November 2022

Happy holiday season from

family to yours.

ROGER

a classic collaborative

TOP 10 TIPS TO WINTERIZE & REVITALIZE YOUR SKIN

TOP 10 TIPS TO WINTERIZE & REVITALIZE YOUR SKIN

Seasonal weather changes can be unforgiving to our skin.

During the winter months, our skin is exposed to the wind, cold air, lower humidity and indoor blasts of dry heat. Through the process of transepidermal water loss, water passes through the outer layer of our skin and evaporates into the air. If left unmanaged, it leads to dull, dry, irritated skin and more prominent fine lines. Damaged skin also increases the likelihood of conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis.

There are several steps we can take as the weather gets colder and dryer to keep our skin hydrated and radiant. Physician Assistant Stephanie Bui-Catuogno at Tru-Skin Dermatology shares her top 10 tips to protect your skin.

By paying extra attention to how your body responds to the elements, you can be sure to keep your skin happy and healthy all year round. And, of course, the team at Tru-Skin Dermatology is here to help you along the way if you have any questions.

1. MOISTURIZE WITH SPF Even though we can’t feel the warmth of the sun, it doesn’t mean that your skin isn’t exposed to harmful UV rays. Sun can also reflect off snow, which amplifies exposure.

2. KEEP IT COOL Avoid long hot baths and showers, which strip your skin of its natural oils. Instead, use warm water, pat dry and apply thick, rich body cream to damp skin to lock in moisture. Also consider switching to a moisturizing, hydrating face and body cleanser in the wintertime.

3. STAY HYDRATED Drink more water to help hydrate your skin from the inside out.

4. OIL-BASED MOISTURIZER Think about the ingredients. Oil-based emollients with ceramides will keep your skin moist for a longer period of time than water-based moisturizers. If you have oily skin, use a light moisturizing lotion and avoid heavy moisturizers since pores will become clogged with oil and result in blackheads.

5. EXFOLIATE Scrub away to get rid of dead skin cell build-up to reveal a brighter, more beautiful you.

6. COVER UP Wear gloves to protect your hands from the elements. Dry hands are very difficult to treat. Apply petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline or Aquaphor, to the hands and feet and wear cotton gloves and socks at nighttime for maximum absorption while you’re resting.

7. PUCKER UP Wear lip balm with SPF 30 daily to protect your lips from dry, cold air and wrinkle-causing sun damage.

8. HUMIDIFY Invest in a humidifier to add moisture to your home or workspace and counteract the drying effects of indoor heat. Your skin will absorb the moisture in the air, keeping it soft and smooth.

9. MODIFY YOUR SKIN REGIMEN Decrease use of skincare products with harsh active ingredients such as acne medications, retinol, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. If you must use these products, use them sparingly and consider moisturizing before and after use.

10. KNOW YOUR SKIN Climate changes often aggravate conditions such acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. Take extra care to avoid any known triggers, irritants or allergens that flare your condition.

Stephanie Bui-Catuogno, PA-C

Giving Hope to those who suffer from chronic pain

The Pain Management Specialty

According to Dr. Pankaj Mehta, clinical president at Pain Specialists of Amer-ica, “The priority of interventional pain management (IPM) is finding the root cause and interrupting the pain cycle. IPM is an ideal treatment for both acute and chronic pain and can be used to alleviate even the most complex source of pain.”

We believe it’s critical to listen to the patient, to go beyond the traditional doc tor-patient relationship and create a partnership. Plus, no two people experience pain the same way, so personalized plans are critical. This is the purpose of the pain management specialty; it’s no different than visiting a specialist for any other chronic condition.

To describe what we do as “pain management” would be true, but it wouldn’t tell the full story. Yes, we provide pain management, but it goes much further than that. We provide a variety of interventional treatment modalities to help manage or treat your pain by creating a personalized plan—no matter what the cause or source. We treat all types, from head to toe. As Mehta says, “We partner with patients suffering from pain. We help them optimize pain control, enhance daily functionality and improve physical and psychological well-being ”

Conventional pain management includes medication treatments and overthe-counter medication to manage pain flare-ups, essentially any type of treatment that does not invade the body to alleviate pain. It does not address the root of the problem; it simply band-aids it.

Patients frequently come to us with multiple “pain generators,” which are sites of illness or injury that contribute to pain and suffering and detract from your quality of life. It is our job to identify the source of the pain and treat it at the source. Pain not only affects you; it can also affect your friends and family and potentially your work productivity. It can impact every aspect of your life, from difficult physical exertion to everyday tasks, like tying your shoes.

Our Process

Our approach to interventional pain management begins with a conversation. We listen to your concerns and your needs, and how pain is affecting your life. “This is why a partnership is important,” says Mehta. Because if you don’t individualize the pain treatment for each patient, the outcome may not be as effective. Along with our care team, we thoroughly process the information, imaging and diagnostic testing to determine a diagnosis. The diagnosis helps us determine the range of treatment methods to address your pain. We take the “S.A.V.E.” approach to your course of treatment: Surgery At the Very End. There are many less invasive options to help you regain a functional life. In fact, we have partnerships with some of the top orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons in Texas, to help patients if that will result in the best outcomes. We create a “pain management ecosystem,” a complete program of the specialists, therapies and other elements needed to reach your goals. A vital part of this ecosystem is your involvement. Our goal is to create a comprehensive approach to treat your suffering, to allow you to enjoy the quality of life you want.

We’re not limited to back and neck pain. We treat all kinds of pain, from headaches down to foot pain and neuropathy—and all points in between.

Interventional Pain Management Services

• lower back pain

• spine arthritis disease

• sacroiliitis/SI joint pain

• spinal stenosis

• headaches and neck pain

• abdominal and pelvic pain

• degenerative joint disease

• prolonged postoperative pain

• extremity pain

• vertebral compression fractures

• complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)

• other chronic painful conditions

If pain is disrupting your life, there’s hope. Our interventional pain management team helps you take control of your health by providing you with information and treatment options. It’s time to get your life back. There’s no reason for you to suffer. Visit our website at psadocs. com to see our patient’s stories, learn about our top-rated expert pain physicians and learn more about the services we offer. Our care team is ready to walk you through your recovery step by step. We are your expert pain care, close to home.

Inspiring Stories by Real Patients with Real Stories and Real Outcomes

Pankaj Mehta,

15 Convenient Locations from Waco to San Antonio

If you or someone you know are suffering from pain, Pain Specialists of America can help. There's Hope. We Care. Call us today.

EXPERT PAIN CARE. CLOSE TO HOME.

JEN RAMOS PERKINS Director of Business Operations

JAIME ALBERS

Creative Director CY WHITE Managing Editor

DARBY KENDALL

Copy Editor

KRISNA MENIER Community and Events Manager

ANNE COX Production Manager

DONNA MITCHELL Sales Account Executive

CLAIRE HELENIAK Social Media Specialist

CONTRIBUTORS

Editorial:

Elle Bent, Kelly Comis, Anne Cox, Lindsey Emmons, Jenny Hoff, Chandler Maloney, Molly Jo Tilton, Brena Ullrich, Brooke Waupsh

Art:

Brio Photography, Commodore Perry Estate Auberge Resorts Collection, Joi Conti, Jody Domingue, Miraj Mehta, Daniel Nguyen, Project Venkman, Sebastian Quinn, Ingrid Terran of E-Lit Realty, ZIKI

INTERNS

Elle Bent, Amber Dotson, Zandra Drysdale, Chandler Maloney, Devon Sayre, Brena Ullrich

AW MEDIA INC.

MELINDA GARVEY Co-founder/Co-owner

KIP GARVEY CEO/Co-owner

SAMANTHA STEVENS Co-founder

Austin Woman is a free monthly publication of AW Media Inc. and is available at locations throughout Austin and in Lakeway, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Pflugerville. All rights reserved.

To offer feedback, email feedback@awmediainc.com. For submission information, visit atxwoman.com/jobs. No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission. Visit us online at atxwoman.com. Email us at info@awmediainc.com. 512.328.2421 | 7401 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78739

Contributors

This month, we asked our contributors: What are you thankful for in 2022?

JOI CONTI

Photographer, “The Millionairess Mindset,” Pg. 40

• She trains in aerial cirque for fun.

• She loves networking.

• She makes vegan smashed potatoes every Thanksgiving.

“I am thankful for living in Austin where there are so many heartfelt opportunities to celebrate one another.”

CHANDLER MALONEY

Writer, “Funding a Fair Future,” Pg. 48

• She shares a birthday with Janet Jackson.

• She prefers frozen yogurt over ice cream.

• She refuses to enter Halloween haunted houses.

“I am most thankful for my family and loved ones. I am so appreciative that I am able to see them on a regular basis since they live in Austin!”

MOLLY JO TILTON

Writer, “Not Folk, Just Ruthie,” Pg. 24

• She has visited 30 state parks.

• She is podcast obsessed—she barely listens to music anymore.

• She’s lactose intolerant but loves all things dairy.

“This year I am thankful for the time I have got to spend with my friends and family and look forward to even more time with them in years to come. ”

BRENA ULLRICH

Writer, “The Love Is in the Details,” Pg. 22

• She upcycles clothing and sews her own swimsuits.

• She has watched the entirety of Vampire Diaries six times.

• She is learning Italian and will be visiting the country next summer.

“In 2022, I am thankful for pets. After living without fur babies post-move out, I couldn’t be more grateful to finally hear little paws running around my apartment.”

ow, two years can really fly by, can’t they? My journey with Austin Woman began two years ago, and with the November issue, it comes to a close. I’m so proud to say that I played a role in the completion of 21 issues, two Woman’s Way Awards, two Anniversary celebrations and Austin Woman’s firstever in-person wellness event, Thrive. I have learned an inexpressible amount during my time here, not only from the women I work with every day, but also the women within the pages of this magazine.

When I started at Austin Woman I was only about six months into my professional career. I had everything to learn and yet was hungry to prove I knew it all. Of course, I didn’t, and I still don’t! However, that was sometimes hard to accept as a recent college grad looking for any way to show that I had what it took to be successful at such a renowned publication. We’re often told we should “fake it till we make it,” which does work in a lot of scenarios, but I think it’s also important to remember that even though we may be faking the confidence, there is always something new to be learned.

In our “Finance” issue, I think that especially rings true. Our cover woman, Tamar Hermes, came from a humble background of immigrant parents living paycheck to paycheck. Real estate investment wasn’t something she had any familiarity with, but she knew she had the means to change that, and it turned her into the successful millionaire mogul she is today. Now she’s in a position to help other women achieve the same financial success.

Our second feature details the origin of The Black Fund and how its three founders, Jameila “Meme” Styles, Kendra Garrett and Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette, came together to create a fund that would support Black-led businesses and Black creators. The most challenging part was the realization that nothing similar existed that would equip the Black community with tools to improve their quality of life. Where they saw a need, they created the solution.

Lindsey Emmons conquers stereotypes and the notion that you can only be one thing, and not the other. As a Christian and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, it took some time before she was able to accept her identity. She promotes equity and inclusivity through any business she operates.

Ruthie Foster also challenges the idea of only fitting into one category. Her new project, Healing Time, turns her music of the folk genre into something that is distinctly her own.

When it comes to finance, you should always be mindful of your choices, but the best investment advice has always been “start now.” Whether investing in stocks, real estate or even yourself, you don’t have to have it all figured out right away. Consider your options, take the leap and figure out the rest along the way.

ANNE COX PRODUCTION MANAGER

Publication of Austin Woman would not be possible without the support of our monthly advertisers and sponsors, who believe in the impact we are making in the Austin community. The following businesses have stepped up their support of our efforts beyond traditional advertising and we are proud to recognize them as our partners. The team at Austin Woman is grateful for these businesses that have shown their commitment to the advancement of women in Austin and hopes you, as readers, recognize their efforts and support these businesses and all our regular advertisers.

FOLLOW US @austinwoman

Giving Mothers the Grace to L.I.V.

The Jeremiah Program, a local organization whose mission is to help raise mothers out of poverty, hosts the Love to L.I.V. Luncheon.

Scream Queen

Brooke Hampton, founder and lead vocalist of Austin hardcore metal band Slow Pulse, shows us that girls just want to scream.

A Night Under the Stars

On Sept. 29, Austin Woman attended Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas’ annual fundraising event, A Night Under the Stars.

FOLLOW US @ austinwoman LIKE US austinwoman

Don’t forget to visit and subscribe to the Austin Woman YouTube channel!

WIN THIS!

The Millionairess Mentality by Tamar Hermes

“Many people believe there’s just one strategy when it comes to investing in real estate. Many women believe that they don’t deserve their own wealth. The Millionairess Mentality is here to dispel both. Like many women, I’ve spent much of my life worried about money and questioning my ability to grow wealth. Unlike many, I’m the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, which means that scarcity and mere survival were the focus of my childhood. I thought you had to struggle. After educating myself about money and the market, I discovered that the problem wasn’t the world; the problem was my mindset. Once I learned how to grow successful businesses and start buying real estate, I became determined to teach other women how to do the same.” For this month’s Win This, five lucky winners will receive a signed copy of Tamar Hermes’ bestselling book The Millionairess Mentality. Please follow @austinwoman and @wealthbuildingconcierge on Instagram for your chance to learn how to intentionally build wealth. We will announce the winner at the end of the month.

Can’t get enough of this issue? Check us out at atxwoman.com.

Scream Queen photo courtesy of Brooke Hampton. Giving Mothers the Grace to L.I.V. photo by Jadie Photography. A Night Under the Stars photo by Bryant Hill. The Millionairess Mentality by Tamar Hermes photo courtesy of Tamar Hermes.

Breast care experts that specialize in one thing:

Texas Breast Specialists provides leading edge surgical approaches and integrated care that includes a multidisciplinary team. With seven dedicated breast surgeons in eight locations across the Austin area, we specialize in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the breast, both cancerous and benign, through breast imaging and diagnostics, surgical therapy, and cancer treatment services that are right for you.

To learn more, please visit TexasBreastSpecialists.com.

Julie M. Sprunt, M.D., FACS • Moya Griffin, M.D., FACS • Heather King, M.D., FACS • Caroline Coombs-Skiles, M.D., FACS Bridget O’Brien, D.O., FACS • Sherrie Thomas, M.D., FACS • Aimee Mackey, M.D., FACS

What’s your favorite fall tradition in Austin?

Who doesn’t love Fall? We at Austin Woman certainly do!

CY WHITE MANAGING EDITOR

Like so many on our staff, I am a full-on autumn girl. There’s something so peaceful about the fall, something that instills a sense of calm and home. If spring is the season of rebirth, autumn is the season of tranquil transition. One of my favorite things to do, something I’ve always done around this time, is photograph nature around me. I love to travel during this time as well, and my “Big Girl Camera” (yes, that’s what I call her) is always my constant companion, documenting the absolute natural brilliance of the leaves transforming from the newness of green to the wisdom of orange and red. The cleansing of the autumn’s healing rains. I love it all. It’s truly a beautiful time of year, and I take great pleasure in capturing it on film.

KRISNA MENIER

COMMUNITY AND EVENTS MANAGER

Fall has always been my favorite time of the year. Pumpkin patches, football, homecoming, cozying up on the couch to watch a good movie. But my favorite tradition is wine tasting! Yes, wine tasting in the fall. The crisp morning air is perfect for a stop at your favorite Austin coffee shop to start the day off with a delicious pumpkin spice latte or apple crisp macchiato, then heading over to any of the beautiful wineries that Texas Hill Country has to offer. The crowds are smaller, giving you more time to enjoy the vino and soak in the day as the sun starts to warm the hills. Because grapes are typically harvested August to October, this makes November the perfect time to try new wines debuted by each of the wineries.

CLAIRE HELENIAK

SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

My favorite fall tradition in Austin is the Texas Book Festival in November. As an avid reader, it’s the perfect place to discover new authors and dive into new worlds. I always meet authors and get books to read in the upcoming year. There is also live music, food and drinks to enjoy.

How to Maximize the Impact of Your Charitable Giving This Holiday Season

With the holidays quickly approaching, it’s naturally a time to reflect on the people and causes you care about most. While you may know whom or what you’d like to support, the question of how to give back can have a meaningful impact on the amount you’re able to donate as well as the benefits you realize in return.

With different gifting strategies to choose from, along with a host of other factors to consider, how do you know which approach is right for you?

In this article we discuss the basic tenets and key advantages of charitable giving strategies you may wish to consider this holiday season.

Charitable Giving Overview

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CHARITABLE GIVING?

Of course, the opportunity to pay it forward is the driving force behind most people’s decision to give back. Nonetheless, there are several other benefits to charitable giving that should not be overlooked.

Gifting can reduce your tax liabilities.

Gifting during your lifetime can aid in the proper distribution of your estate.

Gifting certain assets enables you to transfer the tax liability while maximizing the gift to charity.

Charitable Giving Strategies

DONOR-ADVISED FUND (DAF)

A donor-advised fund is a private investment account used to manage and facilitate charitable donations. DAFs are ideal due to their ease of administration and the control donors retain over the placement of their gifts. Contributions to donor-advised funds can be made in several forms:

1. Cash (min of $5,000)

2. Public stocks, bonds or mutual funds

3. Private stock

4. Money from your IRA and 401(k)

5. Life insurance

Contributions to DAFs are tax deductible in the same year the contribution is made. This provides donors an immediate tax benefit with the freedom to later decide how and where to place donations. This feature is particularly attractive if you require a large tax deduction to offset a portion of your taxable income for a particular year.

You can deduct up to 60% of adjusted gross income for cash contributions. Securities held for over a year may be deductible at 30% of AGI. (Securities held less than a year would only be allowed a deduction on the cost basis amount.)

BUNCHING

Following the recent increase to the standard deduction—$12,950 for a single tax filer and $25,900 for married couples—many people lost the ability to claim a year-end charitable tax deduction.

Bunching is a gifting strategy that consolidates multiple years of giving into one tax year, allowing for a large taxable deduction in the year of giving and zero in the subsequent years. Because of this unique feature, bunching is an effective strategy for those looking to reclaim charitable tax benefits at year-end.

Combining a bunching strategy with a DAF also allows the donor to reap the donation when needed and later dole out contributions to charities in the years to come.

GIFT A HIGHLY APPRECIATED ASSET

Gifting an appreciable asset, such as public stock, is an increasingly popular strategy due to its unique tax benefits. There are two key benefits to this strategy:

1. When gifting an appreciable asset to a 501(c)(3) organization, you can claim a federal income tax deduction (up to the IRS limit) that is equal to the market value of the asset.

2. Any appreciation on the asset is not subject to capital gains tax if donated before selling, allowing you to donate more than you otherwise could with a cash donation.

PRIVATE FOUNDATION

A private foundation is an independent legal entity set up solely for charitable purposes, offering similar tax advantages to donor-advised funds but operating on a much larger scale.

There are more complexities and rules associated with a private foundation. For example, there is an IRC Code requiring private foundations to distribute 5% annually for charitable purposes. Because of the larger scope of operations, private foundations provide families an attractive opportunity to give back to others while simultaneously reducing estate assets and, in-turn, estate taxes.

About Venturi: Venturi Private Wealth is an independent fee-based wealth management firm for founders, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and wealthy families.

To discuss how you can optimize your charitable giving, schedule a free consultation with a Venturi advisor using the QR code.

The Love is in The Details

Lonnie Ledbetter understands how to keep the next generation fulfilled in the workplace.

BY BRENA ULLRICH

Lonnie Ledbetter knows a little bit about people. In fact, she’s quite the people person. As the chief purpose and inclusion officer for American Campus Communities (ACC), Ledbetter handles “all things people related.” She began her career as a resident assistant at the University of Austin, working her way through every level of student housing. She started in operations, then training, then took over the umbrella of human resources. In addition to HR, she now provides strategic oversight and direction for the company’s organizational structure, culture, training task force, all diversity and inclusion initiatives and more. Ledbetter was recently recognized as an honoree for Austin Business Journal’s 2022 Women in Business award.

As a leader in the country’s largest manager of student housing, Ledbetter knows Gen Z better than most. Since Gen Z makes up the majority of ACC’s clientele and many of its employees, she is able to see and understand them on a deeper level. It’s no secret that Gen Z is quite different from previous generations with respect to the workforce. They are 32% more likely to leave their employers than millennials and about twice as likely than Gen Xers.

Anyone can see that workplace expectations are shifting, and Ledbetter has a front row seat. From her experience in culture and inclusion, she has learned what it takes to create a workplace environment that nurtures compassion, evolution and empowerment. Focusing on the details of workplace culture allows her to create the larger picture she, and many others, strive for. She’s passionate about what she does and extends some of her wisdom to us on how to keep Gen Z supported and fulfilled in the workplace.

BE EMPATHETIC.

We all know the saying: You haven’t walked a mile in their shoes. It’s a cliche that couldn’t be truer, especially when it comes to the workplace. Everybody has their own journey that they’re going through. You may not have lived through what they have, or gone through what they have, but you can be empathetic. You can work through ways to make sure you are supporting their journey to make them successful in their role. Prioritize making and maximizing connections with people to better understand the place each individual is coming from.

EMBRACE CONSCIOUS AND INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP.

In our daily lives, it’s easy to sit back and cruise with life on autopilot. While this may be the more comfortable way to go about things, it can endanger the culture of any environment. It’s important to pause and refocus specific goals and outcomes when things start to become routine. You must be really intentional, especially during one-on-ones, about what you want outcomes to be so that every action you do is leading you, and others, toward the goal you want to manage. People need to be heard, so listen actively while being mindful of the larger context of each objective. People are no longer satisfied with going through the motions, so it’s more important than ever to intentionally define specific goals.

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY.

There’s a whole world out there seeing things in a different way than you. Embrace the challenge of different ways of thinking and never get too comfortable with one perspective on things. With Gen Z on track to be the most diverse yet, welcoming and celebrating diversity has never been more crucial. You won’t have the desired growth and development if you only listen to one type of thought. If you can get that input from diverse groups of people, then collectively you can build the blocks to step up together. Resist outside thoughts that chip away at your foundation to ensure that you grow the way you want.

FOSTER SELF-EMPOWERMENT WITHIN TEAMWORK.

When it comes to the workplace, there definitely is an “I” in team. Understanding who is on your team and how they work best is essential. Pay attention to the little things. After all, “The love is in the details.” People will be who they are, and understanding the individual brings you one step close to a collaborative team. You must create an environment where people feel safe enough to go beyond their boundaries and supported enough to continue growing if they misstep. Be willing to foster collaborative conversation, and as a leader, be open to hearing feedback.

Photo courtesy of American Campus Communities.

Not Folk, Just Ruthie

Ruthie Foster discusses her musical changes and recent accolades since being on the February 2008 cover of Austin Woman

BY MOLLY JO TILTON

In 2008, Ruthie Foster had just played at a festival in Australia and was about to receive her first awards nomination. Fourteen years, seven albums and nine Blues Music Awards later, she is back in full swing, touring the East Coast, releasing a new album and becoming the first woman (and woman of color) to receive a star in front of Austin’s iconic Paramount Theater.

Foster grew up surrounded by music. “I remember listening to my uncles singing,” she says “How they just lit up the church in so many ways, and I remember thinking, ‘I want to do that.’”

Foster has been chasing that dream for 25 years, and while she is still in the heart of it all, a lot has changed in the last 14 years.

Early in her music career, she found that folk and Americana were the styles she enjoyed playing, and she was good at them. “I wanted to play folk music,” Foster says. “I just wanted to play guitar and sing in front of people.”

“

I wanted to play folk music. I just wanted to play guitar and sing in front of people.

—Ruthie Foster

Photos by Daniel Nguyen and Jody Domingue.

And that is exactly what she did. Foster lights up the room with her bright smile, and audiences can easily see her personality as she performs song after song, but as she grew as an artist, she also began to bring more of herself into the music.

“What I try to bring is my culture, my Black culture,” Foster says. “I try to bring that spiritual connection, part of what I got from my culture, through my music.”

But Foster’s experience in the industry hasn’t been painless. Over time she learned that the music industry, like most, can be tough on women.

“There are always going to be people who challenge you on your own ideas,” Foster says. “It’s about believing in yourself, and you stay with that. Stay strong. Stand up. Sometimes you have to get loud and show out, and that’s okay to me.”

Like everyone in the country, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Foster found herself with a lot of free time. But she got to work on her most recent project, Healing Time, a largely collaborative album that released in October.

“In the end, it’s so rewarding to come to a place where it’s finished, and we can debut it and let other people hear what became of it,” Foster says. “What was I doing during the pandemic? I was writing my ass off.”

For Foster, this album was more than a pandemic project. It was a way for her to really find her voice after being tied to one genre for so long. “This one’s pretty special because I’m back to writing my own material,” she says. “That’s huge for me.”

Because of that process, the sound on this album, still warm and sultry, is distinctly Ruthie Foster—not folk, just Ruthie.

“I didn’t tie myself to being a folk singer,” Foster says. “I really got to where I walked up to that ribbon, if you will, and I pulled it.”

Foster’s decision to experiment with styles comes at a time when her dedication to the craft is being recognized by major characters. In 2019, she was inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame, and on Nov. 19, she is set to receive a star in front of Austin’s Paramount Theater.

For Foster, this star means more than just another award. Over the years, she has held countless shows and CD releases at the theater. “My name is gonna be on that sidewalk in front of one of the premier theaters in Austin, which I love so very dearly,” she says.

“To be included in that says a lot about Austin,” she continues. “It says a lot about the progress that we are making. I hope it means something to some other little Black girl [who’s] going to be standing in line one day, look down and see that my name is there and [realize] that they can do whatever they want.”

When asked what’s next, Foster has a simple answer: keep performing.

“I’d love to be able to just keep connecting with people the best way I can, the best way I know how, and that’s through music.”

“

My name is gonna be on that sidewalk in front of one of the premier theaters in Austin, which I love so very dearly.

—Ruthie Foster

The Joy of Creating Art

Muralist and painter Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch finds joy in experimenting and creating her artwork.

BY ELLE BENT

For Soledad FernandezWhitechurch, art is a language she has always known. Growing up around the artists in her family, she found joy in creating, a joy expressed in her abstract paintings and in murals that are as colorful and effervescent as she is. Fernandez-Whitechurch was born in Paraguay but grew up between her birthplace, Argentina and the United States. Her experience as an immigrant inspired a visual communication she turned to when learning English. When language felt like a barrier, art was a way for her to express herself.

“One of my first experiences, which probably a lot of immigrants have, was to learn how to be myself again in another language,” she says. “It takes years to learn how to express things in a way that’s true to you because language, ultimately, is who we are.”

Much of FernandezWhitechurch’s work is abstract. She describes it as an “exploration of past, present and possibility.” Her work not only takes from her own family history and identity, but she leaves room for what is possible for herself and for the viewer. Her work nods to her past, but it isn’t stuck there.

“When I make art, there’s this whole visual language that I have that signifies a lot of things from my history and where I come from, and it’s playfully hiding in plain sight,” she says. “But it can mean something else to the person looking at that painting. So that’s where the possibility comes in. Because ultimately, the moment that it goes on a wall, it stops being about me, and it starts being about the meaning and possibilities for people looking at it. So I tie together what brought me here, and I talk about what’s possible—what’s possible for me, what’s possible for the person looking at it, and what we can bring to the world.”

In addition to her identity and experiences, Fernandez-Whitechurch finds inspiration in nature and the world around her. Even something as small as a rock can be beautiful, and she puts those feelings into her creations.

“I try to bring a real sense of the things that give me wonder in the everyday,” she says. “I end up translating the sights, sounds, smells and any sensory experience that comes to me onto the canvas via color, shape and line.”

Photos by Miraj Mehta.

“

I try to bring a real sense of the things that give me wonder in the everyday.

—SoledadWhitechurchFernandez-

“

Sometimes working for yourself can be scary, for all of us. But when you’re lucky enough to do something that you love, I think that trust, positivity and optimism is what ultimately drives that practice to be successful.

Her paintings take advantage of many materials, especially watercolor in her abstract work. Her use of color is intentional yet ambiguous. Fernandez-Whitechurch focuses on the colors she sees in the world around her, which translates to something meaningful about herself—for example, using blue and yellow to nod to her grandfather’s soccer team and to represent Buenos Aires. “But to somebody else, that combination has a different meaning,” she acknowledges.

Fernandez-Whitechurch has always been an artist. Her mother was one and helped inspire her creative endeavors. As a child, art was about play and making what felt good. “When I see my art from when I was little, there’s just this sense of joy and complete flow in the moment,” she says.

As a young adult, however, her focus shifted. “Around college, maybe even late high school, I had this whole focus on ‘I have to make it perfect,’ she says. “Around that time, I started noticing that art didn’t feel good anymore, that art was about what I can do and what I should be doing instead of what feels good.” She gave up for a few years until she found herself working at a pottery shop. There, she found encouragement to just play with the materials, rediscovering the awe in exploration and rekindling her sense of play.

“It ended up coming down to just doing it out of love and enjoyment rather than this mandate you put upon yourself that if you can’t accomplish something, then you’re a failure,” she says.

Because art is a joyous thing for Fernandez-Whitechurch, that joy seeps into her work. As a full-time artist, she puts into practice playing and experimenting with art instead of simply creating once she feels inspiration. Rather, she uses art to find that inspiration. With the perfect balance of intentional and experimental, Fernandez-Whitechurch can discover new meanings and tell different stories through her art.

“Sometimes working for yourself can be scary, for all of us,” she says. “But when you’re lucky enough to do something that you love, I think that trust, positivity and optimism is what ultimately drives that practice to be successful.”

—Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch

The Blueprint for Celebrity NFTs

Project Venkman brings a new perspective to the world of NFTs.

BY KELLY COMIS

It’s clear NFTs are here to stay. They have exploded in popularity over the past year with major brands and celebrities getting involved in the space. The first wave of NFTs (or non-fungible tokens, unique digital assets that cannot be replicated or exchanged for something else and are stored on the blockchain) primarily revolved around digital art; now the possibilities for NFTs go far beyond that. Creators and companies are creating NFTs with ways to engage fans or customers while remaining relevant.

Project Venkman uses NFTs to redefine storytelling for celebrities and fans. For women who lead companies, brands and experiences in Austin, NFTs represent a new territory with incredible promise, but they also come with a lot of confusing terms and challenges. Powered by the same technology as cryptocurrencies, there have been scams, false promises and hundreds of copycat projects. Some celebrities were early to jump into the NFT craze last year, and many of the projects didn’t live up to the hype.

I’ve spent the past decade working with celebrities and top brands, and as a previous co-owner of a local sports publishing magazine, I’ve seen how social media, when done well, can transform a company’s sales and open up new possibilities. New platforms, like TikTok over the past few years, present new opportunities for growth. NFTs and the Metaverse are being hyped as the next big thing. I saw this jump to new media as a challenge to take on for my personal growth and as a chance to learn unique skills.

As I joined Project Venkman, we launched a member NFT collection on Coinbase last month, centered around the life and stories of the iconic actor Bill Murray. The Bill Murray 1000 release set records and became the top-selling project ever on Coinbase NFT. Forbes wrote up the launch as the “blueprint” for celebrity NFT projects.

How did we accomplish this? At Project Venkman we believe in utility.

So what is utility? Utility is the action behind the NFT. When you purchase a Bill Murray NFT, you get a unique silver coin, you get to go to in-person once-in-a-lifetime events where Bill Murray will entertain you and share his stories, you get access to private member chat channels and you get to join a community of super fans. To evolve beyond this first phase of NFTs, we have to focus more on the experience and helping each owner feel like part of a greater group of collectors and fans.

Our plan is to simplify the onboarding experience for those

who want to join the crypto and NFT world. We partner with companies that make a simple, seamless checkout process. Traditionally you had to buy in ETH or another cryptocurrency to claim an NFT, which makes it hard to understand. Through our partner platforms, we allow the use of debit cards and credit cards to users when purchasing NFTs, so it’s as easy as shopping on Amazon.

We don’t want NFTs to be scary. In fact, we believe in the exact opposite! NFTs are fun, unique, cool and a way to experience events like never before. People will purchase NFTs that they love and are passionate about (i.e., art, memberships, experiences, fashion, etc.). Think of an NFT as a box or container only—it’s what’s inside that matters. For us, it’s the utility.

As far as the future goes, according to a study by MarketsandMarkets, the global NFT market is expected to grow from $3 billion in 2022 to $13.6 billion by 2027. We want to be at the forefront of that growth. We want to bring you experiences like never before and utility that matters.

How does this market grow to $13 billion in a few years? We’re excited about the improvements to the shopping and fan experience that unlock this next wave of utility. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit and other major social platforms have launched or announced their support for NFTs. Bringing your favorite digital art, memberships, sports, games and achievements into these platforms in a verified way helps each user showcase their passions, personality and achievements.

Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing our next partnerships, projects and surprises we have planned for our NFT members. Project Venkman truly is writing the playbook for celebrity NFTs and taking the fan experience to the next level, and we can’t wait to show you what we have in store.

Photo courtesy of Project Venkman.

Rethinking Your Bank Account

Interest on your savings is available; don’t settle for earning nothing.

BY JENNY HOFF

Global inflation is forecasted to rise to 8.8% in 2022. You’ve probably noticed it when you’re checking out at the grocery store and find yourself spending much more than you used to, or when you’re eating out at a restaurant that recently had to hike the prices of their entrees to keep up with the increased cost of food. High inflation means the money you’ve saved is losing purchasing power by the day. The only way to fight it is to use the money you currently have to earn more money so it can keep buying you the products and services you want. It’s time to move your money out of your traditional savings account and into something that will actually pay you interest.

You’re likely working with one of the big banks, which are currently offering interest rates of .01 to .02%. You’re essentially earning zero interest on your money, even as mortgage rates and other interestbased products get more expensive. If you’re not ready to invest in real estate as our cover woman, Tamar Hermes, encourages you to do, you still have options to earn something on your nest egg.

A no-penalty certificate of deposit (CD), a money market account or a high-yield savings account are all essentially as safe as your savings account but are currently paying at least 2.5 to 3% interest, depending on who you do business with. That likely means you’ll have to switch banks from one of the big chains in order to cash in on these competitive rates.

A no-penalty CD has a term length, like a traditional CD, ranging from three months to a few years, but unlike traditional CDs, they won’t charge a penalty if you withdraw your money early. This makes them almost like a high-yield savings account, except you could earn more money if you get a good rate.

A money market account is extremely similar to a savings account; however, they’re invested in the financial markets, so you will typically earn more interest than a traditional savings account. You can still access your money at any time and withdraw as needed.

A high-yield savings account is just a savings account that pays you more interest. The major banks don’t usually offer these because they don’t have to—most people don’t change banks or compare rates on a regular basis. Their name is enough to get customers in the door.

You’ll want to make sure the bank you work with is FDIC insured so there is some sort of protection for your money, and do a little research on whichever bank you choose. Some great websites that make it their job to compare rates are bankrate.com and nerdwallet.com. But do a little digging and compare several websites’ recommendations before moving your cash to a new home. You may not be able to keep pace with inflation, but you can at least soften the blow.

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JEANNE TESHLER, FOUNDER AND CO-CEO CHERIE B. MATHEWS, CHIEF RECOVERY OFFICER BETTY HEWELL, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER | RAAS99

Photo by Joi Conti Photography LLC.

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WOMAN to WATCH

TANYA TARR CULTIVATED INSIGHTS | FOUNDER AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENTIST

T anya Tarr is the founder and president of Cultivated Insights, a learning and development company supporting organizations and executives in adapting to our rapidly changing world. She creates bespoke interactive learning experiences that teach strategic negotiation and leadership skills, which have helped women and underestimated people get paid more while accelerating their career velocity. Tarr also has a passion for helping people conquer burnout through evidence-based frameworks that grow back happy brains. Her methods are informed by studying families of deployed soldiers and helping 65,000 Texas teachers break the burnout doom loop. Her perspective is also shaped by her own 10-year burnout journey in beating Type II pre-diabetes and chronic fatigue. She celebrates her health through avidly practicing Muay Thai kickboxing and meditation. Whether it’s sparring, negotiating complex business situations or just navigating life, she has found that it pays to stay curious, not furious. Let’s curiously adapt, together.

cultivatedinsights.com

Photo by Joi Conti Photography

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ERICA SAENZ

WATERLOO GREENWAY | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

E rica Saenz joined Waterloo Greenway Conservancy in January 2020 and serves as chief operating officer overseeing organizational and park operations, communications, community engagement, human resources and programming. She was born in the Rio Grande Valley and moved to Austin in 1993. She holds a B.A. from UT Austin and an MFA from UCLA. Previously, she served as associate vice president for community and external relations at UT Austin. Saenz is an alum of Leadership Austin and Leadership Texas. Past board and service commitments include Austin Soundwaves, Community Advancement Network, Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, I Live Here I Give Here, Restore Rundberg, Somos Austin, Texas Exes’ Hispanic Alumni Network and Alumni Association Network advisory board, The Hispanic Alliance and The Long Center for the Performing Arts. Waterloo Greenway is a one-and-a-half-mile urban park system supported by a publicprivate partnership with the City of Austin. The park system is being planned, designed, and built in three phases. Phase 1 opened in August 2021 and includes Waterloo Park and Moody Amphitheater. waterloogreenway.org

Photo by Kayla Davis.

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GLENDA MOLINA SILICON HILLS WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC, DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL PLANNING

BY JENNY HOFF PHOTOS BY JOI CONTI

millionairess

The millionairess Mindset

Tamar Hermes wants you to get rich in real estate. P

adding barefoot along the wooden floors in her expansive Westlake home—which is filled with beautiful art, fine furnishings and nestled in a grove of cedar and oak trees—Tamar Hermes is proud of the life she has created. A beautiful house, a close-knit family, a loving marriage and a self-taught financial prowess that allows her to depend on only herself for her millionairess lifestyle.

Hermes has become rich through real estate investing, and she wants you to do the same.

“I became it by doing it,” she says, sitting in her light-filled kitchen, overlooking a resort-style swimming pool that sits next to a basketball court in her backyard. “Anyone is capable of that. The world could be so miraculous if everyone could see their gifts.”

Originally from California, with a background in the entertainment industry and a film director husband, at first glance, it’s easy to assume Hermes had a leg up in her journey to wealth. But her origin story is worlds away from the world she lives in now.

Hermes grew up lower-middle class in Los Angeles, with immigrant parents who had so much of their own trauma to work through, they had little energy to offer any kind of emotional support and encouragement to Hermes and her sister.

Hermes’ father was from Transylvania, Romania, and had been sent to a work camp during World War II when he was just a child, experiencing violence and deprivation as a Jewish boy during the Holocaust. He was one of the few people in his family to survive the concentration camps. Her mother grew up on a kibbutz in Israel, when it was still fighting for statehood. Living along the Sea of Galilee, her childhood was marked with Syrian bombs and constant conflict. At 18 years old, she served in the Israeli army.

“To me, the most important thing is we took those experiences, and we didn’t reject them; we built upon them and made something valuable and important in our lives,” says Hermes’ sister, Rabbi Roz Mandelberg, who lives in Norfolk, Virginia. “We took what we could and turned it into something that could make an impact on others. Both in our own ways.”

For their parents, success meant surviving another day—there were no dreams and goals to work toward. They had a dramatically different culture and upbringing than their children and no real practice in communication. Hermes grew up feeling estranged and alone.

“They say trauma can live for generations in your body,” she says. “It can keep us from living a full life ourselves. I really didn’t feel loved growing up. When a kid feels that way, they’re not confident, and they’re scared.”

FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING

Hermes’ parents divorced when she was a child, and she and Mandelberg lived with their mom in their grandma’s house, sharing a sofa bed during their preteen and teenage years. Her family’s financial plan was living paycheck to paycheck.

In this environment, Hermes never learned about money, except that it was a source of stress and there was never enough of it. She was savvy enough to talk her way into a job at 14 years old and save up $5,000 over two years to buy herself a car at 16, but she wouldn’t learn what it really meant to have money until many years later. Wealth is much more than being able to afford a fancy house and car; it’s the power to not have to work for anyone else because your money, invested wisely, is working for you. It’s not about going into debt for consumption, but rather taking on debt as a tool to leverage the money you have and make it multiply.

It’s a lesson Hermes started to learn in her mid-twenties when she was working as a writer, producer and editor for on-air promotions, making enough to have a nice lifestyle and save a bit, but knowing deep down there was money she was leaving on the table for the men who had been taught how to get rich. “I had no financial background, and no one in my family had any real knowledge about money,” she says. “But I was street smart. Every month I was writing my landlord a check for rent, watching my friends and neighbors do the same. One day I asked myself, ‘How do I get on the other end of this transaction?’ That’s when I used my savings to buy my first duplex.”

Almost on cue, Hermes’ phone dings with an incoming message. It’s her bank sending an automated text that a new deposit has been made of around $3,000. She laughs and holds up the phone. “You know what this deposit is for? It’s the first of the month; rent checks are coming in.”

Hermes will be the first to tell you, real estate investing is not “fast money” unless you get lucky to buy at the right time in a booming market and have the capacity to flip and sell. But, she argues, it’s far more stable than the stock market and will almost always end up being a profitable investment. It also doesn’t take a fancy degree or years of training to learn how to do it.

“No one can convince me that real estate is not the best investment for women,” she says. “You can understand it, control it and make a lot more than in the stock market.”

SUCCEEDING AS A MASTERMIND

In her book The Millionairess Mindset, Hermes lays out all the knowledge she’s learned in her almost three decades of investing in real estate, as well as from the mastermind groups she’s been a part of with some of the most influential and successful investors in the country. There are no fancy charts or complicated diagrams to try to understand, only the basics of how to invest in real estate depending on your net worth, your time commitment and your goals.

After years of investing, Hermes says she’s found her passion: educating women and empowering them to control their own financial destinies by getting into real estate, an industry still dominated by men. She now leads her own mastermind group, composed of entrepreneurial women across the country who make at least $1 million annually in revenue. Hermes brings in experts on different subjects and creates a space where the women can share their worries or struggles and help each other solve them.

“She really listens, and that’s important,” says one of Hermes’ clients Laura Spaulding. As the founder and franchisor of Spaulding Decon, she started the crime scene cleanup company after working as a police officer making little money, working long hours and hitting too many glass ceilings. “If you come to [Hermes] and you say, ‘I have a dilemma,’ she’ll be honest, and if she doesn’t have experience with that, she’ll find someone who can help. That’s priceless because entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey.”

Spaulding’s company has 46 franchise locations, and her YouTube channel has more than four million followers (it turns out lots of people like watching crime scene cleanups), but she says going from being a cop with no money to a business owner with millions in revenue, she needs more than ever a mastermind group to connect with other successful women entrepreneurs who are facing the same struggles and who can bring in different perspectives.

“Running my company, I’ve had some pretty obvious experiences with discrimination in getting funding,” she says. “Only 2% of venture capital goes to women. A mastermind group is imperative in meeting the right people who want to invest in you, and Tamar knows everyone.”

As for real estate, Spaulding says she’s been investing for years. “Often, I’ll buy the house from a client who doesn’t want to deal with a property where a crime took place. I’ll clean it and rent it out.”

As Spaulding exemplifies, and as Hermes explains in her book and her lectures, there is no cookie-cutter route to real estate investing. There’s an option for virtually anyone. If you’ve got a full-time job and a house full of kids, there are plenty of passive options where you can invest with a group on a piece of real estate and make around 15% return per year

Tamar Hermes’ Top Tips to Get Started on Real Estate Investing:

Know your finances. Don’t spend your last dime. Have a big enough chunk to know what you can invest and not be in a bad situation if you need money.

Get clear about the direction you want to go. Do you want to control your own portfolio, or do you want to passively buy? It’s like going to Hawaii; once you know where you want to go, you can start planning.

Start taking action steps toward that goal. You don’t have to be the person who is buying the property; you can passively invest in real estate. Network and research to find the right group of trusted investors.

Once you start taking action steps, create a concrete goal and deadline in terms of what you want to accomplish and when.

Learn how to run your numbers and follow through.

LOCATION: COLTON HOUSE HOTEL

Colton House Hotel, one of Austin’s newest luxury hotels, is an 80-suite property located on South Congress Avenue. Drawing inspiration from its distinctive surroundings, the property showcases the captivating spirit of the Lone Star State and pays due respect to Texas’ rich history through locally handpicked art and design features. All suites range from 460 to 1,170 square feet, significantly larger than a standard hotel room. Studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom suites are well equipped with a full modern kitchen or kitchenette, living room, breakfast nook, spa-like showers and more. The spacious rooms allow for a variety of travelers, including families with small children and pets, groups of friends or visitors on business. Property ameni ties include Simona’s Coffee and Cocktails, an elegant space curated to bring guests and locals a variety of luxury coffee, teas, wine and other spirits by Austin’s finest distributors, outdoor heated pool and rooftop deck for private events. 2510 S. Congress Ave. | coltonhousehotel.com

until the property is sold or refinanced and you get your investment back. For those with less cash who are willing to put in more time, there are opportunities to offer sweat equity to get in on a deal and help source the lot, assist with repairs and find renters. Or, in Spaulding’s case, if you’re comfortable cleaning up crime scenes, then you have an edge in a market where most people would be squeamish to deal with that kind of property.

“One complaint people have is that real estate is so illiquid,” says Hermes. “But the biggest problem with the stock market is it’s too liquid. People don’t make money because it’s too easy to take it out. We’re not buying the properties to sell them. We’re buying them to sit on them in perpetuity.”

Buoying other women to achieve financial success is Hermes’ best deal yet. While getting rich is fun, it turns out helping others to do the same and changing the trajectory of their lives is even more rewarding.

“I’ve never seen her so full of happiness,” says Mandelberg. “I think that filling comes from giving and empowering other women.”

CHANGING YOUR MONEY MINDSET

One of the most limiting beliefs Hermes had to change in herself, and one she’s trying to change in other women, is that seeking wealth is somehow immoral, an ignoble pursuit. In fact, she learned, it’s the opposite. Money allows you to take care of your loved ones, to give back to the community, help others climb the ladder, influence society and to get a seat at the decision-making table.

“One thing I had to break through that a lot of women have is disconnecting from a story that they’re born into and creating their own story,” Hermes says.

She is also determined that her children have their own story, one filled with financial knowledge—the kind she wishes she would have learned earlier in life.

“Both of us grew up poor; it’s important to know the value of things and not take them for granted,” says her husband, Matt Earl Beesley, a film and television director and Dallas native who has directed

such movies a Point Blank and Braveheart (where he served as the second unit director), and TV shows like CSI and Chicago Fire. “We both have a very strong work ethic. My parents said, ‘Find something you are passionate about and then don’t be outworked.’ So, I did. She has that same ethic.”

It’s an ethic they’re trying to pass on to their children, who are growing up in very different circumstances than their parents experienced. “She teaches our kids about finance and encourages them to take accounting classes,” he says. “She teaches them how to ask the right questions. I got lucky to marry the smartest person I know.”

Hermes says their daughter, who is in college, has two part-time jobs. When she recently charged a bevy of DoorDash purchases to her parents’ credit card by mistake, she immediately refunded the money—because she earns her own. Hermes’ son goes to Westlake High School and recently bought a used car, after she worked with him on the numbers and helped him seek out a good deal. Hermes wants her children to build confidence at an early age that they can control their own financial destinies.

“My biggest regrets and mistakes were not loving myself more and believing in myself more early on,” says Hermes, “not realizing what I was capable of and letting the world dictate how my life would go.”

Part of loving herself now is making her health, both physical and mental, a priority. With the freedom to dictate her own schedule (because she has her investments burning the midnight oil instead of having to do it herself), Hermes only schedules meetings in the afternoon. She has the morning to meditate, exercise, jump in her cold-plunge pool, write and plan

“That’s the beauty of investing and making money beyond a paycheck,” she says, as she picks at the charcuterie board she’s prepared for the afternoon. “If I want to do something, I can. If we said, ‘Let’s have this meeting in Paris,’ we could buy two first-class tickets to Paris and chat over croissants. That’s what money can do.”

Hermes shares these examples, not to show off her wealth, but to encourage women that what seems impossible, a reality only for “other people” is within reach to everyone willing to roll up their sleeves, spend less on consumption, more on investments and develop the courage to try.

“It’s not ‘fake it till you make it,’” she says. “It’s ‘fake it till you do it.’ You must take the steps to do it. Be willing to hire mentors or take a chance on a property and get ready to start letting your money work for you a little bit. You can’t stay thinking small.”

The Millionairess Mentality: A Professional Woman’s Guide to Building Wealth Through Real Estate is available for purchase at millionairessmentality.com.

Funding a Fair Future

The Black Fund lifts financial burden for Black-led businesses.

BY CHANDLER MALONEY PHOTOS BY JOI CONTI. SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER.

After two years in the making, The Black Fund launched in August with plans to uplift Blackled businesses by supplying them with the financial resources they need to be successful. The group proudly met their fundraising goal of $1 million before setting their plan in motion. The fund caters to organizations within six Central Texas counties: Travis, Williams, Bastrop, Hays, Caldwell and Burnet. The three women who founded the fund have personally fought the uphill battles that Black-led organizations face and hope this project will prevent the ongoing racial disparity that stands in the way of the Black community fulfilling its true potential.

The founders of the fund all shared a common dream to create a sustainable project that would help the Black population prosper. Jameila “Meme” Styles, Kendra Garrett and Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette came together to see their vision come to life. “I believe all of us had a desire to see a Black Fund,” says Styles. “We weren’t really sure where it needed to live, but we had a desire to see it meet the needs of our community in a more intentional way.” When the women first met, they were instantly inspired by each other’s ideas to create the fund. “It was like a cult. It was like a collision of the same idea. We just knew it was time, and it was absolutely long overdue.”

A jarring survey that exposed the lack of funding Black-led businesses receive, not only in Texas but nationally, was the catalyst that inspired the fund’s creation. “The idea for the fund came from a simple question, ‘Why is there no Black fund?’” Garrett says. “There are other equity funds that exist, and there needs to be a fund for Black people. We were pivotal in building Austin, and we continue to do so much for our community and the community at large.”

There are several nonprofits that are working to uncover and remedy the lack of support that Black communities receive. One such organization is MEASURE, an Austin-based nonprofit founded by Styles to provide data-based solutions to address inequity in Black and Brown communities through groundbreaking research and advocacy. The nonprofit partnered with Black Leaders Collective, a coalition of Black community members founded by Black Fund campaign co-chair and steering committee member Terry P. Mitchell, to bring Black leaders together to discuss and execute strategies to uplift Austin’s Black population. The organizations collaborated to conduct a survey evaluating Black-led nonprofit funding in Austin. More than half of survey respondents did not believe their company was capable of fundraising without outside help. (Nationwide, Black-led businesses are underfunded by $2 billion.)

The group collectively determined that Black-led businesses needed to be the target of funding, as they are the glue holding their communities together. These companies are integral to their communities’ longevity and have the power to foster significant change. “Black-led organizations are in the best position to solve complex social issues that have to do with their community,” says Styles. “We support other organizations that don’t have the culture, language or resources. So it’s important for us to pour into our changemakers.”

Outside of meeting our basic needs, we need to be working toward systems change so that we do our ancestors and future generations right by continuing to move the ball forward toward that equitable, just society that we want to live in.

“—Kendra Garrett

The fund’s team considers several factors before investing in a Black-led business. First, the organization must complete an application describing why they should be a recipient of the money. When the group receives the application, members evaluate the business based on core categories the fund creators believe will produce the most significant effect: education, power building, organizing and advocacy, health and wellness, and wealth building. “These areas were the ones that we could advance to move the needle on outcomes for black people in Austin,” Styles reveals.

An outstanding factor they also consider a distinct pillar is the extent to which a Black-led organization serves its community. The fund is structured to be more purposeful than just a onetime financial transaction. It is important that the company not only strives to advance its business, but the community at large. “Outside of meeting our basic needs, we need to be working toward systems change so that we do our ancestors and future generations right by continuing to move the ball forward toward that equitable, just society that we want to live in,” says Garrett.

The founders strategically structured the eligibility requirements so that the fund would produce a broad reach across several sectors. Rather than having one industry develop faster than others, the prosperity of a variety of Black-led organizations will help the community become more well rounded. “We have impact areas that, while [they] were narrowed down to four, will be used with an intersectional lens,” Garrett says. “It is physical, mental and spiritual health; wholebody care is what we are interested in funding and now have the ability to do so.”

Garrett, Styles and Burnette addressed heavy topics and asked complex questions when developing the fund. The most difficult issue to confront was the fact that nothing similar existed to equip the Black community with tools to

improve their quality of life. “We had to contend with the fact that it was racism that led us to even have to create such a fund, because Black-led organizations get a minimal fraction of philanthropic funding,” Styles says. “We saw the sheer lack of support and the reality that people who look like me are funding their organizations out of their own pockets. The biggest challenge was having to confront the lack of the funding and why we are not as sustained as everyone else.”

The team faced additional hurdles when deciding how the Black community could be most effectively empowered. The first obstacle presented itself in the form of fundraising. While there are numerous areas of improvement and several companies that need financial help, it was also difficult defining which businesses would qualify for investment at the expense of others. “There is a lot of passion and validity to every issue, but we can’t do it all,” Garrett admits. “There are brick walls and hurdles that have to be navigated, but we have raised and will continue to raise money that will allow us to support amazing work in our community.”

Another complex issue that the group faced was the role white-led businesses should play within the overall project. The founders feared that the involvement of the businesses might overshadow the fund’s true intention to promote the Black community. However, the team trusts that white-led businesses will “step up and step back” to see this fund do its work. “There isn’t one answer, because sometimes it is contextual,” Garrett says. “Racism and classism keep our institutions standing tall and strong, but every time an opportunity comes along to make a new friend, push forward a new initiative, have uncomfortable conversations, read a new book, so on and so forth, that challenges us to think about our biases in how we show up in everyday life.”

The group allied with Austin Community Foundation to assist with outreach and fundraising efforts. “We went to Austin Community Foundation as a partner because they do have a really great track

We had to contend with the fact that it was racism that led us to even have to create such a fund, because Black-led organizations get a minimal fraction of philanthropic funding.

“

—Jameila “Meme” Styles

record at sustainability,” Styles says. The fund came into existence through the foundation’s donations, fund creators, corporate businesses and individual contributions—not only created for the people, but by the people. With the help of multiple groups, The Black Fund intends on making its first investment within the next few months.

The fund is significant beyond its purpose and its creation. It was formed by people who know the solutions because they have personally witnessed the systemic racism in our society. The women who initiated the fund understand the battles that the Black community faces and feel that they are in a place of authority to tear down those bridges that have restricted Black people. “I’m most proud of the power that Black women have shone through the building and trajectory of this fund,” Styles says. “The lived experience that informed the creation of this fund is our experience.”

The fund will not only sustain businesses financially; it will also promote interaction among members of the community. Fostering connections among Black individuals will further the discussion around existing systemic racism and strategies that could be implemented to improve the well-being of future generations. “I think The Black Fund really seeks to build not just the capacity for these organizations, but also a village where you can come to be sustained financially and also supported through relationship building,” Styles says. “Black-led businesses thrive because they’ll have funding, and they’ll thrive because they have one another.”

With the diversity of its supporters—donors, business leaders and Black community members—The Black Fund will achieve success. The intention is that the fund will meet the needs of this generation as well as the next. “As community members cycle in and out of this work on a periodic basis, with each person adding their individual, special touch to the evolution of this fund, the fund will become sustainable,” Garrett says. “It will adapt to the needs of the moment and support work that changes the world, for the better, for everyone.”

The fund’s longevity and impact rely on continuous donations that will support the restructuring of our society’s social hierarchy. While the hardest part of creating it has been completed, now is the time for widespread involvement. “We want continued investment,” Styles says. “There’s no reason why a philanthropic organization cannot support Black-led social change work now. Now that this mechanism is in place, there’s no longer an excuse. We see this to be a gap filler, but we need the support of everyone in order to do so.”

Individual investment is only an immediate benefit compared to the longterm fulfillment that Black communities will achieve through this fund.

“Funding Black-led organizations will have a ripple effect far greater than any of us will realize,” Garrett says. “Black-led organizations and grassroots community groups are doing the work and are the movement in a tried-and-true fashion, but also in ways that are disruptive, innovative and creative. I see this fund as being one part of the invisible fabric for the Black community.”

At the end of the day, Garrett, Styles and Burnette hope The Black Fund will create a more equitable environment for the Black community. By both elevating their access to resources and uplifting their spirits, the fund will strengthen the Black community by offering financial capital, a social network and the hope that a brighter, more sustainable future is near. “We aren’t just giving money to maintain the current social order and patting ourselves on the back with glee that we did something nice,” Garrett says. “I want to do dream fulfillment and systems change with these dollars.”

“

I think The Black Fund really seeks to build not just the capacity for these organizations, but also a village where you can come to be sustained financially and also supported through relationship building.

—Jameila “Meme” Styles

The Last Five Years

Dec. 2 TO 18

An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their 20s who fall in and out of love over the course of five years, the show's unconventional structure consists of Cathy, the woman, telling her story backwards while Jamie, the man, tells his story chronologically. The two characters only meet once: at their wedding in the middle of the show.

Waterloo Greenway’s Creek Show

NOV. 11 to 20

Waterloo Greenway

Waterloo Greenway’s annual Creek Show invites the public to experience 10 nights of free dazzling, illuminated art along Waller Creek. The event begins at Ninth Street and ends at downtown Austin’s newly renovated Waterloo Park on 12th Street. Creek Show will open nightly Nov. 11 to 20, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Attendees will also enjoy nightly live music, food and beverages and family-friendly activities at Waterloo Park. Free ticket reservations are encouraged for guaranteed entry.

TheMutt-Cracker(SWEET!) DEC. 16 to JAN. 1

The VORTEX

The Mutt-Cracker (SWEET!) is back! Our favorite canines and circus artists transform The VORTEX for the holidays with a fabulously fun show for all ages. The Mutt-Cracker (SWEET!) provides the most original holiday entertainment in Austin, starring brilliant and talented rescue dogs including two new puppies, Dragonfly and Firefly, and Lauren Macaw, a talking scarlet macaw. Bring the whole family and enjoy an extraordinary show full of juggling, songs, interactive play and amazing circus tricks!

Fill the house!

It’s time to get out and enjoy everything that Austin has to offer, including an amazing arts scene. Austin Woman wants to help

the great

been planning.

reach out to

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creekshow.com

Waterloo Greenway’s Creek Show photo by Roger Ho.

Suggested attire: SILVER

The Austin LGBT Chamber advocates,

& builds connections within the

community and the greater Central Texas

communities. Our Education Fund provides

at the end of each year at

to

Business

Top Tips to Boost Morale and Employee Happiness

Swoovy Founder Brooke Waupsh stresses the need to keep employees fulfilled.

BY BROOKE WAUPSH

It’s no secret the pandemic took a toll on the workplace.

Employees are more disengaged than ever before and are on the hunt to find a company that can refill their bucket of happiness. We’ve all heard of “The Great Resignation” and “The Great Reshuffle.” Now, it is “Quiet Quitting.”

Those terms exist because people are not happy at their current workplace and are now fighting to put themselves first. We as a society experienced a shift to a hybrid-remote workforce, which has become the norm, and not a temporary solution to a problem. While some companies are bringing people back in person, others have revamped office space to be hoteling workspaces where you can come and go; others have chosen to go fully remote.

Focusing on how to invest in your people is no longer a “nice to have” point on the strategic plan; it’s a “have to have.”

Just offering a higher salary won’t make people happy and keep them around. It’s the intangibles, the extra effort you put in to show employees their worth and make sure they’re happy—during both working hours and once they’re off the clock. It is also understanding them as humans and supporting their life around work. It’s time to look at what pre-pandemic strategies may have been in place and rethink how to evolve them

How do you get that corporate culture “swagger” back and make your workplace your people’s happy place? Take a people-centric approach.

WHY DOES INVESTING IN YOUR PEOPLE’S MORALE AND HAPPINESS MATTER?

According to Forbes, disengaged employees cost the U.S. economy up to $550 billion a year. Per employee, disengagement costs companies $3,400 for every $10,000 an average disengaged employee earns per year.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the cost to backfill an employee today is six to nine months of their annual salary. That’s no chump change. For an employee making $60,000 per year, that comes out to $30,000 to $45,000.

According to Gallup and Harvard Business Review, companies with engagement programs in place have seen a 16% increase in profitability, an 18% increase in productivity and a 12% increase in customer loyalty.

Offer remote as an option, if possible. Forbes did a recent study reporting that continuing remote work has increased happiness and challenged the status quo for how to maintain and strengthen culture, morale and overall employee satisfaction.

Make your employees feel heard. Have regular listening tools in place, and create a safe space where they know when and how they can give feedback. Establishing employee resource groups is a great way to give power to the people and allow employees to lead initiatives they feel passionately about.

Create a non-negotiable budget for employee engagement. LinkedIn reported that 94% of employees would stay at their current job if the company invested in their careers.

Provide a sense of purpose and well-being through an employee volunteer program. We talked to many companies that stopped their corporate service day during the pandemic and haven’t brought it back because their staff is remote. This is one of those strategies to rethink in our current work environments. It’s not enough to offer paid time off to volunteer; you must make it easy. According to America’s Charities Snapshot Employee Research, over 70% of employees say it’s imperative or very important to work where the culture is supportive of giving and volunteering.

Focus on well-being. It’s not one size fits all, and you need to make sure there’s a multi-pronged approach and program in place for your employees. Gallup defines the five areas of well-being as career, social, financial, physical and community. As an overarching starting point for determining the best programs to have in place for well-being, you need to think through a DEI lens first. It’s important to find programs you can implement that offer the ability for an individual to find or access the resources that are meaningful for them.

We’re in a very different world than we were a few years ago. Much like restaurants and many retail establishments have rethought operations, we have to rethink and invest in employee engagement and individuals contributing to the business. Do you want to create a great place to work? Do you want to retain your employees? Then you need to rethink what may have tied people together in the past at the water cooler, to a broader perspective of what they’ve personally and professionally experienced over the past few years and be their support system.

There’s a clear return on investment to building a better place to work by investing in your people in ways that are meaningful to them. Be peoplecentric. They will deliver.

Brooke Waupsh and Swoovy provide more resources for you to improve employee morale: ROI Calculator: swoovy.com/roi-employee-enagement Brooke on Swoovy: medium.com/authority-magazine/working-well-brooke-waupsh-of-swoovy-on-how-companies-are-creating-cultures-that-support-sustain-e1b8a56b045d

Photos by Sebastian Quinn.

See how the most compassionate and comprehensive high-risk pregnancy care helped make Jennie Martin’s dream come true. Learn more by watching “Hope Lives Here” at stdavids.com.

The Best Is Here.

“How do you thank someone who helps you do the biggest thing in your life?” –Jennie

Back to the Basics

ZIKI is changing the ingredient game and taking Austin by storm.

BY BRENA ULLRICH

As any local knows, Austin is a home for the foodies. The city’s restaurant scene is bustling with business and chock-full of some of the hottest culinary places in Texas. In a city filled with creative entrepreneurs with a passion for cuisine, it seems as though there’s a cafe, restaurant or food truck around every corner. It can be hard to imagine how any new food company could thrive, or survive for that matter, in a food industry as saturated as Austin’s. What does it take to make it in this great city?

Meet ZIKI, the new food and beverage startup with the plans, and the backers, for taking over Austin’s restaurant industry. They’re serving up a unique blend of fast-casual Greek and Mexican food and will soon be opening their third modular kitchen in Austin. The vibrant flavors aren’t the only twist the brand offers, though. Their values are what truly set them

apart. ZIKI’s founder, Nicholas Nanakos, began the company with a back-to-the-basics mindset in regard to ingredients. They are completely seed oil-, canola oil-, vegetable oil- and soy-free. They’ve got a multi-decade vision, with some powerful women in leadership to make it all happen.

ZIKI knows food, and they see the significance ingredients have on the integrity of food. They pride themselves on being ingredient conscious, both with respect to health and sustainability. “ZIKI believes that the greatest way to protect and advance our health as humans resides within our food system,” says Dia Magoulis, ZIKI’s social media and events coordinator. “The world needs this now more than ever, and Austin is the perfect place for us to have planted the roots and build the foundation necessary to take this mission to the moon and back.”

Every ingredient is intentional, and ZIKI gives extra TLC when it comes to finding these products. Sourcing Texas-grown produce that is regeneratively grown is a priority to support the environment, the community and the health of their customers. ZIKI chooses products like animal-based ghee instead of vegetable ghee, even though this is more than twice as expensive. “We’d rather take the money that we would spend on a brick-and-mortar and invest it into the ingredients,” says Kat Vasylyshyn, ZIKI’s head of marketing. They are willing to make accommodations to stay true to their core values.

As the first woman to join, Vasylyshyn spoke to the shift in dynamics she hasKat Vasylyshyn, head of marketing

Photos by Anthony D’Apolito.

witnessed since bringing more women, like Magoulis, onto the executive team. Business is traditionally seen as a masculine field, but with ZIKI that is not the case. Bringing a feminine touch to the way they lead has been especially beneficial to the company. “We’re all doing so much to connect with people on a deeper level,” says Vasylyshyn. Taking time to foster good relationships in the community and letting creativity naturally flow seems to be just what ZIKI needed. Advocating for women in the food industry as well as in leadership positions has been an important objective of the company.

Magoulis began her journey with ZIKI as kitchen staff and quickly moved up to corporate. Her talent was swiftly seen, and she was able to take on a role that suited her best. “It was energetic alignment that we are all here,” she describes.

Many of the executive staff have had some experience in the service industry and understand what their partners need to succeed. “We like to make sure that we are taking care of our chefs and kitchen staff as much as we are taking care of the customer that eats our food,” says Vasylyshyn. Allowing chefs and kitchen staff to engage their creative sides and propose recipes is just one of the ways ZIKI supports them. ZIKI also provides state-of-the-art kitchens with everything a chef needs and will be introducing a benefits package to supplement Austin’s rising cost of living.

The overall mission of the company has pushed others to believe in them as well. ZIKI recently closed their seed round led by Gigafund, one of Elon Musk’s core backers, after raising an impressive $6.7 million. These are the same investors that put over $1 billion into SpaceX and several other of Musk’s companies. There is a larger plan at play here, as ZIKI is expected to open two more locations by the end of 2022 and five more by the end of 2023. What may appear on the surface as just a food truck is really a long-term conquest with complex business operations.

ZIKI knows it’s still early in the game for them, but they have set themselves up for success and will continue pushing forth their vision. “ZIKI as a company is growth minded, prioritizes health and empowers team members to be the best versions of themselves—completely unleashing their fullest potential,” Magoulis sums up.

“We like to make sure that we are taking care of our chefs and kitchen staff as much as we are taking care of the customer that eats our food. —Kat Vasylyshyn

Dia Magoulis, social media and events coordinator

Curating Creative Cocktails

Sarah Rahl’s journey in mixology is one of passion for the career.

BY ELLE BENT

Sara Rahl, the lead mixologist for Austin’s Commodore Perry Estate, debuted an immersive cocktail menu inspired by the resort’s grounds and the sights and smells of the rose garden on property. Rahl is a veteran in the industry, and as a creative, she is passionate about being behind the bar and doing what she does best: crafting.

Where do you find inspiration when creating a new cocktail?

I like to focus on a specific theme for our rotating seasonal menu at the mansion. The spring/summer menu was inspired by the grounds at Commodore Perry, specifically the rose garden. The fall/winter menu was inspired by nostalgia. I like to have a mix of approachable creations along with a few more adventurous concoctions.

Talk about the cocktail menu in the mansion and what inspired you as you created it.

Recently, I’ve been inspired to explore nostalgia. I’m from Maine, and the fall through winter months elicit a lot of core memories of growing up in New England. We have a small bar team here but are lucky enough to showcase our own unique diversity among the few of us. When creating our fall and winter cocktail menu, we called upon memories of growing up in our respective small towns, from Texas to Maine. What were the flavors, smells, sounds, traditions and atmosphere that made us think of the season?

What challenges have you faced as a mixologist, especially as a woman?

One of the biggest challenges is feeling confident to pursue this as a career. I’ve found there is always a stigma attached to bartending, especially female bartenders. As someone with a college degree, it’s not lost on me when people will ask what I want to do with the rest of my life. I don’t suppose a chef would get asked the same question often. I think bartending is starting to merge with culinary arts. It’s always been creative and exciting for me.

I was working at Austin Proper in March of 2020 and was ultimately laid off for a few months during the height of the pandemic. I thought about what I wanted to do for the rest of my career; I thought that maybe this was the time to change direction. Ultimately, I ended up going back to Austin Proper, essentially hired back as a pool bartender, something that had kick-started my career at Four Season eight years prior. I stayed on for another year or so, making my way back to volume bartending in Peacock before deciding to take the advice of an old manager from Four Seasons and go into sales. When I say that was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made, that is being optimistic. I lasted a little over a month and, with the support of my wife, quit without any prospects on the horizon. I started consulting and creating cocktail menus. It was then that I came into Commodore Perry for an interview and felt this would be a spot that would be worth getting back behind the bar. This fullcircle moment solidified that being behind the bar creating cocktails is what I want to do as a career.

What community have you found in mixology?

It’s definitely changed over the years. Pre-COVID hospitality is so different from post. As a young bartender in Austin, I found myself out late after shifts and frequenting service industry bars. I made some of my best friends working in hospitality. I met my wife working together at the Four Seasons. As I get older, I look forward to a good happy hour, but 11 p.m. is an ideal bedtime.

[In my] current community, we were able to host a few amazing women in the Austin bar world for guest spots at Commodore Perry during the month of August. For the most part I’ve always worked with men behind the bar, but the women in Austin’s bar scene are always championing one another. It’s great to see, and as I get older the business relationships behind the bar become more prevalent than where everyone met up the night before.

What advice do you have for other women interested in mixology?

I would tell them to listen, learn and act. I think absorbing information from anything and everything is so important. You’ll never know everything, ever. That’s what makes it fun. I try to show instead of tell. Show your worth; show your creativity, avoid telling.

Photos courtesy of Commodore Perry Estate

Auberge Resorts Collection.

A Seat at the Table

Lindsey Emmons challenges each of us to push fear to the side and live out loud.

BY LINDSEY EMMONS

Have you ever been high?

When I wrote that question for the first time I chuckled a bit and thought, “Maybe I should rephrase.” The real question is have you ever been high on life? High on the pure, sober feeling that the world is, quite frankly, your bitch? For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, it might be time to gently flip to a more fitting page. Hopefully I only lost a small percentage of you at this point, because we have a long way to go.

Often I find myself stuck between living life out loud and cowering in life’s corner. The world has so many expectations of who you should be, what you should wear, how you should act. More than once I have sat down to write about this, only to let my internal fear get the best of me. Fear—a topic we will dive into more.

Growing into young adulthood as a “gay Christian” has shaped this outgoing introvert. The stigmas of Christian, LGBTQ, conservative, liberal, depressed and anxious have often contradicted exactly which box I should fit in. Thirty years in, I have discovered that I do not fit any one of these descriptions more than the other. This usually leads to the temptation of feeling unworthy, uninvited and just plain uncomfortable. The barrage of feeling inadequate comes from every direction and makes it seemingly impossible for my mind to overcome. Now back to being high. Ah, yes.

These moments are fleeting for me. I have to work really hard to stay in these moments and feel the energy they provide. Mostly, my thoughts are consumed with how and why we have to strive so hard to obtain unconditional love, attention, respect. The truth is, my depression and fear come sweeping in at the smallest gesture of positive emotion. Fear of rejection. Fear of isolation. Fear of judgment. Over the past 10 to 15 years, I have felt as if there are chains attached to my wrists with people, opinions, stereotypes pulling me in two different directions. I can finally break those chains, going confidently into the next decade of my life.

My friends, we are not alone. In fact, I would venture to say that we are an exhausted majority. Now more than ever, polarization has attacked our communities, making us think there have to be extremes for everything we do, say and believe. Everyone appears to have a varying version of world events, and it feels harder than ever to sort fact from fiction. Our news feeds seem to just echo our own views, and when people post alternative opinions they are often attacked by angry mobs. We’re being played off each other and told to see each other as threats and enemies, not people. The loudest and most extreme voices get heard, and others just feel like tuning out altogether.

So how do we change this narrative? It’s hard, hard as hell. For me, it takes mental diligence—sometimes on a daily basis, sometimes on an hourly basis. We have to be disciplined enough to allow minds and hearts to see that everyone is simply trying to find their seat. Our future and the future of those we leave behind depend on it. If you’re a believer, remember, God never promises we won’t be exhausted; God promises to renew our strength. Life experiences push me to have a desire to serve people and learn more about how the world works. Assisting people in their search for happiness, acceptance and love is my passion and motivation. It is my life goal to promote inclusivity and community.

I’ve created a progressive and dynamic real estate model with the mission of moving people, both physically and emotionally. Everyone deserves a safe space to call home. Prior to real estate, I founded and operated a successful pediatric therapy clinic for individuals with special needs and their families. As CEO, I maintained operations of the clinic in Killeen/Fort Hood and San Antonio, specifically targeting military families. A variety of services were offered, including behavioral therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, counseling and equine-assisted psychotherapy. Recently, I started an organization, Take Flight for Freedom, to assist military members and their families through different life transitions. I maintain active membership in the community with the Metropolitan Breakfast Club and have served as a volunteer in multiple nonprofits. Some of these include the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, Seedling and the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

I have challenged myself to reflect on my downfalls, those times when I didn’t have the courage to stand up and be “me.” I invite you to journey with me on my path to a revolution, for yourself and others like us. I won’t promise it will be easy. In fact, I can promise it will be exhausting. The light at the end of the tunnel is discovering that you’re not alone. There is power and freedom in finding your seat at the table. It is time for you to be seen, heard and loved. Put fear and isolation aside and take that leap of faith, knowing there are close neighbors cheering in your corner.

Photo courtesy of Shirley Robinson.

Courtesy of David and Tara Design

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