“I was the first person in my family to go to college. I got a scholarship to Troy and kept changing majors because I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I came home when my mother had cancer. I finished at South and started my own PR firm a few years ago. I was also a mom and bartended at the Bluegill for a year to help support our family while getting the business off the ground. Then I was offered the director of the Mobile Arts Council. Being on boards of non-profits made me qualified, but it has been more work than I ever dreamed it would be. 

I have always been a leader and have to be involved, busy, and helping. One project stops and I add another, but that is harder now being a mother of three young children. I am trying to be better about just going to the library or kicking a soccer ball with my kids  I make a list when I go home at night and try to leave it all there and turn off.  Mom guilt is tough. We expect too much out of ourselves. I can’t remember the last time I have done a craft with my kids. 

I started going to a therapist because this year was hard and I got sad. Both of my husband’s parents passed in a very short time and soon after that we had a baby. We moved into a nice, bigger house that we had worked hard for, but It was hard to get out of bed. Many nights I cried after everyone went to sleep. I finally feel like I am coming back to the surface and realized how much we are hurting each other by posting happy stuff on social media all of the time. Sadness is an emotion we hide, but it comes from deep inside. I encourage people to go to a therapist and deal with these emotions because we aren’t ‘too blessed to be depressed.’ We out on a happy face while feeling alone in the crowd.

Therapy has helped me admit I need help with everything from dishes to work. I don’t know why it is hard to say I need help or why I need to look like I can handle everything myself. The imposter syndrome also sneaks in and I feel like I am not as good at whatever I am doing as someone else. Life is a roller coaster with highs and lows and I have been all over that roller coaster this year. Being with friends and family and the real personal connections are helping me find the balance. We can accept each other where we are and help each other though. We need to embrace our failures, too.

One day, I want to learn sign language. I took two courses in college, but I have forgotten all of it. So many people don’t communicate that way. We don’t do much to help the deaf community or to understand them. I want to go into their world and communicate. We have to be willing to cross boundaries to understand each other.”

Help the Mobile Arts Council give kids art this Christmas.

“All kids in Mobile should be able to have access to art, music, and dance. But transportation problem and reaching the kids who can’t get to classes or practises after school is a problem. Some parents don’t have time or care, but these kids are the ones who need art most. I found art kits for $5 and we are encouraging arts council members and supporters to buy or donate these so we can give them out for Christmas.”