Your Purpose is a Light

Your Purpose is a Light

By Kamron Ahmad-Kahn

My name is Kamron Ahmad-Khan. I’m 30 years old. Married for almost 9 years to my best friend and we have 2 beautiful children. I live in Cleveland, Ohio where I am a professional photographer. I am passionate about my family and my craft.

I value peace in my life and my family’s lives. I don’t believe people should have to suffer through having negativity around them. If something or someone does not bring me or my family joy, I have the right to keep it from my personal space. I am open and accepting to everyone and don’t think anyone has it all figured out. 

After I left college, I felt lost. I knew that being there was not where I was supposed to be, but I didn’t know where I should be. I enjoyed life but felt like I was running in circles. Then I met my husband. It was in this relationship that I truly started feeling at peace with myself. I was fully accepted for who I was and he made me want to be the best version of myself. I worked harder on every part of my life because I wanted to create something amazing for myself and him. I was focused on building a solid foundation with which we could build a life together. 

I am very grateful that I met the man I did. He is the epitome of a gentleman and really adores me. My father was a great example of what a man should be and I know I deserve nothing less. I’m so happy I found my anchor. When you fall hard and fast, you run the risk of being hurt. But I never felt this way. I felt stable, grounded and like myself when we met and that is such a calming feeling. 

What I love most about coming through the other side of this journey is that I am confident. My support system with my family and children is amazing. They love me unconditionally and encourage me to follow my passion with photography. This support has allowed me to take risks which have definitely paid off. I feel fulfilled. 

My family inspires my happiness. They are the reason I work so hard and my free time is spent with them. My children are always smiling and I do everything I can to keep the smiles coming. I’ve found something I love, and the people that love me, love seeing me happy. It doesn’t get any better than that. I remove negative energy from my life, whether it’s caused by toxic friends or family. Nothing is worth my families peace. 

A women of purpose not only cares about what makes her happy, but of the happiness of those immediately around her. 

Be patient. When you are feeling lost and like your feet aren’t on the ground, slow down. Take everything for what it is, don’t turn it into something it’s not. If it doesn’t feel right, TRUST yourself. If it makes you uneasy or sad, walk away. Our intuition is our best asset. Continue in the path of things that make you feel great and confident. 

Your purpose is a light, so you need to make room for it to shine. 

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Find out more about Kamron’s work at her website: https://www.kamronkhan.com

Understand Your Power and Worth

Understand Your Power and Worth

By Kim Foreman

My name is Kim Foreman. I am 49 yrs. young, a mother (of adult children), sister, and friend. I love to dance, laugh (even at myself sometimes) and have fun. I am now an Executive Director of Environmental Health Watch, a non-profit in Cleveland, Ohio. I love my work. It’s a lot of hard work but very rewarding. I like to love, grow and evolve. I value honesty, community and spirituality. I am passionate about connecting with others who have an open mind. In my work and personal life, I want to bring awareness, positivity, and healing to people anyway I can. If it’s through a program I put together, words I speak to inspire or through mentorship.

By the time I was 21, I had two children, was a single parent and working to pay bills. My father died when I was in high-school, my mother was very supportive and helped when she could. I was living on my own with my children, but at the time, I don’t recall having a lot of goals. I did go to Virginia Marti College at 18 to study Fashion Merchandising, not because I was extremely interested, but because my best friend was going. I did coordinate some shows here and there, but it wasn’t steady work. While working at a shoe store downtown, I use to see ladies purchasing shoes on their lunch hour and thought to myself- I want to have the means to do that too. I decided to go to medical school and become a pediatrician because I wanted to be a role model, inspire and show other single mothers they could accomplish anything they set their minds to. Also, I wanted to have a supportive community home for women and their children who were perusing their education.

Fast forward, I went to Cuyahoga Community College full-time and worked in daycare full-time( took my kids to work with me), graduated with an Associate of Science degree and was accepted to Case Western Reserve University in 1997. I studied pre-med and sociology, I graduated in 2001 with honors. I decided to raise my children instead of continuing to med school. I was able to start part-time at EHW in 1998, as an environmental health educator going into people’s homes. I started full-time in 2001 and met a lot of single moms dealing with children who had lead poisoning. Most of the time the mothers didn’t understand how lead was affecting their children, wanted to know more about going/finishing school, how I got my job and what I did. At that point, I realized I could be a bridge for folks, connect them to resources for whatever their needs were, I could support them, inspire, and let them know I was available to help- even if it was for employment. Women shared a lot of stories with me and I would share my experience with them. Now I have the best of both worlds, I am working in the environmental justice/health equity space, speak to a lot of audiences, in a leadership position, advocate, mentor, develop projects, programs and initiatives that I hope make an impact on a larger scale.

I was very concerned about having the ability to survive at a private university. I hadn’t been in school for a while, was a non-traditional student and wasn’t confident that I would be able to complete the pre-med program or succeed in school, manage being a single-parent, a house hold and bills on my own.

What I love most about my journey is I learned I can do it!! The fact that I only applied to college and got in, made me so happy. I couldn’t believe it. At the same time, after two years, my name was drawn to receive a rent voucher and moved from Cleveland to the suburbs, I felt that GOD was blessing me with the opportunity to change my circumstances. I survived and really thrived at school, there were some hard days, but I made it through and finished strong!! I gained a lot of confidence and transformed the way I think. I am grateful that I gained strength and confidence in my abilities and who I was as a woman. I took a break from school and by making that decision about raising my children, I was available to them for games, after school events, activities, etc. Staying at EHW, helped me grow professionally. Because of my mentor, Stu Greenberg, I was able to create the position I wanted and learn so much about research, program development, social justice, environmental justice, power to influence and advocacy. My children are beautiful adults now, we reminisce about our experiences growing up together (I was a young mom), we cry, party and laugh together.

My advice to other women; understand your power and worth. Be honest with yourself first and with others. Continue to learn and grow and be willing to take chances, even if it seems scary. Always go within to evaluate and reevaluate where you are in life. Decide if your situation is working for or against you. Be willing to make adjustments and let the spirit guide you to find your purpose.

Click here for more information on Environmental Health Watch

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Purpose Finds You

Purpose Finds You

by Sharie Renee

My name is Sharie Renee and I started Cosmic Bobbins, a social entrepreneur in 2002. In 2015, I founded Cosmic Bobbins Foundation, a 501(c)3 to help support our mission-based work. I love animals and have six rescue cats. 

Entrepreneurship runs in my family; my great-grandfather and grandfather started a funeral home where I spent a lot of my time growing up. My mom, three aunts, cousin, and my brother are all self-employed. It really says something about DNA. I think my experiences growing up in the funeral home also shaped my mission-based work. Working in the funeral home as a youth introduced me social work at a young age and servant leadership. I have always been a creative soul and lover of the arts. I believe the arts have a magical power to transform people and communities. 

I discovered a passion for sewing and textile arts when I was in college pursing my undergraduate work in Interpersonal Communications and an Environmental Studies minor.  During that time, I asked myself “What are we creating with our hands?” And further, “who is creating it and how is that work fostering a sense of hope and meaning?” That very simplistic question would take me on a sixteen-year journey working with a variety of underserved populations, using art as our medium of message and support. Through creating a social enterprise, I was able to embed my personal core values into our mission. I think it all resonates from my upbringing in the funeral home; realizing that we are all only visitors here on planet earth. What are we contributing to during our limited time here? I think our experience is about love, connectivity, and to make a world a more socially just place.

Currently, I’m finishing up a Masters in Nonprofit Management at The Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. My decision to go back to school as an adult is a major transformation in life. While taking a full course load, we experienced six break-ins to our brick and mortar shop. The financial and emotional stress impacted the sustainability of our social enterprise. The collective impact of the multiple breaks-ins caused us to close the retail portion of the enterprise and we were unable to keep paid staff. 

There’s a lot of trauma that goes along with these types of incidents. I tell people it’s not the actual break-ins, but the disassociation that comes after it.  It was frightening to realize how quickly we lost our financial stability. I wasn’t sure how we were going to make it. It was at that time that I realized that we are never really in control; my only option was to surrender to the divine things that were happening in my life. I used my own personal trauma to delve into a deeper sense of empathy for those that I serve through my work and realign myself with my core values. Professionally, this also meant embracing more of our nonprofit education and outreach. 

Something deep down inside told me that these setbacks were not meant to keep me down, but to propel me to a greater good. My inner guidance seemed to instruct me to rise with this cosmic intelligence, like the crops rise and grow to the sun. I think my personal healing started when I made the mental switch from “this is happening TO me” to “this is happening FOR me.” 

I’m still going through this transformation. I believe there are great things on the horizon. While I still feel my own personal transformation is underway; to rebuild I must ask what is most important to me and what do I need at this time in my life. 

Be fearless in following your dream. Having a vision that perhaps no one else sees and knowing who you are makes you a woman of purpose. Embrace your journey and hold energy for others. You don't search for purpose, purpose finds you. 

Click here for more information about Cosmic Bobbins Foundation

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Let It Begin

Christin Farmer                                                                                            Photo by Kamron Khan

Let It Begin

By Christin Farmer

Before I embarked on my path, I felt like I was existing and not living, and there’s a big difference between the two. I got up everyday to go to work, then left at the end of the day and went home. I always felt that there just had to be more to life but I didn’t know what that more was and where to begin. I enjoyed what I was doing because it allowed me to work with people within a specific community, but I still felt like I needed to do more and could do more. I think a lot of people would like to do more for their community but don’t know how or where to begin.

I was very afraid and anxious when I started Birthing Beautiful Communities. I kept thinking, “What am I doing?”, “I don’t know what I’m doing” “How is this going to work?!” “Will I be able to keep my current position and work on my dream at the same time?”, “Am I ready to be a true leader and face all that comes with that role and responsibility?” I had all kind of thoughts and doubts running through my head. I often stop today and ask myself “Am I really making a difference?” I risked my previous existence to do what I am living for today, and I am happy.

I had fiddled with my purpose for 12 years before I decided to just do it. In 2013, on my 28th birthday, I had a striking revelation. I was under a lot of emotional stress, and it was difficult for me, but when I arose from that challenge, I promised myself that I would listen, walk and not ask any questions, if my true path was shown to me, and that’s what I have been doing ever since. I decided to pursue my long held dream of working with pregnant women and babies, as a midwife. As life has it, I’ve tried to become a midwife 4 or 5 times. Every time I tried to pursue the practice, something got in the way. After the last attempt, I asked “What am I supposed to be doing?” The path of a doula opened up to me and I just ran with it, with no questions. It was put upon my heart to start a group, a collective of African American birth workers in Cleveland, but I couldn’t find any. Then, one by one we found each other and there is no other way to describe those encounters than as divine.  Birthing Beautiful Communities was born. These women have given me so much purpose, that if for no one else, I keep pushing ahead for them. They love the work they do, and they should be able to do it with no strings attached, and just purely from the love in their hearts, as they do everyday.

My team and I were volunteers for a long time. I was always challenged with charging for our much needed services. It was a conflict of my soul. The physical world says you have to charge for your time, but the spiritual world would not allow me/us. The people have immediate needs, and everything that we need to make this happen will happen. I trusted that voice, and that’s exactly what happened and is currently happening. Other than that, challenges, difficulties and hardships are inevitable, the key is how you handle it. It may not be something that you want to deal with, but trust your spirit, wisdom and inner strengths. Those are attributes that no one can take from you, so use them to overcome any barriers.

I love the fact that I feel magical. I literally feel like as long as I am walking in the purpose, being a good, kind-hearted person that I will have all the love and support I’ll ever need. I love the people that are drawn to me, and the people whom I’m drawn to. It feels like magic. For me to think something, meditate on it, ask for it and watch it blossom is nothing short of magic. Most of all, I love myself. I love who I have become on this journey. I’m learning so much about myself. I’m learning my strengths, learning my limits and learning that I do not have to do everything by myself.

What makes me feel great about myself is knowing and feeling like I was chosen as a messenger, a vehicle to help heal my community. My brain goes straight to a bigger picture. My creativity almost always comes from seeing, feeling, and experiencing the conditions of the community. I understand that this purpose, this journey, this path is not about me. I love community development in the sense of the people being the community. I love to help people see the greatness within themselves and the neighborhoods. The purpose I was given is larger than anything we as humans can comprehend, and I feel amazing thinking that I was chosen to execute it.

People who are committed to their communities, who are doing the hard work and managing to stay optimistic inspire me. The doers inspire me. The people who make things happen. The people who are not afraid to stand up for what is right no matter what the worldly consequences are. Those are very brave people. People who are genuinely kind and a have a good heart. Those are people who inspire me.

To be a person of purpose certain qualities are really important:

Transparency, remembering that you too are a person with a story that someone needs to hear.                                                                                                                                               Honesty, telling the truth no matter who may be offended.
Wisdom, learning from your experiences and others in order to create positive change.
Integrity, never allowing yourself to be dissuaded and sticking to your guns.
Realness, being a real person with real feelings and real life problems.
Imperfection, admiting when you made a mistake or you don’t know the answer.

Find who you are as an individual. Our souls speak to us but are we listening? Cut the distractions out of your life. End relationships that offer you no true spiritual nourishment, leave places/jobs that disturb your equilibrium, find balance. Get comfortable with being alone. It is not a bad concept. That’s when your spirit speaks. It needs your undivided attention. You don’t have to search for your soul’s purpose because it has already sought you. It’s waiting for you to clear the clutter so it can begin. Let it begin.

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To learn more about Birthing Beautiful Communities please visit: http://www.birthingbeautiful.org/

A Self-Love Journey

Jeannette Relaford Photo by Kamron Khan

A Self-Love Journey

by Jeannette Relaford

I am the owner of The Perfect Cup Coffee House located in the Buckeye area of Cleveland.  Customers are able to come in and make their perfect cup of coffee as I meet and greet them. 

Before I opened The Perfect Cup, I worked for Cuyahoga County for 17 ½ years and I was not going anywhere.  There literally was no room for me to advance while I sat there observing people who had come in after me getting promoted.  I had been in the same position from when I first began, and I knew I did not have another 17 ½ years to give.  I was a month and a half away from my first degree, and the fever of quitting my job was upon me.  I had saved up enough money to live on for a certain time period, and I did what needed to be done.  The biggest risk was giving up a guaranteed, every-two-week paycheck.  There was some fear, but because my confidence level had been heightened, there was no stopping me.

Some of the struggles I have encountered have been with finances and also not getting enough encouragement from others.  I was feeling as though I was the only one on the planet.  I soon learned that my inner strength had already prepared me for being alone through this.  It allowed me to stay focused on my path alone while still keeping my mind open to positive new possibilities.  It turned out I wasn’t alone after all.  I was receiving new things and new people in my life.

My new life has brought me people who are on the same path that I am.  I have met other business owners who have shared their stories of fear and growth while becoming established within their businesses. Being able to have wonderful and positive people on this journey, leaves me with great encouragement.

What I love most about my journey is having my focus, yet getting great advice from others.  It gives me purpose. I love having open arms to my customers because they are who make the Perfect Cup Coffee House great.

Listening to many of the customers who come into my shop is what sparks my creativity.  If and when I open up my next shop, I have learned that you have to give whatever the community wants.  I have found that all communities are different and they all do different things.  You have to find out what your community wants in order to spark your own creativity.

I am inspired by other women who own their own businesses or have passions and dreams that they have made come true.  I am so inspired by these women because they show the strength within, and I appreciate what I see.  It gives me a satisfying spirit.

To be a person of purpose, you have to gain love for yourself.  Once self-love is achieved, the sky becomes the limit for you.  You soar and fly and you become the best you can be because you now know who you are, and you find out what gifts you were born with.

The message I would give to those searching for their soul’s purpose is to go on a self-love journey.  Begin to love yourself from childhood, and through adolescence, and young adulthood.  Embrace the love from all of these years, and you will be surprised to find that it opens up so many doors for you.

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