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KAITLYN BUTLER
A Great Journey: Food Tour Guide Opens Doors to Local Culture
28
KIM FANUCCI
It Will Get Better: Hairstylist Goes from Great Heights to Bust & Back Again
16
JOY ZEDLER
Trauma-Informed: An Adoptive Mother Shares Her Parenting Struggles
Volume 02, Issue No. 03 • AUGUST 2022
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LISA ANDERSON MEDIA, LLC chief executive officer LISA ANDERSON website LISAANDERSONMEDIA.COM © Lisa Anderson Media, LLC and Locala™. All rights reserved. Online: ISSN 2771-1056, Print: ISSN 2771-1048, August 2022, Volume 02, Issue Number 03. Locala™ is a monthly publication, which is published by Lisa Anderson Media, LLC, 2320 NE 2nd Street, Unit 5, Ocala, FL 34470. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. For reprint or reuse permission, email info@localamag.com. Cover price for sale distribution is $5.84. Proudly printed at First Impressions Printing, 1827 SW 27th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
04
Dear Ocala Car Line
BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS
08
Mindset: How One Shy Midwesterner Became a Confident Floridian
F R O M T H E PA D D O C K
19
The Sweetest Ride: Cancer-Survivor Competes in Paralympics
FROM THE EXPERTS
23
Photography 101: Better First-Day-of-School Photos
25
The Art & Science Of Leadership
THE CHEWS LETTER
ON THE COVER
33
33
A Great Journey: Food Tour Guide Opens Doors to Local Culture
ARTIST CORNER
37
Couch Sessions: 2022 Series • August Artist Q&A
39
A New Challenge: First Composer in Residence at the Appleton
CAR LINE
28
11
A Photo a Day: Sculptor Picks Up a Camera & Finds a New Identity
14
Babies & Balloons: Entrepreneurial Mom Finds Balance in Structure
16
Trauma-Informed: An Adoptive Mother Shares Her Parenting Struggles
F E AT U R E
28
It Will Get Better: Hairstylist Goes from Great Heights to Bust & Back Again
GIVERTORIAL
07
For the Love of FAFO
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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
DEAR OCALA,
It’s been a full summer of camps, beach trips, family vacations, and bored kids. That means it’s nearly time for kids to return to school. We decided to dedicate this issue’s theme to the ones who wait in the car line five days a week, shuffle schedules and careers, and figure out ways to support their children’s emotional status in and out of school. I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: I am not a parent, but I have the greatest respect and admiration for the hard work and dedication it takes to be one. Raising a tiny human to eventually transform into a functioning adult has to be one of the most difficult jobs, and I think it’s easy for people to forget that, especially if they are not a parent. Each of the parents I sat down with this month have such incredible love for their children, and each of them has had to navigate life in a different way. Julie Duncan (page 14) juggled a brand new business, while Joy Zedler (page 16) had to learn how to raise children by using trauma-informed care. Meagan Gumpert (page 11) is a traveling mom and is giving her children a healthy love for travel, too. In our feature story, Kim Fannucci (page 28) went from a six-figure job to struggling to keep a roof over her children’s heads to a well-respected multi-business owner. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t smitten with all of these moms’ grit and savvy. Finally, we round out the issue with some incredible stories in our other departments: from Debbie Littlefield’s discovery of hypnosis (page 8) to Cayla Van der Walt’s journey to the Paralympics in Tokyo (page 19) to Kaitlyn Butler’s passion for food (page 33). You
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can also learn how to take better first-day-of-school pics with advice from Brett Goldin (page 23), discover more about leadership from Dr. Manal Fakhoury (page 25), learn about the Appleton’s first Composer in Residence (page 39), and dive into the Artist Q&As with the August artists for Couch Sessions 2022 series (page 37). I hope you enjoy this issue and find inspiration in the stories. Most Sincerely,
Photo by Bailey Hutchence
LISA ANDERSON
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For the Love of
FAFO B
eth Cannon is the president of the Fine Arts for Ocala (FAFO) board, a proud mother of two children, and a dog lover. She was born in North Carolina but moved to the Ocala area when she was just 1 year old. She spent three years in New York simply for the experience of it. “It was not a career move. I just wanted to try it out. I did the project management for a company that did aerial filming of sporting events. It was an office job.” Besides the aerial videography, the parent company sold shares of thoroughbreds. “It allowed me to go off and have an adventure and come back.” Beth has several degrees, including Art, English, and Computer Science. “I laugh and sometimes tell people I went to school as an art major, but I didn’t have the courage. I was like, ‘Oh, I will starve.’ I’m not going to starve, so how can I make this work? Computer Science. I worked in tech for [over] 10 years.” Beth left her career to be a stay-at-home mom, and she now works part-time in her husband Craig’s law office, The Cannon Law Firm. She still enjoys dabbling in art and scratches that itch with fun little projects, such as single-shirt screen printing or tiedying, and joining FAFO in 2015 has allowed her to be involved in Ocala’s arts community. She attributes a lot of the ease and success to her current presidency to the team of volunteers who help her. “I feel I’m really lucky to get to spend time with the other people that are on the board. There may be people that, if I just stayed in my age group, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to know and [to know about] the things they are doing. I love that. I really do. I love the festival and the student art component of the festival, too. I like working that weekend. I think it makes the whole year worth it.” LEARN MORE fafo.org
S P ONS ORED BY LO CAL A IN CO N J UNCTIO N W ITH CO UCH SE SSIO N S
BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS
Mindset
HOW ONE SHY MIDWESTERNER BECAME A CONFIDENT FLORIDIAN
DEBBIE LITTLEFIELD Story & Photo by LISA ANDERSON
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BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS
D
ebbie Littlefield grew up in the suburbs of Detroit. Until moving to Florida in recent years, she had lived in Michigan, where she spent her youth, got married, and raised six children (four boys, two girls). “We lived on 7.5 acres. Everybody else [around us] had 10 acres, so there was plenty of space. That’s what I wanted—some privacy. We lived there for 25 years.” Debbie’s parents were already living in Florida, and when it came time to make a move, Debbie knew she wanted to live somewhere warm. The Sunshine State was the natural choice. Earlier in her life, Debbie probably wouldn’t have considered uprooting herself and making such a big change, but she had discovered something that shifted her life in a positive direction.
I noticed every time I learned something, I wanted to share it. — Debbie Littlefield
MODIFYING HER MIND
Twice-divorced, Debbie was a single mother to her six children, and she operated a daycare on the lower level of her home for 20 years. “The childcare was 12 hours a day, and when the childcare was done, I had my kids’ sports, doctor’s [appointments], homework, [parent-teacher] conferences—they were very long days. I was maybe sleeping three hours [a night] for years and years. I was just really burned out. “One day, I was standing in daycare, surrounded by [screaming] 2-year-olds, and I’m just like, ‘Oh, my god.’ Then, something inside my head said to look up meditation. [It was] really peculiar. I had never considered anything like that, but that night, I looked on my laptop and googled meditation.” Debbie came across a video that said to, “lay back, put on some headphones, and relax.” It turned out to be hypnotic audio, and it was Debbie’s first experience with hypnosis. “That’s when I started actively pursing hypnosis. I was extremely shy. I had absolutely no self-worth. I was surrounded by children, and I didn’t interact with many adults.” When Debbie did interact with adults, her shyness would often inhibit the amount of conversations in which she would actively engage. “I started using hypnosis to conquer that. I started using my voice. I can now talk to people. When I moved to Florida, I joined Toastmasters, and I started doing networking.” Through her personal journey, Debbie discovered she also wanted to help other people. “I noticed every time I learned something, I wanted to share it. I was constantly thinking, ‘Who would benefit?’ That really drove me, it still drives me.”
HELPING OTHERS
Debbie is now a certified hypnotist and mental strength specialist. “I have tons of certifications. For me, hypnosis is a lot of fun. I enjoy taking classes. “The mental strength training is really based on mindset. Everything starts here,” she states, as she points to the top of her head. “Realizing that and changing your thought process to match what it is you want is mental strength. It works really
[well] with hypnotism because [it] helps people make those changes.” Because of people’s limited knowledge of hypnosis, Debbie is often mistaken for a psychic, but her power isn’t in seeing the future or reading someone’s mind. It’s about working together to help clients reach their goals. “[Some people] want me to control their brain and just make stuff go away, but I [want to go] through the steps together. Anytime we do something like quit smoking or lose weight, it leads to the next thing. It’s like a domino effect. It leads to other behavior changes. I don’t want to take that away from anybody.” When Debbie isn’t helping clients with mindset and sleep issues, she can be found at networking events. However, her favorite hobby is paddleboarding, and she is often paddling along at the area’s local springs and rivers. Debbie went from a shy, Midwestern girl to a strong, independent female business owner, gliding through the waters of Central Florida. She is passionate about giving that joy and sense of accomplishment to everyone she meets.
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debbielittlefield.com
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A Photo a Day SCULPTOR PICKS UP A CAMERA & FINDS A NEW IDENTITY
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MEAGAN GUMPERT Story & Photo by LISA ANDERSON
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M
eagan Gumpert, co-owner of Maven Photo and Film, and her husband Ben moved to the Ocala area about 15 years ago. Meagan has a degree in studio art with a concentration in sculpture and ceramics. Moving to Ocala came with a few adjustments for her. “I was living in Asheville, North Carolina, so I was living in a huge arts community. Ocala 15 years ago was a lot different than Ocala is now. There was not a huge support of the arts or arts community back then. We don’t have any family here, so it was a rough transition,” recalls Meagan. Until about six years ago, Meagan would make and sell ceramic, glass, and sometimes metal work to museum galleries and retail shops up and down the East Coast. “I would make it here and then ship it out. I loved doing it, but I wasn’t doing a whole lot of it locally,” she explains.
SEASONS OF LIFE
“Ceramics and glass are a very long process, so it would take three months, six months, sometimes, to make a sculpture. I had small children at the time, and so the clay wasn’t always at the right point where [it] needed to be worked in the one- to two-hour window that I had to be in the studio. So, I was running into some technical challenges with studio time, while raising small kids.” Meagan felt she needed something creative that could have results almost straightaway. “I just picked up a camera, because [with] digital photography, the reward can be immediate,” states Meagan. “I was just doing it as a personal outlet to help fulfill that creative space. There was never a plan to move into [it] full time. It [was] just another outlet for me.” It was a different season in life for Meagan, and while she never thought to pursue photography, it was an enjoyable path to follow. “I think, for me, a lot of the difference is that I was never interested in pursuing more studio photography. I’ve always been drawn to just more documentary. So, even now, as my kids are getting older (9 and 11), they don’t run when I pick up my camera, because I’ve never necessarily asked them to stop what they’re doing to look at me or to do anything different. I really feel like they helped me find a little bit of my vision, at first, because I just liked documenting the stuff that they do because they’re crazy [boys],” smiles Meagan. It was her decision to experiment with a 365-photo challenge that pushed Meagan to take her photography to the next level. “I kind of made up my own rules. I wasn’t necessarily going to post them or edit them or share them in any way, but my goal was to just pick up my camera every day and take a picture. Fairly simple. I did that for about three years. I feel like that taught me to be able to walk into any store, any situation, any lighting condition, and not be afraid or paralyzed by what was there.” With her oldest child starting school, Meagan began to feel the need to reinvent herself. After speaking with a friend, she got the push she needed to call herself a photographer and yoga instructor. With a bit of bravery mixed with fear, Meagan started publishing her work— eventually being hired by a local magazine, where she met her business partner Dave Miller. “We had similar styles and got along.” Dave and Meagan photographed their first wedding together at the end of 2019, and a few months later, in early 2020, they founded Maven Photo and Film.
A TRAVELING MOM
Meagan describes her partnership with Dave as “unconventional and very odd.” “I do have a male business partner. We are not married. He has his own family and his own
kids. It happens that our kids get along great. So, his kids will come over to the house and they’ll play, and we can work a little bit in the office. Then, [when] we finish up, [we] join them. “We’ve traveled together as families. We’ve been on beach trips [and] skiing, and it just kind of works.” Meagan and David often travel for work, too. “I’ve been traveling since [my kids were] babies. Emotionally, my family is fine when I travel,” states Meagan. “I have raised my boys to be very independent. They know that Mom goes and does these things, and it’s fine. I’m going to come back, and I’m going to have stories to tell them. It doesn’t mean I don’t still have the mom-guilt for leaving.” Meagan and Dave recently went to Ukraine, and it created a lot of anxiety for Meagan. “I didn’t know that level of mom-guilt existed. Even though we were told we were going to be safe, we’re still going into a country at war against a global superpower.” Mom-guilt aside, Meagan knows she has instilled an adventurous spirit in her boys, and she hopes they take a gap year after college to explore the world.
LEARN MORE
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Babies & Balloons ENTREPRENEURIAL MOM FINDS BALANCE IN STRUCTURE
JULIE DUNCAN Story & Photo by LISA ANDERSON
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J
ulie Duncan, co-owner of Jewelz Entertainment and Balloon Design, considers herself a somewhat “crunchy” mom. “Crunchy is kind of a slang term for a hippie mom—the breastfeeding, baby-wearing, eat lots of vegetables. Crunchy, like you’re crunching lots of vegetables,” explains Julie. “I am very pro-breastfeeding and breastfed [my daughters] for a little over two years. I did the baby-wearing groups [and] the mommy groups and was a somewhat stay-at-home [mom] for the first two years or so. I met [my business partner] Lydia Sapp at natural childbirth class.”
THE PLUNGE
Born in South Florida, Julie slowly worked her way north—moving to Ocala over 13 years ago to be with her husband. “[Thomas] is local. He was actually raised in the neighborhood that we currently live in now. So, he was out riding bike in the same streets that our daughter is now riding her bike,” Julie proudly states.
That was an interesting experience—having a newborn in the middle of a pandemic. — Julie Duncan
Around the fifth year of their relationship, Julie and Thomas decided to have children, and their oldest daughter Fiona (now 8) was born. “We figured out quickly, after we had [Fiona], that it’s so complicated being together as a couple and a family without the whole marriage thing. I told [Thomas] on a Thursday that we’re getting married on Sunday. There was no proposal or romantic ‘we’re getting married.’ I was like, ‘Babe, I’m over this. We can’t even get the same stupid car insurance policy. This is ridiculous. Let’s just sign the stupid paperwork. Are you cool with it?’” Julie put the wedding together in four days, which included a water slide—a metaphor for taking the plunge. Thomas and Julie now have a second daughter Felicity (2). She was born at the beginning of the 2020 pandemic. “That was an interesting experience—having a newborn in the middle of a pandemic,” recalls Julie.
BALLOONS AND BABIES
Even before Fiona came onto the scene, Julie was a staple at the First Friday Art Walks in Downtown Ocala. In 2012, Julie and Lydia started Jewelz Entertainment and Balloon Design. The women brought their daughters to work. There were a lot of good times with singing and dancing, but it could also be difficult to focus and work around the potential choking hazards with two toddlers in the office. “There was very little flow in the office environment,” says Julie. “Fast forward six years, I drop off the older girl to [school] and then drop the toddler off at daycare for half a day. “The only thing I’m really having to button [at work] nowadays are fasteners for containers and not pants for potty training. Now, I go into the office, and it’s really quiet. I’m able to jump into a workflow. There’s still occasionally dancing and music, but it’s usually adult music or a musical play.” Julie does miss spending time with her girls, and she makes sure her schedule allows her to pick them up from school and to spend time with them on the weekend. It’s why she restricts parties she’s personally involved in on the weekends to one, instead of the five to seven she used to do. Now, she books the weekends with parties that embrace her employees’ talents.
“I function well with structure. I can function with chaos, but personally, my human brain likes to know where I need to be and when. So, [when] I’m on a routine, it’s comfortable. It does make me sad that I don’t get to watch my toddler picking up and learning lots of things. But I do love the structure and being able to create outside of creating with the family and to build and grow something that’s mine. “At the same time, what am I missing out on? That’s why I’m pretty strict on my schedule, and I really try not to book myself outside of those [specific] work hours,” explains Julie. Her husband has been very helpful, now that Julie’s schedule is tighter and she has more employees. Thomas is able to rearrange his schedule, when needed, to watch over sick kids and other unexpected things that are inevitable with children. They have other family support, too. “Now that Felicity is here, and the company has changed so much, I rely on [Thomas] way more than I used to.” Julie’s rosy disposition and girl-boss attitude make for one powerful package. Add mom to that mix, and there is probably a Superwoman costume under her work uniform.
LEARN MORE
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Trauma-Informed AN ADOPTIVE MOTHER SHARES HER PARENTING STRUGGLES
JOY ZEDLER Story & Photo by LISA ANDERSON
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“I
want to tell the story of my son at school,” declares Joy Zedler, co-founder and board member of The Pearl Project. Joy and her husband Stephen have five children, two of which were adopted. The Pearl Project website states, “In 2013, our family began a foster journey that unexpectedly turned into an adoption adventure. We listened politely as people told us that what we were doing was beautiful, not wanting to admit that it felt anything but that. In fact, there were days when it looked downright ugly. We felt tired, overwhelmed, and alone. We quickly learned that the more traditional parenting style that worked well for our biological children was not going to work with our children with a history of trauma. It was at our lowest point that we discovered the work of Dr. Karyn Purvis at an Empowered to Connect conference. It gave us more empathy for our children’s history, hope that we could help them heal, and most importantly, practical parenting tools. We will forever be students of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and it is our mission to bring trauma-informed support to families like ours—families who need to know that there is beauty in their hard work.”
We have a foster care crisis right now in our community, and everyone can do something. — Joy Zedler
EXTRA CARE PAYS OFF
“I just feel like it’s such a good picture of what trauma-informed care looks like,” says Joy, continuing the story about her son. Trauma-informed. It’s become such a buzzword, but what does that mean? What does that really look like? “I thought [this story] about my son and what [trauma-informed care] meant for him could be a good picture of that,” she explains. “When he started kindergarten, we knew, because of his history and diagnosis of FASD [Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder], we really wanted his school to have knowledge of TBRI. We wanted them to be ready, not just for him, but there are many kids in the classroom who need extra support. “The entire staff went through a TBRI training in the summer. One of the administrators particularly took an interest. She has a background in social work, so she was all in,” states Joy. Joy’s son had an amazing first day at school. Immediately, Joy thought this was going to be a great year. “The next day he woke up, and he found out that he had to go back. He started melting. “Part of his history, part of having FASD, is he really can struggle with self-regulation to the point of having really intense rages. We lovingly refer to them as wobblers in our house. So, he was wobbling, and I was crying because I’m thinking I don’t want to homeschool. I was really overwhelmed. Somehow, through my TBRI strategies, I was able to help regulate him and get him back online using play. I was able to get him in the car and drive to school. “I get to the drop-off area, and I walk him up,” narrates Joy. The administrator who had taken a keen interest in TBRI was standing in the courtyard while Joy said goodbye to her son. The wobbling began again, and Joy felt slightly embarrassed as she looked at all the other parents dropping off their children. “Nobody knows his history. They just think this kid is bad or whatever. He was really raging, and I was struggling internally, as well.” That’s when the administrator walked up, gave Joy a hug, and took control of the situation. “I had to leave while he was screaming.” Joy remembers getting in the car and crying. Her son had pulled off his shoes and socks, and the administrator picked up a sock, made a puppet, and began to play. “She got him laughing, got his shoes back on, and didn’t shame him for his behavior. She was thinking in terms of his brain. He needs to be regulated,” Joy explains.
“He had a great rest of the day. Not only that, he also had a great rest of the year. I really think that interaction could have changed the trajectory of the year, if she had come down harsh.”
DEALING WITH REALITY
Fostering and adopting can sound noble, but it can be very difficult for both the parents and the children. “It is hard, because sometimes, I know even with all the support I personally have and all the education I have, I still struggle sometimes. FASD is not something that goes away, and it’s not something that can fully be ‘fixed.’ You’re always accommodating, growing, and learning.” Joy finds a lot of happiness, inspiration, and a feeling of gratefulness through her work with The Pearl Project, but it can take a toll on her and the parents. “I don’t have a magic bullet for them. It’s going to cost a lot for [the parents] to do it the right way. “We have a foster care crisis right now in our community, and everyone can do something. There are lots of great organizations that you can get involved with. I feel like if we all did something, we could really make a dent. We could solve it, really, if more people became foster parents and more people supported foster parents and became trauma informed.”
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F R O M T H E PA D D O C K
The Sweetest Ride CANCER-SURVIVOR COMPETES IN PARALYMPICS
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F R O M T H E PA D D O C K
CAYLA VAN DER WALT Story by CYNTHIA MCFARL AND
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Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS
F R O M T H E PA D D O C K
L
ife comes with no guarantees. Everyone learns this painful lesson at some point, but for Cayla Van der Walt, that harsh realization came when she was just 15. Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, Cayla began riding at 4 years old and started lessons early. She loved everything about horses and concentrated on jumping until devoting her focus to dressage when she was about 10. Because of her father’s business, the Van der Walt family moved to Utah in 2009 and then returned to South Africa. No matter where they lived, horses were a constant, as Cayla continued to ride and improve her skills.
UNEXPECTED TURN
Life was busy and happy for the 15-year-old until the morning of July 10, 2016, when she woke up with excruciating pain in her left arm. “There was no lump, but my arm was hard to the touch near my elbow,” recalls Cayla. “My dad took me to the ER, and they did ultrasounds, which showed some kind of mass.” Doctors responded quickly, doing surgery on July 12 to remove the tumor. Two days later, Cayla was diagnosed with malignant Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer occurring mostly in bones, although it can develop in soft tissue around bones. While it can strike people of any age, it’s more often found in children and teens. It’s uncommon for Ewing sarcoma to start in soft tissue in a limb, yet that’s exactly what happened to Cayla. Doctors told the family she would have better treatment options in the U.S. and recommended Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. When she boarded a plane to fly to Utah, Cayla had just finished half of grade 10. (School runs by the calendar year in South Africa.) “My dad came with me, and I started chemo in August 2016. Then, my mom flew out and was here with me, and my dad went back to South Africa in September. I did chemo through April 2017 and then did radiation all of December 2017,” recalls Cayla. “Everyone at the hospital, especially the nurses, became my second family, because I was there so much. I’m still really close to them,” she adds.
I always thought about going to the Olympics but definitely didn’t think I’d do it this early. — Cayla Van der Walt
OLYMPIC DREAMS
Since treatment ended, Cayla and her parents have stayed in the U.S. The family moved to Marion County in September 2020 specifically for Cayla’s riding pursuits. Although Cayla only has 30 percent use of her left arm, due to her bout with cancer, it hasn’t dampened her passion for competition. “Surprisingly, the cancer opened up a lot of good opportunities,” says Cayla. When she was going through treatment, she never expected that, within three years, she’d be competing in the Paralympics. “I always thought about going to the Olympics but definitely didn’t think I’d do it this early,” says Cayla, who rode for South Africa in the 2020 Paralympics. “The difference between the Paralympics and the ‘regular’ Olympics is that the Paralympics allows an athlete’s equipment to be adapted to accommodate a disability,” explains Cayla, who competes in dressage at grade 5, which relates to a limb problem. Because the tumor had wrapped around a nerve in her forearm, surgery to remove it and subsequent scar tissue caused permanent nerve damage. “I don’t have feeling in my thumb or pointer and middle fingers, so I can’t move them much and can’t bend my hand certain ways,” notes Cayla. “In the beginning, my arm was super weak, but after physical therapy and building up my strength, I’ve learned to adapt and work around the disability.”
TOKYO 2020
The whole Paralympics adventure was lifechanging for Cayla, who rode Daturo, a horse she co-owned. She bought Daturo in 2018 with the specific intention of qualifying for the Paralympics with him, since the other horse she owned wasn’t quite at that level of international competition. Cayla was gone for an entire month, including the week-long quarantine in Germany required for horses. Tokyo 2020 was hailed as the strongest equestrian competition in Paralympic Games history, as individual freestyle gold medalists achieved benchmark high scores.
HOME IN FLORIDA
Cayla co-owns a farm in southeastern Marion County with her parents, and she is still almost always on a horse. She’s hard at work expanding Librae Dressage, her training business, and is already planning ahead for the 2024 Paralympics. “My focus is fully on riding,” says Cayla, now 21. Although horses take up most of her time, she loves anything related to the water, including the beach and boating. She also has two dogs and a cat. Cayla has been in remission for five years and only goes for an MRI scan every six months. Unless someone sees the scar on her arm, they wouldn’t know what she’s been through, but Cayla does, and it just makes every day that much sweeter.
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FROM THE EXPERTS
Photography 101
BETTER FIRST-DAY-OF-SCHOOL PHOTOS Story by CYNTHIA MCFARL AND
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FROM THE EXPERTS
PREPARE
Make a “First Day of School” sign that includes the date. For sentimentality’s sake, whenever possible, take these photos in the same spot with the same background to show progression through the years.
CLOTHING CHOICE
You want your child to stand out from the background, so choose attire accordingly. The choice of “solids or patterns doesn’t matter so much, as long as the patterns aren’t too busy,” says Brett. He recommends avoiding all red or all white clothing and patterns like pinstripes or thin checkerboards.
LIGHTING
Direct sunlight is not your friend, so position your child in the shade, which creates even light on their face. “Lighting is key. Even with a super expensive camera, your photos won’t look good
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GET LOWER
goldinpictures.com
Brett says the biggest mistake parents make is to take photos from their level shooting down. Bend or kneel so you’re at eye-to-eye height with your child.
DON’T SAY “CHEESE” “Say something silly. Give them a prop. Make your kid laugh, and take the photo while they’re laughing. The best smile
EDIT AND SHARE
Before sharing your images, you can improve the finished product by editing, whether on your iPhone or with free webbased software, if using a camera. Adding a little more saturation and contrast often makes a huge difference, says Brett.
LEARN MORE
Photo by Lisa Anderson
It’s not necessary to spend thousands for a decent digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera. You can buy a camera body, such as the Canon EOS Rebel T6i, on Amazon, eBay, or Best Buy. Brett recommends starting with a “nifty-50,” a good quality 50mm lens as a great starting point for creativity. If this is too much of an investment, it’s fine to use your phone camera.
is usually right after the peak of laughter, so keep shooting!” says Brett. Take multiple shots; don’t be afraid to overshoot.
•
PHONE OR CAMERA?
if the lighting is bad,” emphasizes Brett. While many parents shoot back-to-school photos outside, you can take them inside if the weather isn’t cooperating. If shooting inside, find the least cluttered background. Choose a spot with natural light coming into the room, but to avoid backlighting, don’t put subjects in front of a window. Have your child sit or stand so that light (natural and artificial) is hitting their face directly, not from the back or side.
Photo bymonkeybusiness/DepositPhotos.com
I
n many families, it’s tradition to memorialize the first day of school with a photo. Make this the year you capture your best shots by following these expert recommendations. Brett Goldin of Goldin Pictures in Ocala photographs weddings, real estate, and special events. As a father, he also takes his share of back-to-school photos.
FROM THE EXPERTS
The Art & Science OF LEADERSHIP
Photo by alphaspirit/DepositPhotos.com
•
Photo submitted by Dr. Manal Fakhoury
Story by DR. MANAL FAKHOURY
A
s with anything great, leadership takes time to master. The finesse of knowing when to use what skills with what personality types is something experience brings. Leadership is really the catalyst that creates teams of people working together for a common goal. So, the question that is always being asked is “What makes a great leader?” It is truly an art and a science. Here are some tips to lean into the flow of leadership sooner. Leaders, who use the art of transparency, have more of a chance of helping others be involved in shared decision-making, reaching a consensus, and embracing ongoing and never-ending change. Failure is the greatest teacher, because it is where the greatest lessons are learned. It teaches resilience and decision-making and frequently shows the path to innovation. Great leaders often take great risks. If successful, the payoff and reward are immense, but if the leader fails, there is a lesson to be learned. Leadership is not a function of power but rather one of trust. In today’s world, the vertical model of leadership (by tenure, title, or rank) is less effective than that of collaboration. The team depends on the leader, and the leader depends on the team. When one wins, the other wins too.
Confidence as a leader is key to creating great followership. People can see through a facade of confidence. Confident leaders tend to have better relationships, recognize success, remain open to possibilities, do not have to be right, and are more motivated to reach their goals. The art and science of leadership are finding oneself (integrity, honesty, growth), while also keeping an open mind to the best methods to reach objectives. Leaders in today’s world must be creative, innovative, and resilient to change. Here is to your success in mastering the art of leadership in your life!
ABOUT DR. MANAL FAKHOURY For the past 35 years, Manal has been making a difference in Ocala with hard work, generosity, and outstanding leadership. Visit: myfli.com or vestechpartners.com
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How We Work Shapes Who We Become We work at a sustainable pace, offer incentives, and believe in family-first-flexibility.
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NOMA NOMA NOMA Gallery Gallery Gallery presents: presents: presents: NOMA NOMA NOMA Gallery Gallery Gallery presents: presents: presents: NOMA NOMA NOMA NOMA NOMA Gallery Gallery Gallery Gallery Gallery presents: presents: presents: presents: presents:
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It Will Get Better Hairstylist Goes from Great Heights to Bust & Back Again Story by LISA ANDERSON
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Photo by JOSHUA JACOBS
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K
im Fanucci is a well-known hairstylist and business owner in Ocala. Her salon, Austin James Hair Studio, has two locations, and she recently purchased Marion Mobile Bar and Bubbles in late 2021. But, those who have only seen her success over the last several years might not guess that Kim had desperately tried to make eating at a soup kitchen a normal dining experience for her children only a few years prior to opening her first salon. “When I was going through all of that hard stuff, looking for a job, it got to the point where I wasn’t able to pay rent. I couldn’t pay for gas. So, we’re talking no hot water. Eventually, the electric got cut off. My landlord was coming to me daily. I was squatting at that point. Can you imagine? Literally, just a roof over our heads. We would walk to the soup kitchen to get free food. It was rough. It was bad. I would always make it a big deal, because I never wanted my kids to feel the situation. So, I was like, ‘We’re going out to eat!’ We literally had nothing.”
At 16 years old, Kim stepped away from high school and earned her GED. Born in New York but raised in Miami, she started working for a salon. She swept up hair and did other odd jobs. One busy Saturday, Kim’s boss asked if she would cut a little boy’s hair. “Of course, at 16, there is no fear, so I’m like, ‘Yeah, sure! I watch you guys cut hair. I can do that.’ I cut the little boy’s hair, and the dad asked if I could do [his]. The owner of the shop looked over at me and [asked], ‘What are you doing?’ I’m like, ‘I’m doing hair. I got this.’” That experience changed Kim’s life. She was a natural, and after two years of helping at the salon, she headed back to school to earn her license. Kim quickly became very strong in her field, and managed a highend beauty salon in Miami, while still cutting hair. She was making a six-figure income, booked a year out, and not taking on any new clients. As she grew in her field, Kim also became a wife and mother of three, but when the oldest child was 5, the marriage was on the rocks. Kim’s husband blamed the pressure and lifestyle of living in Miami and suggested they move to Ocala. “I decided I definitely wanted to save my marriage. That was my priority. I believe in vows when you say, ‘until death do us part.’ I took that very, very seriously. So, I let go of my six-figure career.” Kim knew it would be hard to leave her career behind, because before the days of social media, being a hairstylist in a new city meant starting from square one. It didn’t matter if she had been cutting and styling pageant contestants, models, and celebrities in Miami. Until she could establish a reputation in Ocala, she was a nobody. However, the move did not improve the marriage. At the urging of her husband, mostly out of jealousy,
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Kim quit cutting hair after 20-plus years, and she eventually got a job as a butcher at Publix—again, becoming successful enough to be promoted to manager. “My husband struggled with mental illness and substance abuse, and he attempted suicide one night. That was really hard. I couldn’t live that lifestyle anymore. It wasn’t walking away from him in his darkest hour. He refused to get the help and stay on a plan to get better. I just couldn’t take a chance on my kids being exposed to any of that,” recalls Kim. She had let her stylist license lapse due to financial problems, but now a single mom, Kim decided she would start saving for the renewal.
She continued to work at Publix, and she even found a duplex near Tuscawilla Park she could afford. “I [thought] this will be perfect. This is going to be good for us— not realizing it was in a very bad neighborhood at the time. The house used to be a halfway house,” chuckles Kim. At one point, a man walked into her kitchen, looking for a place to sleep. That was when reality hit. Kim’s life continued to spiral. She did not receive child support, and when her car’s engine failed, she was too far away from Publix to walk. She couldn’t afford to fix her car or get a new one. So, she had to let the job go. It took a long time before Kim could find a restaurant within walking
Photo by Lisa Anderson
SIX FIGURES TO BROKE
distance that was willing to hire her. It was a humbling and desperate time for this once six-figure hairstylist. She had even been turned down for aid from the state, because she refused to lose her pride (the only thing she had left) and lie to get the aid she badly needed.
Photo by Lisa Anderson, Kim with daughter, Shelby
COMING UP FOR AIR
Kim finally managed to save some money and found a $500 car. She began cutting hair during the day and bartending at night. “Through all of that, I did meet someone. We lived together and I had my fourth child, who was literally a godsend, because I was struggling. I was in a bad, dark place. I was doing hair during the day and bartending until 2:00 in the morning. I had to be up in the morning to get the kids ready for school. I was exhausted.” Before becoming pregnant, Kim had been using alcohol to give herself a boost to accomplish all her daily tasks. When she got pregnant, the drinking stopped, and she realized how much she had been using it as a crutch. Kim separated from her youngest daughter’s father and kept focusing on rebuilding her career as a hairstylist. Then, in 2010—with a bit of luck, some help, and a lot of grit—Kim opened Austin James
Hair Studio on Fort King Street, named after one of her children. It hasn’t been all sunshine and roses since then, but it has definitely been a bright spot in Kim’s life. She is now remarried. She is a grandmother and is loving every moment she gets with family and at her salon. “I’ve been doing hair since I was 16,” says the now 48-year-old Kim. “It’s not just a job for me. It’s my passion. I love it. Some people ask what my hobbies are, but that is my hobby. Retirement to me looks like doing hair three days a week.” Kim has never taken her successes for granted.
She is a fierce supporter of the community and has used her talents and given her heart to help in many, many ways. Her recent mobile bar acquisition has been a lot of fun for her, as well. It was a bumpy start, while she learned the business, but she now enjoys watching people smile as she hands them a crafted cocktail with crafted ice. “I hope this touches someone’s heart, or I hope it reaches someone that needs it. You literally can get to a point in your life, through no fault of your own, and lose everything, but it will get better.”
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HISPANIC BUSINESS COUNCIL –ALIANZA HISPANA–
INTEGRITY • RESPECT • SERVICE
Our mission is to help all members of the local small business community to grow, network, learn, support, engage, & advocate for each other & the community at large! LEARN ABOUT OUR TRAININGS, NETWORKING & MORE! www.hispanicbusinesscouncil.com admin@hispanicbusinesscouncil.com Facebook @hispanicbizcouncilocala
THE CHEWS LETTER
A Great Journey FOOD TOUR GUIDE OPENS DOORS TO LOCAL CULTURE
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THE CHEWS LETTER
KAITLYN BUTLER Story by CYNTHIA MCFARL AND
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Photos by MARK ANDERSON
THE CHEWS LETTER
I
t took college and a stint of living in Chicago to open Kaitlyn Butler’s eyes to a whole new world of food and culture. Raised in rural Levy County, Kaitlyn grew up with the quintessential country life. “My family owns a farm in Morriston, growing mostly watermelons and peanuts. I was Little Miss Peanut at the Peanut Festival in Williston and showed hogs and steers in FFA [Future Farmers of America],” recalls Kaitlyn. “My dad’s family goes way back in Ocala, and my mom grew up in Williston. She runs the Peddler Floral.” After graduating from Williston High School in 2010, Kaitlyn attended College of Central Florida in Ocala, where she discovered her love for writing and public relations. “I was thinking of going into agriculture communications, but when I took a required journalism course, my professor said I’d be good at [public relations], so I went into that program at UF [University of Florida],” she says. “Going to UF opened my eyes to so many different cultures and types of cuisine. It totally shifted my worldview. Many of my friends there were people whose parents were first generation immigrants,” says Kaitlyn. “I grew up with Southern food: a protein, a starch, and a vegetable with every meal,” she says. “As I started to learn more about the world and the people around me, it opened my eyes and made me excited to explore cuisines, and my tastes expanded.” Her favorite Gainesville restaurant is Reggae Shack, and her all-time favorite dish is Jamaican oxtail.
It’s been a great journey, and this is just the beginning.” — Kaitlyn Butler
WINDY CITY
In 2018, Kaitlyn moved to Chicago, where she worked as a communications consultant for a food blogger and did a lot of recipe testing. “Some of the ingredients I was sent to buy were so unusual, I had to google them,” she says. As much as she relished the foodie adventure of living in Chicago, Kaitlyn missed her home state’s friendly atmosphere, not to mention the warmer weather. When she had an opportunity to move back in 2019, she took it. Two weeks before leaving the city, she received a food tour as a gift. “I absolutely loved it. It allows you to know the culture of a city and understand it better. It’s a unique way to get to know an area,” says Kaitlyn. “What I love about food is its ability to allow us to explore new cultures. Sometimes, life limits your ability to travel, but food has the gift of transporting you to experience something unique.”
HOME AGAIN
Back in the Sunshine State, Kaitlyn now works as communications and community engagement director for HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital. In November 2019, after extensive research and planning and inspired by the food tour she’d taken in Chicago, Kaitlyn launched Brick City Food Tours. Her slogan: “Discover Ocala’s flavor and history one bite at a time.” Tours take place on Saturday and Sunday. These walking tours of 10 people feature four to five stops at locally-owned and -operated restaurants. “My first job as a teen was working at Ivy House restaurant in Williston, so it’s come full circle now that I have Ivy on the Square as one of the restaurants in our tour,” smiles Kaitlyn. “I stick to downtown and locally-owned places. We have such a wide variety of cuisines in downtown Ocala, and the history is fascinating,” notes Kaitlyn, whose tours include intriguing elements of Ocala’s history, dating back to the 1800s. Upon
request, she also does private bar and speakeasy tours downtown. Kaitlyn recently joined the associate board for the Reilly Arts Center. “The art world and food world in Ocala are closely related,” she notes. “The Reilly Arts Center really expanded my feeling of belonging. I realized I’d found my people.”
MOTHERHOOD
Now 30, Kaitlyn is mom to 1-½-year-old Vivianne. It’s no surprise that Vivianne is almost as adventurous as her mama when it comes to food. “She skipped purees altogether and went straight for baby-led weaning. I brought her home Jamaican oxtail when she was 6 months old, and she loved it,” says Kaitlyn. “She eats black beans and rice, smoked salmon, anything. She’s not a picky eater.”
SLOW NO MORE
Kaitlyn laughs to remember that people once referred to Ocala as “Slocala.” “Back then, Ocala wasn’t what it is now. Ocala is now a destination for dining, and there’s something going on here every single weekend. Ocala is so unique; it’s large enough to have everything you need, but small enough to have that sense of community,” says Kaitlyn proudly. “I love living here and love the energy of downtown. It’s been a great journey, and this is just the beginning.”
LEARN MORE
brickcityfoodtours.org
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Created to bring women together to share their stories—shamelessly, openly, and with inspiration in mind. Join us as we talk about the good, the bad, and, yes, the ugly parts of life. Find us on your favorite app or visit our website www.lisaandersonmedia.com/blogs
P O DC AST S
AIRING WEDNESDAY AUGUST 20
ARTIST CORNER
Couch Sessions 2022 SERIES • AUGUST ARTIST Q&A
AUGUST 5
Macey Mac • Jessica Carter
SEPTEMBER 2
Jeff Jarrett • Melissa Ann Taricic www.couchsessionsocala.com
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ARTIST CORNER
MACEY MAC define my role in life as being a kind human being and sharing my passion about music.
What types of art and culture do you like to consume? All kinds of stuff! I like to listen and make music, watch movies, draw and paint, make jewelry, read books, cook, spend time with my friends and family, play with my dog Poppy, be on the water, and support others in their creative fields, but most of my time mainly goes towards making music.
How do you define success as an artist or person? What do you hope to accomplish? I define success as an artist and a person as being content with life. Enjoying the blessings the world brings my way. I hope to accomplish my endeavors in my music journey by writing, getting better instrumentally, performing, touring, traveling, making new friends along the way, and, overall, living my life to the absolute fullest!
Is there a connection between your message and the way you make your art? There is definitely a connection between my message and my music. I try to combine both of them. Through my songs and performing, I try my best to convey the story with the way it makes me feel. In turn, I hope my songs touch others. What are you besides an artist? How do you define your role in life? Besides being an artist, I’m a loyal companion to my friends and family, mother of my dog Poppy, a student attending online school, and many other things. I
How can we support you? You can support me by visiting my website at maceymac.com. There you can find out more about me and my tour dates. Follow me on social media @maceymacmusic. Also, be on the lookout for new music on all streaming platforms, available soon.
Photos by Michael Jenkins
What type of an artist are you? I’m a singer/songwriter/musician. My main genres include, country/rock/with a little bit of blues and a whole lot of soul.
JESSICA CARTER What types of art and culture do you like to consume? I am fascinated with all aspects of art and find the world to be a curious and wonderful work of art. Nature inspires me and my work. Is there a connection between your message and the way you make your art? Building my art from the wooden panel through the framing and hanging provides great satisfaction. I hand paint found papers, books, music, maps, love letters, or family heirlooms, which then become my palette. It is then a dance on the canvas of hand-torn paper and glue that captures a moment for all time. Every piece I create has hidden messages, meanings, and oftentimes, stories I never intended to tell. What are you besides an artist? How do you define your role in life? My role in life is to love others. To show kindness when someone needs it most is probably the greatest
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gift one could give. I am blessed to be a wife and mother to three terrific young people. Many falter on career choice, but I was born to be a teacher—just finished my 27th year. How do you define success as an artist or person? What do you hope to accomplish? Success to me is growing and learning every day. Success is about so much more than selling a painting or being a Golden Apple Teacher. Don't get me wrong, those two things are probably tops on my list of success. Life is never easy, and persevering through
difficult things has proven time and again successful. Moving forward, I see me winding down my teaching career in the next few years and gearing up a multifaceted art career. How can we support you? FB/IG: @o.lilydownart o.lilydownart@gmail.com
Photo by Michael Carter
What type of an artist are you? Mixed-media collage artist.
ARTIST CORNER
A New Challenge FIRST COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE AT THE APPLETON Story & Photo by VANESSA SCOTT
shell to his ear, listening to the sea. After the last couple of years we have had, I wanted to choose something positive. I'm envisioning the piece will be a rumba with pretty, moving beats, which will also feature vocals.
About the Photo: Silviu Ciulei in the Appleton Museum of Art’s courtyard.
C
lassical and flamenco guitarist Silviu Octavian Ciulei was born in Romania and began his musical training at the age of 6. By age 13, he had already won his first performance prize, which marked the first of many awards received both in Europe and the U.S. Ciulei is currently the Director of Guitar Studies at the University of Florida (UF) and is also a member of the freshly minted Global Music Award winners Maharajah Flamenco Trio. With two critically acclaimed and successful albums under their belts, Maharajah Flamenco Trio craft their expression of Flamenco Nuevo (new or “modern” flamenco) by blending traditional Spanish rhythms with jazz, classical, and world music. After the trio’s well-attended performance at the Appleton Museum of Art earlier this year, Appleton director Jason Steuber invited Ciulei to become the inaugural Composer in Residence at the museum. The world premiere of Ciulei and the Appleton’s creative collaboration will be performed in September 2022 at the museum. Vanessa Scott, museum specialist, chatted with Ciulei about this innovative multidisciplinary collaboration and the meaning of music in his life. After visiting the Appleton, which artwork did you choose as inspiration for your new composition and why? The artwork I chose was actually the first one I saw: the sculpture of the Neapolitan fisher boy, with the
Have you ever done a creative collaboration like this before? That’s an interesting question, because in the past, I have been inspired by life events. This is the first time I have walked through a museum with the purpose of getting inspired to write a new piece, which will then be performed in that same museum. What do you get from making music? And what do you get from playing the music to an audience? I don't expect to get anything, and I think not having expectations always makes me get something out of it. I hope the audience loves what I do, and I've been lucky that it's turned out so. You've been performing since you were a child; which would you say is your most memorable performance? That's a difficult question as there have been
many. Performing in 2019 at Carnegie Hall with the United States Guitar Orchestra has got to be one of the most memorable performances for me, just because of the prestige that comes with that. I grew up thinking about that, and then, I got to do it. So that’s one thing off the bucket list.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Vanessa Scott is Museum Specialist at the Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida. Growing up in South Africa, Italy, and England, Scott has international art and theatre backgrounds. She holds degrees in Theatre and Performance, as well as Photography. Joining the Appleton in 2018, she is the developer, designer, and content creator of the Appleton’s free mobile app, which won the Gold Medal Award at the 2020 Southeastern Museums Conference.
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AUTHORS CONNIE ROSE DANA OLMSTEAD ESMIRNA CARABALLO FANNIE OCASIO JACQUELIN KORPELA JEANNE HENNINGSEN JODI ANDERSON KATERINA MACKENZIE KHADÍJIH MITCHELL-POLK LAURA FLORES LAUREN DEBICK MANAL FAKHOURY SHEREESE FLOYD SYDNEY RAFFERTY WENDY MESTAS
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