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M OD E R AWA L S H . C OM
Q
Contributors Question Who in your life has played a role in your health and wellness and how?
Issue 39 | Commit to Fit January/February 2024 Publisher Editor Associate Publisher
Victoria Wise Lee Virden Geurkink Jennifer Kieta
Contributing Writers
Brad
Lee
It may sound funny, but I would have to say myself… no one can do it for you; goals have to be prioritized internally… My family is my support system, but I’m the one in control.
Jennifer Kieta, who has offered never-ending support and encouragement in my wellness journey, and my children, who inspired me to get healthier.
Patric Bennett Ambyr Davis Jackie E.H. Elliott
Contributing Photographer Brad Frace
Victoria
Illustrator Trish Wise
Lead Design
Cover Design
Conor Dardis
Victoria Wise
My parents. Between long walks/runs at the high school track or watching Jane Fonda with my mom back in the day, they always made it a priority to move and sweat
Trish
Patric
My daughter, Emily, gave me encouragement to do my first triathlon. I went on to do six more.
My daughter has made me a better HUMAN. She has taught me the lessons my amazing parents told me I would have to learn to have a happy life.
Madeworthy Magazine is an extension of Tanglewood Moms, LLC., and serves to tell community stories for a family audience. For website and magazine advertising opportunities, please contact: Victoria@MadeworthyMedia.com Looking for more copies Madeworthy Magazine? You can subscribe at TanglewoodMoms.com for free or pick up copies at Central Market in Fort Worth or Tom Thumb on Hulen Street.
MAKiNG MOVEMENT A FAMiLY AFFAiR by Jackie Elliott
Jackie
Ambyr
My mom, whom I call on the phone almost every day.
The greatest contributor to my health and wellness has been Dr. Minton at FEM Center. The incredibly comprehensive care has been truly life changing.
a sweat. I knew to stay active (and sane), I had to orchestrate my day so that I could move. I didn’t realize I was laying a foundation for my kids to see exercise not as an activity we engage in to look good or to win medals, but as a habit we establish to take care of our well-being.
GET iN THE GAME
Most mornings, I tiptoe past two of my four kids on the way to my garage gym. They are content to watch cartoons and munch on cereal while my 18-month-old son and my preteen stepdaughter sleep in. I give each boy a quick kiss on the cheek, lace up my shoes, and head into my daily 20-minute sweat session.
START ‘EM YOUNG
Before I had kids, I said, “We make time for what matters!” without understanding how much “free time” parents really have. We taxi kids around, help with homework, keep the peace, prepare nutritious-ish meals, and deal with the inevitable work crisis as someone develops a mysterious rash. But I know that we normalize a healthy and active lifestyle with our consistent actions. When I became a new mom, my football coach husband was inevitably gone a lot, leaving me with a colicky newborn and no opportunity to break
you can visit every park in town. Or get your body moving around your yard. Bending over to deadhead last year’s chrysanthemums or moving landscaping rock is one of my favorite ways to sneak in functional fitness, and young kids don’t see gardening as a chore.
About five days after my first birth via c-section, I was pushing my newborn around the block. I was slow, but I was moving. We then joined a Fit4Mom Stroller Strides Group, which gave us the sense of community support we needed as we adjusted to each other. As my baby grew into a verbal toddler, he started asking to come with me on a run. He’d grown accustomed to the fresh air and sightseeing on our jogs.
GET OUTSiDE
This strategy is especially helpful over long weekends and holiday breaks as boredom inevitably sets in. Let your kids pick a nearby state park, help you pack lunch, and then hustle them into the car before anyone changes their mind. You could stay close to home and find a local park you haven’t explored yet. See if
Being part of a team gives kids a sense of belonging, which is especially important for their identity development. Choose a sport your child enjoys while staying open to new sports. As a coach’s wife, I am all too familiar with the dangers of overspecialization. I wouldn’t want my kids to feel pressure to be the best, to overtrain, or to associate moving their body with negative physical and mental outcomes. Let your kid sample until they find their sport.
PRACTiCE WHAT YOU PREACH
Even when we think they’re not paying attention, kids are always watching. If you really want your child to internalize the values of an active lifestyle, they need to see you engaging in exercise you genuinely enjoy. Running is my sport, so I tote my family along to a handful of 5Ks each year. We make it fun with music, festive outfits, and a cornucopia of snacks. If you don’t have a favorite form of exercise, experiment until you do. Find what you love, but don’t force your kids to love it, too. Just show up for yourself,
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and you might notice them showing up for themselves in the future.
CUE. ROUTiNE. REWARD.
Dealing with resistance? Let me give you the TL:DR note on the book The Power of Habit: Cue. Routine. Reward. We establish cues that prompt a desired behavior (the routine), and a sustainable reward system. For example, I would usually rather do cardio over lifting weights, but on Sundays I head to our garage gym, pop open a tropical cherry sparkling water, and start lifting, pausing for a sip after each set. It’s simple, but it gets me out of my comfort zone and under a barbell.
TALK iT OUT
Through exercise we find challenge, and through challenge we test our mettle. My kids hear me puffing up a hill, repeating, “A hill is only half bad.” I hope they adopt this as a motto to use in their adult lives. Finally, talk with your kids about why you move to improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, but be mindful of how diet culture emphasizes restriction, unrealistic standards, and negative self-talk. Our kids are always listening, so before you appraise your own appearance or performance, ask yourself, “Would I want my children to say this to themselves?”
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Fresh Family Recipes In each issue of Madeworthy, we feature recipes from local restaurants and food people. For our health and wellness issue, we are featuring a gorgeous pescatarian recipe from Jon Bonnell and a delicious chicken recipe from Taste Community Restaurant.
Pomegranate Glazed Chicken Taste Community Restaurant is a non-profit restaurant that believes everyone should have access to healthy nutritional food. To that end, the menu doesn’t have prices; they simply ask patrons to pay what they can afford. If you can afford to pay a little more, you will help someone who might need a little help! This recipe is delicious and nutritious and is featured on Taste’s Winter Menu.
Ingredients For the Marinade 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon allspice ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon salt Pinch cayenne pepper For the chicken and glaze 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use 2 small chicken breasts, trimmed of fat [Editor’s note: You can use boneless or bone-in breasts for this, but remember, bones adds moisture and flavor!] 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup pomegranate molasses (available at some grocery stores and online) 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Directions For the Marinade Add the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the chicken breast and marinade to container and let set for 30 minutes. For the chicken and glaze In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and the red pepper flakes, stirring consistently, for about a minute or until fragrant. Add the chicken stock, pomegranate molasses, and whole thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened, approximately 30 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the marinated chicken breasts, and cook on one side until brown, approximately 4 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts and brush pomegranate glaze onto the cooked side. Cook on the second side until brown, approximately 3 minutes. Turn the chicken breast again and reduce the heat to medium-low. Brush the pomegranate glaze onto the second side. Continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°. Taste serves this with tabbouleh. With a starch and a vegetable, this should easily serve 4.
Waters’ Grilled Mahi with Black Bean, Corn, and Cactus Salad From Chef Bonnell: "Mahi, also called mahi mahi, dorado, or dolphinfish (no, not the Flipper kind of dolphin), is an extremely prolific fish with a huge global range. It’s also one of the easiest fish to find fresh all year long. I’ve heard boat captains refer to these as the chickens of the sea… Having the salad made a few hours before mealtime will make this an easy dish to finish. Simply put on a grilling show, and place the fish over the colorful salad, and you are all set. And it’s quite a healthy meal to boot."
Ingredients For the salad 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling, divided 2 ears fresh corn, husked 3 paddles fresh cactus, also called nopales (available at Central Market and Fiesta) 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning blend [Editor’s note: I prefer Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning] 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced Juice of 2 lemons 5 to 6 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped ½ teaspoon salt 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained 2 ribs celery, diced For the Fish 2 6-to-8-ounce mahi fillets, boneless and skinless 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 teaspoon of a seafood seasoning like Old Bay
Directions For the salad Lightly drizzle some oil over the corn and cactus paddles on all sides, then season with Creole seasoning. Place the ears and paddles over high heat on the grill. [Editor’s note: Chef Bonnell prefers a wood-burning grill but use what you have.] Turn the corn every minute or so until many of the kernels begin to turn light golden brown, then remove from the grill. The cactus paddles should be flipped after 2 minutes, then cooked until they begin to bubble from the inside. Remove from the grill and allow to cool slightly. Place the garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes. Dice the cactus into large cubes and remove the corn kernels from the ears with a chef’s knife. Add the cactus, corn, beans, celery, and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the dressing. Mix well and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. For the mahi Clean the mahi fillets well, then pat dry with paper towels. Coat each fillet with a thin layer of canola oil on all sides and sprinkle all over with Old Bay. Cook over high heat on a wood grill until done, approximately 3 to 4 minutes a side. Remove and serve immediately over a heaping spoonful of the salad. Serves 2.
Illustrations by Trish Wise
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An Alternative in
Menopause Care by Ambyr Davis Greer Photos courtesy of From Scratch Hospitality
Is your family freezing as you crank down the thermostat? Do your joints ache and your hips feel like they're being racked?
Are you about to act out the no-wirehangers scene from Mommie Dearest? If so, you may be in the desperate clutches of menopause. After entering surgically induced menopause last year, I found my solution: bioidentical hormones. There is ample confusion surrounding this topic, so I've decided to get uncharacteristically personal here. On my health journey, I discovered that the Internet offers a dizzying array of misinformation, especially on menopause. When it comes to bioidentical hormones, it has taken
an immense amount of digging to uncover the facts. I'm not a doctor, but my experience is one I feel obliged to share.
pain during intercourse, and the depressing list goes on and on.
So, what are bioidentical hormones? Bioidentical hormones are naturally derived from plants to be molecularly identical to the hormones produced by our bodies. Because of this molecularly identical match-up, our bodies know exactly how to use these hormones, eliminating a smorgasbord of unwanted side effects common from synthetic hormones which can often make the solution more unbearable than the original symptoms. Although the FDA has approved some bioidentical hormones covered by insurance, individually compounded hormones and pellets are not FDA-approved and therefore not covered by insurance. (A perplexing side note: bioidentical testosterone pellets are FDA-approved and are covered by insurance for men. I'll leave that morsel of truth here.) So, if FDA-approved bioidentical hormones are not tailored to each individual body and personalized bioidentical hormones are not covered by insurance, what is the point of using hormones? Well, according to the Mayo Clinic, declining hormone levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and urinary incontinence. Other side effects include powerful mood swings, brain fog, hot flashes that can coincide with heart palpitations, insomnia, slower metabolism, weight gain, acne, dry skin, thinning hair, vaginal dryness,
After decades of synthetic hormones to treat endometriosis, I was determined to avoid hormones after a hysterectomy. Two weeks after a second surgery that removed my last ovary, I had all the side effects of menopause. Soon, my husband, son, and dogs were freezing to death, my clothes hated me, and my emotions were so erratic that it's a miracle my marriage stayed together. My doctor, Dr. Minton at the FEM Center, accurately compared surgicallyinduced menopause as being "hormonally pushed off a cliff." This wasn't the gradual descent into the madness of menopause; it was a rapid plunge into vanishing hormones and incredibly powerful symptoms. Within days of getting bioidentical estrogen and testosterone pellets, along with bioidentical progesterone cream, I felt better than I had in decades! I have comprehensive annual lab work to ensure my nutrient levels are optimal and biannual hormone labs. These indicate the exact level of bioidentical hormones my body needs and reveal how fast my body uses these hormones. Some people burn through hormones faster than others, depending on activity level, stress, and many other factors. With exact dosing of estrogen and testosterone pellets and personally compounded progesterone creams, my body receives the precise amount of hormones I need. There is an abundance of conflicting information regarding bioidentical hormones. Because individually
08
compounded and pellet bioidenticals are not FDA-approved, they are not funded for pharmaceutical research or covered by insurance. The FDA, the North American Menopause Society, and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists do not endorse bioidentical hormones in pellet or compounded form. There is a movement to discredit them, but here are some facts that are published less often. Bioidentical hormones from compounding pharmacies use FDAapproved bioidentical hormones when formulating a prescription. They simply adjust the level and dosage to treat your specific hormone level. Like a human fingerprint, no one's hormone level is the same. Still, the FDA doesn’t regulate anything that’s not wholly standardized. This led to the belief that compounding pharmacies are unregulated and unsafe. Compounding pharmacies are regulated by the state Board of Pharmacies and the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Standards. Because the FDA doesn't regulate personally tailored hormones, they are not covered by insurance — unless you're a man with low testosterone. However, with a referral, your doctor's visits and lab work are covered by most insurance. My quality of life has drastically improved with these hormones. There are better alternatives to menopause treatment available, and I hope this opens a window for anyone who is suffering through this incredibly difficult journey.
Thank You for being a
Friend
and lasting impression on my life. This year, we celebrate our 45th year of interactions with each other, our influence on each other, and our deep respect for all we’ve seen and done together. My relationship with these guys underscores how important it is to keep true and old friendships alive for the sake of mental health and wellness, for without them, none of us will make it out thriving and happy. With today’s emphasis on social media, endless text messaging, and the near impossibility of being unavailable, I think we’ve forgotten that we can and need to connect with those people that have had such vivid influence in our lives and tell them the importance and impact that they have had in our lives. We need to cut the dead weight that blurs our focus from the important relationships we want to nurture. Technology allows us to make those connections we thought were long gone, but we need to learn to let go of people who have a negative or temporary spot in our lives.
by Patric Bennett Friendship, as defined by prophets, self-help gurus, and Merriam-Webster is, "the state of being attached to another by affection or esteem." We throw that word around when we talk about people within our social circles, whether they be casual acquaintances, business associates, or someone we interact with on social media. Perhaps we have friends that we associate with when doing a certain activity or visiting a specific place who make an appearance in a story we tell to people
we have just met. But have you ever stopped to consider what makes a true and genuine friendship: the deep, connecting type of attachment that makes the definition come alive with the history that it evokes? In the fall of 1979, at the ripe age of four years old, I was dragged, kicking and screaming, into the schoolhouse, where, unbeknownst to me, I met the guys who would become the greatest group of true friends. I was too young to know that these fellows, with their families, would have such an effect
We laugh hard at and with one another, and we cry with each other without shame or embarrassment. We are not afraid to tell each other that we love them. All while being separated by miles and the time constraints of being family men and working professionals. Small groups of us get together at random times throughout the year, but we take an annual trip to the lake each summer for a full-on battery charging weekend. For all of us, it contributes to our overall wellbeing and empowers us come back to the real world with a fresh sense of focus and renewed energy for those things we love and cherish the most.
Remember, those who truly know us, the ones who know the back story and don’t need context don’t judge the now and consider the whole instead of the current parts and eagerly and enthusiastically cheer for tomorrow.
True friendships pick up right where you left off the last time you were together. Fortunately, with today’s technology, we can feed the relationships we want to foster with the click of a button. We can also reach out and rekindle friendships that may have slipped away simply due to the rat race that is life. We can gift a smile to someone’s day, offer words of encouragement, or simply share a laugh without seeing the person’s face. However, physical interaction with friends releases chemicals in the brain that are addictive and gives something to the soul that is hard to quantify or accurately describe. It is truly priceless.
My group, aka “The Tribe,” has been there without fail for the better part of four decades. We have celebrated milestones such as graduations, promotions, marriage, and the birth of children. We have mourned the loss of parents, survived the worry that comes with military deployments, and the awkwardness of the end of a marriage. We have rallied and circled the wagons for more life events than I can number.
I hope that 2024 will be the year that you reach out to a long-lost friend or that you make the time to truly connect with your tribe. I know that in doing so, you will enrich yourself beyond measure. Everyone you know is struggling with something in their life and by reaching out, you might just be the one thing that person needs right now: knowing that a friend is thinking about them and that they are loved.
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Connection, Safety, and Learning: The Magic of Springbox Farms
Photo by Brad Frace
by Lee Virden Geurkink
Being the parent of a neurodivergent child is so very difficult. There is still so much to learn about how the brain develops and processes, and a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects the whole family. And once there is a diagnosis, the situation doesn’t get easier. Because each brain is different, there is no standard course of care that works for every child. Unfortunately, neurodivergences are still seen as pathologies, as things to be fixed, which can lead to treatments which can be clinical and traumainducing for the child and the parents.
friend. Katy Wampach is a teacher in Fort Worth ISD whose son, Will, is one of Springbox Farm’s successes. Katy said, “Looking back on it now, there is so much evidence that our son was wired differently. Not bad, but different.” Through a local group of moms who are parents of children with autism, Katy found Springbox Farms and Charlotte Sammons.
“”
was 11. She homeschools her own kids. She loves children. She also loves neuroscience. She got her master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Texas. She’s worked with neurodivergent children in all sorts of environments, from schools to clinics to homes. She’s got the academic and professional chops.
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
What if I told you it doesn’t have to be that way? Follow me down I-20 toward Weatherford. Pass the strip malls and the gas stations. Pass the fastfood restaurants and the thundering semis to turn down a quiet country road. Feel the city slip away as you turn into an unmarked driveway and pass a hundred-year-old farmhouse shaded by two ancient pecan trees. Welcome to Springbox Farms. This is a place where neurodivergent children and their families can come together to take a deep breath, connect, and to feel safe.
I first heard about Springbox Farms from a college
Viktor E. Frankl Charlotte Sammons is the genius behind Springbox Farms. “Genius” is a term which has been overused so much that it has lost its meaning but believe me when I tell you that Charlotte is a genius. She has worked with children her whole life. That’s not an overstatement. She got a job in a nursery when she
10
On a beautiful fall day, Charlotte and I sat on the porch of the barn at Springbox Farms overlooking a meadow surrounded by trees at the peak of their autumnal glory to talk about her journey and what she hopes is the future of this exceptional place. “I came out of my master’s program and saw a huge gap in services,” Charlotte said. “There’s a need for what we do which is really a heart-centered, whole person-focused model of care.”
[Editor’s note: Before we go further, we need to do a quick dive into ABA therapy. ABA, or applied behavioral analysis, is also known as behavioral engineering. ABA therapy assesses the functional relationship between a behavior and the environment and then seeks to change it to something that is, shall we say, more socially acceptable. It became the gold
their body. The fancy neuroscientific term for this is “interoception.” Charlotte helps to guide the child into recognizing the signals their bodies are sending their brains and to understand the emotions and behaviors those signals may cause. The third step is helping the child to advocate for themself. “Can you advocate for yourself? That’s what the aim is here. And they can, and it’s beautiful. When I get a call telling me that a kindergartener asked his teacher for a break, I know what we’re doing is working.”
Photos by Emily King
Children are bombarded with demands for compliance. From overworked teachers who have to juggle the demands of 25 or 30 students while trying to teach to parents who are exhausted from work and parenting, children are told they need to comply with the demands of others. There is very little room for real connections, real relationships in our modern lives. “Relationships are so regulating; we need that connection,” Charlotte said. Instead of collecting data and going through a checklist of behaviors to be managed, Charlotte simply asks her kiddos, “What do you need?” Instead of working in a clinic or an office or even her clients’ homes, Charlotte works on 16 beautiful acres with two creeks running through them. There are two nature trails crossing the property. Her coworkers are donkeys and goats and rabbits and cats and chickens. There is a mud kitchen and an outdoor art studio for play therapy and art therapy. “You can see the kiddos relax out here. Their body language changes from being so tight and tense as they start to take deep breaths and release.”
standard treatment for children with autism to the extent that most ABA therapists work almost exclusively with children with autism, even though autism training is not required for ABA certification. In addition, ABA therapy is the only therapy for children with autism that is covered by insurance. It is quite controversial for a variety of reasons that we don’t have the space to cover here.] A recovering perfectionist, Charlotte remembers the first time she got a not-quite-raving review. “My advisor said, after observing one of my sessions, ‘You know, you spent way too much time playing with that kid. You spent way too much time connecting with him.’” A look of mingled amusement and frustration crosses her face as she continued, “I said, 'Playing with him makes him feel safe. Look at my data. He masters behaviors with me faster than with any other therapist. I don't have to do as many repetitions with him.'" While working on her master’s, Charlotte took a break to work for one of her professors as an ABA therapist for six months. “I was excited to work in the field,” she said, “But I realized pretty quickly that there was a misalignment between what I was being taught to do and told to do, what I was learning about motivation and emotion, and what I know from being a trauma survivor. “Trauma and being neurodivergent so often go hand in hand because these people live in a world that isn’t supportive of their needs.” As Charlotte began working after graduate school, she started to move past the rigid, clinical approach to ABA therapy and to develop her own method. That’s not to say she doesn’t use her education. Remember, she’s a neuroscience nerd. That heartcentered, whole person-focused model of care she talked about is firmly grounded in the latest neuroscientific research. There are three steps to the work Charlotte does on the farm. She establishes a place of safety and connection for the child, she helps the child connect their bodies to their emotions and their emotions to their behaviors, and she teaches them to advocate for their needs. Simple, right? “Just establishing a sense of safety and connection can take years for some kiddos,” Charlotte said. “And that’s okay. If that’s their timeline, that’s okay. But you can’t tune into yourself if you don’t feel safe.” Once the child feels safe, they work on learning to tune into themself and feel what is going on in
Katy Wampach agrees. “[Will] was happiest when he was outside. He could spend hours digging in the ground, searching for (and catching) lizards. He collected leaves, rocks, branches, etc. When left to his own devices, he could always find ways to entertain himself. That all changed when preschool started… I’ll never forget the day a preschool director told me, ‘We can’t make him have a good day.’” Through her training as a teacher, Katy soon realized that Will was not feeling safe. “Situations that were easy for other children, effortless for me, were hard for him because the world around him felt so very different… We needed to help him find that sense of safety and security in order to access the highest levels of his brain… I’ll never forget that first phone call with Charlotte. As I laid out what was going on, the behaviors the school was seeing, the challenges my son was having, her first reaction was not to immediately try to figure out how to stop them. Her first reaction was, ‘Wow, it sounds like he must be so scared.’ It was the absolute opposite of, ‘We can’t make him have a good day.’ I talked with her for over an hour… Then I sat in the Target parking lot and cried tears of relief.” But simply working with the child isn’t enough. That child doesn’t exist in a vacuum. They’re part of a family, and the family needs care and support if they are to help support that neurodivergent child. And this is why Charlotte sees herself as a cycle breaker. “Parents come to us for their children, but they need the same care and support as their kiddo does,” Charlotte said. “The family has its own nervous system, and we need to realize that. Parents need to feel safe, too.” Let’s face it, most of us were not taught to tune into ourselves and connect our bodies and emotions and behaviors. We were taught to smile and pretend all is fine because that’s what our parents were taught and what their parents were taught. “One day, my grandmother, who has dementia, was visiting, and we were sitting out here on the porch swinging. She had just moved into a new memory care facility, and I said, ‘I did not like that other place you were.’ She said, ‘Neither did I!’ I said, ‘That’s not what you told us. You said everything was wonderful and that you loved it.’ She looked out, and with so much clarity and lucidity, she said, ‘Well, that’s what we do.’ That’s why I’m teaching people to be cyclebreakers.” Charlotte smiled, “I will never forget when I started on my healing journey as a trauma survivor, I was told, ‘Don’t let anyone tell you that this work is
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selfish because you are healing yourself, but you’re also healing seven generations before you and seven generations after you.’” One of Charlotte’s dreams is to establish a nonprofit specifically to pay for parental support. “If we can put the focus on us for just a little while and realize that no one taught us to take deep breaths. No one taught us that emotions are safe. The things that were shut down in us when we were little are the things that most trigger us in our children. Our nervous system panics so we try to shut down like we were shut down. None of this comes from a place of ‘I don’t want my kids to feel;’ it come from an unconscious place of ‘I am triggered, and I am panicking, and I need to establish safety.’ We need to break that cycle.” As parents, we need to advocate for ourselves as much as we advocate for our children. If we are feeling overwhelmed, and let’s face it, parenting is pretty overwhelming, it’s okay to take a step back to take a breath and regulate our bodies. Charlotte even has a code word that her family knows. “I say ‘cozy blanket.’ That means, ‘I need some space, so I’m going to walk away, but I will be back.’” [Editor’s note: I’m so using that from now on!] As Charlotte and I wandered around the farm, I realized how much most of our lives are disconnected from nature. We live through screens. We go from an air-conditioned house to an airconditioned car to air-conditioned office to airconditioned malls and supermarkets. Our senses are under constant bombardment. At the farm, it’s not quiet, because nature isn’t quiet, but there is peace. The name of the farm comes from the spring box that sits alongside the creek that runs by the farmhouse. A spring box is, according to Wikipedia, “a structure engineered to allow groundwater to be obtained from a natural spring… [and] functions to protect the spring water from contamination… and provides a point for collection.” Charlotte said that in the past, this particular spring box was used a swimming hole and even as a place for baptisms. In this place of safety and love, there lingers a sense of the holy. “I see my son, so much more comfortable and confident in his own skin,” Katy said. “And I see a lens shift in myself… I see a lesser desire to control and a greater desire to connect. And I know with connection comes safety, and with safety comes learning, and with learning comes change… “In Charlotte, we have found such acceptance and love; an example of how to interact with others. Isn’t that what our world needs?”
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Is there anything that tastes better than a sun-warmed tomato? Or a salad full of greens so fresh you can taste the vitamins? Sure, you can get produce in a supermarket, but local, farm fresh produce just tastes better. For those of us who live in the city, access to that kind of season, local produce has been a problem until recently.
Urban agriculture is big. From urban farm tours to local farmers markets that proudly support local farmers, urban farms became very trendy in the last few years. And Fort Worth is home to quite a few urban farms. It is only within the past century that the United States has moved away from the soil, as it were. During the world wars of the last century, Americans living in cities were encouraged to plant "victory gardens" to grow food, boost morale, and reduce usage of fuel needed for the war front. Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the south lawn of the White House in World War I, while Eleanor Roosevelt planted a victory garden at the White House during World War II. The rise of the suburbs and our growing reliance on supermarkets post-war saw the demise of urban farming in the United States. Until… The farm-to-table ethos adopted by restaurants and foodies in the early 2000s drove a renewed interest in urban agriculture. Both of Fort Worth's farmers markets, Cowtown Farmers Market and Clearfork Farmers Market, include local urban farms among their vendors, offering a venue for foodies to gather locally produced, seasonal foods. But urban farms also provide a way for residents of food deserts (an area of a city where the residents have limited access to affordable and nutritious food) to get healthy food that they can afford in their neighborhood. In Tarrant County, 18% of the population is food insecure. Urban farms can help bridge the gap between government programs and food banks. There is no hard-and-fast definition for what urban agriculture or urban farming is. The United States Department of Agriculture's website states that urban agriculture "allows for the development of a variety of environmental, economic, and social benefits to the surrounding communities." In addition, "… urban farming can reduce transportation
Back To THE FARM by Lee Virden Geurkink
costs, help reduce runoff associated with heavy rainfall, and lead to better air quality." But what is an urban farm? The USDA's website states that definitions differ from location to location. The City of Fort Worth currently recognizes three types of urban agriculture:
insecurity in the area by employing residents of the community. This gives them a stable income while teaching valuable skills. The farm wants to show the impact that the local faith community can make in our city. There are plans to expand the farm in order to serve the entire county.
Mushroom St. Urban Farm, Arlington
Community gardens – a shared garden space for crops that is open to the members of a neighborhood. Urban farms – private or public, for- or non-profit agricultural organizations for the planting and harvesting of crops, raising fowl, and beekeeping.
Let's face it: we all went a little crazy during the Covid pandemic. Some of us took up knitting or baked sourdough bread. Warren Gwartney started growing mushrooms. A website developer, Gwartney decided to try fungiculture in a small tent in his guest room. He started giving his mushrooms away to neighbors and friends who encouraged him to get out from behind the computer screen and become a mushroom farmer. Gwartney, now known as “Mushroom Daddy,” converted a warehouse into a mushroom farm, complete with a lab, incubation room, and climatecontrolled "fruiting chambers."
Aquaponics – the combination of aquaculture (farming fish and other aquatic species) and hydroponics (growing plants in water) to raise fish and crops together. There are a growing number of urban farms in the Fort Worth area. While they vary in size and scope, all are committed to producing food that is nutritious and affordable and to support their community.
Tabor Farms, Forth Worth
Mushroom St. now produces gourmet mushrooms for restaurants and foodies all over the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It offers farm tours and is committed to promoting sustainable, local food production. Their website provides a helpful blog called The Mushroom Chronicles, which details the health benefits of various mushroom varieties and gives tips on incorporating these delicious fungi into your meals.
Southeast Fort Worth is a food desert. Elvis Bowman, the senior pastor of Greater Mt. Tabor Christian Center, wanted to bring the people of his church and the area surrounding it a source of healthy, local food options while teaching local youth to care for the earth. He decided to use three of the 40 acres owned by the church to create a community farm he called Tabor Farms. Pastor Bowman uses the farm to teach children where food comes from, how it's grown, and how to incorporate the farm's products into a healthy diet. When children understand that food doesn't come from the supermarket, convenience store, or fast-food restaurant, they appreciate it more. Tabor Farm also helps mitigate job
FunkyTown Food Project at Conundrum Farms, Fort Worth The people of FunkyTown Food Project believe that every person has a right to food. Period. Whether
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you grow or buy your food, food is a universal right. The farm near Crowley grows a variety of fruits and vegetables using sustainable, organic growing practices. You can purchase their products at the Cowtown Farmers Markets and at pop-ups around town, but FunkyTown Food Project donates about a quarter of their harvest each week to agencies
like the Tarrant Area Food Bank and Funky Town Fridge in order to combat food insecurity in our city. A large part of FunkyTown's mission is to use the farm to cultivate leadership skills in area high schoolers. Their Seed Crew is a six-week, paid internship program that has teenagers growing and distributing thousands of pounds of produce. The kids learn about sustainable agriculture, distribution methods, social justice, and food access. Change starts at home, and FunkyTown Food Project is devoted to educating the future leaders of our city, our state, and our nation on the importance of food.
River Valley Farms, Aledo Hydroponics is a method of growing crops without soil. While hydroponic agriculture uses water-based nutrient solutions, hydroponic farmers actually use much less water than traditional growing methods. Additionally, hydroponic farmers can grow yearround instead of waiting for seasonal planting and harvesting. If you crave a cucumber or a caprese salad in February, look for hydroponic produce. River Valley Farms in Aledo uses sustainable, pesticide-free hydroponic garden practices to grow leafy greens, vegetables, microgreens, herbs, and edible greens. While many urban farms are new endeavors, River Valley Farms can trace its roots (see what I did there?) back to the first commercial peach orchard in Parker County. Their produce is grown in a 50,000-square-foot greenhouse in Aledo, and you can find their produce at the Clearfork Farmers Market and the Cowtown Farmers Market, as well as through their website so that you can enjoy fresh vegetables all year round. (Continued on next page)
and produces a wide variety of vegetables year-round using organic farming principles. They grow many of the Indian greens and gourds that Selvi loves because the DallasFort Worth Metroplex has one of the highest populations of Indian Americans in the United States. You can find their products at area farmers markets and through their CSA. Any surplus is donated to area food banks to help end food insecurity in our area.
Opal's Farm, Fort Worth
Farms, Back To THE FARM Sapling Sanger (Continued)
Mind Your Garden Urban Farm, Fort Worth The Glencrest neighborhood in southeast Fort Worth is located in a food desert. The only real options for buying food in the neighborhood are convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. Steven and Ursula Nuñez want to change that. Steven, a veteran, attended an agricultural training workshop called
Armed to Farm in 2015, and it was a life-altering experience. The workshop introduced him to the therapeutic aspect of farming and taught him about urban farming and how urban farmers can provide local, healthy food for their communities. He and Ursala bought land in the Glencrest neighborhood and are teaching themselves to farm different crops using various growing techniques. They also offer farm tours and do cooking demonstrations around town.
Located in Sanger, Sapling Farms is the epitome of urban farming. Owner Selvi started it in her backyard! However, she's been farming since she was a child in India. She learned from her father how a seed grows into a plant, and she brought her love of growing things when she moved across the world to the United States. Learning to grow produce in Texas was an adventure that she undertook to provide her family with nutritious produce, but soon, her backyard garden was producing more vegetables than her family, friends, and neighbors could use. Sapling Farms was founded in 2017
Not only did Opal Lee spearhead the movement to make Juneteenth a national holiday (for which she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize), but she was also the inspiration for an urban farm called Opal's Farm. The granddaughter of farmers, Lee wants Opal's Farm to become a beacon of change in our city. Situated on fertile bottomland alongside the Trinity River, Opal's Farm grows tomatoes, cantaloupes, potatoes, peppers, and other produce using 100% organic farming methods. Some of their produce is sold at the Cowtown Farmers Market (with the profits going back to the farm's operational budget); the rest goes to local food banks. But Lee also envisioned the farm creating jobs by providing job training. To that end, the farm has partnered with Tarleton State University to create a program that provides agricultural training to individuals who have served time in prison, helping them get a certificate or a degree. The program was still in the planning stages at press time, but we are confident if anyone can make it happen, Opal Lee can.
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FORT WORTHIES by Madeworthy Editorial Staff
With the launch of Madeworthy, we wanted to have a page dedicated to local people, places, and events that add to our city. Below are worthy stories and conversations to share with your family and friends.
Photo courtesy of Camp Fire First Texas
Camp Fire First Texas has announced that Brian Miller, M.S., LPC, who has been serving as the interim President/CEO since early April 2023, will become the permanent President and Chief Executive Officer starting December 1. “I fully trust that Brian Miller will make bold strides to build up our next generation of leaders by creating a clear vision that engages and inspires our community for many years to come,” stated Lisa D. Mares, Camp Fire Board Chair.
Photo courtesy of TCU Athletics
Before each home game throughout the football season, TCU and Amegy Bank recognize small businesses in Tarrant County that are making a positive impact in their community in the Small Business Spotlight. Carpenter’s Café & Catering was honored in 2023 for their work benefitting… well, everyone! Co-owner and chef (and Madeworthy cover story!) Katrina Carpenter is a founding ambassador of BRAVE/R Together, a nonprofit that is dedicated to addressing the roots of systemic inequities in our city. She gives tirelessly of herself to this city, volunteering and serving on boards, all while remodeling and running the business AND raising 16-year-old twins. Congratulations to Carpenter’s Café & Catering! We’re thrilled you’re receiving the attention you deserve!
Photo courtesy of FWCD
Fort Worth Country Day (FWCD), the oldest co-ed college-preparatory school in Fort Worth, celebrated its 60th year of excellence in academics, arts, and athletics in 2023. On September 9, 1963, FWCD hosted its first day of classes with 210 students and 17 teachers
on a 10-acre campus with three original buildings. Just one year later, in 1964, 80 additional acres of land were purchased, and FWCD opened the doors to its brandnew Annie Richardson Bass Lower School. Sixty years later, FWCD is the proud home of 1,097 students and 159 full-time faculty members across 13 buildings throughout its 104-acre wooded campus in southwest Fort Worth. Here’s to many more years educating Fort Worth’s young minds!
Photo courtesy of Dickies Arena
Photo courtesy of UNTHSC
HSC Health Family Medicine social worker Maryssa Vasquez was frustrated to see so many of her patients go home hungry. Vasquez tapped into a little-known and seldom-used partnership HSC has with the Tarrant Area Food Bank to take advantage of a streamlined system that speeds up the delivery process for those in need. She’s also spearheaded a food drive and hopes to send patients home with preprepared food packages after their appointments. Patients who need food resources in Tarrant County and are homebound or have limited transportation are now automatically approved for a delivery of shelfstable products.
Photo courtesy of Alara the Label
Alara The Label is a up-and-coming lifestyle brand based out of Fort Worth and Dallas with a storefront in the Shops at Clearfork. Founded by a local mother-daughter duo, Alara The Label is dedicated to quality, purpose, and storytelling and produces limited edition, artisanal pieces that are handcrafted with thoughtfully selected materials from around the world. In addition, they only use materials needed to create zero waste as part of a commitment to slow fashion and sustainable practice. The collections include accessories, womenswear, menswear, and home decor.
Billboard Magazine just released their 2023 year-end boxscore [sic] charts, and Dickies Arena is officially Billboard’s Number One Venue in the World with a seating capacity of 10,001-15,000 for events held during November 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. “Fort Worth is a wonderfully unique and diverse market with a passion for entertainment… It is a tremendous honor to be named Billboard’s Number One Venue in the World, and we will continue to bring an array of top-notch entertainment to the city of Fort Worth,” said Matt Homan, President and General Manager of Dickies Arena. Congratulations!
Photo courtesy of NTCF
North Texas Community Foundation (NTCF) recently awarded grants to local equine therapy nonprofits to support their operations and help them meet their goals. NTCF works with local donors to award grants to nonprofits and organizations that serve North Texas by developing and managing custom charitable giving plans for individuals, families, businesses and private foundations. Grant recipients include the All Star Equestrian Foundation, Riding Unlimited, S.T.E.P.S With Horses, Stars and Strides Therapeutic Riding Center, Victory Therapy Center, and Wings of Hope.
Photo courtesy of All Saints Episcopal School
All Saints’ Episcopal School (ASES) named Wallace Worden as the Assistant Head of School for Internal Operations at All Saints' Episcopal School in 2022. As such, Worden
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oversees operational alignment for student engagement, curriculum development, faculty culture and family partnerships. He has ably served All Saints’ in leadership roles for over 20 years in various capacities and holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Design from Arizona State University and is in progress on an Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California. He and his wife, Keri, have two current Saints, Wiley ’28 and Kirby ’30.
Fort Worth does not have an official bird, but that will change soon, thanks to some Fort Worth ISD elementary schools that will assist the city in selecting its official bird. Participating campuses will be assigned one of the six birds approved by the Fort Worth Audubon for research. Over the course of this school year, students will conduct research and create presentations advocating for their assigned bird to become the city’s officially recognized bird. The most compelling presentations will be featured at the district’s annual science fair, scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 4, 2024, at the Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center. The community is invited to view these presentations and vote on their preferred bird.
Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Botanic Garden
For many years, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) has entertained Fort Worth audiences each summer with live performances in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and other venues. Unfortunately, the FWSO has announced that the annual Concerts in The Garden Summer Music Festival will temporarily pause to accommodate the FWBG’s Master Plan, which includes the design and construction of a new stage. But fret not, lovers of Concerts in the Garden! The FWSO remains committed to the Fort Worth community, and it will schedule alternative concerts in collaboration with local arts organizations so that live music still can be a part of the traditional summer fun for all families.
Made in Fort Worth: e Fort Worth Public Library by Lee Virden Geurkink Photo by Loli Kantor
Made in Fort Worth is all about those businesses and organizations that help make Fort Worth Fort Worth. So when it came to our health and wellness issue, it only made sense to reach out to the Fort Worth Public Library. After all, the FWPL has been serving our community since 1901. Madeworthy recently talked with Jana Hill, the FWPL’s Adult Service Manager.
we offered over 7,000 free programs and events for people of all ages in 2023 [which] provide the opportunity to learn new things and become more involved in your community. It’s so rewarding to see connections being made and friendships forming in our programs! MW: The FWPL has some great programs for older patrons. Can you address some of the special needs of your senior patrons and how these programs address them? JH: We find that older adults want the same things everyone else does – to enjoy meaningful relationships, be part of their community, and participate in engaging activities. But older adults can also feel isolated by changes in their families, being out of the workforce, or facing health and financial challenges. All our adult programs are senior-friendly, but our programs for older adults are designed specifically to address these needs. We offer Senior Social Hours at several branches, plus La Hora de los Abuelos, a social program especially for older adults who speak Spanish. Older adults may also be interested in our local history and genealogy programs, book clubs, knit and crochet clubs, creative writing clubs, painting clubs, computer classes, or chair yoga… it’s never too late to learn something new!
Madeworthy: Made in Fort Worth is a feature all about Fort Worth traditions, of which the FWPL certainly is one. Can you give me the CliffsNotes version of the history of the FWPL? Jana Hill: … the original building opened in 1901, funded by Andrew Carnegie, and led by local women’s club powerhouse, Jennie Scott Scheuber. The second floor was a gallery space used to exhibit artworks that ultimately formed the collection of [what became] the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth… Recognizing the need for locations beyond the downtown location, Wedgwood was our first branch library, opening in 1962. The neighboring Vivian J. Lincoln branch is our newest location, opening this past summer. Today the Fort Worth Public Library has eighteen locations and circulated over three million items in the past year.
MW: We know that the library has long been THE place for moms and kids, and we have a lot of mom readers. What are your top three favorite programs for moms and children? JH: As a mom myself, I really love that FWPL offers specialized story times for a variety of age groups, from babies on up… [which] include songs and activities that really engage the kiddos and parents. Now that my son is a little older, we love attending the Brick Builders LEGO program and Family Science Time programs together. They are both offered in many branches, so we can always find a program that works with our busy schedule.
MW: The modern library is about much more than just checking out books. How does the FWPL serve all aspects of their patrons? JH: First, we check out more than books! FWPL card holders can also check out musical instruments, outdoor games, programmable robots, STEAM kits, babysitting kits, and even karaoke machines and metal detectors. The FWPL also strives to serve as a “third place” for the community beyond the confines of home or the workplace. Public libraries are one of the only places you can spend time without being expected to spend money while you are there. To this end,
MW: Speaking of children, tell me a little about the Reby Cary Youth Library! JH: The Reby Cary Youth Library is an amazing place and a destination for families all over the DFW area. It’s Fort Worth’s first library designed specifically for children and their caregivers – from the collection to the furniture to the play areas and garden. The building is light and bright, with glass walls, interactive public art, kid-friendly furniture, and fun extras like LEGO tables, a play kitchen, a puppet theater, and youth programming every day. Adults can only access the building if they are accompanying a child, so it is a very special place.
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MW: Tell me a little about how the FWPL fosters a sense of community in a city as diverse as Fort Worth. JH: In a library system this large, that can be a real challenge. We start by building a sense of community among our staff of 240, by creating opportunities for collaboration and building support systems across locations and specialties. We look closely at each location and consider the people it serves, organizations it partners with, and what sets that community apart. We recognize and celebrate what makes each community unique, and the entire staff works hard to find those commonalities that bring everyone together. We also foster community by being an active part of it… going beyond the walls of the library. You will see our outreach team at practically every large event in Fort Worth, and our staff regularly attend neighborhood meetings, school functions, and community gatherings of all kinds. MW: Fort Worth has an incredibly rich arts scene. How does the FWPL collaborate with our local arts organizations to promote the arts in our city? JH: Arts and culture are… so essential to our mission that they are written directly into our strategic plan. We… do programming on a regular basis with The Cliburn and the Amon Carter Museum [among many others]. Through our Amplify 817 music streaming platform and live concerts, we also work closely with Hear Fort Worth, Arts Fort Worth, and music venues to ensure that local musicians get community support, exposure, and opportunities to perform at library branches and beyond. MW: Can you give our readers a sneak peek at what the FWPL has in store for us in 2024? JH: We have so many exciting things in the works for 2024! We will open Clifford Crossing, our first branch west of Loop 820, with a collection handpicked for that community and plenty of great programs for every age group. Elephant and Piggie, from the popular children’s book series by Mo Willems, will be making appearances at libraries this spring and a new Storytime in the Park series will also kick off at city parks around town. Grownups should keep their eye out for all-new adult cultural programs happening citywide, a new ESL for Parents class at the Reby Cary Youth Library, and specially developed programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In June, we will host a huge kickoff part for our summer reading program and live, all-ages concerts at various libraries. It’s going to be a tremendous year and we can’t wait for you to join us!
Grace’s Goodies Seek first to understand your partner. When there is conflict, first look in the mirror. Co-create the best environment for listening and validating. If it’s important to your partner, at least consider it. Respect and honor boundaries. Never voice contempt, bully, name call or give ultimatums. Hold hands in bed before sleeping. Respect differences in music and video. Be good, game, and giving with intimacy. Allow for ME time to enhance WE time. Dance, laugh, and sing together. Give more than you get. It’s ok to look at other people, just don’t drool. Cooperate with your partner instead of trying to change them. Say five positive things for every one negative thing. Schedule time to talk and time to play. Say I love you in a variety of ways. Ask for what you want. Honor your relationship. Be courteous and don’t interrupt. Share your thoughts and feelings. Express admiration and respect. Demonstrate affection in the way they want to receive. Talk to me like I’m someone you love.
BRAD NOWLIN Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist brad@bradnowlin.com 817-676-5904 Great relationships are worth it.
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S H A M E L E S S C O U R AG E :
TATARA SIEGEL & SINACA STUDIOS by Victoria Wise Photos courtesy of SiNaCa Studios
representation of their struggles as survivors of sexual assault in the military. The glass tears, hanging purely by tension, represent the years of abuse and the weight of these veterans’ tears. The tears are connected to each other with paracord as these women are connected to each other. The few pink strands amongst the dark green strands signify the way women in the military are outnumbered by men. The creation of this haunting work of art allowed the women to connect to other survivors and heal.
The team of visionary artists and teachers at SiNaCa Studios School of Glass and Gallery is small but mighty. One member of this team of five passionate artists and educators is Tatara Siegel. She is the granddaughter of longtime Fort Worth gallery owner, artist, and art teacher Evelyn Siegel. Art runs through her blood, but it’s that heart of hers that pulses for all to hear from the studio, located in an old service station on Magnolia Avenue in the Near Southside. Tatara is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington and holds a master’s degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology, School for American Crafts in New York. Using her undergraduate degree in ceramic and glass and her graduate degree in Fine Art with a concentration in glass, she has not only written, developed, and launched art programs, but she also teaches them, records data, writes reports, applies for grants, and then starts the process all over again. In a nutshell, she develops community outreach programs that change people’s lives.
Unfortunately, due to the always uncertain and often unjust nature of public and private funding, SiNaCa has been unable to keep these programs going. However, Tatara informed me that when the time comes and Ignite Your Creative Voice can continue, the same men who participated in one of the programs are ready to step up and help the next crew move through the program. A new team, a new community, a growing connection for those who have fought valiantly and bear the scars for our nation will result – it’s just a matter of time and resources.
During a chance meeting at one of their Veteran Days (the studio offers a free day to veterans and their families to come create glass works), she met a veteran who, while in school to become a doctor, was interested in developing art therapy programming at SiNaCa. Together, they had the idea to develop an art therapy glass program to address the needs of veterans with PTSD. During a 12-week course called Identify and Ignite your Creative Voice, six veterans of the United States Armed Forces participated in the program and were transformed just as the elements silicon, sodium, and calcium (the Si, Na, and Ca of the studio’s name) are when they are put through extreme heat to become beautiful works of glass art.
Fortunately, a program SiNaCa continues to offer is Courage Through Fire. This program is a 10-week (40-hour) course designed for veterans and active-duty members of the armed services, introducing several hot and warm techniques of glass art creation, providing amazing introduction to the work of the studio which fosters a new appreciation of glass as an artistic medium. It’s not an art therapy program, but rather, it’s a place where veterans and activeduty military can meet and learn to create works of art in glass. The members of this program find community through shared experiences, both past and present. The members of the program make the same type of item; the beauty lies in the fact that each member’s work is completely unique, reflecting the artist and their experiences.
"When Tatara speaks of her personal journey as a facilitator, you understand that she is not only driven by this work, she is guided by it."
Started in 2008 by a group of glass artists and teachers from the University of Texas at Arlington, SiNaCa’s purpose is to be a safe place where people in the community can come and discover a new and exciting art form. While we are fortunate to have SiNaCa in our community, it is difficult to find the funds to keep the studio creating. Private and public funding keep the kilns hot and the lights on. Grants help defray the costs of programs like Ignite Your Creative Voice.
While traditional art therapy has been proven to be successful in treating veterans with PTSD, working with a medium like molten glass can be very cathartic. According to Tatara, this cathartic work is very apparent in those who have moved through the program and found healing. When Tatara speaks of her personal journey as a facilitator, you understand that she is not only driven by this work, she is guided by it. It almost feels divine when you hear her talk about her role and the relationships she has built through this program. These are men and women who sought out a new healing path through art. As well as learning how to create beautiful works of art, they found themselves intertwined with each other, and now their stories of healing have been joined.
The studio is divided into three parts which correspond to different glass techniques. Classes are offered for people to learn these techniques. Kiln forming is a process which works with glass in its solid state, cutting and layering glass sheets with frit (ground bits of colored glass) and stringers (thin filaments of glass in varying colors) to create designs. Flame working uses a gas torch to form glass into beads and other shapes. Glass blowing is what you most likely thought of when you first started reading this article. Glass blowing is an art form that uses one of our most basic human functions to breathe life into molten glass. Anyone interested in taking a class can visit their website and sign up. As for Tatara, she is committed to the mission of this nonprofit and is determined to continue with programs that serve Fort Worth. She’s committed to our community, and she’s committed to the lives she has changed and will continue to change. Anyone lucky enough to know her knows her courage and her shameless commitment to making this world a better place, one glass bead and one heart at a time.
Fused. One outcome piece produced during Ignite Your Voice was A Million Tears. Sadly, many women in the armed forces are survivors of sexual assault. A Million Tears was a collaborative project to represent the struggles of these women. In an 18-week program in partnership with The Art Station, these women created a visual
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