My Momma helped me remove that chip off my shoulder and told me that nobody can save me, but me. Nobody can heal me, but me.
Thank you for holding my hand as I save and heal myself. Thank you for being my source of strength as I rebuild the essence of my very being.
I am nothing without your love, compassion, and encouragement. I love you more than anything. ♥️
You deserve all things magical.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. -Galatians 6:9 NIV
Mesh bags filled with menstrual hygiene products to inspire schools / businesses to begin offering free menstrual products.
Not having adequate access to menstrual hygiene products is far too common in the United States and across the globe . A national average survey (BMCWomen’s Health) shows that 1 in 4 students miss school because they don’t have the proper necessities or access to menstrual hygiene products. Which translates to “Period Poverty”. In every sense of responsibility, Period Poverty is a public health crisis.
I propose a law or ordinance regulating the distribution of menstrual hygiene products in all Detroit Public Schools to help curb the effort of Period Poverty. This will help to ensure that the students matriculating through the Detroit Public School system have access to necessary menstrual care products and to ensure that they have access to proper menstrual health education as well.
My only hope is that other cities, states, and jurisdictions join the effort! But until such law is put in place, I’ve created Pink Relief Bags! 🩷
Pink Relief Bags are mesh bags filled with menstrual hygiene products to fight the Period Poverty battle! Again, my hope is to inspire ALL school to begin offering free menstrual products to their students. There will also be a kicker card with a special QR Code in the bags that students will be able to scan and access online health information about their menstrual cycles.
I’ve chosen none other than my alma mater, the illustrious Lewis Cass Technical High School, as my first location!
Lean in and contribute here! 🎀
Kits filled with comfort items for survivors of domestic abuse / violence residing in a women’s shelter.
Growing up, I was subjected to domestic violence and watched my mother fall victim to it for many years. She, however, didn’t stay a victim. She emerged as a survivor, and so did I.
Both my mother and I are survivors of domestic abuse. Out of respect and privacy for her story and mine, I’ll withhold any further details.
I would like to introduce, in honor of my Mother Sonia, my Survivor Care Kits! 💜 Survivor Care Kits are kits filled with comfort items for survivors of domestic abuse / violence residing in a women’s shelter.
I’ve chosen the Detroit Police Victim’s Assistance Program as my first location. Oftentimes, women’s domestic absuse shelters are secret locations so that the victims are protected and kept safe. I’m confident that the Detroit Police Department will get these kits to where they are most needed.
Lean in and contribute here! 🎀
Boxes filled with care items for underprivileged psychiatric hospitals.
May 24th, 2019. A day I’ll never forget. A day I remember vividly. The day I attempted suicide.
At this point in my life, my mental capacity had completely deteriorated. My heart rate consistently ran 164 BPM, I was going through psychosis and most days, I slept in my bedroom with the curtains closed, hoping to fade away. On the outside, I seemed fine, but the inside told a very different story.
I wanted to take my life.
I would end up spending 10 days in Auburn Hills, Michigan, at Havenwyck Hospital for in-patient mental health treatment. My stay at the psychiatric hospital was very fulfilling, but as they were helping me, I was thinking about how I could return and help them.
Havenwyck, although doing their very best, was an underprivileged psychiatric hospital. Necessity items were in short supply, and the demand and need were growing increasingly.
Four years later, I’ve decided to pay it forward.
Introducing Psychiatric Care Boxes! 🦋 These are boxes filled with care items for underprivileged psychiatric hospitals such as Havenwyck. Last year, I donated to Havenwyck Hospital, so this year, I’m choosing StoneCrest Center! It’s located right here in Detroit!
I am excited to continue serving God’s people through my philanthropy efforts, and I hope you will join me!
Lean in and contribute here! 🎀
👑 Song by: Naz & Ella 👑
Whether she’s wearing a turtleneck with pearls or tight-fitting biker shorts, you still need consent. And if the answer is NO, that doesn’t mean convince her. No means no.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Carry on.
“At the end, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”
— Denzel Washington
And suddenly you know. It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings. -Meister Eckhart
I lost everything. My mental stability. My spouse. My job. My sense of financial security. My world as I knew it had shattered into a million pieces.
I donated, trashed, and got rid of everything else, material wise, that was left. Clothes, shoes, furniture, etc. It was a lot. Why? I was so broken that I didn’t want anything to remind me of my former life. It was too painful.
There have been so many moments when I regretted this decision. Family and friends gently questioned if it was the best choice and if I was “losing my mind.” I wasn’t. I hadn’t. What was unfolding was I’d finally begun living for me and making my own decisions. No matter how insane it seemed to anyone else.
You see, downgrading and downsizing isn’t always negative. Strategically living below your means to reach your goals (because you no longer have the safety net of having a spouse who also makes a good living) is brave and inspiring. It has been so fun and liberating beginning anew!
To my surprise, I learned that there was a silver lining. I learned that with less, I actually have more. Most importantly, I learned that there is beauty beginning again at ground zero.
My advice to you is to take those million pieces and make a masterpiece.
“Dance like nobody’s watching” is an idiom that means to act or behave in a free-spirited, genuine manner, without concern for the opinions of others. It’s supposed to mean that you should find your own joy in life without worrying about what people will think of you.
xoxoxo, Sonique 🎀
The Out of the Darkness Community Walk is a journey of remembrance, hope, and support. It unites our communities and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about.
💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫
Event Details:
Date: 10/07/2023
Location: Downtown Ferndale: 9 mile and Bermuda St., Ferndale, MI
Check-in Time: 8:00 am
Walk Start Time: 10:00 am
See you there!
xoxo, Sonique 🫶🏼
