Beautiful Strength: The Podcast

Lita Edwards Benduhn, owner of Metamorphosis Ink in Dunedin FL motto is "Transforming scars, transforming lives, one drop of ink at a time." Lita is using her amazing skills as a tattoo artist to help others through the healing of tattooing. Lita has worked with cancer patients creating masterpiece mastectomy tattoos, cutting and scar coverups, burn victims, and a variety of skin scarring that most tattoo artists shy away from. Lita provides a safe space for her clients to share their stories and works with them to transform their scars into beautiful works of art.

In this episode we also hear from Chris. Lita and Chris are currently beautifying Chris's arms covering up childhood scars from cutting. Her tattoos are giving her confidence to show her arms, confidence in her workplace, and have created a lifelong friendship.

For more information about how to book Lita or another talented artists at Metamorphosis Ink head on over to https://www.metamorphosis-ink.com

In this episode we're sitting down with Ramiro Ramires. Ramiro came to the US in his early 20s and worked hard in the tomato fields as well as numerous other jobs. He later became a member of the maintenance team at the Everglades Alligator Park. Hard work, determination, and a mind set on succeeding, Ramiro saved until he was able to open his own business. Years later, Ramiro has created a world where his success is not only in the 2 restaurants that he owns as well as the multiple properties, but in the success and opportunities he is opening up for others. Ramiro is respected and loved by his employees as well as by the city of Florida City and Homestead.

If you're ever in the Florida City area, stop by Taqueria Morelia at 961 W Palm Dr, Florida City, FL 33034

In this episode, Annette sits down with Nelly Martinez. Annette met Nelly at Robert is Here Fruit Stand in Homestead, FL. After a few minutes of fruit education and a killer milkshake recommendation (Mango, Pineapple, and Passion Fruit) Annette invited Nelly to see the bus and participate in the Beautiful Strength project. This simple meeting ignited a 2 hour conversation and the beginning of a lifelong friendship. Nelly is a spitfire of a woman. She packs a lot of personality into her 5' 2" stature that could easily compete with giants. Cuban born, Nelly's chances to come to the United States were very slim, but miracles happen and the universe brought her to the states at 17. Nelly hustled and never took no for an answer. She landed her first job in the US because she spoke from her heart and rightfully won over the owner. She proved she was worthy, smart, and dedicated. Nelly married the love of her life and enjoyed 42 years of marriage. She is extremely proud of her 2 sons and is known as "Mamma Nellie" to everyone at the fruit stand. Here is Nelly's story… of which we were only able to scratch the surface.

In this episode we sit down (ok technically Annette is getting a tattoo at the same time!) with Heather Belle, a tattoo artist from Columbia, SC. Belle has always been into art since she was a kid, but tattooing wasn't legal in South Carolina when she was younger so she had no career path planned out. She was the outcast, artsy kid that everyone thought was weird. After a while she started to embrace that aspect of herself and love the artist and the person she had become and was becoming. Tattooing fell into place at the perfect timing when she needed it the most and she loves what she does more than anything in the world. Belle loves being able to make people happy with her art and give them a gift they get to keep forever. Heather tattoos people's lives, things they love, people they love, memories, hobbies, etc. She gets to be part of their journey of life for a few hours and connect with them. Belle has the honor of being part of their story. She makes people smile everyday and that is what makes her the happiest of all. According to Belle, "Life is an amazing journey if you can trust the process and look for art and beauty in all things and NEVER stop following your dreams."

We sit down in Titusville, FL with Susan Naylor who is the Associate Director at SPCA Brevard. SPCA's mission is to protect and provide a voice for homeless animals. They believe "You won't change the world by saving an animal, but you will change that animal's world." 2021 Life-Saving Statistics 2,067 Animals Cared for 300 Active Volunteers Over 100 Active Foster Parents 1,778 animals found forever homes Head to https://www.spcabrevard.com to find out more about the great work this organization is doing, to donate, or to adopt

Carol Morris has always dreamed of opening her own store. She took that opportunity once Covid slowed down. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a bit over six years ago and needed to switch her work environment to reduce her stress level and spend her days in a place that felt like home to her. That is why she calls this My Happy Place. She hopes you call it that too!!

This is a cross episode with the Spread The Positive Podcast. Trent Denson interviews Annette about all the recent developments with Beautiful Strength and what is coming up!

If you're a new listener to Beautiful Strength: The Podcast and you wonder how this all started and why are we doing what we're doing, this is a great episode to listen to. Our Founder, Annette McNamara, explains the passion behind this project and what it's taken to get this sucker mobile. This is part 1 of a 2 part series, where you get the pleasure (or torture!) of listening to Annette…all by herself.

Today's episode comes to you from Hampton Iowa. We're sitting down with Vincen Liddle. Liddle, 36, is a disability advocate and inclusion speaker. He is a paraplegic and an adaptive sports athlete. Vincen is no stranger to the world of disabilities and inclusion. He was born with Microtia, a condition where the external ear is small and not formed properly resulting in deafness as well as childhood taunting. Vincen didn't consider himself disabled until a snowboarding accident in 2007 left him paralyzed. It was then that his eyes were opened to the disabled community as a whole. After suicidal thoughts and a few attempts, Vincen found adaptive sports, which ultimately changed his mental health and reformed his positive outlook on life. He has competed in wheelchair basketball, downhill mountain biking, and his newest endeavour, sit skiing, of which he is attempting to set a world record in October. Follow his journey on Instagram @OGwheels30 and if you would like to support his record attempt, donation can be made via Venmo @abilitywheels "Inclusion sees no difference in ability, just kids having fun with smiles on their face." Vincen Liddle

In this episode Annette is in White Bear Lake, MN with Kris Erickson. Kris is a mom of three, a wife, and a nurse. She talks about raising her youngest child with medical complexities and disabilities in a world without a handbook. Kris has a strong faith and an unapologetic foul mouth. Cursing is like adding purple to a sentence, it's just prettier. This life is hard and hard is hard. There's no numerical value for hard. We talk about some of the hard topics of this life. Kris spends her life advocating like a mother for her kids and those living with disabilities and will do so until she draws her last breath