October 2021 by Austin Woman Magazine

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FEATURE

MOVING FORWARD BY JENNY HOFF PHOTOS BY ROMINA OLSON

FEATURE

TURNING ANGER INTO ACTION BY CY WHITE

ATXWOMAN.COM | 7

CONTENTS | OCTOBER

24 70

FROM THE DESK OF Regan Zuege

GIVE BACK Regarding Cancer

PROFILE Jeanne Baker Guy

COUNT US IN The Legacy Collective

BEAUTY Raeka Panda’s August Wedding

ON THE MONEY Becoming A “Badass” With Money

GUIDE TO GOOD HEALTH

WHERE TO WORK Are you hiring?

SEE HER WORK Cindy Lopez

THE FEED Austin Shift Meal

FASHION Art Bra Austin

TAKE NOTE Hispanic and Latinx Women-Owned Businesses

I AM AUSTIN WOMAN Shayda Torabi

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CONTRIBUTORS This month, we asked our contributors: What has been one challenge you’ve survived in the past year?

A PUBLICATION OF AW MEDIA INC.

VOLUME 20, ISSUE 2

JENNY HOFF DAWN WESTON

Writer, “Moving Forward,” page 52

Publisher

• She walked part of the Great Wall of China. • She jumped out of an airplane over the

JAIME ALBERS

Australian brush.

Art Director

• She lived in Singapore for part of college. “Dealing with uncertainty. Of course, every day of

CY WHITE

our lives is uncertain, but being used to planning

Managing Editor

life—from birthday parties for the kids to vacations to school schedules—this year has forced me to get

DARBY KENDALL

back into just going with the flow, whatever that

Copy Editor

may be.”

PARKE BALLANTINE

Director of Events and Branding Strategy ANNE COX

ROMINA OLSON

Production Coordinator

Photographer, “Moving Forward,” page 52

CONTRIBUTORS

• She is a fourth-generation Austinite.

Editorial: Diana Dobson, Jenny Hoff, Fiza Kuzhiyil, Raeka Panda, Shayda Torabi, Cy White, Sloane Wick, Regan Zuege Art: Breast Cancer Resource Center Brenda Ladd Photography, Breezy Ritter Photography, Dell Medical School, Kevin Deal, Gaby Demieke, Flashbax23, Flashpool Productions, Morgan Kehrberg, Cindy Lopez, Robbie Lopez, Brandon McKinney, Mady Morneault, Mandi Nelson, Romina Olson, Danelle Sasser, Malcolm Villanueva, Jessica Wetterer, Todd White Photography

• She speaks fluent Italian and is named after the city of Rome. • She always tries to catch the sunset, even outside the grocery store. “Traveling this summer to two countries during a pandemic with my 1-year-old son. It was a bit hectic at times but completely worth it!”

INTERNS

Monica Godinez, Fiza Kuzhiyil, Emily Manning, Sloane Wick

CY WHITE Writer, “Turning Anger Into Action,” page 60 • She can sing in Korean. • She produces her own music. • She can clap with one hand.

AW MEDIA INC.

“Moving from one apartment to another

MELINDA GARVEY

KIP GARVEY

completely on foot. They’re not that far apart,

Co-founder/Co-owner

CEO/Co-owner

so I thought, ‘Why not?’ (Never again!)”

SAMANTHA STEVENS

Co-founder

ASHLEY GOOLSBY

CFO

Austin Woman is a free monthly publication of AW Media Inc. and is available at locations throughout Austin and in Lakeway, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Pflugerville. All rights reserved. To offer feedback, email feedback@awmediainc.com. For submission information, visit atxwoman.com/jobs. No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission. Visit us online at atxwoman.com. Email us at info@awmediainc.com. 512.328.2421 | 7401 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78739

ATXWOMAN.COM | 11

FROM THE EDITOR

Wow, it’s been a long couple years, hasn’t it, dear reader? A long month, if I’m being honest. Some of it’s enough to make one want to rage quit! And rage is one hell of a motivator. When Captain America informs Dr. Bruce Banner that “now would be a good time to get angry,” Banner turns to him, his body slowly performing a Jekyll and Hyde transformation into the green juggernaut, and says, “That’s my secret, Captain. I’m always angry.” But this issue is about surviving against all odds. Making the best of every situation, no matter what it is, and reaching your highest heights. Being able to say, “Yeah, I did that. I’m a badass!” So let me tell you a little about the women in this issue. These women never let rage or the circumstances that caused it to consume them. Jamie Schanbaum, our cover woman, had her entire life torn apart when at the young age of 20 she was diagnosed with Meningococcal septicemia, a bacteria similar to meningitis that infects the blood. It took her fingers and her legs. Did this champion give up? Absolutely not. She didn’t even dream of it. She took the emotions of her loss and let them fuel her to become a goldmedal Paralympian. Mady Morneault, Lauryn Ott and Anna Sweeney organized their first rally for Women’s March last year, an event to honor the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg and protest the move to fill her seat before the election. The Proud Boys, an alt-right white supremacist group, crashed their rally, flinging sexual obscenities and assaulting some of the security there. Did these queens stop fighting for womxn’s rights? As if! They continue to raise their voices and push back against the patriarchy. The list of Hispanic and Latine womenowned businesses featured in this issue is a testament to the will power, imagination and resiliency of women who’ve always had to work harder for less. All of the women featured in this issue do more than just survive. They win no matter what! It starts with love. Everything begins and ends with love. If you lead with it and never let go of your desire to win, you absolutely cannot lose. Hold tight to the ones you love, the ones who have been through hell and back with you, who hold you up when you feel your knees weak and your resolve crumbling. Because when times get weary, these are the bonds that will never break.

CY WHITE EDITOR

Publication of Austin Woman would not be possible without the support of our monthly advertisers and sponsors, who believe in the impact we are making in the Austin community. The following businesses have stepped up their support of our efforts beyond traditional advertising and we are proud to recognize them as our partners. The team at Austin Woman is grateful for these businesses that have shown their commitment to the advancement of women in Austin and hopes you, as readers, recognize their efforts and support these businesses and all our regular advertisers.

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Can’t get enough of this issue? Check us out at atxwoman.com. The Texas Heartbeat Bill SB 8, aka the “Heartbeat Bill,” officially went into effect Sept. 1, 2021. In this op-ed, medical professionals react to the restrictive anti-abortion bill.

The Museum of Future Present If you crave an experience you’ll never forget, you absolutely must visit the Museum of Future Present, hosted by Native Hostel.

The Followers Radhia Gleis draws from personal and contemporary examples of narcissistic cult leaders for her book and sets the record straight about their followers.

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14 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

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Photos by Becker1999, Cy White. Photos courtesy of Radhia Gleis and Maha Coffee.

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STAFF PICKS

WHAT’S A SURVIVAL SKILL YOU PRACTICE RELIGIOUSLY?

The Austin Woman staff proves there are many ways to survive out there. CY WHITE MANAGING EDITOR

It’s an unfortunate cliche, but I absolutely do not walk anywhere at night. If I’m already out and have to walk, I make sure I leave before the sun goes down. I say unfortunate cliche because, yeah, it’s a thing that women have to think about. I’m sure not every woman is that concerned about walking around at night, particularly if they’re with other people. And I admit I’m more comfortable when I’m with somebody else. But I absolutely do not feel safe being out at night. Too many things can (and have) happened to the point I’m very wary of my surroundings, especially when it’s too dark to see everything. (Here’s a picture of my cat keeping me safe!)

ANNE COX PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Oh, this is such a hard one for me. I’ve always said that if I was ever in the Hunger Games I would die first LOL. I’m also scared of bugs and am definitely not equipped with any skills useful for the great outdoors. But if we’re talking about surviving day-to-day life, I would say something that’s really important to me is keeping up the close friendships with my besties. It’s so incredibly easy to get caught up in the state of the world and feel sad for all the things you can’t control. Taking a break from all of that to do dumb things with my friends is always much needed, and I would say 100% necessary for survival. Oh, and wine! Can’t forget about wine.

DAWN WESTON PUBLISHER

One of my means of survival these days is 30 minutes of exercise daily. It can be a cycling class, yoga or just a walk around my neighborhood. The moments and movement keep me sane.

PARKE BALLANTINE

All photos courtesy of respective staff member.

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS AND BRANDING STRATEGY

While I’m not a survivalist in the strictest sense of knowing how to forage or build shelter from string and gum, I do consider myself a strong survivor and feel that my spiritual and creative practices are the skills that helped me live through it all so far. As the past year has highlighted, being able to care for our holistic health is essential to our collective survival. The impact of coronavirus and lockdown forced me to double down and prioritize the rituals and activities that support me in being vulnerable, expressive, confident and connected in order to survive. In no particular order some of these things are dancing, dressing up, laughing, cooking, meditating, yoga, reading, drawing, writing, watching films, listening to music and breathing.

EMILY MANNING MARKETING INTERN

I practice meditation. Meditation and breath control are survival skills that don’t seem too important, but without controlling your breathing and organizing your thoughts there’s no way to get things done. Living in such a fast-paced world, meditating is the only time I can take out of my day to stop and give my mind a break from the constantly turning wheels. I think finding a quiet space that we feel comfortable in and clearing our thoughts is a necessity in surviving this busy society we’ve built.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 15

FROM THE DESK OF

SEVEN MARATHONS IN SEVEN DAYS

Regan Zuege never allowed her battle with MS to stop her from running circles around her dreams. BY REGAN ZUEGE

In October 2020, I applied to be a team member on a 19-person coast-to-

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING. I decided before my feet even hit the pavement that I would choose joy every step of the way. I’ve learned through my battle with MS that I could use setbacks as springboards. MS has given me so much perspective in life, and I don’t take much for granted. I carried that into my 178-mile run, and even though I endured narrow highway shoulders, an intense sunburn, daily widespread heat rash, fatigue, blisters on my feet and sore muscles, I continued to tell myself, “If this is the worst thing that happens to me, I’ll be okay!” It wasn’t about how tough I was; it was about finding joy even in the hardest moments and choosing positivity and faith above all else.

START BEFORE YOU’RE READY.

IT’S OKAY TO WALK.

Everyone puts dreams and lofty goals on the backburner because timing never feels right. “When the kids are older…when I’m less busy…when (fill in the blank) finally happens, then I will…” Nope. There will never be a perfect time when the clouds part and you feel like now is the time. Life happens and keeps happening, so start now and start small. As a full-time working mom with two toddlers, time is something I don’t have much of, but I made time because I knew this opportunity would change my life and the lives of others. My first real running goal was a half-marathon. I started with that and built from there. What could your first mini goal be to help you get to your final destination?

I had to humble myself and stop comparing my journey to those of my teammates, many of whom were no stranger to ultra-marathons and long-distance running. About 25% of my total mileage was walked. I knew to make it to the end I would need to slow down and listen to my body. Your journey to accomplish your own goals won’t look like anyone else’s, so don’t compare stats and social media posts to someone else who has already gone before you and accomplished something similar. Take things as slow as you need to. It’s not a race. You just need to get to the finish line.

GET UNCOMFORTABLE.

I never realized how many people were “my people” until I ventured into this wild journey. I received donations from more than 200 individuals and families, totaling $27,310. I’ve had friends lay their hands on me and pray for me. I’ve received messages from long-lost friends and even a girl who once bullied me in high school. I’ve been so encouraged by my friends, family, coworkers, church community and complete strangers. The more vulnerable I was during my journey, the more people I heard from. I have a community of encouragers that believed in me even more than I believed in myself. Ultimately, that made all the difference.

Truth is I have been a lifelong hater of running. I would figure out ways to avoid running the mile at school and even during workout classes as an adult. I hated it because it was hard and uncomfortable for me. So I started with walk-run intervals when I first began running for fitness and built from there. I’ve learned the art of discipline and found it extremely rewarding to embrace the uncomfortable moments as opportunities to grow and improve. If you feel intimidated and unsure, lean in, because I can guarantee you will learn and grow from the experience even if it doesn’t pan out exactly how you plan it.

16 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

CULTIVATE AN ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY. Photo by Malcolm Villanueva.

coast relay team for MS Run the US, a nonprofit that uses the annual relay to raise funds and awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS). Each segment is a solo-run endeavor, spanning five to eight days depending on distance, and individual runners commit to fundraising at least $10,000. At the time of my application the farthest I had run without stopping was only 4 miles, but I felt a strong pull to be bold and do something outside of my comfort zone. I convinced Ashley Schneider, the nonprofit’s director, to give me a spot on the team. Something inside me made me believe I could do the training and successfully run 178 miles over seven days. I made her believe it too. I’ve never let my own personal six-year battle with MS limit me, and this would be no exception. So June 2 through 8 I ran from Denver to Wray, Colorado. I still haven’t fully processed my journey, and I’m not sure I ever will. When my kids are older, I can’t wait to tell them all about it. I’ve never felt more proud and more humbled all at once. I challenge you to think of something on your bucket list, a big dream, or even a small but meaningful task you’ve been putting off. What’s the first step? I dare you to take it.

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ATXWOMAN.COM | 17

GIVE BACK

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Nonprofit organization Regarding Cancer believes no one should ever have to face cancer alone. BY DIANA DOBSON

“You have cancer.” No matter the stage, whatever the diagnosis, those three words can stop time in its tracks. When a patient gets diagnosed with cancer, they and their loved ones try to grasp how they will rearrange their lives in the short-term while processing the uncertainty of the future. During an intense schedule of followup appointments, they learn about their diagnosis, prognosis and plan for treatment, which could include chemotherapy, surgery, radiation—or all three. A cancer diagnosis can generate a thousand feelings: fear, confusion, anxiety, distress, despair, depression, anger, hopelessness, frustration. The first few weeks after diagnosis are particularly challenging. Many patients have trouble thinking, eating or sleeping as they wrestle with the enormity of the diagnosis. With each diagnosis comes the need to understand the disease and treatments, to cope with emotions, manage disruptions and mood disturbances, financial stress, changes in role, spiritual concerns and the many other psychosocial problems that arise. Regarding Cancer believes that no one should face cancer alone. The Regarding Cancer mission is to provide free psychosocial support and resources to cancer patients and their caregivers in the Central Texas area by matching newly diagnosed patients with a peer who’s survived the same type of cancer or a caregiver of cancer patients. We provide support from 278 volunteers who themselves have survived a cancer diagnosis or have been a caregiver for a loved one with cancer. Following a three-hour training, volunteers become mentors in one-on-one mentoring relationships based on cancer type. Beyond helping the patients referred to the support program, our volunteers benefit from providing the service as part of survivorship. Regarding Cancer provides firstly support for emotional and social concerns through diagnosis, treatment, recovery, survivorship and advanced disease; secondly an education on what to expect with treatment and guidance on how to navigate difficult decisions; and lastly the hope gained through fellowship with others experiencing the same journey. Executive Director Diana Dobson (left) and Program Director Linda Richards

18 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

Photos courtesy of Regarding Cancer.

Can you give us a brief idea of what Regarding Cancer does?

“” The most rewarding part of working for Regarding Cancer is getting to witness so many wonderful people who are going through the toughest time of their lives be united with a survivor.

Our organization serves anyone 18 years and older at any stage of cancer, including those facing death, and support for loved ones of those who have lost their battle with cancer. All of our programs are available for people across the cancer continuum, from the time of diagnosis, during and post-treatment and survivorship. What has been the most rewarding aspect of being a part of Regarding Cancer?

The most rewarding part of working for Regarding Cancer is getting to witness so many wonderful people who are going through the toughest time of their lives be united with a survivor. At the heart of what we do are the stories of the people we serve. They remind me of the importance of our work, and we are honored to witness the impact Regarding Cancer volunteers can make on those touched by this horrible disease. For those living with cancer or who know someone living with cancer, what words of encouragement would you like to give them?

I do not understand why the word “cancer” holds such a huge stigma and fear for talking to and helping cancer patients. This needs to change. A diagnosis of cancer can make a person feel removed from everyday life. It can be a time of awful, overwhelming loneliness and a time of feeling out of control. Sometimes the most moving words the sufferer wants to hear are the most basic: “I’m here for you. Let me know what you need.” Saying that and meaning it may be the most incredibly important act of kindness you’ll ever do for someone. Your words may be exactly what it takes to motivate someone to get through another day of treatment, one day at a time. Sometimes the right thing to say to a person who has cancer is nothing at all. Let the individual scream, shout, punch the wall, shake a fist to the sky, whatever helps. Listen to what the person has to say without judgment and make sure the individual knows that you’ll always be there, no matter what. Knowing that someone has their back through the roller coaster of their cancer diagnosis and treatment can be a great comfort. Visit atxwoman.com to read the interview in its entirety.

This is an example of the many letters we receive from those we serve: “Hi, this is Jayne writing on behalf of both Gabi and myself. The volunteers you put us in touch with have been amazing resources. Thank you so very much from the bottom of our hearts for getting us in touch with people who have been there. Your service is amazing and of priceless value to us. If it weren’t for COVID I’d hunt you down and give you a big hug. It’s been such a relief to know there’s people to talk to while waiting for the results between surgery and chemo. Thank you so very much for all you do; it’s made such a huge difference in our lives in such a very short amount of time.”

To learn more visit our website at regardingcancer.org.

PROFILE

TURNING TRAUMA INTO TRIUMPH

Jeanne Baker Guy knows firsthand the trauma of losing her children and fighting to get them back. BY SLOANE WICK

Jeanne Baker Guy had fear in her bones when she saw the strained way her good friend the Rev. John Roof made his way up the staircase to her second-floor apartment. Immediately upon observing him, Guy knew something was wrong. “He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulder,” Guy says. “I didn’t know what to fear at that point, but I feared terrible things.” Her fear was justified. Instead of greeting her with the usual hug, Roof pulled a letter from his vest pocket that would change Guy’s life. In familiar stiff handwriting, her German ex-husband, Klaus, wrote: “..the children and I ... We are in a place where you’ll never find us.” Guy collapsed as grief, shock and horror coursed through her body. Roof caught his sobbing friend and held her as she was forced to face her worst fear. In the summer of 1977, Guy’s ex-husband stole her two children, 6-year-old Ty and 3-year-old Megan, and took them to Germany. The only things she had to hold on to were Klaus’ letter and her unwavering determination to get her kids back. What she went through after that would provide the foundation for her memoir, You’ll Never Find Us, which was published on Aug. 17. Guy’s first action when she learned her children were gone was to go to the police. However, it quickly became obvious to her that the legal system would not be able to give her the help she needed. The Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act, a federal law that outlines when courts should honor and enforce custody determinations, would not be enacted for another three years. “The law just was not on our side. They treated it as just a personal situation,” Guy says with a deep sigh. She knew if she was going to get her children back, she would have to take them back herself. So, she did. On Nov. 22, 1977, after 119 days of separation and countless hours of investigating, Guy overcame the odds and found her children. “I felt them breathing as I held them close, silently making them promises,” Guy writes in her memoir. “I will never take you for granted. I will care for you, love you, protect you. No one will ever take you from me again.”

20 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

THE STORY Guy, who received her bachelor’s degree in English literature and drama, is an experienced writer. She’s written blogs for years and is on the Board of Directors for the Story Circle Network, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and empowering women writers. Guy’s desire to share her story grew over time as she worked vigorously to recover from her trauma. She refined her work through various writers’ workshops, retreats and conferences with other authors. The people in these writing events cheered her on and helped her improve her writing skills. “If anyone thinks they can write a book alone, I think they’re mistaken,” Guy insists. “You need that support.” Over several years, Guy collected everything she had saved from the kidnapping and began writing her story. The process was full of painful reminders of the time without her children, but she powered through. “As long as I let the story fester inside me, there would be no end to the pain,” she says. “But by writing and shedding light on the story...I could know some peace.” After 15 years of writing, learning and encouragement, Guy’s journey to find peace transformed into her memoir.

THE SURVIVAL Guy’s journey of survival came in two parts: surviving the abduction and recovery of her children and surviving the trauma that came after. “I had to survive. Somehow I found that courage within me every day to get up and make sure that was uppermost in my mind,” Guy says. “You need to get that trauma out. Otherwise it stays stuck.” She also reached out to her community and the people closest to her for help. “I had enough family and friends surrounding me [to get through the trauma. They] helped in any and all ways they could.” Her children, especially Ty, who was old enough to remember being taken, also had to cope. As adults, they both understood and encouraged their mother to write the memoir as her method of survival. “Both of them said to me, ‘Mom, this is your book,’” Guy says, a note of pride in her voice. “‘We will support you, and we want you to write it.’” In reading Guy’s writing, her children were able to gain a new understanding of their mother and her struggle. They celebrated the publishing of You’ll Never Find Us with their mother in her Cedar Park home. “Shit, mom,” Guy remembers her son saying. “I had no idea. I had no idea what you went through.” Guy survived her trauma by reframing the narrative of what could have been an unresolved kidnapping case. Her life changed with a letter, but she got it back with a book.

Photos by Danelle Sasser.

THE SITUATION

COUNT US IN

A LEGACY OF SUPPORT

The Legacy Collective is dedicated to helping families, businesses and nonprofits survive financial hardship. BY CY WHITE ILLUSTRATIONS BY JESSICA WETTERER

38 The Legacy Collective covered 38 farmers’ fees for the farmers market to aid in their recovery from the pandemic and winter storm.

21 As of Aug. 31, 2021, the Legacy Collective has given 34 grants totaling $992,129. Twenty-one of those (totaling $539,029) went to womenled nonprofits across five countries.

$577,500 During Winter Storm Uri, the Legacy Collective issued $577,500 in grants. Of those grants, $127,500 went to the Sustainable Food Center to help farmers experiencing tough loss from the pandemic due to the affects it was having on farmers markets, restaurants and local grocery stores purchasing their goods.

100 Campaign $100,000 Also during Winter Storm Uri, the Legacy Collective gave $100,000 to Feeding Texas, which helped local foodbanks that were already heavily affected by the pandemic and then experienced even more strain from the winter storm.

The Legacy Collective started the 100 Campaign to engage, support and empower families affected by the pandemic. They have given out five grants so far addressing mental health services in the Black community, food insecurity and housing services. Of those five grants, three are to women-led nonprofits including The Store, Breakthrough and Our House. One of those grants went to the Central Texas Food Bank here in Austin.

AUSTINWOMANMAGAZINE.COM | 21

BEAUTY

WEDDING TRADITIONS AND CULTURE SHOCK

Following her wedding in August, Raeka Panda shares her experience fitting traditions into spaces unequipped for them. BY RAEKA PANDA AND CY WHITE

For so many women, their wedding day is one of the most important events in their lives. The sentiment grows exponentially when you throw cultural traditions in the mix. Reaka Panda, founder of Raeka Beauty, always knew she wanted a traditional wedding. However, when seeking a venue, at times it became a test of patience, grace and compromise. “I think venues love the idea of Indian weddings taking place at their venue but don’t necessarily take the time to learn what it entails,” Panda says. “More venues should take the initiative to learn other wedding cultures and traditions and facilitate their policies to be inclusive.” This is her story of surviving an industry that loves the idea of traditions but isn’t equipped (or willing) to accommodate them. Describe the marriage traditions in your family and culture.

Hindu weddings are culturally big, bright and colorful! There are many different rituals at a Hindu wedding that traditionally take place over three days. The precise details vary from region to region and often take several hours to complete. The wedding ceremony itself includes the following: 1. The Baraat: Groom’s Parade

The groom arrives at the venue with his friends and relatives to be greeted by the bride’s family. 2. Var Pokhana: Welcoming the Groom

The groom is welcomed by his future mother-in-law and other members of the bride’s family, who will perform a welcoming ritual and then escort him to the Mandap. The ceremony begins with a worship of Lord Ganesh so he may remove all obstacles and bless the bride and groom. The groom is then worshiped as the embodiment of Lord Vishnu by the bride’s parents. 4. Kanya Aagman: Arrival of the Bride

The bride is escorted into the Mandap. The groom and bride are separated by an Antarpat (special cloth).

22 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

Photos by Gaby Deimeke.

3. Ganesha Puja: Blessings

5. Kanyadaan: Giving Away of the Bride

The bride’s parents give their daughter to the groom by putting the bride’s right hand into the groom’s right hand, requesting for him to accept his daughter as his equal partner. 6. Jai Mala: Garland Exchange

The bride and groom exchange fresh flower garlands which symbolize the unification of their hearts, minds and souls.

10. Saptapadi: Seven Vows to Lead a Happy Married Life

The bride holds the groom’s left hand, and together they recite seven wedding vows: to respect and care for one another; to be patient with each other; to nourish each other’s strengths, power and fortune; to be honest and faithful to each other; to take this journey of life with love and harmony; to cherish each other in sorrow, happiness, in sickness and in health; and to remain lifelong friends. 11. Mangalsutra Dharan and Sindoo:

A sacred fire is lit in the center of the mandap to dispel darkness and ignorance from the lives of the couple and to lead them to light and knowledge.

The groom offers the bride lifelong protection by placing a Mangalsutra, a sacred necklace, around her neck and applying Sindoor (red powder) on her forehead. These two offerings signify the bride’s status as a married woman and the groom’s devotion to the bride.

8. Granthi Bandhan: Tying the Knot

12. Ashirvaad: Farewell Blessings

The groom’s scarf is tied to the bride’s saree, representing the love that binds the two souls for a lifetime.

Once the Priest declares the couple as husband and wife, the couple begin their journey together down the Mandap aisle. Floral showers of blessing and good wishes are given by parents, relatives and friends.

7. Agni Puja: Holy Fire

9. Mangal Pheras: Circling Around the Holy Fire

The couple circles the holy fire four times, each circle symbolizing the core values that they will pursue during their marriage: Dharma, to pursue life’s religious and moral duty; Artha, to pursue prosperity; Kaama, to obtain emotional and physical fulfillment; and Moksha, to pursue spiritual salvation. The groom leads the first three paths and the bride leads the fourth path.

Did you run into any hardships because of your desire for a traditional wedding?

Yes. We wanted an indoor ceremony, so we were limited to what venues we could use. We were not allowed to replace the hour provided for rehearsal dinner with the additional hour we required for our wedding day. Instead, we had to pay for the additional hour. Most venues allow only six to seven hours of venue usage, and our wedding was eight hours. When it came to catering, we were disappointed to see that they had a list of preferred vendors for American food but nothing for South Asian cuisine (even though they’ve had several South Asian weddings there before). We were also required to use a staffing agency since we wanted to use a caterer not on their preferred vendors list. This added to our budget. What advice can you give couples who are planning a wedding during COVID-19?

Photography: Gaby Deimeke, @gdeimz Videography: UnityREEL, @unityreel Florals: Sixpence Floral Design, @sixpencefloral Decor: Unique Designs & Events, @uniquedesignsandevents Wedding Cake: Hayleycakes And Cookies, @thehayleycakes Caterer: Nala’s Indian Cuisine

Asking vendors to be transparent about what they can and cannot provide is a must. Be prepared to adjust to changes, and seek out vendors who are willing to communicate openly and professionally at all times. There are realities that aren’t in your control, and you just have to hope for the best. In the end, our story ended with the planets aligning and a breathtaking Blue Sturgeon moon and Jupiter soaring into twilight skies for a happily ever after. Visit atxwoman.com to read the interview in its entirety. AUSTINWOMANMAGAZINE.COM | 23

ON THE MONEY

OVERCOMING THE FEAR OF SCARCITY

BECOMING A “BADASS” WITH MONEY STARTS WITH YOUR MINDSET. BY JENNY HOFF

It’s common advice: Put more money in your bank account by spending less from your paycheck. While it can be useful advice for those who live outside of their means, it can also keep you living in a state of scarcity, of believing that the only path to financial freedom is going without. “If you are constantly thinking about money you don’t have and how you can cut costs, your mindset is always on ‘not enough,’” says Jen Sincero, author of the bestselling books You are a Badass and You are a Badass at Making Money. “Instead of looking at how you can cut back, look at how you can expand.” Sincero was a struggling writer, living in a garage apartment in her early 40s, waiting for her big break while still subscribing to all the limiting beliefs she had grown up with: rich people are bad, you can’t do what you love and make significant money, writers and artists are meant to struggle. She realized that one of the biggest mental hurdles she had to overcome was viewing wealth as evil. “If that’s really what you believe, you’re not going to let yourself make money,” says Sincero. In between writing gigs, she spent her time figuring out how she could save a little here and there, instead of focusing on how she could make more than enough money to take financial worries off the table. Finally, she hit her breaking point and

“”

put tens of thousands of dollars on a credit card, much more money than she had in the bank, in order to pay for the services of a nationally renowned career coach. “I believe in going into debt if you have the right mindset,” she says. “My mindset was that I am officially unavailable to be in financial struggle anymore.” By taking a huge risk, getting rid of any plan b in case her business didn’t work out and focusing 100% on her goal, she forced herself to change the mindset that she might fail. Her brain did not accept defeat. “When you open your mind up and say, ‘I’m available to take big, scary risks, money is there for me,’ all the opportunities that are around you open up,” she says. Sincero stresses that the most dangerous place to be is in between. What doesn’t work is giving up your saving mentality and not committing to expanding your net worth. Whether it’s starting a business, changing careers or even investing the money you have saved up in real estate or other assets, you must be ready to take the risk and do the work needed to see your plan succeed. Once you get into the abundance mentality, you may have dozens of great ideas. But Sincero warns against chasing too many goals. Choose one that you know you can achieve, make a strategy and doggedly pursue it. “The focus is critical,” says Sincero. “Once you burn the bridges, you’re going to make it happen no matter what.”

If you are constantly thinking about money you don’t have and how you can cut costs,

your mindset is always on ‘not enough.’

24 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

DOCTORS .COM

EXPERT ADVICE ON COMMON MEDICAL TOPICS

GET TO KNOW AUSTIN’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROVIDERS

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2021 2021

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OF AUSTIN’S DOCTORS, CLINICS, WELLNESS PROVIDERS AND MORE

Guide Guide Guide to to Good to Good Good Health Health Health

Busted! 4 Common Sports Injury and Recovery Myths Dr. Guzman addresses common misconceptions surrounding sports injuries and recovery approaches.

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There are many myths regarding sports-related injuries and recovery methods that often result in either the incorrect treatment of an injury or the overlooking of a more serious problem. If you get injured while participating in a physical activity, it’s best to receive care under the guidance of a trained sports medicine specialist for the safest and quickest route to recovery. Myth #1: Apply heat to an acute injury. The use of heat in treating a new injury can increase circulation to the area, which may result in increased swelling and inflammation. This can slow down the healing process and add to the throbbing pain you may be experiencing. If you sustain an injury during physical activity, in most cases, the safest and most effective course of action is to apply ice or cold therapy to the affected area.

UT Health Austin boardcertified family medicine specialist and fellowship-trained sports medicine specialist J. Mica Guzman Jr., M.D. regularly works with patients to break down misconceptions related to injuries and how best to treat them.

To learn more about UT Health Austin’s Sports and Injury Clinic or to make an appointment, call 1.833.UT.CARES or visit uthealthaustin.org.

“Recovering from an injury involves more than just resting.” 26 | SPECIAL PROMOTION

ATXWOMAN.COM

Myth #2: Rest is always best. Immediately after an injury, you should stop participating in your activity and rest. Working through the pain can worsen damage and prolong your recovery process. Although rest is important, depending on the type of injury, gentle movement or activity modification can help bring fresh blood flow to the area, delivering oxygen and nutrients that aid in the healing process. The key is to keep movement gentle, slow and as pain-free as possible. Additionally, opting for an exercise that does not put pressure on the injured area can help keep the rest of your body fit and strong. Myth #3: If you can move it, it must not be broken. This is a pretty common misconception. Depending on where a break or fracture occurs, your ability to move the area may not be severely affected. Small breaks or fractures in the lower leg, in the elbow or arm and in the feet are often improperly self-diagnosed because people tend to still have movement and may not always experience intense pain or swelling. Symptoms of a break or fracture can include persistent pain, swelling, tenderness or bruising. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it’s important to get professional help to ensure the bones are properly aligned and held in place while they heal to avoid infection or permanent deformity. Myth #4: Surgery is your only option. Surgery is an invasive treatment approach, and the team at UT Health Austin will likely want to explore alternative options before making a recommendation for surgery. Depending on the extent of your injury, physical therapy and other forms of rehabilitation are just as effective, if not more so, in healing the body. While full ruptures and certain types of fractures may require a surgical operation, there are many other types of injuries, including partial tears and minor degeneration, that often heal on their own or can be treated nonsurgically with the appropriate therapy regimen. Recovering from an injury involves more than just resting. It requires implementation of activity modifications, re-education on training and, oftentimes, retraining on proper form and movement. To reach maximum recovery and to prevent future injuries, reach out to a health care professional. Don’t fall victim to common myths and trust your clinicians to help you get back in the game. 1.833.UT.CARES l uthealthaustin.org

More pediatric specialists in more places across Central Texas

Only in Austin. Only at Dell Children’s. At Dell Children’s, we are growing — just like families and the communities in Central Texas. The hospital with the most pediatric specialists and specialty programs in the region is expanding to deliver even more advanced and specialized care. Now more than ever, you have access to the highest level of care, close to home. • New state-of-the-art full-service children’s hospital in North Austin — opening 2022 • New 4th bed tower, adding 72 inpatient care rooms, with the ability to expand in the future — opening 2022 • New Dell Children’s Specialty Pavilion — now open • New Comprehensive Fetal Care Center — now open • New Specialized Delivery Unit — now open • New High-Risk Obstetrics Clinic — coming soon

Lasers, and Eye EyeSurgery…Oh Surgery…OhMy! My! Lasers, LASIK LASIK and Dr. Dr.Zarmeena ZarmeenaVendal Vendalanswers answersquestions questionsabout aboutthe thelatest latestcuttingedge techniques in eye surgery laserand vision correction. cutting-edge techniques in eyeand surgery laser vision correction. The American Academy of Ophthalmology shares that 150 million people

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in the U.S. spend over $15 billion on glasses and contacts every year. Withthe theever-increasing ever-increasingdemands demandson onour oureyesight, eyesight,especially especiallyininthe the With eraofofCOVID-19, COVID-19,more moreand andmore morepeople peopleare arechoosing choosingtototake takethe thestep step era towardvision visioncorrection. correction.InIn2020 2020alone, alone,almost almostaamillion millionpeople peopleopted optedfor for toward LASIKand andother otherforms formsofofvision visioncorrection correctiontotoget getrid ridofoftheir theirglasses. glasses.Dr. Dr. LASIK ZarmeenaVendal, Vendal,aaboard-certified board-certifiedcataract cataractand andrefractive refractiveeye eyesurgeon surgeon Zarmeena andfounder founderofofWestlake WestlakeEye EyeSpecialists, Specialists,sits sitsdown downtotochat chatwith withus usabout aboutall and all things related to eye surgery to help Austinites make critical things related to eye surgery to help Austinites make this this critical decision decision about their vision. about their vision.

Whatare aresome some options vision correction in 2021? What options forfor vision correction in 2021? Austinites have access to better technology than ever before. Weaccomplish Austinites have access to better technology than ever before. We accomplish vision correction in two main ways currently: LASIK for patients vision correction in two main ways currently: LASIK for patients mostly age mostly age 20-50 who have a glasses prescription within range, and lens 20-50 who have a glasses prescription within range, and lens replacement of the lens eye’sfor natural aged 50 andalso older, which ofreplacement the eye’s natural those lens agedfor 50those and older, which restores also restores near vision. near vision.

Dr. Zarmeena Vendal is the founder of Westlake Eye Specialists, a state-ofthe-art eye surgery practice with offices in Austin, Kyle and New Braunfels. In addition to cataract and refractive surgery training, Dr. Vendal received additional fellowship training in glaucoma at Harvard’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

WhatisisLASIK, LASIK, and how I know if I getting am getting the right What and how do do I know if I am the right technology? technology? LASIK is essentially a reshaping of the front surface of the eye, which can LASIK is essentially a reshaping of accomplish the front surface the eye, which can eliminate the need for glasses. We this byofusing a very precise eliminate the need for glasses. We accomplish this by using a very precise laser to create a paper-thin flap and then apply laser under the flap. laser a paper-thin flap and then apply laser underLASIK the flap. This This is to allcreate done in five minutes without stiches at our office’s suite. is all done in five minutes without stiches at our office’s LASIK suite. We With detailed measurements, we can easily decide if LASIK is right for alsoand believe in custom iDesign about LASIK telling as the our perfect platform forare great you, we are very proactive patients if they not results. This means you receive a treatment customized to your eye that ideal candidates. We also believe in custom iDesign LASIK as the perfect will fit your eyeball like a glove. No two treatments are exactly alike. platform for great results. This means you receive a treatment customized to your eye that will fit your eyeball like a glove. No two treatments are Whatalike. is all the buzz about LASIK and dry eye? exactly Several years ago, there was a lot of press about LASIK causing dry eye. I think majority of LASIK the cases were patients What is allthe thevast buzz about and dry eye? who were never screened properly for dry eye to begin with. At our office, we make this a Several years ago, there was a lot of press about LASIK causing dry eye. I priority and perform detailed tests to catch dry eye. I firmly believe that if think the vast majority of the cases were patients who were never screened it is diagnosed, thentoissues beAtavoided. Wewe also prescribe properly for dry eye begincan with. our office, make this aaggressive priority and lubrication as part of the LASIK healing process, and our do really perform detailed tests to catch dry eye. I firmly believe thatpatients if it is diagnosed, well. then issues can be avoided. We also prescribe aggressive lubrication as part ofLens the LASIK healing process, and too our patients do be really well.Tell us replacement sounds good to true.

about it.

Westlake Eye offers services for LASIK, cataract, glaucoma, dry eye and oculoplastic care.

Lens replacement sounds tooexcited good after to be us about it. This kind of surgery still gets me 20true. yearsTell of performing This kind of surgery still gets me excited after 20 years of performing eye eye surgery. We can literally exchange a patient’s own natural lens for surgery. We can literally exchange a patient’s own natural lens for an an artificial one in eight minutes, and they can see long distance and artificial in eight minutes, see long distance and close close upone without glasses. The and latestthey lenscan implants have multi-focusing up without glasses. The latest lens implants have multi-focusing abilities so abilities so patients can do the majority of up-close work without glasses. patients can do the majority of up-close work without glasses. Especially Especially today, this can be life-changing as we are spending so much today, thisour can be life-changing as we are spending so much time on our time on computers and phones. computers and phones.

What’s the coolest technology you are using today?

“We accomplish vision correction in two main ways currently, Lasik and lens replacement”

What’s themost coolest technology you areweusing One of the cutting-edge technologies have today? the privilege to use is One of the most cutting-edge technologies we have thelenses privilege use the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL). We can now use these for to cataract issurgery the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL). We can now place these lenses in and then adjust them with a light beam to give near-perfectfor vision cataract surgery and adjusthelpful them with a light give near- or after surgery. This is then especially in eyes thatbeam have to imperfections perfect vision after surgery.like ThisLASIK is especially helpful in eyes that haveto hit have had other surgeries in the past. It used to be harder imperfections or have had other surgeries like LASIK in the past. used to 20/20 targets in these patients, but with the LAL, we can tweak It each lens be harder to hit 20/20 targets in these patients, but with the LAL, we can multiple times in the office until the patient is genuinely happy with their tweak vision.each It is lens truly multiple amazing!times in the office until the patient is genuinely happy with their vision. It is truly amazing! 512.472.4011 l l westlakeeyes.com westlakeeyes.com 512.472.4011

HIGHER

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HOPE For leading edge surgical approaches and high-quality care, visit our fellowship trained and dedicated breast surgeons at Texas Breast Specialists. Our surgeons compassionately collaborate with you to help you better understand your disease and develop a personalized surgical treatment plan. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit TexasBreastSpecialists.com. Austin • Bastrop • Cedar Park Georgetown • Round Rock

Caroline Coombs-Skiles, M.D., FACS Austin Moya Griffin, M.D., FACS Austin Heather King, M.D., FACS Austin Bridget O’Brien, D.O., FACS, FSSO Cedar Park and Georgetown Julie M. Sprunt, M.D., FACS Austin and Bastrop Sherrie Thomas, M.D., FACS Austin and Round Rock

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Dr. Lisa M. Jukes provides state-of-the art medical treatment in a compassionate, confidential and comfortable atmosphere. She graduated from UT Southwestern Medical School in 1996, completed her residency in 2000, and spent several years at a multiphysician practice in Austin before opening her own in 2004.

Vaginal rejuvenation is a term that is becoming quite common. It is basically any treatment that changes either the internal or external structures of the vagina. We can address concerns around the appearance of the vagina as well as issues that arise as a result of aging or childbirth such as incontinence, vaginal dryness, skin laxity, ability to orgasm, dryness and more. Vaginal rejuvenation concerns are much more common than you might think, even though we might not be comfortable talking about them. Since II gave gave birth, birth,IIhave haveproblems problemswith withleaking leakingurine. urine.It It Since often often happens happens when whenIIsneeze, sneeze,and andI’m I’msad sadthat thatI Ican’t can’tjump jump on on the the trampoline trampolinewith withmy mykids kidsor orplay playtennis tenniswith withmy my friends friends anymore. anymore. Can Can you youhelp helpme? me? Yes! Simply put, urinary incontinence is an accidental loss of urine. It is suffered by over 25 million people and is most common in women aged 50-plus. The good news? You have treatment options. Do not just accept incontinence as a normal part of aging. Treatments include: • Emsella - a completely noninvasive treatment that uses • Emsella electromagnetic energy to deliver supramaximal pelvic-floor muscle contractions to re-educate and strengthen muscles • Pelvic-Floor Therapy - an exercise program to improve pelvic-floor • Pelvic-Floor muscle strength and endurance • O-Shot - uses blood-derived growth factors to relieve urinary • O-Shot incontinence, increase sexual arousal and rejuvenate the vagina • Votiva/FormaV - a comfortable treatment that provides uniform • Votiva/Forma volumetric deep heating for tissue remodeling • VTone • VTone - delivers electrical muscle stimulation to rehabilitate weak pelvic-floor muscles As II age, age, achieving achieving orgasm orgasmseems seemsmore moredifficult. difficult.I Ihave haveissues issues with with pain pain and and dryness. dryness.Can Canyou youhelp helpme? me? Yes! There are a variety of treatment options available to help women enjoy intercourse with less pain and more pleasure. • BioTe Hormone Therapy - uses bio-identical hormones to individualize a • BioTe treatment plan that address issues including painful intercourse, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, difficulty with orgasm and much more • MonaLisa Touch - a painless and minimally invasive laser treatment • MonaLisa for the vaginal mucosa that stimulates the production of collagen, improving the functionality of the treated area • MorpheusV8 • Morpheus V8 - a quick and effective fractional radiofrequency technology that addresses a wide range of concerns and is proven to induce tissue coagulation and collagen contraction • O-Shot - see above • O-Shot • Votiva / FormaV • Votiva V - see above Not Not only only do do IIhave havepain painwhen whenI Iride ridemy mybike bikeororwear weartight tightclothes, clothes, I simply simply don’t don’tlike likethe thelook lookof ofmy mylabia. labia.Can Canyou youhelp helpme? me?

“Vaginal rejuvenation concerns are much more common than you might think, even though we might not be comfortable talking about them.”

Yes. Whether your concerns are related to pain, aesthetics or both, there are a variety of options, from surgical to no-downtime in-office treatments to help you achieve your goals. • Aviva - a non-surgical alternative for labial reduction that also addresses • Aviva vulva and vaginal concerns. It employs internal radiofrequency thermal energy via a needle-sized introducer to obtain dramatic tightening, lifting and retraction of vulva tissue and around the vaginal opening. • Labiaplasty - a surgical procedure to remove labial skin for a firmer and • Labiaplasty more youthful appearance. Benefits include elimination of discomfort and/ or embarrassment for women wearing tight clothing, increased sexual pleasure due to removal of excess skin that can get in the way during intimacy, and the ability to do other physical activities without pain. • Morpheus V8 • Morpheus V8 - see above • Votiva/FormaV - see above • Votiva/Forma

512.301.6767 512.301.6767 l l modernwomenshealth.com modernwomenshealth.com

Lisa M. Jukes M.D., a board-certiﬁed gynecologist,

and her team at Modern Women’s Health provide state-of-the art care in a compassionate, conﬁdential and

comfortable atmosphere. The all-female team at Modern Women’s Health understands that in today’s busy world, many women see only one health care provider on a regular basis: a gynecologist. With that in mind, the team approaches each patient with a 360-degree health care perspective helping to ensure that women are thinking about both their overall and gynecological health. Modern Women’s Health welcomes patients of all ages in all life stages offering a full range of services to address a variety of issues including menstrual cycle concerns, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine ﬁbroids, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, peri- and postmenopause issues and infertility diagnosis. Dr. Jukes is on the forefront of women’s health care and was the ﬁrst physician in Central Texas to offer MonaLisa Touch, Acessa, Aviva and VTone. Since 2003, she has focused on minimally invasive gynecology procedures and surgeries, performing over 1,300 procedures on the da Vinci Surgical System. As patient needs have evolved, so has the practice. Services such as vaginal rejuvenation procedures, bioidentical hormone therapy, an FDA-approved and physician-supervised weight-loss program, a robust Nutraceutical offering and a variety of med-aesthetics treatmentsfor both body and facial contouring have been added to help women look and feel their very best.

If you are seeking a partner who takes an integrated approach to your health care needs, we encourage you to schedule an appointment today.

modernwomenshealth.com 512.301.6767

Westlake Ofﬁce 5656 Bee Caves Rd Suite B-101 Austin, TX 78746 Lake Travis Ofﬁce 3944 RR 620 S. Bldg 8, Ste 208 Bee Cave, TX 78738

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“A woman chooses to have a mammogram because she is strong; she chooses to come to Austin Breast Imaging because she is wise.“ Why get a mammogram? A woman chooses to get a mammogram not because her doctor tells her to, but because she has an innate drive to stay alive and healthy—for herself and her loved ones.

Dr. Erin Winston is an expert in all matters of breast health. She provides fullspectrum breast care from technology-based breast cancer imaging and its life-endorsing abilities to the emotional aspects of breast pain and its physical release. A native Texan, Winston completed a breast imaging fellowship at the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center and then joined Rose Imaging Specialists, the nation’s largest group of dedicated breast imaging specialists. In 2014, she co-founded Austin Breast Imaging where she uses mammography, ultrasound and contrast-enhanced mammography to promote breast health.

32 | SPECIAL PROMOTION

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How can women overcome the fear of a mammogram? Breasts are the physical embodiment of our nurturing forces. A mammogram is a tool of empowerment for women. Mammographic screening employs physics and technology to look inside the body for information and early signs of distress. This knowledge is power. Why should someone come to Austin Breast Imaging? It makes a difference who reads your mammogram. As breast imaging specialists, we harness the best of physics, medicine, education and compassion to support the nurturing spirit of women for self-healing and longevity. Austin Breast Imaging has the most advanced women’s imaging centers in Texas. We are pioneers in mammographic techniques that most other imaging centers do not offer. When you have your mammogram with us, you will experience a peaceful, spa-like atmosphere with a staff dedicated solely to breast health. A woman chooses to have a mammogram because she is strong; she chooses to come to Austin Breast Imaging because she is wise.

512.776.1000 l 512.595.7300 | austin3dmammo.com

LOVE YOURSELF LOVE YOUR BREAST Our breast-specific physicians are dedicated solely to breast health and care about your quality of life. Because it matters who reads your mammogram.

Jeri Sue Plaxco, DO

Erin Winston, MD

Harpreet Talwar, MD

AUSTIN BREAST IMAGING-NORTH 12319 N. MoPac Expressway Plaza North, Bldg C, Ste 320, Austin, TX 78758 O: 512.776.1000 AUSTIN BREAST IMAGING-SOUTH 5815 W. William Cannon Dr. Austin, Texas 78749 O: 512.595.7300 austin3dmammo.com

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Curing Skin Cancer Without Cutting

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Little known fact: Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and in the world. Skin cancer affects millions of people in the United States per year. At least 1 in 5 Americans will develop a skin cancer by 70 years old, and more than two Americans will die of skin cancer every hour. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma (which is also the deadliest form). Thankfully, melanoma is the least common of the three. However, basal and squamous cell carcinoma should never be dismissed. Squamous cell carcinoma can be deadly, and both cause significant morbidity. If untreated, they can become very large, bleed, destroy tissue and cause great pain. What are the treatments for skin cancer? Skin cancer is treated in several different ways depending on the type, its size, location and other patient factors like age, medical conditions, mobility, etc. The highest cure rates are achieved with surgery, especially a specialized type called Mohs surgery. However, a lesser-known treatment option that offers just as high of a cure rate, but does not involve scalpels or stitches, is image-guided superficial radiation (IGSRT).

Dr. Liqiao Ma is a boardcertified dermatologist and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology who practices medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology in Austin and the surrounding communities. She is originally from Norman, Oklahoma, and attended Duke University for undergraduate studies. She then moved to Texas for medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where she graduated with honors as a memb er of Junior Alpha Omega Alpha, awarded to the top 10% of her class.

“Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United

What is IGSRT? Image-guided superficial radiation (IGSRT) is a technology that uses low doses of radiation to kill off non-melanoma skin cancers like basal and squamous cell carcinoma. Unlike the most commonly known radiation treatments that are done in hospitals, IGSRT is done in your dermatologist’s office. Because the doses only go skindeep and not internally, patients typically do not suffer from systemic side effects. The most recent studies have shown that IGSRT offers a high cure rate similar to Mohs surgery. Why IGSRT, and who is the best candidate? IGSRT offers great cosmetic results combined with high cure rates. The cosmetic outcome is excellent on sensitive areas like the face, nose and ears. Because there is no cutting, there is a much lower risk of nerve injury, bleeding, infection and scarring. IGSRT is a great surgical alternative for patients who have risk factors for poor healing and infection like diabetics, those on blood thinners or older patients. It is also great for patients who simply do not want a surgical operation. In short, IGSRT can be used to treat most nonmelanoma skin cancers for most people anywhere on the body. Where can I find IGSRT? Tru-Skin Dermatology offers IGSRT at most of its seven locations. These include Austin, Bastrop, La Grange, Hallettsville and Spring Branch. The board-certified dermatologist and other providers at Tru-Skin Dermatology also perform skin cancer screenings. If you are in need of a skin check or already have a diagnosed skin cancer and are interested in learning more about IGSRT, please reach out to Tru-Skin Dermatology for an appointment today.

States and in the world.” 34 | SPECIAL PROMOTION

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512-451-0139 l tru-skin.com

DR. MA

BOARD-CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST AND FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY

DR. MA IS AN ACCOMPLISHED PRACTITIONER OF SKIN CANCER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT IN AUSTIN AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES Tru-Skin Dermatology offers a full array of skin cancer treatments which are utilized to create an individualized plan of treatment for each patient, including surgical and non-surgical options which are as minimally invasive and as pain-free as possible FREE SKIN CANCER SCREENINGS are available throughout the year for patients without insurance

Austin • Bastrop • Bee Caves • Spring Branch Cedar Park • La Grange • Hallettsville Contact us today to learn more about our services and specials tru-skin.com • • 888.451.0139

How Dense Are Your Bones?

Find out and take control of your quality of life.

ASK AN EXPERT

Who should have a bone densitometry exam? The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a bone densitometry exam if: • You are a woman age 65 or older or a man age 70 or older • You break a bone after age 50 • You are a woman of menopausal age with risk factors • You are a postmenopausal woman under age 65 with risk factors • You are a man age 50-69 with risk factors What are osteoporosis and osteopenia? Osteoporosis is a disease where the bones become fragile and brittle because the body is losing bone too fast and/or not replacing bone fast enough. Bone tissue is structured like a honeycomb, but when osteoporosis occurs, the spaces in the honeycomb are larger and the structure can become abnormal, making bones weaker. You may also hear the term “osteopenia,” which is the condition preceding osteoporosis characterized by less severe bone loss. Risk factors for osteoporosis Risk factors include a family history of osteoporosis, being white or Asian, taking certain medications and having certain diseases or conditions. However, anyone who is aging can get osteoporosis, regardless of risk factors, so it is good to keep an eye on your bone density.

Dr. Bruce Tharp is a breast imaging radiologist at ARA. He attended Texas Tech School of Medicine and did his residency at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He is certified in diagnostic radiology by the American Board of Radiology.

To be refered to ARA, ask your health care provider and talk about your risk factors. Bone densitometry is available at ARA locations all over Central Texas.

“anyone who is aging can get osteoporosis, regardless of risk factors, so it is good to keep an eye on your bone density. ” 36 | SPECIAL PROMOTION

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How is osteoporosis treated? Treatments depend on the amount of bone loss and start with simple changes to your life, like doing more weight-bearing exercise (walking and lifting weights), adding more calcium and vitamin D to your diet and avoiding smoking and excess alcohol. If your bone loss is more advanced, your provider may recommend one of a number of medications that have been proven to help with osteoporosis. As radiologists, we see a lot of people come in with fractures who have had osteoporosis for some time. We are very happy when we see you here for your bone densitometry exam. Next time you see your health care provider, have a talk about it and see if it’s time to check your bone mineral density. What is bone densitometry? A low-dose X-ray exam that measures bone mineral content and density. Higher bone mineral content and density mean bones are stronger and less likely to break. Usually, the exam consists of two X-rays of the lower spine and upper hip and femur. If you have metal or prosthetics in that area the technologist can image your wrist instead. Bone densitometry is simple, fast and painless. How are the results of the exam delivered? Your report will be sent to your referring provider within three business days of your exam, often sooner. You will be also able to view your results online through the ARA patient portal within three business days after the exam. The report will show results for the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip or forearm using three assessments below. You can then discuss the results with your provider and determine if you need to take action to prevent bone loss. • Bone mineral density (BMD). The lower the score the greater the risk for fracture. • T-score, a measurement of the difference between your BMD and that of a young adult population of the same sex and ethnicity. • Z-score, a measurement of the difference between your BMD and that of a healthy population of the same age, sex and ethnicity. 512.453.6100 l ausrad.com/scheduling

ausrad.com/scheduling ausrad.com/scheduling

oral surgeon

Why you should choose an

What is the difference between an oral maxillofacial surgeon and my general dentist?

All dentists attend a four-year dental school prior to receiving their dental degree. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons then spend an additional four to six years intensively training in medicine, surgery, anesthesia and implant dentistry. Some receive medical degrees in the process, but all get the same intensive core training in expert third-molar removal, complex-implant placement, jaw surgery, temporomandibular joint and trauma surgery. Following this training, most then submit for written and oral examinations to achieve board certification.

My dentist says she has a specialist that comes to her office monthly and can take out my son’s wisdom teeth under anesthesia. Is her office set up to provide this procedure safely?

Oral surgery offices are built from the ground up for outpatient surgery and anesthesia rather than general dental care. From anesthesia and safety equipment to patient flow and recovery, the facility is designed for outpatient surgery. All oral-surgery offices undergo on site examination and certification to ensure office-based anesthesia standards are met. All general dental offices are different, but most necessitate that the traveling dentist bring anesthesia, surgery and safety equipment with each visit. Additionally, while complications are rare, often patients want the reassurance of a quick unscheduled visit to check in or confirm healing is going well. With most surgeons’ offices staffed full time, there is always an expert available to provide that follow-up care and reassurance. Such accessibility is often not avail-able with traveling providers.

I have a complicated medical history. Am I a candidate for anesthesia? Almost all who can be seen in an office environment can have some form of anesthesia. he type of anesthesia and ideal treatment environment are best discussed with your surgeon at the time of a consultation visit, when your medical history can be discussed in detail.

What sets Austin Oral Surgery apart?

Austin Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery has cared for Austinites for more than 45 years. We have 13 board-certified surgeons in 12 locations, so we can provide service in a safe, convenient, caring environment for most of Austin and the surrounding areas. Additionally, we always have someone available to see you, as there’s flexibility in sched-uling with so many doctors and locations. he most important thing that sets us apart, however, is our people. Our surgeons, clinical assistants and front-office teams are all focused on caring for patients in a safe, pleasant and compassionate environment.

What procedures does an oral surgeon preform other than those on wisdom teeth? While we are indeed the wisdom-tooth experts, there are many other areas in which oral surgeons have expertise. Sophisticated implant placement and the various hard- and soft-tissue grafting procedures that are done to optimize implant results are routine for us. Orthognathic or jaw surgery for developmental bite problems and the treatment of traumatic facial injuries are in our areas of expertise as well. The primary surgical procedure that cures sleep apnea is one of our specialty developed procedures. Some of our surgeons treat temporomandibular joint disorders, and we offer minimally invasive joint surgery for the most common temporomandibular joint issues when surgery is necessary.

Before you consider oral surgery for your family, call 512.591.9557 or visit austinoralsurgery.com.

Home grown. Austin strong.

For 50 years our surgeons and medical team have provided individualized oral health to

Cedar Park

the members of our community. Like all things Austin, we are diverse, fiercely loyal and

Central Austin

committed individuals who choose to work together and be a part of this exceptional city.

Dripping Springs

Our board-certified surgeons work in 13 convenient locations to maintain and improve

Georgetown

the oral health of our patients in a safe, technologically advanced, and compassionate

La Grange

environment. Our legacy is exceptional care.

Lakeway

512-591-9557 • AustinOralSurgery.com.

Marble Falls N. Central Austin Pflugerville San Marcos South Austin

50 years of exceptional care

Temple Waco

DIRECTORY Dentistry Austin oral surgery For 50 years, Austin Oral Surgery has provided a legacy of exceptional care to Central Texans, offering 12 convenient locations, saving patients time and travel. AOS doctors are well trained in the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures. 512.591.9557 | austinoralsurgery.com 12 Central Texas locations: Central Austin, North Central Austin, South Austin, Dripping Springs, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Lakeway, Temple, San Marcos, Marble Falls, Harker Heights, La Grange and Pflugerville

healthcare UT Health Austin Your reasons for wanting to get and stay healthy are just as important to us as they are to you. UT Health Austin puts you, your family, your goals and your needs at the forefront of your care, bringing an elevated level of excellence to value-based health care in Texas. Services include women’s health, orthopedics, primary care, ophthalmology, digestive health and more, as well as pediatric specialty services in cardiology, neurology and fetal care. In-person and telehealth appointments available. For same-day and urgent needs, UT Health Austin’s Walk-In Clinic is available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1.833.UT.CARES l uthealthaustin.org 1601 Trinity St., Bldg. A, Austin, TX

OPTHALMOLOGY DERMATOLOGY Tru-Skin Our premier dermatology experts at Tru-Skin Dermatology specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of all skin diseases. Tru-Skin is the first practice in Central Texas to treat non-melanoma skin cancer patients with the revolutionary BOARD-CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST Sensus SRT-100 Vision. In addition, Dr.OFDaniel AND FELLOW THE AMERICAN OF DERMATOLOGY Ladd’s team offers cosmetic ACADEMY services, including skin-rejuvenation procedures, injections and laser treatments as well as eyelid surgery. Come visit us at one of our seven Tru-Skin locations throughout Central Texas.

DR. MA

Westlake Eye Specialists Westlake Eye Specialists is staffed by professionals dedicated to providing patients with excellent care to ensure the best possible outcomes. From the front desk to the business office, every member of our team will work hard to make you their priority throughout every step of your care. 512.472.4011 l westlakeeyes.com

5656 Bee Caves Road, Suite F-200 20871 N. IH-35, Suite 100, Kyle, TX E. Austin St., NewOF Braunfels, TX DR. MA IS AN ACCOMPLISHED18PRACTITIONER

SKIN CANCER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT IN

AUSTIN AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES 512.451.0139 | tru-skin.com

3500 Jefferson Street, Suite 200, Austin, TX 3101 Highway 71 E., #203, Bastrop, TX Tru-Skin Dermatology offers a full array of skin cancer treatments which are utilized to create an individualized plan of treatment 11612 Bee Cave Road, Suite 175, Bee Cave, TX for each patient, including surgical and non-surgical options areTX as minimally invasive and as pain-free as possible 160 Creekside Park, Suite 300, Springwhich Branch, 701 E. Whitestone Blvd., Suite 150, Cedar Park, TX FREE SKIN CANCER SCREENINGS are available 1400 E. Cemetery Road, Hallettsville, TX throughout the year for patients without insurance 2 St. Mark’s Place #140, La Grange, TX Austin • Bastrop • Bee Caves • Spring Branch Cedar Park • La Grange • Hallettsville Contact us today to learn more about our services and specials tru-skin.com • • 888.451.0139

40 | SPECIAL PROMOTION

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women’s health ARA Diagnostic Imaging ARA is a health care organization dedicated to providing imaging services in Central Texas. 512.453.6100 | ausrad.com/scheduling Screening mammography is available at 13 of the 17 locations, including Austin Center Boulevard, Cedar Park, Dripping Springs, Georgetown, Kyle, Manor, Quarry Lake, Rock Creek Plaza, Southwest Medical Village, Southwood, Westlake, William Cannon and Wilson Parke.

Ascension Seton Ascension Seton is here for you with compassionate and comprehensive services for women at all stages of life. With access to convenient locations for OB/Gyn services and high-risk pregnancy care throughout Central Texas and safety precautions, don’t delay care. setonbaby.com Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health & Maternal Fetal Medicine: 301 Seton Pkwy #407, Round Rock, TX | 512.324.4071 Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health & Maternal Fetal Medicine: 11111 Research Blvd. #360, Austin, TX 512.324.7256 Comprehensive Fetal Care Center at Dell Children’s & Maternal Fetal Medicine: 4910 Mueller Blvd. #103, Austin, TX 512.324.0040 Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health: 911 W. 38th St. #202, Austin, TX 512.324.8670 Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health & Maternal Fetal Medicine: 1301 W. 38th Street #205, Austin, TX 512.324.7256 Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health: 5301-B Davis Lane #100, Austin, TX | 512.324.9290 Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health & Maternal Fetal Medicine: 1180 Seton Pkwy #240, Kyle, TX 512.504.0851 Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health & Maternal Fetal Medicine: 630 TX-71 W. #E, Bastrop, TX 512.324.7256

Austin Breast Imaging Austin Breast Imaging is the region’s most advanced women’s imaging center and a pioneer in mammographic techniques that are simply not offered at other imaging centers. We are 100% specialized in women’s imaging, which affords you many advantages when you exercise your right to choose your own mammography provider. austin3dmammo.com Austin Breast Imaging-North: 12319 N. Mopac Expressway Plaza North, Bldg C, Suite 320, 512.776.1000 Austin Breast Imaging-South: 5815 W. William Cannon Dr., 512.595.7300

Modern Women’s Health A gynecology and aesthetics practice with an emphasis on patients’ overall health, seeing patients of all ages in all life stages. 512.301.6767 | modernwomenshealth.com 5656 Bee Caves Road, Suite B-101 Austin, TX 3944 RR 620 S., Bldg 8, Suite 208, Bee Cave, TX

Texas Breast Specialist For leading edge surgical approaches and high-quality care, visit our fellowshiptrained and dedicated breast surgeons at Texas Breast Specialists. Our surgeons compassionately collaborate with you to help you better understand your disease and develop a personalized treatment plan. texasbreastspecialists.com Central Austin: 901 W. 38th St., Suite 300 512.421.4111 Downtown Austin: 1015 E. 32nd St., Suite 306 512.872.7200 North Austin: 12221 Renfert Way, Suite 120 512.873.8900 Bastrop: 3107 Highway 71 E. | 512.421.4111 Cedar Park: 1401 Medical Pkwy., Bldg C, Suite 200 512.260.6050 Georgetown: 1500 Rivery Blvd., Suite 2215 512.260.6050 Round Rock: 2410 Round Rock Ave., Suite 250 512.341.8724 ATXWOMAN.COM

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Photo by Richard Haro.

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Falling for FoCo:

Head to Fort Collins, Colorado, when the mountains call and you must go By: Doug Flatt

Most Texans hear the call of the mountains, as John Muir said. Fort Collins is a quintessential mountain and college town with everything one would expect to find in the Rockies, access to a wild and scenic river and about an hour away from over 60

44 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

12,000-foot summits. In addition to Mother Nature’s grandiose designs, one will find mile-high culture in Fort Collins with its food, art and architecture.

A breath of fresh air

Fly Fishing There are so many fishing opportunities within 30 minutes of Fort Collins, and it all starts right in town. There are 16 City of Fort Collins Natural Areas that permit fishing. Most of these are right in town and are walkable or accessible on a bike from downtown. There are both pond and Cache la Poudre river fishing access. Pro tip: Make sure to read all regulations and obey all posted signs. If fishing on the Poudre (the Poo-der, as locals call it) in town is crowded, try driving up the canyon on Highway 14 West to the Gateway Natural Area, as there’s good fishing in this area and room to find a quiet place to cast. Be sure to stop by St. Pete’s Fly Shop, where they have experienced fly fishers working behind the desk to get you set up with all the right gear and flies you need.

Photos by Tim Ohara, Ryan Burke, Richard Haro. Photos courtesy of Visit Fort Collins.

Hiking Opportunities to grab your trekking poles and hiking shoes are plentiful throughout the Fort Collins area. There’s the Poudre Trail that’s accessible from downtown and runs from one end of town to the other. The trail offers 12.3 miles of paved and concrete trails for hiking and biking. For more scenic views, try the Greyrock Trail, a 7.1-mile moderate to strenuous loop hike that is teeming with fall foliage (and a bit quieter), with sweeping views of Greyrock Mountain and the Poudre Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park and the Comanche Peak Wilderness Area. Mountain Biking Biking is always a great way to explore, whether you’re in the city or the mountains. Mountain biking can be intimidating in some locations, but the foothills near Horsetooth Reservoir has plenty of terrain for everyone from the first-time rider to the experienced shredder. Front Range Ride Guides has been guiding for over 20 years and specifically caters each ride to your experience and comfort level. Their team is passionate about mountain biking and educating riders. You’ll finish your ride with new skills that you can take back home. Your guide takes photos while on the ride, edits them, then sends them to the group at no extra charge. One of the highlights of the trip is the post-ride tailgate-style happy hour featuring locally crafted beverages to revel in the riding of the day.

AUSTINWOMANMAGAZINE.COM | 45

Cruisin’ around town

The Elizabeth Hotel is located in the center of Old Town Fort Collins, making it the ideal accommodation. The hotel is moderately sized at 164 rooms and features an allweather open-air space on the roof aptly named The Sunset Lounge. If you’re musically inclined and left your instrument of choice at home, just walk down to the lobby and check out their instrument library featuring several types of string instruments. Don’t feel like making music and just needing for some inspiration? Each room comes with a record player and you can choose from the property’s collection of over 1,000 records. Fort Collins is home to over 20 craft breweries featuring well-known spots like Odel Brewing Co. and New Belgium Brewing Co. as well as smaller shops like Gilded Goat and Funkwerks. As the weather cools down, the music moves indoors. Local craft beer and music go hand in hand at the aforementioned Odel Brewing Co. and New Belgium Brewing Co., both of which regularly host live music. There are also more traditional venues like the Lyric Cinema, Magic Rat, Washington’s, Avogadro’s and the historic Mishawaka Amphitheater.

Get in my Belly

The Exchange is a great place to park for the night and have one-stop food and entertainment choices. From tacos to pasta, there’s something for everyone and plenty of craft beer and local cocktails to sip. CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewery located in Old Town, it features traditional pub fare like fish and chips, chicken sandwiches and unique burgers like The Ring of Fire with blue cheese crumbles, jalapenos and buffalo-wing sauce. Starry Night Espresso Cafe is a local coffee shop serving up traditional drinks for java junkies, but also sweet treats and stick-to-your rib varieties like breakfast burritos. Doug Flatt is the publisher of Texas Lifestyle Magazine. When not running small businesses, you can find him on a mountain bike or a body of water with a fly rod in hand.

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WOMEN to WATCH Our pages are full of stories of Austin’s most engaging, empowering and successful women, and this section is specially designed to provide you access to even more incredible role models and success stories. Be part of this amazing group and share your story with thousands of women. Contact us at sales@awmediainc.com or call 512.328.2421 for more information. PHOTOS BY ROMINA OLSON

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MIMI BOND

T H E B O N D T E A M R E A L E S TAT E , T E A M L E A D E R A N D R E A LT O R

erving the Greater Austin area as a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty, Mimi Bond leads through her purpose of helping others discover the joy of investing in real estate and champions her team to build lifetime relationships with their clients by going beyond the transaction. She has a passion for uplifting and empowering women to unlock their potential for relentless growth and partners with community organizations to give back to people who need it the most. Bond lives in Austin with her husband, two growing sons and a chocolate Lab named Duke. She enjoys exploring the city to find the next best restaurant to take her family to, supporting local businesses, swimming, biking or taking the family boat out on the lake to enjoy the Texas sunset. thebondteamrealestate.com

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B R I T TA N Y M O O R E

B. MOORE ORG ANIZED, PROFESSIONAL ORG ANIZER

ince opening B. Moore Organized, Brittany Moore has collaborated closely with her clients to achieve a balance of design and functionality. Moore has been a professional organizer for 11 years and assisted hundreds of clients throughout Texas, California and Colorado. Experienced in decluttering and systemizing, her favorite part is transforming chaos into beautiful, organized, life-changing systems. She is passionate about elevated organization, establishing intentional and functional systems that help every client achieve everyday efficiency and peace of mind in their home, while creating an organized space that reflects their aesthetic, personality and celebrates their lifestyle. As a wife, and a mom to an active toddler, she practices her love of organizing and sees the return on investment in her daily life. At the end of the day, her passion and purpose are to help as many people as she can “be more organized.” bmooreorganized.com

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LINDA MEDINA-LOPEZ

S O M O S A U S T I N 2 0 2 1 C H A I R ; A S S O C I AT E D I R E C T O R , S TAT E A N D D I S T R I C T PA R T N E R S H I P S AT T H E C O L L E G E B O A R D

inda Medina-Lopez is passionate about creating a brighter future for Latinos. She is chair of Somos Austin 2021, the annual fundraising campaign for the Hispanic Impact Fund, a giving network and program of Austin Community Foundation. The Hispanic Impact Fund invests in the economic security and advancement of Latinos in Central Texas. Medina-Lopez is an associate director of State and District Partnerships at the College Board. She works closely with districts and regional service centers and helps them achieve their college readiness goals. She has over 20 years of experience in education, fund development, program management and public affairs. In 2006, Medina-Lopez founded the Young Hispanic Professional Association of Austin and in 2007 co-founded El Paso in Austin Network. Born and raised in El Paso, TX, Linda earned her bachelor’s from the University of Texas at El Paso and master’s in education with honors from Concordia University in Austin. somosaustin.org

5050| AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021 | SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM

WHERE TO WORK

ARE YOU HIRING?

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AUSTIN WOMAN Advertising Account Executive This is an opportunity to join a well-respected company in the fastest growing city in the country. Austin Woman is at a critical inflection point and is seeking a sales executive who is self-driven, curious, and collaborative in nature. Creativity, adaptability and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment are essential. You will be focused on prospecting, qualifying, handling introductory calls and scheduling and executing meetings. You must have great communication skills both written and verbal. If you are driven to achieve a higher level of success, you will find challenges and real rewards with us with unlimited income potential. We have a solid flow of incoming leads, as well as existing accounts to augment your prospecting. We are looking for 2+ years of sales experience, a bonus if it is in media sales. Pay: $45,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year.

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MY VINYASA PRACTICE Yoga Instructor, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, Marketing Coordinator, Yoga Teacher Training Yoga instructor with one to five years of experience who is comfortable teaching vinyasa flow, hatha flow, yin, restorative and Yoga Nidra. C-IAYT yoga therapist with experience working in clinical settings or clinical research. Marketing coordinator with experience routing and scheduling creative media on multiple platforms including social media. Yoga teacher trainer with five+ years of experience leading yoga teacher training in person; must be willing to receive supplementary training.

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MOVING

52 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

FORWARD Jamie Schanbaum has triumphed over an illness that took her limbs. BY JENNY HOFF PHOTOS BY ROMINA OLSON STYLED BY PARKE BALLANTINE WITH INSPIRATION FROM ESTILO MAKEUP BY ALICIA BELLER SHOT ON LOCATION AT DISTRIBUTION HALL

Jamie Schanbaum has the kind of charming wit that can disarm even the most solemn conversationalist. She’s a person who notices all the absurdities of life and can’t keep the amusement at bay; a woman, who despite having confronted some of the most serious life situations just doesn’t take herself too seriously. If attitude is everything, then Schanbaum—despite the loss of her legs and fingers—lacks absolutely nothing. “I never felt like giving up those months that I was in the hospital,” says Schanbaum as she relaxes on her couch in her South Austin home, flanked by her cute and curious Great Pyrenees mix dog, Billie Jean (they both have birthdays this month), and her husband, Chris. “I was just looking ahead.” Looking ahead was all Schanbaum could do after her whole world changed one innocuous Wednesday night in November 2008. A healthy and active 20-year-old college student at the University of Texas, studying for a career in pharmaceutical sales, Schanbaum was at a friend’s apartment doing laundry when she suddenly felt very fatigued. So fatigued she had to lay down on her friend’s couch to take a nap. Schanbaum hadn’t really ever heard of meningitis or its heightened risk for college kids due to their close proximity to each other and lifestyles of high stress, questionable nutrition and lack of sleep. She didn’t know about a vaccine for it or the fact that bills had been introduced and killed in the Texas Legislature that would mandate it for incoming college students. Schanbaum just felt exhausted and thought she was coming down with the flu. But within 24 hours, her fatigue turned into vomiting and muscle weakness. She didn’t have a rash or stiff neck, some of the telltale signs of meningitis, but she did feel extreme sensitivity in her feet and hands. “I couldn’t even walk; it was extremely painful and heavy,” recalls Schanbaum. “I stopped going to the kitchen fridge for water because the sink was closer. I was counting down the steps.” Those were some of the last steps she would ever take on the legs she was born with.

“” I never felt like giving up those months that I was in the hospital, I was just looking ahead.

MOVING FORWARD

Schanbaum’s story of resilience doesn’t start with that fateful day in 2008, when she arrived at the hospital with her sister, unable to walk, freezing cold and begging for injections of hot water in her veins just so she could warm up. It didn’t begin the day she was transferred to Houston for two months of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, where she sat in a tube of pure oxygen for one hour every day, trying to save what she could of her limbs. It didn’t even begin the day her dead body parts were finally removed and she would begin a new life on prosthetic legs. Schanbaum’s story of resilience begins when she was 3 months old, the youngest of four children, freshly entering the world at the same moment her father was leaving it.

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“It kind of makes sense the way my siblings and I came out the way we did,” says Schanbaum. “My starting point was a rough one, I guess. As many Disney movies as I could watch, I knew that’s not how life really was.” Schanbaum grew up watching her mom, Patsy Schanbaum, raise her and her siblings alone, after Jamie’s father passed away from cancer just months after her birth. Left with four children under the age of 6, Patsy had to make the decision to either throw in the towel and bemoan her fate or pick up and move on, raising her kids with as much humor and fortitude as possible. She chose the latter—and unknowingly instilled in her young daughter a kind of strength and life philosophy she would one day desperately need in order to survive. “It’s the journey that you’re on,” says Patsy. “If you fight it, then it can be heavy on your heart, spirit and soul. You have to accept that this is the life that you’ve been given.” Schanbaum has more than accepted the life she has been given; she’s bulldozing her way forward, accomplishing every dream she has—some with modifications, others more ambitious than she may have ever considered before she got sick. “You always hear people say, ‘Make something out of your life, make a change,’” she says. “I’m like, ‘I feel good. I already did that.’ My goal is to make sure the whole country is protected against meningitis.” Not long after Schanbaum left the hospital, she and her mom got to work convincing state legislators to pass legislation mandating the meningitis vaccine for college students in Texas. In the summer of 2009, Senate Bill 819, known as the Jamie Schanbaum Act, passed the Texas Legislature and was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry. Schanbaum became a spokesperson for GSK, a research and development company that produces vaccines, and she has given speeches around the country educating the public on the dangers of meningitis. Her family created a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the J.A.M.I.E. Group, which stands for Joint Advocacy of Meningococcal Information & Education. Their goal is to prevent meningitis from stealing any more lives—or limbs. “I quickly went from ‘Why did this happen to me?’ to ‘Why does this keep happening to others?’” explains Schanbaum. “There is a way to prevent this from happening. My friend didn’t get sick, even though I was barfing all over her house. That’s because she was vaccinated.” Schanbaum is now out to educate the whole country on not just the original meningitis vaccine, which protects against strains A, C, W and Y, but also the newest vaccine that was created in 2014, which protects against the B strain. The campaign Ask2BSure encourages parents and adolescents to ask their doctors about getting both vaccines so they are protected against all five strains of meningitis. REBIRTH

After two days in the hospital, Schanbaum was finally diagnosed with Meningococcal septicemia, the C strain, a rare and more deadly form of meningitis that infects the blood, rather than the brain and spinal cord. She was put into a medically induced coma as doctors tried to get her heart rate down. At one point, she was given only a 20% chance of survival. Three weeks later, when she was brought out of the coma, Schanbaum witnessed her legs and fingers turn from red to purple to black as her body struggled to protect her organs by sacrificing her extremities. Three months after she first fell ill, Schanbaum decided to stop trying to save her limbs and go ahead with the needed amputations—both to avoid sepsis, another poisoning of the blood, and to move on with her life. She was ready to go back to college and begin again. Schanbaum considers that day in February her second birth. “Watching my body decay before my eyes, I was just like, ‘Whatever, you guys, I’m thinking about exams,’” Schanbaum says with a wry smile. “It didn’t really set in until I left the hospital. I was a social stigma. I was in a wheelchair. I wasn’t thrilled with people staring at me all the time.” Her mom recounts a time when a little boy asked Schanbaum what had happened to her. Schanbaum responded, with a deadpan face, “When they tell you don’t feed the bears, don’t feed the bears.” Patsy laughs at the memory, explaining that the child was a relative who enjoyed the tall tale. “Another time, a man at the airport asked us what war she had fought in,” she recounts. “I told him she was never in the military, but she did fight a war.” While Schanbaum likes to lighten the mood when talking about her story, she’ll be the first to admit it was a long road to get where she is today. Her older brother, Nicholas, a lawyer based in Dallas who dropped everything 13 years ago when his sister got sick and stayed by her side in the hospital, says he and his family used a lot of tough love to keep her going through some of the more painful periods.

LOCATION: Distribution Hall Distribution Hall is an event space and production studio located in the heart of East Austin. Originally constructed to house Austin’s first German beer importer, this thoughtfully restored midcentury structure now features a 7,000-squarefoot studio warehouse, a 3,000-square-foot open-air hangar and a beautiful 7,500-square-foot courtyard and lawn. Amenities include a green room, cyc wall, production suites and a catering kitchen. Distribution Hall is an ideal location

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for celebrations, ceremonies, corporate events and training, music festivals, photo and video productions, screenings and community events. The exterior west wall of Distribution Hall currently showcases murals curated by Good Snake, all designed and painted by local female artists. 1500 E. Fourth St. distributionhall.com

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Murals by Emily Mente (@studiomente) and Lauren Napolitano (@peptalks).

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“” Another time, a man at the airport asked us what war she had fought in, I told him she was never in the military, but she did fight a war.

“It’s one thing to overcome adversity, and it’s another thing to relearn to walk and constantly get skin grafts; it’s exhausting,” says Nicholas. “It’s not like running a marathon. In a marathon, you can take breaks. All of it can be draining. We would remind her, ‘You’re doing great, you’re going to keep doing great. So suck it up.’” It took one year from when Schanbaum entered the hospital to when she could finally, with the help of her new legs, take a few steps on her own. Deciding to go ahead with the amputations and start her new life was one thing; learning to function with her new body was another. She credits her occupational therapist, Bob Whitford, with helping her believe she could accomplish the seemingly impossible. “It took some convincing,” she laughs, recalling when Whitford first mentioned she should try bicycling again, an activity she had enjoyed before her sickness. “The first time he said it, I was 80 pounds, a fresh amputee and had barely any hair on my head. I was like, ‘Can this guy get out of my room?’” But Whitford happens to be especially qualified as both an occupational therapist and a promoter of beating the odds. He was 4 ½ years old when he lost his right arm in a hayride accident while living in Springfield, Missouri. Today, he rides a motorcycle to and from work. He played tennis throughout high school. He ranked fifth in cycling in the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic games and won the bronze medal in Sydney in 2000. He considers his profession much more than a job, but a calling. His clients aren’t just patients, but family. They’re starting a new life, and they need a different kind of support system, someone who can help show them the way. “I frequently say to my patients, ‘There is a time when you can, and there is a time when you cannot,’” says Whitford. “If you appreciate the times when you can, then you won’t have regrets in the time that you cannot.” The first time he mentioned getting on a bike to Schanbaum he knew she wasn’t ready. But he was planting a seed. Painting a different picture for her future. Months into her therapy, he brought her an adapted tricycle and sat her on it, letting her experience the sensation of riding again. He calls that moment the germination of the seed, a chance to show her what could blossom. After several more months of hard work, exercise and practicing on a stationary bike, she was ready to bloom. “We went out to the Veloway, and she was a natural,” recalls Whitford. “She loved riding a bicycle before her injury, so that was her liberation.” Three years after entering the hospital and one year after getting on a bike again, Schanbaum was trying out for the USA Paralympics cycling team, winning a gold medal in her division in the road nationals in Augusta, Georgia, and competing in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. “You can choose your path,” says Whitford. “You can choose to take it on as a challenge or curl up and resign. She chose to take on the challenge of life.” He’s proud of helping her get back on the road. But, he says, Schanbaum impacted his life as much as he has hers. He just sent his two daughters to the University of Texas. They first met Schanbaum 13 years ago, when they were little girls and their father was helping her regain her mobility. “I said to them recently, ‘You know the reason you have to get a vaccine for meningitis before going to college is because of Schanbaum.’ Life comes full circle, doesn’t it?”

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CHAMPION MOMENT

Schanbaum’s accomplishments would be impressive for someone with no adversity or disability, let alone for someone who nearly lost her life and did lose her legs and fingers at just 20 years old. Schanbaum is proud of her cycling achievements, her work with grassroots organizations and celebrities to spread awareness and get legislation passed, her ability to complete her education and now work a full-time job. But what she considers her greatest victory is a milestone that even with her optimistic spirit and cando attitude she sometimes doubted would ever happen. “My biggest champion moment is getting married,” she says, smiling at her husband sitting next to her. “That could have all been taken away for sure. Thinking about being disabled and meeting people—I didn’t know what it would be like.” Schanbaum’s love story is simple, yet shimmers with serendipity. After her illness she went on a few dates but never felt any spark. Online dating hadn’t really caught on yet, though she says posting pictures of herself with her disability “would have filtered out the losers really quickly.” While she enjoys traveling and speaking about meningitis publicly, in personal conversations she prefers to hear other people’s life stories rather than always rehashing her own. It turned out the spark she finally felt was with someone she didn’t have to explain her life to, because he had already been in it for many years. “Our best friends were siblings, and anytime I would go to my friend’s house he was there,” explains Schanbaum. “We knew each other in high school but didn’t really talk. One day, ten years ago, I went to meet up with my friend in Wimberly, and he was there. We were all hanging out and [Chris and I] started to look at each other differently than before.” In 2017, after spending three years in a long-distance relationship when he was stationed with the Army in Hawaii, and dating for six years altogether, she and Chris got married in Wimberly where their love story began. They plan to start trying for children sometime in the near future. “We’re almost in the exact place where we want to be to start having kids,” Schanbaum wrote in an e-mail correspondence. “The earliest we think we’ll start trying is by summer time next year. Eek! Ahh! Maybe another year after that.” Schanbaum’s life nowadays is a blissfully ordinary one—a husband, a dog, a job in sales. Having had enough pharmaceuticals to last a lifetime, Schanbaum switched her major and received a degree in human development and family sciences instead. She’s passionate about connecting with people, educating them and being a part of their lives—perhaps even saving some of them the heartache that her own family members and families of those who didn’t survive meningitis have gone through. Of course, she faces everyday obstacles that most people never even consider: opening doors, putting on her legs every morning, asking her husband to put on her earrings. But she’s not complaining. Her life is full, her life has meaning and she doesn’t take a day of it for granted. “If smiling eyes was a person, it would be Jamie,” Nicholas says, gushing about his little sister. “She’s a very bold and confident woman. Confident despite having every reason to tuck tail and run. That’s powerful.”

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“” If smiling eyes was a person, it would be Jamie. She’s a very bold and confident woman. Confident despite having every reason to tuck tail and run. That’s powerful.

Meningitis Facts: An estimated 1 in 10 people have the bacteria for meningitis in their throat and nose. A sudden illness can permit the bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Data shows 800 to 1200 people in the U.S. contract meningitis each year. Meningitis is most prevalent in infants and young adults. For those who contract meningitis, an estimated 1 in 10 will die and 1 in 5 will live with disabilities, including loss of limbs, nerve damage and hearing loss. For more information on the vaccines available, including the newer “Men B” vaccine, visit ask2bsure.com.

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TURNING ANGER INTO ACTION

After a turbulent year, Mady Morneault, Lauryn Ott and Anna Sweeney share their trials and triumphs.

BY CY WHITE n graduate school, Allison Orr watched a man clean some windows. The former social worker was studying choreography at the time and had spent the whole day in the studio. The campus foreman, Manuel Godinez, faced her from outside and swept his tools across the window with ease and forethought. It was 1998, so back theretowere no “satisfying” videosRuth of perfect et’s take a trip October 2020. The viral Honorable Bader Ginsberg has window cleanings yet. There no over TikTok challenges to her seat before just passed, and there’s a loudwere uproar thedance Senate’s push to fill interpret realalife into something consumable seconds.all But pattern it’s even had chance to cool. Women’s Marchinbranches over the country recognition universal. rally behindistheir shero, protesting the Supreme Court’s disregard for tradition, “I watched andGinsberg’s thought, ‘Well, that’s the mosttointeresting precedent andhim Bader own wishes to wait fill her seat until after the choreography I’ve seen in a long time,’” Orr recalls. “There’s a very presidential election. specific to his window It Sweeney was very weren’t clear and precise. It Madypattern Morneault, Lauryn Ottwashing. and Anna new to activism. was co-hosting absolutely rehearsed. And it was verywas determined terms of timing. But the local Women’s March their firstinand biggest endeavor by It was thatand youthe want a dance to be.” it gained valuable guidance from the far. Theallrally women organizing She approached introduce herself and explain a the planning national chapter of Godinez Women’stoMarch, but they mostly undertook performance on.from Collaborating campus When and executionseries of theshe’d eventbeen withworking little help other localwith organizations. employees, she routineswent to mimic their everyday the rally first gotchoreographed underway, everything smoothly. Sun shining, Taylor activities. Theinforeman agreed toAttendees perform his solo. fun. To this day, Orr warned about Swift playing the background. having They were remembers his dance and “generosity” emblematic hertogoals as a volatile possible pushback from certain groups as and trained on of how deescalate choreographer. situations, but for all intents and purposes there was no cause for serious alarm. “The gorgeousness of showed the movement, the uninitiated, perfection ofthe that dance....It’s Then the Proud Boys up. For the Proud Boys are a still what I’m doing,” says Orr.group of men who galavant about town in full right-wing white supremicist tactical gear with loaded weapons to intimidate and threaten those who stand against their archaic and, quite frankly, deplorable ideologies about who does and doesn’t deserve to be treated like a human being. Cresting over a hill leading down toward the Wooldridge Square Park pavilion, they strode in. Shouting derogatory slurs toward the women. Mocking their efforts. At several points physically and verbally assaulting those in attendance. The astonishing part of the whole situation, however, wasn’t even what happened that day. Disgusting? Yes. Traumatizing? Most certainly. But perhaps most harrowing was the fact that not a single person from the media even approached the young women about what they’d experienced. (If a tree falls in the forest and nobody’s around to hear it…) One year on, each woman has taken a divergent path to move past the events of last year. Ott is still apprehensive about being as proactive as she was. “I’m not running back to go marching again,” Ott reveals, a somewhat somber grin tugging at her lips. “I feel like we’ve been running a marathon in this pandemic. I’m exhausted.” Even in her understandable exhaustion, she’s found the ability to stay active. “Work has picked up,” Ott says. “I’m leading a number of different initiatives at work for women-owned businesses. So that’s really exciting. I got to travel a little bit safely, which was really nice. Funny enough,” she says with a smile, “I went to Florida, which is the worst place for COVID. We had planned it after vaccinations; there wasn’t a Delta variant. I was telling people, ‘I went to the worst state for COVID, and then I returned [to] the worst state for women.’ So now [I’m] trying to wrap up the year and excited to get some rest.” Sweeney has experienced a number of transitions since last October, including graduating from Texas State in December with her bachelor’s. “I have been working in vet med actually,” she says. There’s a note of surprise in her own

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voice, considering she’d started working in the social work field after she graduated. “I eventually made the decision to switch to working in vet med. I’ve also been volunteering with Pug Rescue of Austin, fostering pugs.” The point is punctuated with the delighted yips of two pugs she’s fostering at the moment. She’s even started a new job at a new animal hospital in Austin. In the midst of all of that, Sweeney still managed to participate in the Don’t Mess with Texas’ Abortions rally. She as well as dozens of other women donned the signature red cloaks from the somewhat prophetic television series The Handmaid’s Tale. Morneault has also stayed incredibly active. She returned to part-time work and continued volunteering with Planned Parenthood. She, too, participated in the Don’t Mess with Texas’ Abortions rally. “Just trying to keep myself busy with my writing and my advocacy,” she says. “I’ve been spending a lot of my time doing photoshoots and writing for my Instagram, @madymorneault. I also recently redesigned and revamped my website for all of my projects that I’ve done this year as a way of raising awareness for endometriosis, with Modibody and health.com. It’s called missmisdiagnosis.com, and it’s been really fun to see that take off.” After suffering for most of her adult life from endometriosis, Morneault had what she hopes to be her final surgery to remove the rest of the scarring. “I made the decision to travel to the Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, Georgia, for the surgery,” she says brightly. “Recovering from that was a huge part of my life that I’ve been waiting on for a long time. It was extremely successful, and they gave me a rate of only 5% possible rate of recurrence, which is the best-case scenario you can get. It’s a huge blessing for sure.” Ott recently celebrated her own astounding wellness feat: “I celebrated five years of being cancerfree in July.” The announcement is subdued, but her smile is genuine. “I got my official five-year stamp. So I’ve been downgraded to a low risk of occurrence.” Ott wears her emotions openly on her face. Just saying the words “five years cancer-free” has a profound effect on her each time they leave her mouth.

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Photo by Brandon McKinney.

These women know firsthand what it means to live with trauma. The whole world is suffering from it collectively. There’s a pervasive feeling of unease that the next major catastrophe will be the one to ultimately bring humankind to its knees. But let’s bring things back down to earth. In September, the state of Texas passed 666 bills including Senate Bill 8, one of the most aggressive and direct challenges to Roe v. Wade in history. Gov. Abbott and his cabinet have sent a very clear message to the rest of the country, reinforcing a centuries-old practice of policing women’s bodies. “I’m sure we all read what he said about victims of rape,” Sweeney says, then pauses. Her face is a mask of barely concealed rage. “Disgusting,” she spits out. In an age where the entire country is actively—most times painfully— attempting to grapple with the more deplorable aspects of its history, the 666 bills passed in September was the proverbial middle finger to progress, accountability, equity and equality. (If you’re wary of the figure, according to the Texas Legislature Report on the State Capitol official website, yes, that is the actual number.) It’s no wonder, then, that Ott has opted to temporarily step away from more hands-on activism. The fact that what they went through still affects them one year later speaks so viscerally to the seeming never-ending onslaught of tragedies plaguing the world. How does one stay sane? “Therapy,” Ott says with a rueful chuckle. Her next words are more serious, “Limiting your news is helpful. You can scroll through Instagram and still see what’s happening. So I’m like, ‘Well, if I’m going to see it on my socials, I’m not going to go out of my way to watch CNN 24/7.’ It can take over and suffocate you. I’ve been reading a lot too,” she continues. “That helps me escape into a different world than this one. It’s been really helpful for me to give my brain and heart a break.” “Therapy has been a huge part of my healing journey,” Morneault says. “Especially last year with the Women’s March and all the trauma that kind of ensued, I know I wouldn’t have been able to bring myself back into that advocacy space if I didn’t take care of myself first.” She also believes in limiting her dependence on the news cycle. “During the pandemic when I was detached from everybody else, I used to have the news on constantly,” she recalls. “So for every time I check the news I try to have a moment of silence with myself. I love being out in nature, listening to the sounds of nature and just existing and plugging into that as opposed to what’s online and what’s in the news. I’m gonna feel the wind on my face, or the heat because it’s Texas, and reset.” “I have been getting angry with what I’ve been seeing,” Sweeney admits. “With what’s been going on in Texas, I’m furious. And I think that’s okay. I think I have the right to be furious. Rights are literally being taken away, so I think everyone has the right to be furious. I was so disappointed with the response from the Supreme Court. I’m not surprised,” she says, “but I was hoping more preventative measures would’ve been taken before it got this far.” The pause here is simmering with the sort of searing energy it takes to relieve feelings of blind rage. “At the same time, it kind of also drives me. I’m so ready for Nov. 8, 2022,” Sweeney says with conviction. “I’m going to go hard. I’m going to register everyone I know.” Ott reflects on the grief each one of them felt last year. “This is why we were freaking out when [Bader Ginsberg] passed away,” she says emphatically. “We didn’t trust our system to protect us, and it didn’t. So there’s a lot of anger. When this passed we all texted each other and were like…” She lets out a heavy sigh, illustrating their collective grief. “I do feel that urge to do Brigette Oakes 62 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

“” My personal favorite thing about protesting is that it turns anger into power. something. Marches are so great because it’s such a source of community. Sometimes it’s just good to be angry around people who are angry about the same thing.” “My personal favorite thing about protesting is that it turns anger into power,” Morneault says. “That thing of being angry around people who are angry about the same thing you are, when you have that collective force, that anger turns into power. It turns into a voice, and it turns into a message.” Grief. Fury. Rage. These emotions are valid and at times are useful to help motivate action. “Now it’s about what can I do?” Sweeny says. “I can’t go bribe a state legislator. I can’t control Allison what’s being done in law. But I canOrr at least try to get [people] to bring more awareness to the situation.” Whether marching or speaking their truths, they have never lost the spirit and brass ovaries to speak up and speak loud about what needs to be fixed. This includes turning a much-needed critical eye toward the organization that started them on this journey: Women’s March. Many have noted the oftentimes contrarian behaviors of the organization. The outrage over SB 8 is valid, but a large contingency can’t help but wonder where all this anger was when Black lives were being sacrificed to the gods of law enforcement. When the Black Lives Matter organization was in desperate need of support from like-minded organizations, where were they? When Women’s March held rallies for voting rights, the BLM presence was mysteriously absent. (Perhaps the invite got lost in the mail.) Similarly, where was this female fury after years of trans women being murdered? “I can’t tell you what my relationship is with the Women’s March,” Ott says openly. “I know that’s not a happy answer. But I think it’s important that we hold people accountable. If you’re gonna claim that you are rallying around intersectional feminism, that means you help everyone. I struggle with that as far as my future participation. “I am not interested in talking shit about anyone,” she continues. “At the same time I think it’s important to realize we sometimes don’t even have each other’s backs, and that’s something we really need to focus on. Especially white

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Photo by Many Moreault.

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active face of feminism, Women’s March can’t be one-sided. Through all of this, there’s one constant that’s held these women together: their friendship. “I know that our little text group that we have, we haven’t stopped since before the march,” Morneault says. “I tell people, ‘You don’t get how much I love these women.’ I have not gone a single day without talking with them. Not a single day was missed.” The Zoom erupts with the kind of laughter heavy-laden with mutual adoration. “We have multiple chat groups,” Ott says with enthusiasm. “We’re all on TikTok, so we’re always sending each other things. It’s family.” The self-proclaimed mom of the group radiates so much love when speaking about her sisters in spirit. “Honestly, they’re my two closest friends,” Sweeney says. “I talk to them more than I talk to my roommate. They’re included in every big thing in my life. Any important decision I’m always like, ‘Guys, please help.’” More laughter. The mirth of true sisterhood. Even through what seems like a never-ending cycle of catastrophes, we must remember we are never alone. There’s always someone in your corner who wants you to succeed. Mady Morneault, Lauryn Ott and Anna Sweeney have found sisters for life in one another, sharing a bond kept strong through a year of trials, triumphs, extreme pain and unimaginable joy. They were indeed “baptized by fire.” Like the most powerful sword, their experiences in the last year have forged a lifelong friendship that cannot be chipped or fractured. Despite the sound and the fury, they have each other.

Photo by Brandon McKinney.

women. This is a problem we have in the feminist community,” she says with a small chuckle of frustration. “We wanna support the shiny, popular things and not have those conversations with women of color and see what we can actually do, or step aside and create that platform for women of color. I think that’s what I’ve been struggling with. I did a march, and I’m proud of myself and I’m proud of us. We really pulled something together quickly and it was beautiful. But now it’s my turn to step aside and let someone else go. Whether that’s the next generation, whether that’s women of color, I’m happy to step aside and support.” Morneault offers another perspective. “I think it’s really important to recognize there are so many things that you can do other than marching,” she says. “I know there were times in my life where I wasn’t physically able to march or go to a rally or to just show up in person somewhere. One of the silver lining of the pandemic is that it’s proven how much we can do virtually, and I think that’s something we shouldn’t take for granted moving forward. You can volunteer at a text bank, you can call and write your Senators. I make a huge effort to make sure that the activism of whatever I’m involved in is not performative.” Sweeney sees a need to focus attention on more than just the visible “women” aspect of Women’s March. “It’s important to remember that not everyone identifies as a woman,” she insists. “People can still get pregnant who are not women. There’s nonbinary people, there’s transgender people, and it’s affecting all of these people as well. I think it’s important to emphasize the equality part and less the gender identities.“ She makes the point clear: “It’s not feminism if it’s not intersectional,” she says. “I think a lot of people forget that.” As this

WHAT MAKES THE OTHER TWO WOMEN SURVIVORS?

Lauryn about Mady and Anna “These two have been dealt some of the shittiest hands I’ve seen, and they still wake up everyday and keep going. They’re just always ready to advocate for whoever’s being affected. It amazes me that they still march, that they send me pictures of them in Handmaids costumes. Or like Mady screaming into her megaphone at some small white man. I feel like my ovaries radiate power when I see pictures from them. It’s so empowering. These women are multiple years younger than me, and they’ll still kick my ass out of bed and wake me up if I don’t see things. You two are amazing women, and I hope you know that. I’m just proud of y’all.” Mady about Lauryn and Anna “I don’t think Lauryn gives herself enough credit for everything she does and how supportive she is of Anna and I. I think Lauryn and Anna are both the absolute epitome of survivors. We all are. If you’re a woman in Texas, you’re a survivor right now. I couldn’t think of two better examples of love and perseverance. Lauryn is always kicking ass in her career and alway has a new project. Not only that, she’s now five years cancer-free. I definitely cried when she sent me that text message. Same with Anna. She wakes up everyday and works her ass off just to make ends meet and just be a young person in this economy, post-grad in the pandemic. It’s hard, but everyday she does it regardless. I’m so proud of both of them.” Lauryn Ott

Anna about Lauryn and Mady “Lauryn is more than like a mom. She’s such a kind friend. She’s one of the most thoughtful people I’ve ever met. She’s helped me navigate being an adult. I really appreciate that she’ll give her knowledge because so many people will say, ‘I had to go through this on my own, so figure it out.’ But she always says, ‘This happened to me, and I don’t want you to make the same mistake.’ And surviving cancer at such a young age! Amazing. I’ve seen both of these women survive so much brutality and have had horrible things said to them. I’ve seen Mady give her middle finger to the people who were calling her names. Another thing about Mady that I admire is that she’s such a good advocate. If she thinks anyone is being wronged, she will go bananas. Especially after going through endometriosis and going through the health care system. It’s very inspirational for her to be that advocate for her friends and other people. I just think they’re both such amazing women.”

Photo courtesy of Lauryn Ott, photos by Kevin Deal and Morgan Kehrberg.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE MAKES YOU POWERFUL?

Mady Morneault

Lauryn “Something that makes me feel powerful that I’ve seen through my life through all kinds of struggles is resilience. I do feel like I was born with a lot of resilience. I may have to temporarily pause, process and reset. But I always come out stronger no matter what it is. I feel like there’s nothing that’s ever fully gonna stop my drive or stop my soul from singing and screaming. I don’t know if it’s from being sick as a kid to being sick in my 20s to going through all kinds of struggles, I just have always been resilient. I’m grateful for that. Just women supporting me makes me feel really powerful. That is feminism, isn’t it? It’s not just about marches and protesting. It’s about paying attention to the women in your life and seeing their struggle and seeing when they need uplifting. Making sure they know that they’re powerful too.” Anna “The first thing I thought of also was the word ‘resilient.’ I’m 22. Growing up I never thought I’d make it this far. I was always a very depressed and anxious kid, and I could never picture myself as an adult and having a normal life. But, like, I’m living in Austin with a roommate, I have a job, I help raise pugs. I never thought I would be healthy enough or stable enough or a good enough person to make it this far to have friends as great as these two. I guess I’m proud of myself making it this far and surviving.”

Anna Sweeney

Mady “I find most of my power in my voice, whether that’s actively speaking or writing on my Instagram or my blog. I found that when my body is completely down for the count and I can’t do anything and I feel stuck and I feel trapped, like I can’t go anywhere or do anything I still have my voice, I still have my words. I still have my story. You can be the most confident person in the entire world. You can put on a front, be loud and proud. But at the end of the day, you still have those low moments, you still have those low selfesteem days or low body-image days. Feeling like [I’m] not doing enough a lot of the time is what I feel. But I found that the power that I have over my own story and my own voice is really what drives me to keep going more than anything else.” ATXWOMAN.COM | 65

SEE HER WORK

PAINTBRUSHES AND PASSION

How one woman used her art to show other women their beauty. BY SLOANE WICK

BECOMING THE ARTIST

Cindy Lopez comes from a long line of artists. Her

Even Lopez’s father did everything he could to support his daughter’s creativity, bringing her the tools she needed to get her creative start. “My father worked in computers, and he would bring home these large reams of computer paper that had holes all the way down the side,” Lopez says. “My childhood was just drawing and drawing and drawing on that paper.” With all the support and passion for creativity in her family, it was no surprise when Lopez chose to pursue the arts as a career. She attended Texas State University, earning her BFA in commercial art in 1986. In the years since, her work has been displayed and sold at various galleries and public venues across Texas and California.

Photo by Robbie Lopez.

grandmother crafted hats, her mother was a sculptor and her grandfather was a self-taught painter. “I grew up…sneaking into his studio,” Lopez says with a smile. “I have all of his paintbrushes.” Lopez credits her family as her biggest supporters while she developed her artistic skills. “When I was very young, I drew a little lion…and my grandfather took that drawing and had a notepad made out of it with the lion at the top,” she says with an edge of pride in her voice. “That made me feel so special, like, ‘Oh my gosh, my work’s good enough for a notepad.’ When you’re a little kid that makes you feel great.”

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HONORS

YVETTE BOATWRIGHT

2021 Recipient Hancock, McGill & Bleau Affordable Housing Leadership Award Yvette Boatwright & Austin Habitat Homeowner, Paula

THANK YOU

for empowering families to build safe and stable homes.

THANK YOU

for building hope in the lives of families and generations to come. Austin Habitat Row Homes in Mueller Community Designed by Michael Hsu’s Office of Architecture

THANK YOU for providing access to new Austin Habitat communities.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 67

BECOMING THE PAINTER

Photos by Cindy Lopez.

Like many artists, Lopez was initially unsure of her skills as she began to develop her artistic lens and learned to paint. She can vividly recall feeling this doubt in a class she took at Texas State. “You had students in there that were taking, two [or] three weeks to do these beautiful watercolors with a sailboat on the water or a house in the field, and really getting into their details and making sure their work was perfect, and I was kind of just doing all this abstract stuff,” Lopez says. “I felt insecure because I was whipping through these paintings. I wasn’t doing this fantastic work that I thought my parents were doing, but I kept going because I enjoyed it.” Lopez’s perspective was completely changed when her art teacher pointed out that she had done 72 paintings while most students had only completed two to three. “He said, ‘Right now, quantity is better than quality,’” Lopez says. “That stuck with me. Here I thought I was less than [my peers], and I was doing something positive in his eyes. He’s right. The more you do, the more you learn, and you just keep going and going and keep going. You’re gonna have paintings that are crap, and you just move on and you learn from each of those.”

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BECOMING THE BRA MAKER

“”

Lopez’s art career transformed radically when Dr. Rocco Piazza, an Austin plastic surgeon who specializes in an aesthetic approach to breast reconstruction, asked her to design and create a bra for the 2015 Art Bra Austin fundraiser runway show. All the models in the show are breast cancer survivors and clients of the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas. “Once I agreed to do the bra event, then they asked my friend [Robin Perras], who got me in touch with them, if she would model it,” Lopez recalled. “[It] became super special to me to be creating something for her. My main goal was to make sure she felt beautiful. That was really, really important to me.” Lopez ran into some issues during the first bra fitting with Perras. “She put it on and I could tell she just didn’t like the way it fit,” Lopez recalls. “I said, “Let me try again.’ I painted a new one for her, and when she put it on, I could see in her face how she felt. I just can’t explain to you the emotion you get from that. Just because they’ve been through so much.” Since then, Lopez has created a new bra every year for the show. “These women get to tell their story, and it’s heartbreaking, [but] it’s also inspiring,” Lopez says. “A lot of tears are shed, and you’re just so proud of them. They do feel empowered being on that runway and they feel beautiful, which was my goal.”

Photo courtesy of Breast Cancer Resource Center.

Photos by Cindy Lopez.

These women get to tell their story, and it’s heartbreaking, [but] it’s also inspiring.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 69

THE FEED

FEEDING THE SERVICE INDUSTRY

Mandi Nelson began Austin Shift Meal to help feed out-of-work service-industry workers. BY FIZA KUZHIYIL

her company…including her. “I had never been unemployed in my life,” Nelson reveals. ”When the pandemic hit, I [had] just moved into a new home by myself. I took on the biggest mortgage of my life. My immediate response was just to shut down. [But] when I heard what my friend was doing in Houston, I was like, ‘This is gonna keep my mind occupied and keep me focused on doing something positive.’” After losing her service-industry job at the beginning of the pandemic, Nelson began Austin Shift Meal in April 2020. Based on a similar project in Houston called Houston Shift Meal, Austin Shift Meal provides five meals a week for local serviceindustry workers who lost their jobs. Over the course of 18 months, Austin Shift Meal fed over 800 service workers and their families.

“” Everyone [showed] up with a bright smile, ready to help the community. It was such a special time. Typically, Nelson says, service employers feed workers before their shift. This meal became known as the “shift meal,” and along with losing their jobs, workers now had to make up these meals with their own money. “It was just like a domino effect. Everyone I knew was constantly saying, ‘I’m shutting down my restaurant,’ or ‘I’m out of work,’ or ‘We’re getting hit hard with what’s going on,’” Nelson says. “I couldn’t just sit home and not do anything. I can at least try and feed people and help out that way. I see this need right now in the community, and I feel pretty confident with all the connections that I have in this industry that I can pull this off.” She set up in a new restaurant each week, but always hosted outside due to COVID-19 concerns. Austin Shift Meal fundraised on one end to help pay restaurants for their out-of-work service. The organization helped those out of work who needed meals, but also absorbed shift meal costs for restaurants with COVID-19 budget constraints. Nelson and her list of over 100 volunteers helped feed an average of 75 people and their families per week. For her, serving the workers and their families became a way for her to connect with her community. “Everyone [showed] up with a bright smile, ready to help the community. It was such a special time,” Nelson says. “It helped me through this hard time. When you feel down and you’re around other people that are doing great things, [that] just makes you feel so much better, and giving back just makes you feel really good.”

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Photos courtesy of Mandi Nelson.

During the early stages of the pandemic, Mandi Nelson’s employer laid off half of

“”

Photos courtesy of Austin Shift Meal.

They’re doing the best they can right now. Your tips are helping them survive and take care of their family. Nelson has always loved working with people, proven by the fact that her professional background has always been in the hospitality business. At times, work and fun blend together, motivating Nelson to dive deeper into the industry. “One of my very first jobs was in a restaurant waiting tables, and I bartended all through college and fell in love with wine,” Nelson shares. “I’m now working for a wine import company portfolio. I’ve always loved working and found that this industry is more fun than work. I’ve made so many incredible relationships over the years being in this industry. It’s incredible.” Nelson’s time in the service industry has offered her immense growth. As she travels the world in her new role, Nelson reveals working with that wine import company is her dream job. “The people that are in this industry are in it because they love it, and they love the people,” she says. “So it’s good to be reminded of that and know that this group cares about each other. We may have our own rough moments, but we all see that there is a need for change, and there [are] incredible people out there that are working on that change.” While Austin Shift Meal has no formal plans to continue operations, the organization still works to assess community needs. Over the past year, Nelson and her colleagues noticed a need for change within the industry after the pandemic further stressed many cracks that already lay within the system. She calls for health benefits, paid time off and fair wages. With $2.13 as the minimum serving wage in Texas, servers can’t plan their life around their income. She also urges diners and people going out to be more understanding of delays due to understaffing. “They might be just extremely short-staffed in the front of the house or in the back of the house,” Nelson says. “They’re doing the best they can right now. Your tips are helping them survive and take care of their family. Don’t short them on their [tips] because you maybe didn’t have the best experience you’ve ever had. Just be appreciative and hang in there with them. We’re gonna hang in there with you. But we’ve got to do this together.”

ATXWOMAN.COM | 71

FASHION

THE ART OF THE BRA

Art Bra Austin gives cancer survivors the confidence to embrace their bodies. BY FIZA KUZHIYIL

When Norma Jean Chapa heard the words “you have lymphoma” eight years

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Challenge Accepted - Artist Jessie Young, Model Lindsay Artis, Photographer Flashbax23

Gold Goddess - Artist Leah Lucas of Kendra Scott, Model Leah Rose Duncan, Photographer Flashpool Productions

Photos courtesy of Art Bra Austin.

ago, she replied, “That’s cancer, right?” Though she was given news nobody ever wishes to receive, Chapa felt blessed to know what to do with her diagnosis, thanks to her years of work with Art Bra Austin and the Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC). “I didn’t get scared,” Chapa says. “I didn’t feel alone. Because I knew that I had all of this support, [and] even though it was lymphoma, I knew that someone at the BCRC was going to be able to point me in the right direction.” For over 20 years, Art Bra Austin has raised money for BCRC. As Art Bra’s creative director, Chapa shares her experience with Art Bra and the support it offers to cancer survivors. “When you find that something that kind of marries your passion, it’s really easy to put in the hours,” she says. “It’s easy to support, and you don’t even really think about the hundreds of hundreds of hours that you’re donating every year.” Art Bra hosts an annual fashion show where survivors and clients of the BCRC model top pieces designed by local artists. “Our whole purpose for Art Bra Austin is to create visible, wearable art,” Chapa says. “I want people to look at the runway and look at that bra and go, ‘I could wear that bra under a beautiful jacket to a gala.’ I want them to visualize themselves in this bra.” Chapa says her favorite part about the event is watching new models enjoy walking the runway. The models are at various stages of breast cancer, many facing the effects of treatment. “There is nothing more rewarding than having a new model who’s never done it before,” says Chapa. “She’s so nervous, you know. They’re wearing a bra. It’s really helping them to embrace their new body. “I cannot tell you how many times that we have had a really nervous model [say], ‘I can’t do this, I can’t do this.’ I [say], ‘I promise you, the moment you put your foot on that stage, nothing else in the world is gonna matter.’” Not only do the models take the stage; they embrace it. “The reason why we do it is to help [each woman] feel empowered to really understand

Tree of Life - Artist Norma Jean Chapa and Crystal McGookey, Model Shauna Martin, Photographer Brenda Ladd Photography

Blessings Through Raindrops - Artist Kelly Zimbelman, Model Andrea Gutierrez, Photographer Todd White Photography

“” The reason why we do it is to help [each woman] feel empowered to really understand or feel like cancer [is] not winning.

Los Colores de la Vida - Artists Dianne Sonnenberg and Monica Meadows, Model Shauna Vogt, Photographer Todd White Photography

Honorable Surrender - Artist Crystal McGookey, Model Danyelle Weatherford, Photographer Flashbax23

or feel like cancer [is] not winning. ‘I am still a beautiful woman, and look at me on this runway.’ That is something that keeps us doing this year after year after year.” As she watches the survivors take the stage, Chapa becomes inspired to push through her own battle with cancer. Right now she is in the watch-and-wait stage. She works with her oncologists, watching the progression of the cancer and waiting to begin treatment. “This is why I’ve always said my cancer doesn’t compare,” Chapa says. “[The models] go through so much more. To see them go through that process and feel gorgeous and beautiful and empowered is just the most rewarding experience.” After working with Art Bra for years, Chapa says she is confident the Art Bra board and staff at BCRC will support her through her process, even though she isn’t specifically battling breast cancer. “Anytime I’ve had a little bit of a relapse, [BCRC] has always been there for me [and] always reached out,” Chapa says. “Whenever I need some guidance on any kind of medical information, they are always there to help me again. I don’t even have breast cancer; I have a completely different type of cancer, but they’ve always been my support system.” As an event, Art Bra Austin in and of itself acts as a support system for cancer survivors and their families. Its staple fashion show takes up a third of their operating budget and brings in the majority of the donations for BCRC. In 2019, they hit their record for highest amount of donations with over $600,000. But after COVID-19 shut down their operations in 2020, they didn’t know how much they could raise online. “When we went into it, we were nervous,” Chapa says. “We weren’t sure how this was gonna turn out. So for us to present such an amazing show and then to make $400,000 on a virtual event was a huge success.” Chapa recalls the first Art Bra show she attended in 2010. She said there were fewer than 250 people there and they raised $20,000. Now, just over a decade later, Chapa says they’re working to make Art Bra a milliondollar event. “It’s going to continue to be an amazing event,” she says excitedly. “I love that we just keep reinventing it, but never [lose] sight of what the purpose of Art Bra is.”

ATXWOMAN.COM | 73

TAKE NOTE

HISPANIC AND LATINX WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES IN AUSTIN

Shop local and support Hispanic and Latinx women-owned entrepreneurs.

FOOD

ATX Bubbles

MW Group

Alba Cake Design

Austin Acu Doc

Nathaly Batista-Morales Consulting

Baby Greens

Austin Logo Designs

Parties by Perez

Boca Micro Farm

B & L Creative LLC

Places by Paty Sesma

Buenos Aires Café

BCO Consulting Group

Realty Austin

Bunny’s Cake Shop

Birth Comadres Doula Collective

Red Carpet Productions

Cafe Nena’i

BRWN Collective Studio

Sarah Hussey Public Relations

Cake by Cuchi

Colors of Austin Counseling

Sew Cute by Mari

Canapé by MR

Creative Box Studios

Sue Mercado (Realtor)

Catrina Cocina

D Pet Hotels Austin

Tanialee Gonzalez Photography

Dolce Grazing

Daniela Crowley: (Realtor, Choose Charlie Real Estate)

The Balloon Bar

Gabriela’s Downtown La Sirena Taqueria Latin Roots Market Maha Coffee Austin More Bocados Platter ATX Rocheli Patisserie Segovia Produce Stay While Coffee Sugar Coated by Melanny Taquero Mucho Tortilla Mami UNI cookie by Ronnie: (orders by IG DM only @uni.cookiee) Vanessa Musi

SERVICES Adriana Fortunato Amhiga Hispana Ame’s Cleaning Amy Cobb Consulting Angela Doran Photography

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Denise D. Hernández (lawyer) Diana Melendez Law

The Posh Picnic Wander/Gather Womxn of Color Collective

Dr. Lauren Sanchez N.D. (naturopathic doctor) Frida Friday ATX Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Greer Image Consulting Handsome App Healthy Nails ATX

SPIRITUAL Radiant Expansion (Carolina Pérez) TikTarot Zulma A. Jimenez (Reiki Master)

Higher Ed Hemp Tours Hustle for the Cause

WELLNESS

Indigo Smart Cafe

ATX Yoga Girl LLC

Inspirare Communications, LCC

Esquina Tango Austin

Janelle Rose Photography

Mother Nutrient

La Mariposa Spanish Lessons

n’Caliente Fitness

Lilia Sixtos

Ola Wellness

Love Child

Peach Bum

Ma Chérie Parties

Sana Yoga

Mala Vida

Sukha Yoga Austin

Mariela Mathews (Realtor)

Turquoise Mountains

Marissa Rivera, LPC Mija Vintage Goods

ART

Off Limitz Vintage

Art by Celeste

Ojitos Alegres

atxGALS

Own the Sky

Claudia G. Aparicio Gamundi

Pink and Silver Fashion

ENX Creative

Poco A Poco Latinx Boutique

Esperanza Heritage

ReFIND shopping

Freewheelin’ Goods

Rejected Hearts Club Jewelry

Hermanas and Crafts

Revival Vintage

Leandra Blei Photography

Soul de Mariposa

Lucero Photography

(ThatTinyArtist) Valerie Mercedes

Paper Effect Regina Blancas Photography

MUSIC/PODCASTS

Sassy Since Birth

Alma Gabriela

The Cathedral ATX

DJ KICK IT

Timber & Silk Candle Co.

DJ La Moon

Ventana Ballet

DJ Ella Ella

Viva La Painter

Estrategia, Negocios y Dinero

Vogue Vignette

La Mesa Latina

Warao Clay

Life 100 Podcast

Yocelyn Riojas

Melissa Martinez Nosotras En El Café

FASHION Abilitee Adaptive Wear

BEAUTY

Alicia Miranda Vintage

Ashley Paige Aesthetics

Allen Aesthetics

Brazilicious Beauty Spa

ATHENA Handmade With Love

Cherub Lash TX

Austin School of Fashion and Design

Flower & Bee Synergy

Bella Moda Boutique

Forever Beauty Lounge

Benold’s Jewelers

Hair House ATX

Classic Childhood

Havenside Bath + Body

Diana Boch

Healthy Nails

Garzig Design

Nails Ya’ll

Hermanitas Boutique

reFIND Shopping

La Wixarika

Sanara Skincare

Las Ofrendas

The Look Agency

Lys Santamaria

Verve Salon Studio

Madre Hija Design

Viva La Bonita

Maria Victoria Mary Luu Boutique Mila and Me Mimi’s Awesome Creations (orders by IG DM only @m_a_creations) Munchies by Leti

FLORAL Florecita La Otra Flora Malleret Designs

Email submissions@awmediainc.com to submit more businesses for our ongoing online list.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 75

I AM AUSTIN WOMAN

TO BE BLUNT

Shayda Torabi builds a powerful business in cannabis after a debilitating car accident.

As a born and raised Austinite, never in my wildest dreams did

I see myself working professionally in cannabis in my home state. It’s no secret that Texas has more conservative beliefs when it comes to cannabis. On top of that, cannabis is still really under researched federally, and as an industry we are just scratching the surface on the power and potential of this plant. Of course, I recreationally consumed cannabis in my teenage years. (I did grow up in the “live music capital,” after all.) But it wasn’t until I was confronted with navigating chronic pain in my mid-20s that I started to see cannabis beyond just “getting high.” I was hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian in 2015, which resulted in me fracturing my pelvis in two places. I was 25 years old, and I went from being completely in control of my body and movements to excruciating pain in a matter of seconds. Prior to the accident I was working in corporate technology— for one of the fastest growing startups in Austin—and traveling all over the world for my job. I was establishing my personal brand, networking and public speaking for my employer. It was an exciting opportunity, and I am very grateful for the experience it provided because it helped shape me and prepare me for the role I am in now. But there was always a voice in the back of my head wondering what my true purpose was. What would be the thing that I would do in my life that could make an impact and leave my mark? It was during my recovery from the accident that my mother started to have open and honest conversations with me about my pain management. A believer in organic and natural wellness, my mom wasn’t personally a cannabis consumer, but she wasn’t afraid of it either. I believe her openness is what helped pave the way for where I am today. She knew I was partaking recreationally, but in between follow-up doctor visits, steroid injections and opioid refills, she began to question the prescription of Western medicine her

76 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2021

daughter was following. Not because it was bad, per se, but because she was aware that if not taken with caution, the combination of chronic pain and prescription medication is a recipe for disaster. My mom had heard of Cannabidiol (CBD), but at the time the market was nonexistent and I was skeptical. Hemp (the plant from which CBD is legally derived) wasn’t even federally legalized until 2018. But as a cannabis consumer, I wasn’t even sure what the differences were between CBD and THC (the psychotropic cannabinoid found in marijuana). As the first-born daughter of three, I revere my parents. When they suggest something, I generally listen and try to adopt it. So at my mother’s recommendation, I began to use the homemade CBD products she was crafting for me: topicals, sublingual oils and edibles. At the time I was honestly just blindly taking it, but within three weeks I found myself sleeping on the side of my body that had been impacted without compounding pain for the first time since before the accident. I knew this wasn’t just a fluke. My curiosity and passion for digging further really began. I learned of our bodies’ endocannabinoid systems; of our CB1 and CB2 receptors; and that there are over 200 cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids that combine to give us the effects of cannabis. I would learn that CBD is anti-inflammatory, which is why it was providing me tremendous relief with my pain management. That was the beginning of my path toward cannabis education, and was ultimately the foundation for launching Restart CBD. We launched our brand in 2018 right before hemp’s federal legalization. It was a little daunting leaning into the unknown. But I knew this was the conversation I wanted to have, every day, with anyone who would listen. I started by having that conversation right here in Austin. I founded and now operate the brand with my two younger sisters. We are a women- and family-led brand that is rooted in education. I believe the biggest impact we can make is in our own community, so we invested in making a welcoming space and experience for the Austin canna-curious consumer through our retail store, through the products we create and by being involved in organizations to help further cannabis legalization in Texas. In these last three years in business we’ve accomplished a lot: We’ve been voted the #1 CBD dispensary in Austin, I’ve been named as the leading cannabis educator and influencer in Texas and I’ve gotten to speak all over the country at different cannabis events. My hope is to inspire you to see cannabis in a new light and be a reflection of the power of this plant. I find myself full of gratitude, for the journey from surviving to finding balance and relief to actually thriving and finding purpose in helping champion cannabis one conversation at a time.

Photos by Breezy Ritter Photography.

BY SHAYDA TORABI

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2021 BEST CAR BRAND FOR THE 6TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

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October 2021

Articles inside

FASHION Art Bra Austin

THE FEED Austin Shift Meal

SEE HER WORK Cindy Lopez

WHERE TO WORK Are you hiring?

PROFILE Jeanne Baker Guy

BEAUTY Raeka Panda’s August Wedding

COUNT US IN The Legacy Collective

ON THE MONEY Becoming A “Badass” With Money

GIVE BACK Regarding Cancer

FROM THE DESK OF Regan Zuege