My world has always been full of people I love who are or have struggled with substance abuse. From parents of my childhood friends, to some of my best friends, I have lost a lot of friendships to substance use. I can remember my friends telling me not to get into things they did. I now work downtown in my hometown and see some of those same people still using. It breaks my heart. I do not have any delusion that I will somehow save everyone. For me it is not about being a savior. It is about changing the game. I have been a hairdresser for over fifteen years. I have worked primarily in areas near shelters, or recovery centers and have encountered a lot of people who struggle with substance abuse. The only thing most of them have in common is the system continues to fail them. Science, and research has finally come around to the belief that addiction, and substance usage is much more common, and affects wealthy and impoverished alike. Ye still have this societal belief that addiction largely looks like illegal activity. It could not possibly look like the burnt out parent that struggles with shopping addiction. We will always have those who struggle with addiction, and substance use, there is no question. Changing the game, and what it looks like to get help is key. Even what "getting help" looks like could drastically change healing. I strive to do better for my best friend in high school than the system did. She was a high achiever. She largely stayed out of trouble in school, and in the community. We also had a rule that all she had to do was call and say "it's me" and we were on our way to her house. Most of my friends had that same rule. All of their parents did the best they could with what they had at the time, they were not healthy situations for any of them. All my family could do was love them unconditionally. Our house was the safe house for so many of my friends. I have carried that throughout my entire life. These people were never bad, or broken even. Some of them sought help over the years. Some got clean. Others did not. Some tried for years but were not as ready as they though they were. Some are hollow shells of the person I grew to love. All of them were a part of a system that saw them as problems, or completely ignored them. This has to change. We cannot love people clean, but we can love them where they are, and allow those who want help a safe space to have support for whatever they are going through. A space that sees not their addiction. A space that holds them accountable but does not only see their faults. A space that invites them to re-learn how to live again. A space that incorporates their passions and abilities with healing. Thank you for your consideration.

Compassion, love and compassion are easily my favorite ways to help others. "It costs nothing to be kind" the saying goes. This is true. But if it costs nothing to be kind, why is it something we lack, and are in such a desperate need of in our world? For much of my life I was the person whose kindness was walked all over. That grew a great resentment in my life. Then I met my husband, and realized I could still be that same person. It was not my compassion that was the problem. It was the unwillingness to see the truth in some people. It was also my expectation that reciprocity was the only way to see appreciation. For the past eight years I have worked a little harder every single day to allow myself to be that person again. The one that hands off my coat to a complete stranger. The one that says please, take this. After years of going back to this way of life I see that the love and compassion itself is the reward. With the growth and knowledge of life, I am now able to direct that love and compassion to everyone, without necessarily giving all of my energy to everyone. It has been the most liberating, and honestly the best experience of my life apart from my husband and my children. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Love is my driver in all I aim to do. Motivation is slightly different but along the same lines. Stigma is a huge motivator for me. For much of society, stigma is everywhere. I seek wholeheartedly to change the hearts and minds of many simply with love and compassion. It is not an active but a passive changing. In using actions to speak louder than words I seek to show others those buried by stigma are still valuable, desired, compassionate humans that are equally as deserving of the love we seek to give. It is not my mission you see, but it is one God has put deeply tattooed on my heart. To live a life feeling unloved, unwanted, undesired is a pain I wish on no one. One by one we can change the world is something we hear often but dismiss as a trite, cliche'. I truly believe we are able to change the world one person at a time. Helping to heal one human being not only creates an opportunity to "pay it forward", it changes everything around them. Helping to heal one person changes who they see themselves as. This changes how others see them, and evaluate their worth. This in turn allows that singular person to grow in self assurance and safety. This feeling allows those they love to begin healing in ways they were not able to see before. The effect splinters and spiderwebs into this beautiful chain of people being changed by one persons healing. That is what motivates me. The healing of others.

My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional day facility for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. This facility seeks to be self sustaining as those who use the facility will be paying in services, not dollars. As the community grows the house becomes more appealing, and functional. As this community grows, those who are struggling to find work as they overcome their struggles will be able to start or join an LLC within the facility to earn a living. 50- 60% of the commission earned from your services will be yours and the facility will use the remainder to keep the program functioning. Over time this home will be in a position to be purchased. Perhaps if made financially available to those we serve, they too can become home owners. We will then take the profits from the sale to recoup expenses in the business, purchase and furnish a new home in need of extra care. I am not seeking a glamorous life. In allowing people who have little self worth to see the tremendous impact they have on the world, there is nothing stopping us from making that impact. My legacy is to better the self worth of those who have little, and open the minds of everyone to lead with compassion. Thank you for your time and consideration.

"A friend who truly respects and loves you will never ask you to do what you do for free". My grandpa taught me this when I was a kid. It did not have a much deeper meaning to me until I became a hair dresser. With my grandpa it was never about money, but respect. He would always go on to say, "If you choose to give it to them, that is on you." It was always came down to knowing who in your life was really there for you, and who was really there to take advantage of your kindness, compassion, and craft. Those who love you will respect you enough to support you. Those who expect things for free, neither love, nor do they respect you. thank you for your time and consideration.

The yelling, the screaming, the fighting. The tornado whirlwind that flies through, and destroys our house every year between September, and January. The laughter, warmth, and comfort that is coming home. The joy in my life is something I constantly pray everyone in their lives is able to experience. My answer is simple: Family. My family is everything. From my grandparents, to our children my family is at the center of why I do much of what I do. We build each other up, and no one can break our hearts like each other. In the end though, there is no greater band of misfits, geeks, and eccentric weirdos I would rather surround my life with. My family is joy through pain. My family is creativity through adversity. My family is the most unconditional type of love any human could possibly know. It does not matter where you are, any one of them could embrace me, and I am home. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I asked my husband this question, and he responded with "Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. "Damn that's a really good one." It is a beautiful piece that definitely has bearing on my life. I asked my mom and she said the starland vocal band arrangement of "American Tune" by Paul Simon. "Damn that didn't even cross my mind, but again... so great". Coming from a world where music was literally everywhere, it is hard to pick just one song. Looking back on my thirty six short years of life, I still always come back to who I am as a person. What does it all come down to for me? Love. The pain of love, the joy of love, the ache of love. Everything I do in my life comes down to love. Whether it is compassionate, companionship, passion, intimacy, motherhood, being a daughter, sister, lover, wife; everything I do, I do in love. At every pivotal point in my life I come back to "It's a Hard Life" by Queen. At a glance it appears to be a simple breakup song. But as it builds it is clear that living a life in love is one of the hardest and most beautiful of things. It is not because love is bad, or dark. Love is the most complex of all emotions. It comes with a heavy weight, even when it is amazing and beautiful. We hold tight to it because it is everything to us. The fear of that love being denied can be crippling. In the end though, we are denying ourselves a far greater opportunity to love if we hold back. "I'll look back on myself and say, I did it for love." Thank you

Growing up biracial (maternal- white paternal - Mexican) in my home town you were too much, or never enough. My grandfather was beaten in school for not knowing English. He was determined to never be seen as "just another Mexican railroad worker". He refused to be taken advantage of, or seen as an ignorant dummy. He was a highly respected, business owning, God loving, civil rights fighting, family loving man. He was so proud or all of it. They never had much, but always enough "I am the richest man in town" he would say. My grandma on the other hand was so fearful of being seen as anything but American. She worked hard to keep her skin looking lighter. She did everything she could to assimilate, and allow herself to be seen as an American. Consequently much of our culture, and history from that side of our family is lost. It was not after her mother died that we found that her family name had been change to appear more European. I can remember sitting in the library, tears silently falling on the pages of the art book I was looking in. Never before had I seen something represent the split I felt just from that one side of my family. The pain and struggle to hold tight to such a beautiful history. The need to hold that pride in because I should be so ashamed to consider myself anything other than American. Torn in two, holding tight to my love for my family trying to sever the fear of a past that held my grandmother so tightly, it threatened to strangle her rich history. "Dos Fridas" told me I will always be two halves. But love is the strength severing the fear threatening my growth. Thank you

What I want to do has truly never been done here in the United States. At least not that I have been able to find. My hope is that I will be able to play a part in the de-stigmatization of mental health here in America. I am seeking to obtain my licensure in clinical Psychology for addiction, recovery, trauma, and relationships. I aim to open my own therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a hair salon. During your hour long session you can get your hair styled, braided, cut, or washed. This is aimed at calming the central nervous system to create a comforting, relaxing, and nurturing environment in which to heal. This goal may seem unrelated but as it grows, its profits will be the seed money for a much bigger professional goal. This goal is directed at beautifying my home town from houses to humans by helping those seeking to get out of abusive relationships, substance abuse, or any other unhealthy situation. You are able to drop off whatever you need to in the drop box before entering into a clean slate. Here you will be able to shower, shave, eat, relax, and breathe. In my home town there is a large gap between jail, and those already out of detox. Many of those people cannot get clean not because they do not want to, but because they are not treated as human beings worth taking a chance on. They believe what they are taught. The cycle continues. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional day facility for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. This facility seeks to be self sustaining as those who use the facility will be paying in services, not dollars. As the community grows the house becomes more appealing, and functional. As this community grows, those who are struggling to find work as they overcome their struggles will be able to start or join an LLC within the facility to earn a living. 50- 60% of the commission earned from your services will be yours and the facility will use the remainder to keep the program functioning. Over time this home will be in a position to be purchased. Perhaps if made financially available to those we serve, they too can become home owners. We will then take the profits from the sale to recoup expenses in the business, purchase and furnish a new home in need of extra care. I am not seeking a glamorous life. I am out here trying to change the hearts and minds of those who do not believe in change, and those who believe that they cannot change. In allowing people who have little self worth to see the tremendous impact they have on the world, there is nothing stopping us from making that impact. thank you for your time and consideration.

What I want to do has truly never been done here in the United States. At least not that I have been able to find. My hope is that I will be able to play a part in the de-stigmatization of mental health here in America. I am seeking to obtain my licensure in clinical Psychology for addiction, recovery, trauma, and relationships. What I aim to do cannot happen without first obtaining my bachelor's degree. After graduating it is on to graduate school for my masters to hopefully change the world. I aim to open my own therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a hair salon. During your hour long session you can get your hair styled, braided, cut, or washed. This is aimed at calming the central nervous system to create a comforting, relaxing, and nurturing environment in which to heal. As I have stated, I have not yet been able to find anything like this that already exists. This to me is incredibly exciting. It also means, however if I cannot fund my education, the way we see mental health professions may be stuck at a stand still. My second main goal is directed at beautifying my home town and helping those seeking to get out of abusive relationships, substance abuse, or any other unhealthy situation. You are able to drop off whatever you need to in the drop box before entering into a clean slate. Here you will be able to shower, shave, eat, relax, and breathe. In my home town there is a large gap between jail, and those already out of detox. Many of those people cannot get clean not because they do not want to, but because they are not treated as human beings worth taking a chance on. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional day facility for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. This facility seeks to be self sustaining as those who use the facility will be paying in services, not dollars. As the community grows the house becomes more appealing, and functional. As this community grows, those who are struggling to find work as they overcome their struggles will be able to start or join an LLC within the facility to earn a living. 50- 60% of the commission earned from your services will be yours and the facility will use the remainder to keep the program functioning. Over time this home will be in a position to be purchased. Perhaps if made financially available to those we serve, they too can become home owners. We will then take the profits from the sale to recoup expenses in the business, purchase and furnish a new home in need of extra care. I am not seeking a glamorous life. I am out here trying to change the hearts and minds of those who do not believe in change, and those who believe that they cannot change. In allowing people who have little self worth to see the tremendous impact they have on the world, there is nothing stopping us from making that impact. thank you for your time and consideration.

What I want to do has truly never been done here in the United States. At least not that I have been able to find. My hope is that I will be able to play a part in the de-stigmatization of mental health here in America. I am seeking to obtain my licensure in clinical Psychology for addiction, recovery, trauma, and relationships. What I aim to do cannot happen without first obtaining my bachelor's degree. After graduating it is on to graduate school for my masters to hopefully change the world. My beginnings are neither extravagant, nor are they poverty stricken. We never had much, but what we did have was always enough to keep giving. There was never a time in my life where my parents, and my fathers parents were not willing to give however they could. This is how I choose to live my life. I may not have much except debt, but the Lord knows I am blessed. I aim to open my own therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a hair salon. During your hour long session you can get your hair styled, braided, cut, or washed. This is aimed at calming the central nervous system to create a comforting, relaxing, and nurturing environment in which to heal. As I have stated, I have not yet been able to find anything like this that already exists. This to me is incredibly exciting. It also means, however if I cannot fund my education, the way we see mental health professions may be stuck at a stand still. My second main goal is directed at beautifying my home town and helping those seeking to get out of abusive relationships, substance abuse, or any other unhealthy situation. You are able to drop off whatever you need to in the drop box before entering into a clean slate. Here you will be able to shower, shave, eat, relax, and breathe. In my home town there is a large gap between jail, and those already out of detox. Many of those people cannot get clean not because they do not want to, but because they are not treated as human beings worth taking a chance on. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional day facility for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. This facility seeks to be self sustaining as those who use the facility will be paying in services, not dollars. As the community grows the house becomes more appealing, and functional. As this community grows, those who are struggling to find work as they overcome their struggles will be able to start or join an LLC within the facility to earn a living. 50- 60% of the commission earned from your services will be yours and the facility will use the remainder to keep the program functioning. Over time this home will be in a position to be purchased. Perhaps if made financially available to those we serve, they too can become home owners. We will then take the profits from the sale to recoup expenses in the business, purchase and furnish a new home in need of extra care. I am not seeking a glamorous life. I am out here trying to change the hearts and minds of those who do not believe in change, and those who believe that they cannot change. In allowing people who have little self worth to see the tremendous impact they have on the world, there is nothing stopping us from making that impact. thank you for your time and consideration.

I do not have a grand story of my substance abuse, or how I lost everything. I spent just over a year functioning in and out of a bottle to cope with a situation I saw no way out of. Thirteen years later, I consider myself insanely blessed, It is my responsibility to see that I can not go back to living that way. In my home town there is a large gap between jail, and those already out of detox. Many cannot get clean not because they do not want to, but because they are not treated as human beings worth taking a chance on. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional day facility for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function much like a home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need. As this community grows, those who are struggling to find work as they overcome their struggles will be able to start or join an LLC within the facility to earn a living. 50- 60% of the commission earned from services will be yours. The remainder is to keep the program functioning. I am blessed to be out of active substance abuse. It is my responsibility to help others see their worth. Thank you for your consideration.

What I want to do has truly never been done here in the United States. At least not that I have been able to find. My hope is that I will be able to play a part in the de-stigmatization of mental health here in America. I am seeking to obtain my licensure in clinical Psychology for addiction, recovery, trauma, and relationships. What I aim to do cannot happen without first obtaining my bachelor's degree. After graduating it is on to graduate school for my masters to hopefully change the world. I aim to open my own therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a hair salon. During your hour long session you can get your hair styled, braided, cut, or washed. This is aimed at calming the central nervous system to create a comforting, relaxing, and nurturing environment in which to heal. As I have stated, I have not yet been able to find anything like this that already exists. This to me is incredibly exciting. It also means, however if I cannot fund my education, the way we see mental health professions may be stuck at a stand still. My second main goal is directed at beautifying my home town and helping those seeking to get out of abusive relationships, substance abuse, or any other unhealthy situation. You are able to drop off whatever you need to in the drop box before entering into a clean slate. Here you will be able to shower, shave, eat, relax, and breathe. In my home town there is a large gap between jail, and those already out of detox. Many of those people cannot get clean not because they do not want to, but because they are not treated as human beings worth taking a chance on. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional day facility for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. This facility seeks to be self sustaining as those who use the facility will be paying in services, not dollars. As the community grows the house becomes more appealing, and functional. As this community grows, those who are struggling to find work as they overcome their struggles will be able to start or join an LLC within the facility to earn a living. 50- 60% of the commission earned from your services will be yours and the facility will use the remainder to keep the program functioning. Over time this home will be in a position to be purchased. Perhaps if made financially available to those we serve, they too can become home owners. We will then take the profits from the sale to recoup expenses in the business, purchase and furnish a new home in need of extra care. I am not seeking a glamorous life. I am out here trying to change the hearts and minds of those who do not believe in change, and those who believe that they cannot change. In allowing people who have little self worth to see the tremendous impact they have on the world, there is nothing stopping us from making that impact. thank you for your time and consideration.

What I want to do has truly never been done here in the United States. At least not that I have been able to find. My hope is that I will be able to play a part in the de-stigmatization of mental health here in America. I am seeking to obtain my licensure in clinical Psychology for addiction, recovery, trauma, and relationships. What I aim to do cannot happen without first obtaining my bachelor's degree. After graduating it is on to graduate school for my masters to hopefully change the world. I aim to open my own therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a hair salon. During your hour long session you can get your hair styled, braided, cut, or washed. This is aimed at calming the central nervous system to create a comforting, relaxing, and nurturing environment in which to heal. As I have stated, I have not yet been able to find anything like this that already exists. This to me is incredibly exciting. It also means, however if I cannot fund my education, the way we see mental health professions may be stuck at a stand still. My second main goal is directed at beautifying my home town and helping those seeking to get out of abusive relationships, substance abuse, or any other unhealthy situation. You are able to drop off whatever you need to in the drop box before entering into a clean slate. Here you will be able to shower, shave, eat, relax, and breathe. In my home town there is a large gap between jail, and those already out of detox. Many of those people cannot get clean not because they do not want to, but because they are not treated as human beings worth taking a chance on. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional day facility for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. This facility seeks to be self sustaining as those who use the facility will be paying in services, not dollars. As the community grows the house becomes more appealing, and functional. As this community grows, those who are struggling to find work as they overcome their struggles will be able to start or join an LLC within the facility to earn a living. 50- 60% of the commission earned from your services will be yours and the facility will use the remainder to keep the program functioning. Over time this home will be in a position to be purchased. Perhaps if made financially available to those we serve, they too can become home owners. We will then take the profits from the sale to recoup expenses in the business, purchase and furnish a new home in need of extra care. In a world of entrepreneurs seeking fame and fortune, I am out here trying to change the hearts and minds of those who do not believe in change, and those who believe that they cannot change. thank you for your time and consideration.

What I want to do has truly never been done here in the United States. At least not that I have been able to find. My hope is that I will be able to play a part in the de-stigmatization of mental health here in America. I am seeking to obtain my licensure in clinical Psychology for addiction, recovery, trauma, and relationships. What I aim to do cannot happen without first obtaining my bachelor's degree. After graduating it is on to graduate school for my masters to hopefully change the world. I aim to open my own therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a hair salon. During your hour long session you can get your hair styled, braided, cut, or washed. This is aimed at calming the central nervous system to create a comforting, relaxing, and nurturing environment in which to heal. As I have stated, I have not yet been able to find anything like this that already exists. This to me is incredibly exciting. It also means, however if I cannot fund my education, the way we see mental health professions may be stuck at a stand still. My second main goal is directed at beautifying my home town and helping those seeking to get out of abusive relationships, substance abuse, or any other unhealthy situation. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. thank you for your time and consideration.

My professional goals are not fancy or extravagant. My hope however is that they will be impactful. My hope is that I will be able to play a part in the de-stigmatization of mental health here in America. I am seeking to obtain my licensures in clinical Psychology for addiction, recovery, trauma, and relationships. My facilities will look at the person as a whole human. We will not look at any one person for their gender, sexuality, race, religion, addiction, abuse, etc. The only part of our facility where that matters is in their ability to heal. I aim to open my own therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a hair salon. During your hour long session you can get your hair styled, braided, cut, or washed. This is aimed at calming the central nervous system to create a comforting, relaxing, and nurturing environment in which to heal. My second main goal is directed at beautifying my home town and helping those seeking to get out of abusive relationships, substance abuse, or any other unhealthy situation. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. thank you for your time and consideration.

My professional goals are not fancy or extravagant. My hope however is that they will be impactful. I aim to open my own therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a hair salon. During your hour long session you can get your hair styled, braided, cut, or washed. This is aimed at calming the central nervous system to create a comforting, relaxing, and nurturing environment in which to heal. My second main goal is directed at beautifying my home town and helping those seeking to get out of abusive relationships, substance abuse, or any other unhealthy situation. My plan is to purchase derelict homes, and restore them to be functional for those going through detox, living on the street, and or trying to find a safe place to help children with their homework, This home will look, act, and function like a home. The only thing you will not be able to do is stay overnight, or live in the home. There will be free individual, and group therapy offered, as well as child care for those in need but concerned about their child's safety while they seek help. thank you for your time and consideration.

I am not smarter than anyone else. I am not funnier, wittier, or any more exciting than others. I am clever, compassionate, caring, and have a passion for healing mental health. I do not mean to imply that mental health is a problem that can magically be fixed. Rather, I look at mental health as something that (like most things in life) is a scientific process. Developmental disabilities, and neurodivergence is no exception to this mentality. I have been interested in psychology for as long as I can remember. I find the human brain, and human behavior fascinating. We all have the same basic things inside, but the way we are chemically and genetically developed changes everything about who we are and who we become. Last year I chose to go back to school to make a dream of opening a therapy office disguised as a hair salon a reality. This past year has only affirmed the belief I have that psychology is just as much scientific as it is holistic healing. Developmental disabilities is a subject that is incredibly close to my heart. For years I worked both as a paraeducator, and a home health aide for those with severe multiple disabilities. Many of these children suffer from multiple developmental disabilities and have already exceeded their life expectancy. These kids were my life until I got pregnant with our first child. Many of them were violent, and I was advised to leave my job for safety reasons. Our oldest son was born with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. He currently lives with Post Traumatic Stress syndrome, and was recently diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. So how do my two worlds collide into a world of positive supports and applied behavior analysis? Well, between studying in school, and working through all we can to help better our son's situation I am finally able to see what I have felt all along. Many of those with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and even some intellectual disabilities are not as disabled as we might think. There is absolutely a disconnect here, and their conditions are very real so I am not in any way trying to downgrade their conditions. What if though their neurodivergence was not the problem. If I have learned anything in the past year it is that neurodivergence is really a fancy way of saying your brain works differently from my brain. In mental health we are finally starting to come around to the fact that just because a condition exists does not mean it is inherently bad. What if this whole time we have merely been expecting these people to think and act in a neurotypical way? What if the problem is communication and understanding? What if someone with a developmental disability does not need a pill, but patience? That is not to say that medication is not invaluable to some, as it truly helps so many. We now understand miles of information about the brain that we did not know even five years ago. It is entirely probable that many of these people with developmental disabilities are in fact being over medicated due to outdated information. By working through what we can without medication, it allows us to help science of medication to work for us, not against. We are fortunate to have a pediatrician who believes in exhausting all non-medicated options before considering medication. In working through BalAVisX with our oldest I have learned that the right and left sides of the brain are merely missing the neurons that bridge the two. This is why we do not typically see midline crossing, but rather everything on the body being pulled to the center. Weighted blankets help us to feel grounded. Fidgets allow the "unnecessary" energy to be dispelled so we can focus. This is something I aim to work at once I have obtained my license. Normalizing what once was stigmatized. Eye contact is not equivalent to respect. Movement does not indicate a lack of focus. The sooner we are able to understand neurodivergent behavior, the better we will become at bridging the gap between those, and neurotypical individuals. Developmental disabilities are not disabling if the societal norm turns from archaiac and one sided to being willing to comprehend that not all brains function the same way. It is with patience, compassion, and understanding that we can better understand those whose brains simply function differently. thank you for your time.

Coping with mental illness has become second nature in my life. Sometimes I am not sure where the line between my coping ends and masking begins. Most of what I believe to be coping is creative. Sometimes it is a cake, sometimes it is a monster makeup. My passion is creativity. It is not limited to one platform. My passion is helping others. My life has been built around taking care of others. This is part of my generational trauma. Trying to find healthy ways to work through this has been a struggle. I cut for years. I went to cosmetology school about fourteen years ago. This was pivotal for me. It taught me to care for others in a healthy manner. It taught me to set boundaries, and learn the importance of self care. It also taught me that so many people use their hair as a form of therapy. What if people could actually receive therapy in an environment that felt, looked and acted like a hair salon? This is the first of two of my big goals that lead me to go back to school. There are so many people right now trying to get out of abusive relationships (men, and women), so many trying to find a new way to function outside of addiction. What if there was a place they could just exist? What if there was a place that for a while, they were just treated as human beings? No stigma, no preconceived notions, just compassion. What if there was a shower, food in the refrigerator, one on one, and group therapy offered with child care services? This is the basis for my second main goal. I will, one by one be buying run down, or abandoned houses in town and turning them into hope homes. A place with a drop box where there will be no questions or police waiting for you to dump contraband. A place where you can clean up , and shower. A place where you can feel your child can safely do their homework instead of being stuck with their abuser because you have no other choice. I have known too many people afraid to seek mental health therapy because of what it might look like to others. These homes seek to become self sustaining. As there will be no cost to these homes, we will ask whatever ability you have to beautify this home, use it. Whatever you can do to help others in the community, that is payment. Eventually they will be able to create businesses based on their skill-set with others inside the facility. they will receive a 50-60% commission and the remainder will go back into the facility to recoup expenses. Too long have people felt as lesser than human because of their suffering. This stigma has to end. It is my hope that in a town where mental health is still hush hush, we can not only change lives, we can change mentalities. Seeing those suffering as human beings will change the lives of all involved. When you feel as though your worth comes from within, from who you are at your core along with professional help, there is nothing that cannot stop you. thank you for your time and consideration

Merely days after receiving my cosmetology license, I noticed something pivotal to my life. Hair dressers are are the Band-Aid; but our clients are often in dire need of stitches. I have been a cosmetologist for almost thirteen years now. I am a third-generation Hispanic woman re-rooting her family in its culture, and breaking toxic generational cycles. I am a wife, a mother, and a crafty child of God who is trying desperately to help heal the world in ways that maybe have not been done before. I am not exciting, or special. I am merely trying to remove the Band-Aid’s, and start sutures. During the pandemic, I had had a revelation. The good Lord’s was saying “look man, its time to piss or get off the pot.” After a thirteen-year hiatus from formal education, I am back in school seeking out my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Then it is on to my masters in clinical psychology. I will focus on addiction, recovery, and trauma, and general therapy. I intend to become a fully licensed hair-apist. Yep! I said what I said. My goal is to open up the first ever therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a single chair salon. During your therapy session you can get a haircut, scalp massage, style, or many other basic services. During your sessions we will work through, and seek to find exercises and healing to overcome whatever you may be struggling with. The change may start with this single chair salon, but not end there. Eventually as this business grows, I will be buying functional but run-down houses in the area. The plan is to turn them into homes that look, and act like homes. They are intended for those in active addiction, in unhealthy relationships, those needing a healthy safe spaces for their family during the day. In this home you can take care of your laundry, feed your family, and take a shower. This home will have clean clothes if you are in need, as well as individual, and group therapy services made available. The home will be maintained by those who use the services. The goal here is to rehabilitate these homes, and families. Whatever skill you possess, we will ask you to use it to better the home and our community. How does this all tie back into my family? It is actually pretty simple. You see my grandparents were taught to hide and be ashamed of their heritage. My parents were taught to hide and be ashamed of their feelings. My siblings and I were expected to overcome it all, but no one really had any solutions. Our children are expected to be loving, compassionate, caring humans. This salon, and these homes teach all of this. If our past predicts our future, then that means our present is the pertinent detail to bridging the gap between the two. Our community must understand that those struggling are still humans. Those seeking healing must understand that being treated as functioning members of society allows them to be like everyone else, unmarked. Our children must understand that compassion, not condemnation is how we heal what’s broken. This is who I am. This is all of who I am. The wife, the mom, the daughter, the student. It is I though, who is the healer, the bridge, and the sutures. I am broken just as so many others. It is because I am broken that I need my husband, my children, my family, and our community. It is together that we become unstoppable forces of healing. Thank you.

Newton, Kansas is your typical small town USA. With that small town comes places that close early, and idle hands. Small towns unfortunately often come with higher substance abuse concerns. The arts is one way to help change the view of those struggling in and trying to work through addiction. Once I have obtained my masters in Clinical Psychology, my goal is to buy old houses and use them for outpatient recovery. That is great Julia, but what does that have to do with the Arts? That is a great question. Often times those seen in recovery, active addiction, and victims of abuse are seen with a stigma. This house proves to change that. The house will be self sustaining complete with beautification. If you are an artist, help us beautify the home. Create pieces for the walls, create a mural on the playground equipment. Work through your therapy by writing a play. We as a team will re-enact it. Whatever helps you heal. As you get back on your feet, there will be options to take whatever form helps you in your healing and become hired on through the facility. As you are hired on you will work out in the community doing whatever it is you are comfortable with. This will all start with one home. Over time, we will move homes as we beautify them, and them sell them back to those in need working hard to get back on their feet. The money from those homes goes directly back into the facility. We will use it to find and purchase a new house, furnish, and supply the home with food, detergents, and cleaning supplies. Our community needs help healing. By beautifying it we allow those who are in need to heal. By allowing others to heal, we allow our community to grow in its thoughts about addiction, abuse and trauma. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Merely days after receiving my cosmetology license, I noticed something pivotal to my life. Hair dressers are are the Band-Aid; but our clients are often in dire need of stitches. I have been a cosmetologist for almost thirteen years now. My name is Julia. I am a Cis gendered female. I am a mom of two boys under the age of seven. I am a wife to an incredibly supportive husband also in school full time. I am a third-generation Hispanic woman who is re-rooting her family in its culture, and breaking toxic generational cycles. As I am typing this, I am also helping my husband get our oldest to sleep. This is who I am. A wife, a mother, and a crafty child of God who is trying desperately to help heal the world in ways that maybe have not been done before. I am not exciting, or special. I am merely trying to remove the Band-Aid’s, and start sutures. During the pandemic, many of us felt as though we had had a revelation. I saw mine more as the good Lord’s way of saying “look man, its time to piss or get off the pot.” So, after a thirteen-year hiatus from formal education, I am back in school seeking out my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Then it is on to my masters in clinical psychology. I will focus on addiction, recovery, and trauma, and general therapy. I intend to become a fully licensed hairapist. Yep! I said what I said. My goal is to open up the first ever therapy office that looks, feels, and functions like a single chair salon. During your therapy session you can get a haircut, scalp massage, style, or many other basic services. During your sessions we will work through, and seek to find exercises and healing to overcome whatever you may be struggling with. The change may start with this single chair salon. It will not end there however. Eventually as this business grows, I will be buying functional but run-down houses in the area, and turning them into homes that look, and act like homes, but are intended for those in active addiction seeking to get out. Those in unhealthy relationships trying to transition. Those needing to have healthy safe spaces for their family until the shelter opens in the evening. In this home you can take care of your laundry, feed your family, and take a shower. This home will have clean clothes if you are in need, as well as individual, and group therapy services made available. The home will be maintained by those who use the services. The goal here is to rehabilitate these homes, and families. Whatever skill you possess, we will ask you to use it to better the home and our community. How does this all tie back into my family? It is actually pretty simple. You see my grandparents were taught to hide and be ashamed of their heritage. My parents were taught to hide and be ashamed of their feelings. My siblings and I were expected to overcome it all, but no one really had any solutions. Our children are expected to be loving, compassionate, caring humans. This salon, and these homes teach all of this. If our past predicts our future, then that means our present is the pertinent detail to bridging the gap between the two. Our community must understand that those struggling are still humans. Those seeking healing must understand that being treated as functioning members of society allows them to be like everyone else, unmarked. Our children must understand that compassion, not condemnation is how we heal what’s broken. This is who I am. This is all of who I am. The wife, the mom, the daughter, the student. It is I though, who is the healer, the bridge, and the sutures. I am broken just as so many others. It is because I am broken that I need my husband, my children, my family, and our community. It is together that we become unstoppable forces of healing. Thank you.

This is my sister. What appears to be an underwhelming portrait was a statement to her. My youngest is a beautiful soul that has struggled deeply with trauma, self image, self worth, as well as an eating disorder. The portrait this is taken from is the first photo she took after overcoming her eating disorder. It is also the first time she said she felt beautiful in a photo. This was her gift for Christmas. I told her that I hoped she always saw the beauty of herself the way she saw the art that was created from it. This is who I am as artist, a stylist, and someday hopefully a therapist. There are tons of traditional flaws in this piece. It is far from perfect, but she saw its beauty. To her it was beautiful because it was art. I needed her to understand that she is a glorious work of art. I told her that if she could see the beauty in the piece there was no reason she should not be able to see the value and worth in herself. My goal in life, and art is to allow people to understand the potential inside of them. Through their flaws there is joy, life, and beauty. We are conditioned to be perfect, but no one is perfect. Sometimes, we need help to see that who we are is beautiful. What we have overcome is beautiful. Our beauty is not a societal standard. Our beauty is the scars, mistakes, imperfections, and flaws we embrace, or overcome in life. Thank you for your time and consideration.

What is a hobby? Its definition suggestion one thing that we do in our leisure time. What if though a hobby was not merely one thing? What if it was in fact many things. What if we did not only do these for leisure but survival? My hobbies over the years have become survival skills. They are ways of coping with whatever anxiety, or trauma I am working through at the time. Special Makeup effects - that was a favorite hobby of mine. Creating monsters and aliens from nothing except my imagination was cathartic. I used Makeup effects to work through the power of pain through words. Hair and makeup was another hobby. One I managed to turn into a career. Braiding puts me into a trance of quiet my brain otherwise is not lucky enough to experience. Styling is safe. It makes people feel beautiful with very little concern about it being too short or not short enough. Hair and makeup was a way to work though my multitude of insecurities about never being good enough. Writing for pleasure is a hobby I miss dearly. Being a student I am fortunate to be writing papers all the time. When it comes to short stories, novels, and poetry however, there seems to be little time in my world. Writing allowed me to work through deep seeded childhood pain. Writing kept me alive. While some are fortunate enough to have hobbies for fun, my hobbies have helped me through some of the worst life experiences. They have kept me, and pulled me out of addiction. They have allowed me to heal without medication. Hobbies are everything to me. Without them, I would have likely died a long time ago.