Author: findinghumanKIND

Happy Kabuki Syndrome Awareness Day! What is Kabuki Syndrome you say? It’s a very rare condition affecting 1:32,000 births worldwide and the symptoms are similar to those with autism. Our nonprofit Finding HumanKIND is so excited to share a recent video we created with a special needs family to raise awareness & educate. Many of us who’ve never met a special needs person, may or may not know how to act or what to say. I always thought, “Will that person be able to communicate back, will I offend someone?” Who can relate 🙋🏽‍♀️? My reactions were understandable, but my ignorance was not. We have a duty to educate ourselves about special needs because those who are different only seek acceptance and to be treated like everyone else. Hear what Julie and Trevor 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. Together, let’s overcome disabilities and embrace capabilities because that’s when change is made. 💚

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 3-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.”