Julie and Trevor are close friends of ours and we’re so thankful to have interviewed them and filmed their 9 year old son, Cristian, who was diagnosed with Kabuki Syndrome. This very rare condition affects 1 in 32,000 births worldwide. Those with Kabuki Syndrome can experience different symptoms such as growth delays, intellectual impairments, and other autistic-like characteristics. Hear what they have to say about breaking down barriers to finding a diagnosis and proper care for your special needs child, what it’s like to live a day in their shoes, and how those with special needs should be treated.
To learn more about Kabuki Syndrome and to join the movement in finding a cure, visit All Things Kabuki!
Meet Cam – a sweet, adorable, funny, and playful 3 year old who copies his older sister in everything she does and pretends to be King Kong, stomping on sand castles and roaring as loud as ever! What you may not know by his appearance is that Cam was diagnosed with Kabuki Syndrome. This rare genetic disorder affects 1 in 32,000 births worldwide. Children and adults affected by Kabuki Syndrome experience a variety of symptoms from intellectual impairment, growth delays, and autistic-like behaviors. Despite his condition, Cam is no different than any other 4 year old boy. Join Finding HumanKIND as we raise awareness of Kabuki syndrome, educate the community about special needs, and inspire those to make a difference.
To learn more and support the movement to find a cure, visit All Things Kabuki!
For most people, when women speak about their needs and anything to do with their body is “taboo.” Women feel uncomfortable, awkward, and judged when they talk about their body. We’re thankful to have interviewed Priscilla, a light to so many women in need and the founder of Better Period. This local initiative holds drives to collect menstrual and sanitary supplies for women who otherwise can’t afford them. Ladies, can you imagine it being that time of the month and not having access tampons/pads? This is the reality to so many women in our community and it’s Better Period’s mission to help women menstruate with dignity and comfort. Learn more on Instagram @Better.Period
Can you imagine a space where you can freely speak your mind with women who understand and support you, without judgement? This is RAWW, an organization creating a safe space for women to share and discuss “taboo” topics in nonclinical spaces. I posted Nikki’s interview a few days ago where she opened up, for the first time, about her sexual abuse. She was honest, vulnerable, and inspiring. She found the courage to tackle her suffering from a trauma that occurred 15 + years ago, when she attended a RAWW event. Can you believe that?! All it took was a safe space and support from women she’s never met. That is how magical safe spaces, like RAWW, can be. When women support women, anything is possible.
We had the privilege of interviewing Nikki, CEO of Ladies Leading Ladies, who shared her story of sexual abuse. It was such an unbelievable experience to capture her compelling story of strength and grace, as she shares it for the very first time. If you are a survivor, I encourage you to watch this and hope you will be inspired to find strength. Your past does not define you. If you’ve never experienced this type of trauma, I hope this story will make you more aware that sexual abuse can happen to anyone by anyone. These survivors have difficult pasts and are still suffering. Be open. Be loving. Be the person they need to find their strength to heal.
Nikki says, “It’s not easy to post this video. I’ve had it for a couple of weeks but have had trouble pulling the trigger because of how personal this experience has been for me.I’ve decided to post it not for sympathy or empathy, but instead to share my gratitude for the incredible, important work my friend @dianardiaz is doing with @therawwnetwork. The space they have created through RAWW Talks truly has to be experienced to be believed. It’s so raw, real, beautiful, safe, and healing – and truly changed my life.My experiences, traumas, and healing have made me the leader I am today. So often we look at leaders as someone who needs to be perfect, when in reality what a leaders needs to be is AUTHENTIC. My mental health journey has made me stronger, but also made me able to connect with each and every unique person I’ve had the honor of leading in my career. We may not have been best friends, some knew of my struggles and some didn’t, but I knew that each person had their own story and it was my job to understand how that made them who they are today. That’s how we create effective and healthy workplaces. If you’re a survivor, you’ve been through trauma, you’re struggling with anxiety, you haven’t been able to get out of a funk – ask for help. You are NOT alone. You’re here to fulfill a purpose that only YOU can fulfill and each and every one of your experiences feeds into that.”
Throwback to our first camping trip together. Todd and I have been married for a long 1.5 years 😂😉😘 (together for 5 yrs) and the past two years we’ve had a lot of “firsts.” We traveled to all new places for the first time, we’ve started a business together for the first time, we travel the country and live in a 300 sq for RV for the first time, almost everyday we experience a “first” together because our road life is constantly moving and changing. It’s exhilarating and also challenging. This past year I’ve done a lot of soul searching and realized that what I dreamt of 3 years ago is no longer what I dream of now. What I pictured our road life to be when we hit the road 2 years ago, is no longer the same picture. We’ve sacrificed much to be here, I knew I had to be honest with Todd. So we sat down and spoke about where we are individually and together. Not location wise, but where our hearts and souls stood. I was worried, guys. For real. Because our lives have made a complete 180 and so has who I am as a person. So I hoped my husband could see and accept the changes I’ve made. After I told him everything (what I told him is a conversation for another day 😉), to my relief, he said, “that’s funny you say that bc I’ve felt the same way.” At the end of the conversation, we just looked at each other and said, “all I want is to travel the world with you by my side.” ❤️❤️ “Modern love and intimacy no longer means “two becoming one” — it means allowing yourself and your loved one the space to exist and grow individually so you can come together as a stronger unit.” – @shellyibach
Hey Kind Humans! phewww it’s been two years on the road. Okay so I’ve taken a long break from Finding HumandKIND. That’s okay because I’ve been on quite the journey! Rewind.. My last personal blog post was 40 days into our 8 month long trip (April 2017). After 40+ states and many adventures (December 2017), the plan was to settle down in our favorite state and get jobs. We decided this wasn’t our cup of tea. Sooo we switched out our 150 sq ft travel trailer for a 350 sq ft mansion! We started a photography/video business because we love that shit. And Finding HumanKIND is now a nonprofit because I had to check it off my vision board – duh. We’re officially addicted to road life! Fast forward to April 2019, two years of tiny living. Two years of growth, adventure, and constantly searching for purpose! When I was in high school through up until 2 years ago, I thought purpose and happiness were a destination. A permanent place to arrive at after a long journey of searching. After much self-reflection, mistakes, wins, arguments with my boo, coffee dates with my mentor, and so on and on.. I’ve realized the journey never ends. See, purpose and happiness are not permanent states. Wholeness is. Don’t confuse the two. Whatever “wholeness” means to you is for you and only you to decide. Know this, you will never “find your ONE self” because you will always face change. Your values, thoughts, and passions will always change. Life is not a destination, but a journey of change, challenges, and growth. It can be frustrating. You will find yourself unhappy AND happy – life’s a roller coaster, strap in. It will cause you to doubt who you were and what you thought you’ve become. That’s okay! It can be exciting because anything is possible. Literally, the world is your oyster and you can do whatever your heart desires. It’s also scary, which means your brave self will grow. Because… “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.” There is no destination here, only the journey to enjoy with those you love most. So grab life by the horns and make that leap of faith. Love you. Mean it.
