“Creating Magic, One Stitch At A Time”
Studio Rae
Always Remember That Timing Is Everything
While listening to a recent message shared during church, I was reminded of how unpredictable life can be. The message also reminded me of why it is critically important to stay connected to God in all matters of our lives. God gives us life, Him and Him alone. So, knowing this, how can we expect to live a successful and abundant life without allowing God to have input on what happens in our lives? The answer is that we can’t.
As life continues to happen for me, meaning that new milestones are being reached, I often find myself resting in awe of where God has brought me. As I reflect on many of the burdens I have carried, the battles that I fought, and many moments of triumph and victory, the memories of things that I have lost along my journey are not too far away. Again, life has been so unpredictable. What I thought would happen didn’t happen, and where I thought I would be, guess what? I am not there. I am actually at the place in life that is destined for me to be, and I have found peace in reminding myself that what God has for me is only for me.
The message I heard said that when we lose something, we also gain something. I have learned that my purpose will cost me something, and I can’t step out on faith and insist for things to go my way. That isn’t faith but more like control. The message also reminded me to check the temperature of the climate in which I am operating. God doesn’t operate in chaos and confusion. If I am moving in my purpose and operating in my anointing, and if things are chaotic and confusing, God isn’t there. That should be my signal to move.
When things in life get out of control, God expects for us to slow down. He desires for us to stop, rewind, regroup, let loose of the baggage we have picked up while off course, and return to Him. God is aware of the things we desire, yet He is only concerned with providing us with what we need, and He promises that it will happen according to His timing and no one else.
Terry L. Watson
Also Featured
Kansas City, MO
Director of City Planning & Development
Jeffrey Williams
Kansas City, MO
Pediatric Massages
Sarah Watson
Jefferson City, MO
HBCU Partnership To Assist Farmers
Lincoln University
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Being a Caregiver to my mother always offers amusement and great moments of joy. Learn more about my story. Greensboro, NC
28 06
She is Huami Magazine’s Cutest Baby. Introducing one cute kid. Her name is Aubree Henry.
Studio Rae - Creating Magic, One Stitch At A Time
Rachel Hughes
On The Cover
Three Sisters With Flavor
Nashville Kernels Popcorn
Grace United Church
Bishop Steven Arnold
Living With Vitiligo Danielle Cox
Lashays
Lashay Mitchell
Lincoln University of Missouri Partners in $10 Million Project
Information Obtained from Online Source - www.lincolnu.edu
Lincoln University of Missouri (LU) scientists are participating in a multistate team led by Ohio State University that is launching farmer-focused, on-farm research and innovation into climate-smart agricultural practices and helping promote their adoption in the Midwest. They are receiving funding through a five-year $10 million grant to Ohio State University from USDA’s flagship Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems (AFRI-SAS) program.
“Lincoln University will play an important role by executing this timely project and will work closely with historically underserved farmers in Missouri,” says Tunsisa Hurisso, a soil scientist and research and extension assistant professor in the LU’s College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences. Hurisso is a co-principal investigator and lead coordinator of project activities at LU.
The dominant crop and livestock production systems in the Midwestern United States are often highly specialized and inputdependent. With these systems, great gains have been made in terms of efficiency and productivity over the past several decades. However, as unintended environmental and ecological consequences, these gains come at the cost of declining soil health, water quality challenges, loss of biodiversity, and perhaps more importantly lack of resilience to extreme weather events.
Emerging climate-smart agricultural practices such as cover cropping, conservation tillage and integrated crop-livestock systems have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase climate resilience through carbon sequestration and soil health improvement and enhance farm viability. However, the traditional top-down approaches to boost the adoption of these conservation practices have been slow.
Farmers are often regarded as recipients of scientific results from experimental trials conducted at university research centers, rather than as equal partners who have a wealth of relevant experience and knowledge that can improve the design and assessment of climate adaptive practices.
This project uses the “From the Ground Up” approach, where farmers and scientists co-create the knowledge and management strategies necessary to accelerate the development and adoption of practical and locally adapted solutions in the face of a changing climate.
“Through this new project, we hope to promote the transformation of the landscape to be more resilient by co-creating solutions to logistical, agronomic and economic barriers that make it difficult for farmers to use conservation practices,” says project director Douglas Jackson-Smith, who is also a professor and Kellogg Chair of Agroecosystem Management in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at Ohio State University.
In addition to working with historically underserved specialty crop and livestock farmers in Missouri, Lincoln University will also serve as one of the two coordinators — along with Central State University in Ohio — of the education component of the project.
The education effort involves hands-on training in the form of integrated summer internship experiences for historically underrepresented college and high school students, as well as opportunities for graduate students and research and extension faculty to work with a more diverse and representative cross-section of farmers in both Missouri and Ohio.
Project co-investigators from Lincoln University include Dr. Mohan Acharya, Kimberly Cash, Dr. Addisu Ayele and Dr. Stephanie Clark. For more information about the project, contact Hurisso at HurissoT@lincolnu.edu or call (573) 681-5047
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Jeffrey Williams Exits As Director of City Planning & Development
After nine years as the Director of City Planning and Development for the City of Kansas City, Jeffrey Williams has announced that he will leave his position effective August 1, 2024.
Williams has been a dynamic leader in Kansas City’s development, supervising a dedicated team of more than 100 planning and building code professionals who helped to shape and improve the city dramatically. His expertise in urban planning, community and economic development, and historic preservation has significantly contributed to the city’s growth and modernization.
His accomplishments include supporting a new $1.5 billion airport terminal and expanding the Power and Light entertainment district and downtown. His consensus building produced impressive results on both sides of Troost Avenue, the City’s historic racial dividing line, and thousands of new residential units, from single-family homes to high-rise apartment buildings citywide.
Williams joined the department in 2013 as the City Planning and Development Department’s Principal Assistant to the Director, two years before his promotion to Director two years later. Previously, Williams served local and county governments, including as the Commissioner of Planning and Development for two of New York state’s largest cities, Yonkers and Mount Vernon. He was also the Principal Historic Preservation Planner for Westchester County, New York.
“I have had the honor of working with great city staff, planning professionals, community leaders, developers, and elected officials in helping Kansas City grow in a municipally sound and sustainably over the past eleven years. The result has been a vibrant city that retains its historically unique qualities, meets the challenges of today, and has set a vision for pursuing future development opportunities,” said Williams.
“I had the pleasure of working with Director Williams before and during my time on the Council. His commitment to ensuring the integrity of the Planning and Development Code was unwavering, and his delivery of the KC Spirit Playbook will provide a legacy for years to come. I thank him for his years of service to the City,” said 6th District at Large Councilwoman Andrea Bough. The City of Kansas City will conduct a nationwide search for the next Director of Planning & Development. h
Studio Rae
“Creating Magic, One Stitch At A Time”
By Terry L. Watson
Rachel Hughes of Kansas City, MO, is a self-taught crochet designer and creator of Studio Rae. During the past six years, she has spent much of her time learning how to crochet and has become very good. She has showcased her designs in several fashion shows, including Heartland International Fashion Week, Omaha Fashion Week, and New York Fashion Week. Additionally, Rachel has sold hundreds of custom pieces in several boutiques in Kansas City and all the way to Dublin, Ireland.
Although being a fashion designer was always Rachel’s dream, she says the most important title she holds is that of wife and mom. “I will be celebrating my nine-year wedding anniversary this year with my husband, Courtney. Together, we have a seven-year-old son, Preston, and a four-year-old daughter, Cydni. My family is my world. I would not be able to do what I do without the love and support of my husband.”
Photos Provided by Cameron Brigham and Jerome Hutchinson
Not only am I creating garments, but I’m also creating the fabric for them as I go, one stitch at a time. It’s really quite magical if you sit back and think about it.”
Rachel is the owner of Studio Rae. Her company began with photography, art, and of course, crochet. However, her crochet started to take off and became her main focus. “I picked up my very first crochet hook in November 2018. I decided to teach myself how to crochet to help save money and make everyone Christmas gifts instead of purchasing them. I started pulling up as many different crochet videos on YouTube as I could to master my newfound hobby,” she says.
Since age 10, Rachel has dreamed of becoming a fashion designer but never had an interest in learning how to sew, and that became a dream deferred. Once she started crocheting, Rachel realized she could merge her new hobby with her longtime dream of being a fashion designer. That is how her journey in the fashion industry started.
As a business owner, Rachel says she loves being able to take her ideas, whether they are in her head or sketched out on paper, and create them with her hands using only a piece of string and a hook. “Not only am I creating garments, but I’m also creating the fabric for them as I go, one stitch at a time. It’s really quite magical if you sit back and think about it.”
Additionally, Rachel shares that she loves seeing the reaction on people’s faces when they see what has been created and when they try it on for the first time. “The look of amazement on their faces and the confidence that is reflected in their body language once they realize that all eyes in the room are on them makes all my hard work worthwhile,” she says.
Due to her duties as a wife, mother, and friend, Rachel has to crochet when she has free time. That has proven to be challenging for her. Another challenge Rachel shares is getting people to understand just how much work really goes into creating something by hand. “When someone can go online and find items marketed as “crochet” that are priced at only $10, $20, and so on. A lot of times, people expect my prices to be the same as what they see online. It can take up to 24 hours to make a garment by hand, but that does not mean it can be done in one day, especially if crocheting isn’t your primary source of income. If someone goes to work for three days in a row, working on the same thing every day for eight hours a day, they are going to be expecting more than a $10 or $20 paycheck. It is very challenging to compete with those stores and websites that charge pennies on the dollar,” she says.
Rachel counters these challenges by educating her potential customers and/ or viewers about what goes on behind the scenes. One of her productions, “Crochet Math” goes over how to take someone’s measurement and calculate how many stitches would be needed to complete the garment. “Videos like that can be eyeopening for those who question the costs of crochet pieces,” she says.
Looking ahead, Rachel will be showcasing at the 18th and Vine Fashion Show in Kansas City on Sept. 27th. She plans on spending the remainder of this year doing things to help elevate her brand in many different ways. Rachel recently selected her Brand Ambassador, Precious Smith, and is very excited to work with her. “My long-term goal is to continue to do fashion shows all over the country and, eventually, the world. I would love to get as many eyes on my work as possible and make my brand a household name. When people think of crochet, I want them to think of Studio Rae. I would love to see my creations at Hollywood’s Red Carpet events in the future, and I plan to put all the wheels in motion to make that a reality.” h
By Terry L. Watson
Photos Provided by Lashay Mitchell
Lashay Mitchell of Kansas City, MO, is a dedicated mother, wife, and boutique owner. She is also a warrior who bravely battles Crohn’s disease. The name of her company is MoreLashay. Her company offers a wide range of women’s fashion, clothing, lashes, and accessories. The items are designed to empower women to exude confidence with every outfit. Lashay shares that she intends to create fabulous and affordable designs that inspire women to feel beautiful and self-assured. “Everything about Morelashay’s revolves around our commitment to help you look your best and inspire confidence in you,” she says.
Lashay’s journey began in 2007 when she honed her skills at Lee’s Summit High School in Kansas City, fueling her love for fashion. After graduating, Lashay found a love for fashion. In 2017, a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease shook her self-image, but she found solace and strength in her passion for fashion. This passion led her to establish her online store, Morelashay’s in 2020. Despite enduring 16 surgeries, Lashay remains a fashionista and a survivor, determined to show others that success is still attainable despite chronic illness.
By communicating openly with partners and focusing on my well-being, I am able to manage my business effectively, without any deviance due to my health limitations.
The heart of Lashay’s work lies in helping women embrace their inner beauty and overcome adversity. Managing a business while coping with health conditions presents challenges, as Lashay must prioritize self-care and balance her commitments. Regardless, her resilience shines through in her dedication to empowering women through fashion.
Lashay navigates her health challenges by setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and ensuring events align with her health needs. She says, “By communicating openly with partners and focusing on my well-being, I am able to manage my business effectively, without any deviance due to my health limitations.” Through her journey, she exemplifies resilience, self-love, and the power of faith in overcoming obstacles.
Reflecting on her journey, Lashay expresses gratitude for her experiences and collaborations in the fashion industry, embracing each opportunity as a chance to make a positive impact. Looking ahead, she says she is excited about expanding her business to new cities and participating in upcoming fashion shows. Personally, she celebrates achieving her business goals and looks forward to future projects in 2025, filled with optimism and determination. h
Learn More About My Experience of Being A Caregiver For My Mother
By Terry L. Watson
CHAPTER
FOUR: Mama Got A Potty Mouth
It’s amazing how the little things that we often take for granted can ultimately become the great things that we may miss the most after having a loved one experience a life-altering episode such as an Ischemic Stroke.
I can still taste the food like it was only yesterday. As I did on most Sundays after church, I stopped by my Mama’s to get something to eat. It was sort of a ritual; Mama would cook, and all of her kids would stop by to get something to eat. On this day, the meal prepared was meatloaf, cabbage, and field peas and snaps. It was very delicious, and I even went for seconds. Mama wasn’t there when I stopped by, as she had gone to church that morning and hadn’t returned home. After eating, I went home and rested for the day. That would be the last time I would be able to enjoy a home-cooked meal prepared by her, as she would suffer her stroke the very next morning; but I can still taste my Mama’s food.
As the months passed, a routine revealed itself, which I and my family began to follow for my mother’s care. I looked forward to having every other weekend away from my home, as that was when my siblings would step in and take over the responsibilities of caring for Mama. While it was often a three to four-day get-away, I looked forward to the time away, as it freed my mind from all of the things that I carried on a daily basis. Believe it or not, while caring for Mama, I never stepped away from that which God had purposed for me, and my purpose continues to be a whole lot. When my short vacation ended, I easily jumped back into the role that mattered the most. I would describe myself as an early riser, and I have probably acquired this trait from my Mama, as she is known to rise at the break of dawn, even to this day. As the sun rose, it also signaled a variety of tasks that needed to be addressed. I could not afford to ignore any of them as my Mama’s survival depended upon them. She needed her medicine, breakfast, cleaning, and more than anything, my Mama needed comfort and attention from a trustworthy source, and who better to administer all of these than me?
One memory that I have of my mother is of her reluctance to go to her doctor on a regular basis, as well as her comfort in taking a pill for any known ailment. If she had a headache, she would take a pain pill. If her legs hurt, she would take a pill. Regardless of what may have bothered her, it appeared that my Mama believed the answer was by taking a pill or some form of medication. As a child and even as a young man, I never questioned her methods for selfcare, and why should I? She has lived a lot longer than I, and during the times when I was sick or hurting as a child, my Mama had the answers. Regardless of how bad it hurt, her kisses made it all better.
The time would arrive when Mama would have to visit her new array of physicians. Because she was diagnosed with suffering a brain injury, Mama would be under the care of a Neurologist. This would be in addition to making regularly scheduled visits to her Cardiologist, Endocrinologist, and PCP. To my surprise, being her primary caregiver meant that I would have to manage all of her visits. For me, this was such an unexpected welcoming into the world of caregiving.
On one visit to her Neurologist, things didn’t go so well. Due to the damage and affected areas of my mother’s body the stroke caused, her Neurologist recommended that she get regularly scheduled Botox injections into her arm, which was seized with paralysis. Injections meant needles, and my Mama is no fan of needles. When it was time for her injections, my Mama had no clue as to what was about to happen. The syringes were about nine inches in length and would have to be administered several times within a short period of time. Mama looked at those needles and then looked at the physician, and without taking a breath, my Mama blurted out two bad words that were directed at the short and seemingly pleasant healthcare representative. I said, “Mama, No,” but my resolve had no impact at this point. Mama was defiant, and she had no desire to be stuck. It was then that I learned that my Mama had a “Potty Mouth”. In the months to follow, and even to this day, those words continue to flow with ease. I love my Mama, Potty Mouth and all. h
I decided to share my experience as a full-time caregiver for my mother to consult, console, and inform other families who may be going through a similar situation. As a son, caring for my mother never feels like work; if so, it is a labor of love. Please continue to follow this message, Becoming A Caregiver, in Huami Magazine. I hope that sharing my experience will help others. From one caregiver to the next, God Bless You!
Read all previous chapters @ www.huamimagazine.com
Three Sisters With Flavor
By Terry L. Watson
The city of Nashville has long been famous for its famous Hot Chicken. With establishments such as Prince’s Hot Chicken and Hattie B’s serving up their signature varieties, a delicatessen that is loved by many has made its way to the “Hot Seat”.
Kernels Nashville Popcorn offers delicious gourmet popcorn for walk-ups, online orders, and distribution. Kernels has also partnered with downtown Nashville hotels for amenities, Airport stores, local shops, and Metro Schools. Our most popular flavors are THE Nashville Hot, Music City Mix (Caramel & Cheddar), and Frosty (Vanilla coated Caramel). We also have White Cheddar, Chocolate Drizzled, Sweet Heat, Vanilla Cinnamon and various seasonal flavors.
Kernels Nashville Popcorn is a family owned business that is led by sisters, Amber Greer, Erica Greer, and Jennifer Knight. They share, the vision for their business came from Jennifer. Kernels Nashville began in 2008 with online ordering and festivals around Nashville. They perfected their recipes in their parents’ bonus room, and acquired feedback from their church and community. After gaining popularity, they opened their storefront in 2013.
Amber is a graduate of Tennessee State University. There she received a Masters in Mathematics. Along with sales calls and marketing, she currently oversees the daily operations of Kernels and is responsible for effective planning, delegating, staffing, organizing, and decisionmaking to attain desirable profit-making results for Kernels Nashville Popcorn.
Erica also graduated from TSU with a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering. She left the field of Architecture and decided to focus on the family’s business full-time. Currently, Erica works remotely for Kernels, answering emails, coordinating invoices, and fulfilling orders with corporate partners.
Jennifer graduated from TSU with a Masters in Early Childhood Education. She is a kindergarten teacher at Explore! Community School, and was voted “Teacher of the Year” there in 2023. Jennifer fills in at the store when needed and holidays.
The trio share their love and inspiration for their business. “We love that we’ve built a company from the ground up and created a recognizable brand in the Nashville market. Our parents inspire us the most, and we have received our entrepreneur spirit from our father, and our out-of-the-box thinking from our mother. They have both been our biggest cheerleaders over the years.”
Being a first-generation small business owner comes with a lot of trial and error. The owners of Kernels Nashville have had to learn the hard way to run a business simply because they did not know how to do it. Now that they’re more established, hiring and maintaining quality employees is a challenge. Yet, they have managed this by continuing to adjust their interview and training practices.
Amber, Erica, and Jennifer would like to offer the following advice to other aspiring business owners who may follow a journey similar to theirs. “Make sure you have a good support system. The harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few. If you’ve already started, just keep…going!”
Looking ahead, Kernels Nashville would like to get into mass distribution of its delicious original Nashville Hot Popcorn. “We’d love to see our bags in major retail stores. We may also tap into the fundraising market.”
Kernels Nashville Popcorn 2501B Gallatin Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206
www.kernelsnashville.com
Photos Provided by Kernels Nashville Popcorn
Bishop Grace United Church
By Terry L. Watson
In 2022, two churches – Grace Church (a primarily Caucasian church) and Grace Temple (a primarily African American Church) – came together to form a new church – appropriately named “Grace United.”
Serving in a capacity that he describes as a “Visionary Pastor,” Bishop Steven Arnold joined arms with Pastor Josh Hurlburt to bring a uniting foundation to their community. “Pastor Hurlburt is a “Directional Pastor”. While I provide a vision of where we are going as a church, it is Pastor Hurlburt’s role to provide direction on how to get there,” he says.
There is nothing small about the assignment that has been assigned to the life of Bishop Steve Arnold. Born and raised in North Little Rock, AR, Bishop Arnold has served in ministry for 42 years. He first began at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, in Bald Knob, AR, before moving on to St. Mark Baptist Church in Arkansas. After serving at St. Mark, he arrived at Grace United. He shares that his service has been a journey of faith. “Ministry is not what I thought my life would be. I was an All-American Football player. I was about to sign to play football with the University of Baylor. However, God had other plans, as I got the call to go into ministry. I have no regrets, and I will forever be grateful for this journey. While there have been a few ups and downs, through it all, God’s will continues to be manifest in my life,” he says.
Mark 16:14-16 NIV
Bishop Arnold shares that when he was called into the ministry at the age of 17, he always had the overwhelming desire to reach people where they are and bring them into the kingdom of God. “It’s about reaching and connecting people with their kingdom assignment. God has given us a mandate to reach people. I want to reach people, literally. We come to church to get our assignment, and we leave the church to fulfill our assignment, and that is to reach people. Most people fall by the wayside due to a lack of connection.”
Photos Provided by Bishop Steven Arnold
Bishop is a graduate of Philander Smith University in Little Rock, AR, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. He also acquired a Master’s Degree from Memphis Theological Seminary. Bishop Arnold shares his life with his wife, Shanta, and together they have nine children and eight grandchildren.
Pastor Hurlburt has called Little Rock home since 2007 and served in multiple roles at Grace Church, including youth pastor, associate pastor, and senior pastor of Grace Church, before forming Grace United. He is a graduate of Crichton College and Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Julie have four children, and he celebrates and embraces the diversity of God’s people to serve the church.
Bishop Arnold says, “What makes Grace United Church is that we have two cultures coming together as one. That speaks volumes in this day and time, especially in Little Rock, in the Bible Belt, the south, the home of the Little Rock Nine at Central High, in light of all the racism that has happened here, to see a black church and a white church to merge has been a great impact for the growth of the church.”
Outside of Sunday morning, Grace United is very active in its community and around the globe. Its footprint can be found in six countries, and it is in the process of growing its core group of young adults. Where the church is located, it is a predominantly white and prestigious location in Little Rock. Grace United has a membership that is very diverse, with African Americans making up about 60% and Caucasians making up about 40%. This makeup is very encouraging, specifically in regard to racial cohesiveness. Their total membership consists of about 700, and young adults between the ages of 20 and 35 make up about 40% of its membership, with the remaining percentage comprising members between the ages of 50 and 65. They have programs that are designed to enhance the lives of their senior members. Bishop Arnold says, “I feel our seniors should always be valued, celebrated, and honored. A few years ago, we formed a Mothers Board. Recently, we took our church mothers out to dinner and honored them.” They also have programs for teens, students, and young adults. “We have a holistic approach to ministry. Because we have a young adult population, we also have a lot of children.”
Bishop Arnold emphasizes that Grace United is really targeting the young population for several reasons. “Their story is different from my generation. The black kids had white friends at school, and the white kids had black kids at school, and they hung out together after school. My experience was different. I had white friends at school, but after school, we didn’t deal with each other. The generation between the ages of 20 and 30, this is not their story. They are more open and committed to worshiping with those they have relations with,” Bishop says. Grace United also focuses on embracing mixed marriages and white and black couples. At Grace United, mixed couples are accepted and not frowned upon.
Life isn’t perfect for anyone. Bishop Arnold shares that he has made some mistakes, and he has faced his mistakes and allowed them to make him better. His mistakes are his testimony and something that he uses as a reminder of where God has brought him from. While pastoring at St. Mark Baptist Church, Bishop saw his congregation grow from 300 members to 7500. I look at where I am now, and I know there are others who have gone through some things. I have people in leadership who have made mistakes, and I have loved them right where they are. I find joy in seeing their lives transformed. I don’t believe that we should throw people away. We throw trash away; we don’t throw people away. Everyone has redemptive possibilities,” he says.
Bishop Arnold comes from the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) lineage. He credits his spiritual father, Bishop DL Lindsay, who he refers to as his dad, with having the biggest impact on his life. Bishop Lindsay also turned 100 in April of this year. Bishop Lindsay impressed a trailblazing anointing upon Bishop Arnold. “He was always on the cutting edge. I look at my new assignment with the merging of the two churches and believe it is setting a platform for the future. I am excited about bringing different races together under one roof,” Bishop Arnold explains.
Looking ahead, Bishop Arnold is working towards securing a legacy for the generations to enjoy. One of the ultimate visions is to plant other churches out of Grace United with the same DNA as Grace United. He adds, “I appreciate all that has happened in my life, and I believe the best is yet to come. My latter will be better than my before.” h
“I don’t believe that we should throw people away. We throw trash away; we don’t throw people away. Everyone has redemptive possibilities.”
Sarah Watson Healing Medical & Therapeutic Massage Pediatric Massage MMT,
Informatoin and Photos Provided by Sarah Watson
Pediatric Massage also known as children Massage, helps kids that deal with muscle aches and pains, etc. Just like adults, children deal with stress as well, which can lead to tense muscles and limited flexibility. A customized, thorough Massage has a profoundly positive effect on children and babies.
Massage therapy for children can help with various conditions, including anxiety, scoliosis, insomnia, digestive problems as well as stress, just to name a few. Massage is also great for kids who play sports, participate in gymnastics, are dancers, or just might be going through a stressful time due to school, family life, etcetera.
As mentioned earlier, getting your child a massage can help them in more ways than one. Some of the benefits of a Pediatric Massage include but are not limited to, a decrease in tight muscles, which increases mobility, as well as promotes relaxation, restful sleep, and healthy breathing. It also boosts their immune system, improves blood circulation, and enhances their mood. Scheduling a massage treatment at least once a month can be beneficial for both children and adults.
Now, there are some situations in which getting a massage is not recommended. For example, if someone has a contagious skin rash, cold/ flu, sunburn, a fever or blood clot, getting a massage during these times can have a reverse effect on their healing process physically and in some cases, emotionally.
Children of all ages can benefit from the healing arts of Massage, even babies as young as days/weeks old. It’s important to know that each massage session should be set to fit your child’s needs including the pressure, depending on the age of the child, as well as their comfort level. Before scheduling your child or grandchild’s massage appointment, be sure that the therapist providing the Massage has experience in Pediatric Massage and to communicate any medical conditions, questions and/or concerns with the therapist.
It’s also imperative to know what to do and what to expect after your child has received a massage, especially if it’s their first time. To start, they must drink plenty of water, eat healthy foods, and get an adequate amount of rest. The body heals better and rejuvenates when you’re sleeping or just relaxing. If this is or will be your child’s first time getting a massage, they might experience a little soreness or muscle discomfort for 24/48 hours because their muscles are not used to the amount of pressure for a consistent amount of time. Again, it’s important for them to continue to drink water and rest. After a few days, your child’s muscles should feel looser/relaxed, and they should experience an increase in mobility/flexibility. Last but not least, always be sure to follow any aftercare instructions, if given, by the massage therapist in order for your child to experience the full benefit of getting a massage.
Vitiligo ThreeStories of Life with
By Terry L. Watson
She has lived with Vitiligo all of her life. Tiffany Stancil of Raleigh, NC, is an easygoing, southern lady. She is married and has two wonderful children, who are 26 and 17 years of age, and she has a couple of granddaughters who bring her immense joy.
Tiffany describes her experience with Vitiligo as a long-going love/hate relationship. She adds, “Growing up, I didn’t really understand or know what I had. In Elementary school, kids would ask me why my fingertips and toes were lighter than the other parts, and I had no answer. I was insecure and didn’t want to draw attention to myself, so I would make sure to dial down the colors I wore on my feet and fingers. As I grew up and became a teenager, I never really had any problems with people commenting on my hands and feet, but I was still self-conscious. By my adulthood, I had come to embrace the spots I had on my feet and hands as well as the other spots that started to show in other areas. By age 30, after my second child was born, I started to get spots on my face, and that thrust me into a light I didn’t want but soon embraced.”
Tiffany says her condition has impacted her life in so many ways. In the beginning she saw it as an inconvenience and even wondered why God gave Vitiligo to her. As her condition spread, she had a real conversation with God on how to handle it. “I’ve had all my life to get used to it on my hands and feet but my face was a different story and it took me some years to accept it fully. Everyday can be different, I can’t say living with Vitiligo is easy because it’s not. When you live with a condition that can change at any time, you may have uncertainty,” she explains.
Even navigating through life’s normal day-to-day routines can be difficult for someone who has Vitiligo, and Tiffany’s experience was sometimes just that: difficult. She recalls the times when she went on job interviews and auditions (she is a model, by the way), and in the back of her head, she would be concerned with how she would be received. “Will they freak out when they see me? Will they accept me anyway and look past my spots? Are they hiring/selecting me out of pity? I had to actively get up and show up for my children and let them see their mother overcome something she has no control over, but life goes on, and beauty is what you make it, not what others say it is.”
Tiffany advises others who may be dealing with Vitiligo to find a support group in your area. She adds that it helps to talk about your feelings and encounters with others who know exactly what you are going through. “Always know that you are you, and no matter what, no one can take that from you.”
Tiffany Stancil
Photo By Blu Cherry Photography
By
KieChey Photography
About nine years ago, Danielle Cox of Raleigh, NC, says Vitiligo altered her life and changed her outer appearance completely.
It started as a small spot on Danielle’s right hand. She shares, “I knew what it was because my grandmother and Aunt both have Vitiligo.” Still, adjusting to living with the condition has been something Danielle has managed throughout her life.
While it has been nine years since the inception of Vitiligo, at times, Danielle shares it feels like her journey has just begun. “I am blessed to have experienced more positive feedback than negative. When people stare, I imagine myself as a celebrity and just smile and wave. I definitely stand out wherever I go, so I might as well own it!”
Currently, Danielle is an active member of the North Carolina Vitiligo Support Group. While there are a few days along the way, Danielle remains inspired to help others. “The skin that I’m in is only my outer shell that embodies all of the beauty that exists from within me. I now can say, “I love the skin I’m in.”
Danielle is a single mother of two handsome boys and serves as a lead teacher at a child development center. Danielle is a single mother of two handsome boys and serves as a lead teacher at a child development center.
“When people stare, I imagine myself as a celebrity and just smile and wave. I definitely stand out wherever I go, so I might as well own it.”
Danielle Cox
KimyettaMcNeil
Most people call her Kimmie. At 51 years of age, Kimyetta McNeil of Fayetteville, NC, knows a little about overcoming and endurance. She is a mother of two sons, William, who is 31, and Franklin (Von), who passed away at the young age of 25.
For nearly 21 years, Kimmie has been living with Vitiligo and says it hasn’t been an easy thing to do. “Vitiligo can be very debilitating. In the beginning, I experienced depression, isolation, and rejection. I went through light therapy and creams, and documented the progression of my changing skin by taking pictures of myself. I wasn’t very sociable because of the way people stared at me, not to mention the comments. Also, dating wasn’t even a thing. I didn’t like taking pictures because I couldn’t grasp the way I looked or how I felt about Vitiligo or myself. With much research and education, I’ve learned that Vitiligo is hereditary, and a traumatic change in life or stress makes it worse.”
Kimmie says that while going through the changes of her life and living with Vitiligo, it has helped her to look deeper within and gain confidence in who she is. “I’ve never loved me more than I do now. Having a spiritual relationship with Christ and knowing who I am is the best thing ever. My prayer life with seeking God
has kept and helped me through some dark moments, and having that support from the Vitiligo Community, friends, and family has also been a help. I really enjoy taking pictures, and I have been part of several photo shoots and looking forward to many more.”
Living with Vitiligo has been challenging for Kimmie. She shares that working with people was a challenge at first because of the simple fact that others didn’t know what Vitiligo was and were afraid to ask, possibly because they didn’t know how she would respond. Kimmie concludes by sharing some kind and sound advice. “Anyone who’s dealing with Vitiligo or not dealing with it, it doesn’t change who you are. Remember that loving yourself and taking care of your mental health is a priority.”
Kimmie is a graduate of Lumberton Senior High School in Lumberton, NC. She has attended to study as a Medical Office Assistant and CNA I and II. h
By Blu
Photo
Cherry Photography
