Kijana Crues Magazine Creator/ Editor/ Graphic Designer/

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Table Of Contents

4 Credits 5

Letter From The Editor

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Make an Impact

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People who make an impact. Featuring: Rochester artist and community advocate, Miss Casey Arthur as she talks about her art studio and how it impacts the community!

Rochester, NY

What is Faith:

Kijana Crues poses the question “What Is Faith?” She talks about what it means to have faith in God.

Rochester Comedian and actor Rudolph Valentino shares about his journey.

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Make Dreams Happen:

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For The Love Of Art

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People who fight to achieve their Dreams. Featuring: David A Jackson as he shares about his journey in pursuing a professional acting career.

A place to appreciate art of all kinds from photography, to paintings, to fashion designs... and the list goes on! This is a place to truly appreciate each others amazing talents and unique creations!

Table Of Contents

Cover Story:

Miss Casey Arthur Rochester, New York

My name is Miss Casey and I am a local Rochester artist, community advocate and Creativeprenure. I am most known for my paintings and performance art around our city and beyond.

My art is a simple expression of the love I have for the life in front of me. As an artist, I try to create moments for people to pause and rest in the gentle imagery that my paintings offer. I try to carve out moments of silence and stillness to allow a creative opening for the viewer. My job as an artist is to provoke your sense of mystery, open-mindedness and inner-silence.

fleeting, so seemingly unimportant to the problem or solutions. It is in the moments when I sit in absolute loss and desolation with another person, that I come in contact with a profound love for humanity. I know for certain no one is better than anyone else.

Everyone is making life up as they go along.

Each person, everywhere, is connected to all others. My aim as an artist is to reach people and connect them back to their own humanity.

When people are connected to themselves and their core, they can connect with others in a far deeper way- and that will change the world.

I have a background in international humanitarian aid. I have worked with refugees in Washington D.C and Bangkok, Thailand.

I have witnessed a lot of human suffering, and it has taught me everything I need to know about the nature of life. I was often powerless to change the situations I found people in. Trafficked people, and people running from state inflicted violence, countless stories of children and parents being separated- not knowing who was dead and who was alive. It all made my life problems seem so small. I was a part of a global crisis I alone could not solve. Children, orphaned babies and elders wandering tirelessly to reach some semblance of safety but too afraid to rest. I was so temporary and

When we all learned we would be living in lockdown for COVID-19 I quickly moved home to Rochester and my international work transitioned to remote work. I was living out of a backpack, and did not have permanent housing- a total free fall. I moved into an art studio and quickly became immersed in my art work. I spent hours daydreaming and dreaming up a better worldwith major change comes great possibilities for reimagining life as we know it. It was in August 2020 that I decided to dedicate my time, efforts and energy into Rochester.

The same concerns we were facing overseas, were issues in my own backyard. I knew I needed to come home and tend to our social garden.

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My background in non-profit work has propelled me into working within a community where I speak the language, and use my home territory to my advantage. My aim is to create a model of healthy, strong, interconnected community where we support one another on community promoting initiatives.

That is why I run a developing non-profit; Muck Duck Studio. Muck Duck is an inter-artist space where artists can create work, offer classes, and experiences. Classes range from facilitated discussion, skill labs, somatic practices and live performances. It is designed to cradle the creative while they are on their very own inner journey. Come meet me, and us and see what we have to share. We grew from 1 to 11 (and many more) and expanded twice between 2020 and 2023.

For the creative, adversity is not competition, criticism, critique or negative feedback or rejection- it’s any and all harsh words we speak over ourselves and others. To

condemn ourselves or others would be the greatest loss and failure. In fact, it’s the only adversity that will kill the dream, and thus the journey. We learn to share and embrace ourselves through one another. We cultivate security between us all when immersed in an atmosphere of trust, love, honesty, openness and a willingness to “fail”.

Creativity is a super power to be harnessed through experimentation and personal expression. Be bold in your expression because your personal story, when told, will reach the very person who needs to hear it.

It doesn’t matter what medium you choose or who will hear it. Allow your creative self to be seen, heard and celebrated! Creativity is how we, as a community, will navigate change and growth. Allow change to naturally occur and resist your urge to control change and the process will take care of itself. Luckily, inspiration is contagious and it impacts all who are really open to being inspired. My hope for you, is you allow yourself to be inspired and see how it changes your whole world.

To find out more Visist: MuckDuckStudio.com

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What Is Faith?

What Is Faith?

Written by: Kijana Crues

Rochester, New York

In this world where so many people are hurting, i keep hearing people tell me that things feel so bad, they aren’t sure God exists anymore. Many of you feel this way now. But my question to you is this: did you ever really truly believe in Him? What was your reason when you did? Was it something He did for you? Because He has done a LOT for us even when we don’t recognize it. He woke you up today didnt He? You still have His breath of life in your lungs. Think about it for a moment honestly.

worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Here is a question I pose for you: What is Faith?

Matthew 17:17- 21 (KJV) says: 17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?

Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

No, stop... Not what is Faith to YOU... what exactly is the definition of Faith. Let’s break it down. (Because society is quick to change a definition to what we feel at that moment) Webster’s dictionary says: “2. A (1): Believe and trust in and loyalty to God. (2): Believe in the traditional doctrines of a religion.

B (1): Firm belief in something for which there is no proof.

(2) Complete Trust” The Bible says that: Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

But what does that really mean?

When we have faith, we are choosing to believe in what we are NOT SEEING YET in the physical realm. It means knowing and believing that things will work out in our good in the end even if it doesn’t look or feel like it at that moment in time.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21] [a]

We can’t expect things to work out if we 11 Now faith is the substance of things don’t believe they will work out. How can hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. you expect a result from something that you dont believe in? Think about the logic of 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. that. Makes no sense right?

3 Through faith we understand that the

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Most of the WORLD can accept and believe

in having faith in SELF, positive thinking, willing positivity and using meditation to help manifest what they desire in life.

Most of the WORLD feel deep inside that if we believe hard enough, and put the work in, we can achieve and manifest what we need and want. All important things as well... But many of the world call it reaching out to the Universe. So many people are willing to believe in the Universe to serve them and believe it is alive, but can’t accept that God is alive, that He created the universe. That the heart beat and intelligence they are sensing in the universe IS that of God. They recognize his power, but refuse to give Him credit for it. it is God’s power that runs the universe and makes the gears turn. That it is Him that powers our very bodies. Flows through our very cells making them work. It’s the same with faith. Rather than recognize that God fixed a situation for their good in the end, the world tries to make excuses, or takes credit for themselves and give the rest to “luck”. Anything to not acknowledge Gods hand in the situation.

Believing in God means TRUSTING Him. It means trusting that He is going to take care of you even when things are hard. And for things to be “hard”, it would mean that things feel like they are going extremely badly for you... right? So how can we say we ever believed in Him if we give up on Him the second things go south?! That means that you don’t believe He will see you through the uncomfortable situations.

We seem to have things backwards. We tell God to prove He exists contantly... and when He does repeatedly prove it... then what? We dont even acknowledge it. We keep walking and we act like it never even happened... better yet, we have the nerve to take credit for it ourselves, then cry the next time and say, “You’re never here! Where are

you? You must not exist.”

Yes, we have it wrong. Some people dont want him to exist, because then they’d feel justified in their own self pity and anger. It should be us proving our loyalty to Him in the end... not ther way around. We already got proof. Stop and beathe for a sec... that’s your proof.

Many of you feel as if God isn’t hearing your prayers because He hasn’t answered them YET. And I Emphasize the word “yet”. Many of us have felt forgotten, so we questioned even His existence. When we do that we are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. God didn’t give up on you...

YOU gave up on Him. Yet He’s still riding for you and helping you even through that.

No, I’m not excluded in questioning God’s reasons for why certain things hadn’t happened when I wanted or expected them to.

I’m very quick to ask him personally “why”.

But then it becomes time to be in “Listening Mode”. Thats the time for me to shut up, stop talking back to God (bc that’s what ultimately fighting His will is), and SUBMIT TO BEING OBEDIENT TO HIM. There’s that word that stings so many people... makes so many suck on their teeth.

Submit. The question of why should I submit to ANYONE? A question that exposes the pride of humanity. I’ve heard many ppl say this. Many of us can even fathom submitting in a relationship more than with God. But we aren’t just submitting to anyone, its to GOD Himself. If He literally blew breath into your lungs giving you life, how could you not?! How could WE not.

That’s my logical response. If you actually realize that He is real, and that He has a hand in things going good in your life...

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if you actually know He created you, how can you not give Him praise? Even in the rough of it (and I’m speaking from experience)... there’s a comfort in knowing that God is with me no matter what. When God is in your life, and you are submitting to His will, you are playing on a different game field as the rest of the world. A different game board. We dress up in the full armor of God and tackle the problem in the spiritual realm. Getting to the real true root of the problem.

Truly knowing God is filling your spirit with The Word of God. Knowing Him is knowing His love so deeply that you can walk into a rough situation and know that even though things are hard, it’s going to work out... Why? because again... you are on a different playing field. Also, because God promises in the Bible that He will not give us more than we can handle. The part of the challenge that’s too much to bare, He is willing to take that from us... if we are willing to let go of it. If only we truly wanted to let the reins go. He would gladly pick them up.

Many of us have the nerve to try to put a timer on God. Many of us believe that if He loves us, He’d help us in our timing, or would do things in the way we want them to be done.

No that’s our own human narcissistic need to be in control of everything. Our way of putting everything into a box that we want control of when we aren’t the ones in control. God is. Your problems may be a result of wrestling God for control. God always answers our prayer... in His time, and with HIS answer.

Also, Many of us have received His answer.

The answer was NO. Are we going to turntail and have a tantrum bc we didn’t get our

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way... or are we going to go to Him, submit genuinely and ask “why”? then listen to His answer. Some of you won’t accept His answer of no, and would rather decide he turned his back... when all they need to do is go to Him and ask Him: “Why?” If you are genuinely truly open to listening to Him, you may be very surprised. It was for you good in the end. And if you had just followed His plan from the beginning, it may never have gotten as bad as it did.

That time that we spend occupying the ideas that He might not be there, is the time that defines faith when we exercise it.

What is having faith if nothing stressful is happening in your life. What is Faith, unless the future has questions? That’s the time to show it. Or it means literally nothing. If you can’t exercise it in the heat of it, then where is your faith?

Before you give up on God, remember that He has never, and will never give up on you. You are never alone. So believe and have faith in that.

Cover Story

Rudolph Valentino Rochester, New York

Hello my name is Rudolph Valentino Mils 3rd better known as Rudolph Valentino.

I was named after a famous actor/singer in the 1950’s by my great great grandmother who was in love with him.

I have alot of titles and gifts but before I’m anything I’m a father to 4 beautiful children, Tino, Ryguy, & my bonus kids Kye, and YC. I am a Man of God that absolutely loves my family.

I relocated to Rochester NY from Philadelphia 7 years ago on a mission to follow my dreams and start my family in which I have accomplished both. Being able to gain 2 bonus kids, a bonus father and mother (God rest her soul) and a great God mother, Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters and Friends.

Being able to perform comedy as well as start my own production company V.E. Studios where we have produced and directed some great Short films, sitcoms, and even cartoons has been simply amazing. Now Being able to live out my dream.of teaching all I can say is God is Amazing.

One of the most difficult years if my life was 2019 when my mother and best friend went back home to be in heaven. My mother always believed that there was nothing I wasn’t capable of doing. No one ever believed in me as much as she did.

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Well my dad definitely does and always have me the courage to follow my dreams no matter what and I definitely took that advice. Love you pop.

One of the biggest staples in my life has been my Pastor Darryl E Carter and my Joint-Heirs Kingdom Family. They have been so instrumental in helping me get to this point in my life.

In 2022 I experienced one of the darkest moments of my life. Felt like I had lost it all, my family, my job, my marriage and best friend.

Mentally and emotionally it was rough for me. Trying to commit suicide twice was a real wake up call for me realizing that I had to stop running from my hurt and pain and man up and face it head on. God definitely placed some people on my life to help me do just that. Inspite of it all I wouldn’t change a thing. I learned alot about me and most of all truly learned how important it is to truly love yourself and make sure you do it boldly, not my words so thank you for that Blu...

At this point in my life I am the happiest I have ever been. God has restored so much in my life and gave me even more. I am writing and creating content for to streaming network VTV in Atlanta (Jerry Adams thank you for believing in me) and Ben Tankards Smooth Life TV based out of Tennessee. And we are getting ready to shoot season 1 of our

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Comedy Sitcom No Place Like Home in which I get a chance to work with an amazing group of actors and film producers. I love my V.E. Productions Family.

My heart is smiling more than ever and I honestly believe that I CAN do anything.

Most importantly through everything I have re-dedicated my life into carrying out the purpose God has for my life and walking in my destiny by working in my ministry.

Always remember that Seek Ye 1st the Kingdom Of God and All Things Will Be Added Unto Thee!!!

“I STOPED ASKING GOD FOR MIRACLES & ASKED HIM TO PUT ME IN POSITION TO BE A MIRACLE FOR SOMEONE ELSE” BE THE MIRACLE

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Make Dreams Happen

David A. Jackson Raleigh,NC

My name is David A Jackson and I was born in Tampa, FL. I currently live in Raleigh, NC with my wife and 5 year old daughter. I’ve been living here for 6 years now and it’s a nice place to raise a family but Florida will always be home to me.

I’m an actor/writer but my main job is working with adults under the autism spectrum.

As an actor I get the opportunity to play different roles that’s not me which is fun. It gives me the chance to be someone I’m not for a small amount of time. I’ve played roles as a police officer, gangster, abuser, and a drug dealer and I’m not any of those people.

But playing those roles allowed me to be in the mindframe of that type of person and it can be fun but I also had to learn how to shut it off once the camera stopped rolling. As far as writing I’ve only been writing for the past few years and it gives me the opportunity to create characters that I want too see. My wife and I are going on a cruise in June with probably close to 100 people from different states. Many of them are YouTube who have their own channel with many subscribers.

One of my close childhood friends is the one who put it all together. It’s called The Mete and I Cruise. He told me he wanted to shoot a movie on the cruise but he didn’t know how to begin to write it. So last year I wrote a short 15-20 minute film that we will be

filming while on the cruise. It’s a comedy about a guy who girlfriend breaks up with him a few months before they get on the cruise. He decides to go on the cruise anyway but only to find that his ex is on the cruise but with her new boyfriend. I’ve also been working on a horror series and I was asked to write another feature film so right now my hands are full with writing.

I love to entertain and it’s something I’ve done for a while now. Acting gives me the freedom to create and I really love that.

I have a passion for it and it allows me to challenge myself to create different characters that I never realized I could become.

For instance I played an abuser in an independent film called “Standing Firm” this movie can be watched on YouTube. But my character absued his wife mentally and physically and is nothing like who I am in real life. This was a challenge for me and I felt like I did my job in that role. We had an movie premiere after we were done filming and I had several people come up to me and say they hated me in the film but after talking to me in person they saw a different person. I knew I had done my job as an actor and that’s why I do what I do.

To be honest my journey in acting began way before I thought about being an actor.

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Photography Submitted By: David A. Jackson

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I was a professional wrestler for three years.

My name was Luther Bodybag Jackson, I carried a bodybag to the ring and played this bad dude with an attitude. I believe after I was done wrestling, which I stopped because I tore my shoulder and needed surgery, it lead me towards acting. I didn’t begin acting until six years after I stopped pro wrestling but because of wrestling, acting seemed easy to me because I was used to cameras and entertaining people in person.

I started taking some acting classes with my first acting coach. His name was Shannon Rose (RIP). Funny thing is he was a wrestling announcer when I was doing pro wrestling so we both knew each other.

He ended up getting me my first booking for a modeling job. I didn’t know what to expect at the job but they had me put on a white lab coat like a doctor and had me take so many pictures. I didn’t know what they were going to use those pictures for.

All I knew was that I was getting paid.

Years went by and I forgot all about those pictures until about five years ago people started sending me those same pictures in my inbox saying that they was taking a test or training at their job and there I was in that white lab coat. I found it funny because people who don’t know me may think I was a real doctor but I’m not. But this journey has been a long one. I’ve been in the acting business for about 11 years now and I have so many stories to tell. But one I will tell is this one. I contacted a local agent in Florida when I first started because I knew that was how I was going to get a chance to audition to be in movies and TV shows. I show up to the appointment and they ask me to do a reading/audition. I do the audition with an assistant to the agent, which I won’t say her name. So the guy tells me I did a great job and now I get to talk to the agent because

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she’s going to be so impressed with me and how I did the audition. So I audition for her as well and she says ok that was good and I had a good look and all of these great things. So I sit down in her office and she’s just talking about all of the things she’s done and who she’s discovered in the business, Yada, Yada, Yada. So when she’s done she pulls out a notebook and says if I’m going to sign with her I need professional headshots and I had to get them through her. She said they were like $3000 or some outrageous number. I told her no ma’am I do not have that and I can’t pay that. She looked me right in the face and told “Well you’re not ready to be in this business!” I almost bussed out laughing because I could tell she was trying to intimidate me with this tactic. So I told her fine, then I’m not ready and walked out her office. A few weeks later I got a call to be in Ride Along in Atlanta and I was in a scene with Ice Cube and Jay Pharoah.

Goes to show that nobody can stop what GOD had planned for you.

It’s been 11 years now. There has been many ups and downs but I want to always have my hand in this business in some way. No, I have to got my big break yet.

Is it coming? I’m not sure but I know this is something I want to always be a part of because I enjoy it!

Of course I’ve faced adversities. I can’t tell you how many movies I’ve done and out so much time and effort into the role and then the director don’t release the movie.

I’ve spent so much money, took off work so many days just to go to an audition and not get the role. But I keep striving for this because of my passion for it.

I don’t feel like I’ve had a big turning point yet. I’ve been in a few good tv shows and

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movies such as Inspectors (CBS) Halloween Kills and The Outer Banks, but those were featured extra roles where I was seen on camera but no lines. I’ve had some really good auditions where I thought I was going to get the role but didn’t. I audition for Tyler Perry Sistas to play the role of Zach, I auditioned twice for a role in Apple TV show called Swagger produced by Kevin Durant, which I was really close to getting that role and I auditioned to play the older version of Big Meech for the show BMF. So each one of these roles could have been a huge turning point for my acting career and it was disappointing that I didn’t get the roles but just to have the opportunity was a blessing to me.

To be honest the past few years has been rough for me and my personal life. I lost my brother, grandad, grandmother and uncle in the past three years. After losing my brother I didn’t really care to act anymore because he was one of my biggest supporters. I tried to audition for roles after he passed but I couldn’t focus on the lines or anything else.

I was finally able to bring myself to start writing. And that’s how I developed the horror series that I’m working on. I’m still putting things together with that but I’m taking my time because I not only want it to be good but I want the viewer to have a clear understanding of the message that I’m sending.

If I did anything differently I would have started training to become an actor earlier in my life for sure. I would have definitely looked into attending a college that I could have majored in Acting/drama. Those classes could have prepared me for everything that I faced when I started acting at 33 years old.

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Many actors that’s on TV now have their BFA and MFA in acting. Many went to Julliard or other really good schools that helped them become the actors they are today. I know if I did the same I would be further along in my career than I am now.

pare yourself to someone else. Get out there and do the work that’s required to accomplish your goals and dreams. Nothing will come easy because if it did everyone would be able to do it.

The best advice I can give someone is nevKeep GOD first! Take every opportunity as a er allow someone to tell you that it can’t learning experience and keep moving forward. be done. Go after your dreams full speed ahead. There will be some hurdles you What kept me from giving up? have to leap over but you gotta jump over I’ve invested too much into this just to give them and keep going. The acting business up! My family encouraged and supported me can be fun and it also can be brutal. You through this and I appreciate them for that. have to be able to take the good and the From my wife, daughter, mom, father, sisters, bad and learn from them both. brother (RIP) and nephew. They all have supported me in some way. Seeing them come to my movie premieres in the past was very significant to me and I am forever grateful.

Everybody’s journey is different so don’t com-

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I started my Photo Business, Insight Photography, 16 yrs. ago this August. I was an Art major in High School, and grew up in a family of Artists and Creative People. I’d always had a cheap camera and taken photos, but i decided, when I retired from teaching ( I was a Special Ed. Teacher for 30 yrs.) I wanted to have another career, and decided I’d pursue photography and get into it seriously. I photograph weddings, events. portraits, and bands.. lots of bands... I love what I do. It keeps me whole.

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To find out more email: moondance7171 @gmail.com Facebook: Carla R Coots (Insight Photo) 39

“Whole Wellness” Poem By: Katrina Gaspar

Whole Wellness by Katrina Gaspar Was it really bad news? or was it: finally permission to live the life I was born to that I had denied too long to sing the songs I’ve yet written to write the words that my loved ones haven’t yet heard And more so to... dive deep into the root and cause of this lowercase diagnosis, to stare it in the face NOT to throw drugs and Fire and knives at it, but to stop the destructives that created it stop the denials, the negative thoughts the sugar, and the chemicals crappy words, the toxins stop the popular “Healthcare” that kills and does Not care about, my Unique self like thousands of others I’ve heard do It Left when I didn’t feed it any more but, fed my True self when I let in the green, the calm Breathe in light, True Light and focused on Life, not on it pathetic little interpretation my Life and His Spirit is too encompassing, and Grand to make room for it, It left 3 years ago too much future brings anxiousness, Present brings Peace, Peace Joy and Youth 40

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Special Thanks First I thank my heavenly Father. Thank you Lord for guiding me to do this... and thank you for leading me every step of the way. I can do nothing without you.

Thank you to my mom for being with me throughout this whole journey. I love you so much. You believed in me and helped me in so many ways throughout the journey of getting this journey started.

Thank you to all the people who contributed to this project. To all the featured warriors who shared their stories, thank you for sharing such personal and meaningful experiences and being willing to share to help and inspire others to keep pushing forward. You truly are warriors. And I have so much respect for every last one of you.

Thank you to the artists that contributed their work to the magazine. Every last one of you are so amazing in your crafts and gifts.

Your art is so inspirational and touches so many people. Im honored to have you in Be Brave Magazine!

Thank you to Min. Robert Matthews for sponsoring the magazine, and thanks to everyone who paid for a promo ad. Your contributions help this magazine to be able to fund itself.

Thank You to my friends and family who were ears for me to talk to and shoulders to cry on when I had a hard time pushing through. You spoke life into me when I needed to hear it. Those of you who were truly there, please know that I love you so much. I truly appreciate you.

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