Your Story Our Fight by Lupus LA

Season FOUR Episode FOUR of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Mercedes Yvette. Mercedes Yvette Shorte gained fame as a contestant on America’s Next Top Model, leading to a successful 20-year career in modeling and acting. She later became a spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America, advocating for awareness and funding on a national level.
Now, Mercedes channels her passion into the luxury design world through Luxe Design Living, providing tailored furnishings and décor solutions to the design community and beyond. Representing high-end manufacturers, she brings exquisite products to life in both residential and commercial spaces, blending artistry with functionality.

Season FOUR Episode THREE of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Tiffany Kaloustian. Functional Medicine Health Practitioner, and Certified Naturopathic Practitioner. Tiffany's personal journey battling severe lupus has fueled her passion for helping others find their path to wellness. She is well versed in a variety of holistic healing modalities, including nervous system regulation, Vagal tone, nutrition, detoxing, mindful practices, movement, and purposeful supplement protocols. Tiffany shares not only her profound personal story of battling and overcoming lupus, but also how she uses her expertise to change lives daily.  

Season FOUR Episode TWO of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Charissa Barsos. Charissa is a nurse practitioner with over 15 years of medical experience. She graduated with her BSN from Millikin University in Decatur, IL, in 2010 and worked as a cardiothoracic surgery RN for 5 years. Charissa graduated with her FNP from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL, in 2015 and DNP from Indian Wesleyan University in Marion, IN, in 2023. She has been a nurse practitioner for almost 10 years and is currently practicing in a tribal health facility in Northern California. She is board-certified in diabetes management. She resides with her husband and son in Northern California. Charissa has been living with lupus symptoms since her early teens but has been diagnosed for about 5 years. She is currently continuing to pursue treatment for her lupus.

Season FOUR Episode ONE of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Elizabeth Lo Serro. As a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Elizabeth helps clients alleviate fatigue, pain, and rashes while promoting the growth of beautiful, healthy hair. Through her unique approach, Elizabeth empowers people to feel energized, resilient, and radiant. With her expertise in holistic health and her own lived experience with Lupus for 21 years, having been diagnosed at 5 years old, Elizabeth's mission is to build bridges between individuals and their health goals, fostering transformative journeys towards vibrant well-being.

Season THREE Episode EIGHTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Dion Langley. Dion was born and raised in Portsmouth, Va. He was diagnosed with
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ( SLE ) in 2010. Dion decided to use his career as a professional drummer as an avenue to promote Lupus advocacy. Dion also established the #BeatLupus organization as a place where people affected by Lupus can meet in person to provide individual with emotional support, practical advice for living with Lupus and information about treatment and management strategies. In 2020 Dion released "BEAT IT LIKE A DRUM," a song dedicated to the Lupus community with the understanding that we will BEAT LUPUS motivate patients to keep fighting.

Season THREE Episode SEVENTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Molly McCabe. Molly McCabe began her career at the young age of 16 when she joined the inaugural board for the Kids Making Miracles program at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. She also was part of the founding family that created Potluck in the Park in 1993 where she served the homeless every Sunday for three years.  Molly worked as a CASA and served on the Family Council of the Scripps family.
Molly and her mother, Debbie McCabe, created the nonprofit, Molly’s Fund Fighting Lupus, in 2007 and she served on the board for ten years there.  Molly has been a lupus advocate for over 17 years, wherein she was a patient advocate for GlaxoSmithKline, and reviewed grants for the Lupus Research Program at the Department of Defense CDMRP for three years. 
She was given the Spirit Award from the Autoimmune Advocacy Alliance in 2014 for extraordinary spirit, dedication and community support while living with autoimmunity.  In 2019, Molly was honored at the Breaking Through Gala for the Lupus Research Alliance.  She also received the 2021 Community Spirit Award from the Randall Children’s Hospital Kite Society.
Currently, she is on the board of the Lupus Research Alliance, Randall Children’s Hospital, and the Mirimar Impact Fund.  In 2019, she established the Karen Reiter Scholarship at the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition and is the Business Manager for Mata Advocacy and Support.  She has serves as a judge for the White House Fellowship program for the past two years. She is also the proprietor of an art gallery in Portland, Oregon, “The Lobby.” Molly McCabe is the founder of the Use Your Voice competition.

Season THREE Episode SIXTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Racquel Dozier. Racquel H. Dozier is a passionate lupus advocate, educator, and the founder of Lupus In Color. Her mission is to educate, inspire, encourage, and empower lupus warriors and their supporters worldwide. Through Lupus In Color, Racquel advocates for lupus warriors one butterfly at a time, striving to make a positive impact in the lives of those affected by lupus. 

Season THREE Episode FIFTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Shanelle Gabriel. Shanelle Gabriel is a spoken word poet, singer, education consultant, and lupus warrior from Brooklyn, NY. She has shared her fusion of poetry and soulful singing in esteemed venues from The Vatican to Lincoln Center, and has penned and featured in national poetry campaigns with Pandora Music, NFL Draft, and more. With over 18 years as an educator, she uses the arts to facilitate workshops on creating culturally supportive work and learning spaces. She is the mother of three albums, which are available on all streaming platforms, and aims to show others they can live a full life while battling a chronic illness.

Season THREE Episode FOURTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Tiffany Peterson. Tiffany is a New York City-based patient advocate whose inspiration arose from her battles within the healthcare system following her diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus in 2010. She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LupusChat, a patient/caregiver-driven online community established in 2012 designed to educate all entities in the healthcare sector sparking innovative discussions and breaking restrictive barriers between patients and various healthcare stakeholders.

Season THREE Episode THIRTEEN of the Your Story Our Fight® podcast welcomes Donna Jordan. Born in the vibrant city of Newark, NJ in 1956, Donna emerged as an artist nurtured by the rich tapestry of culture and creativity surrounding her. From an early age, her parents encouraged her artistic freedom, leading her to immerse herself in every art program Newark had to offer.
Donna's journey began with humble yet impactful beginnings, as she adorned church walls with thematic murals and painted holiday scenes on local storefronts, igniting a passion for visual storytelling. High school beckoned her to the prestigious Arts High, the first visual and performing arts institution in the nation, where she honed her craft in painting, photography, and design. Venturing further, she pursued formal training at the Philadelphia College of Art, delving deep into the realm of abstract expressionism, a genre that resonated with her soul. Philadelphia became her canvas, where she showcased her work in exhibitions and contributed to urban revitalization through mural commissions. California's allure drew Donna westward, where she immersed herself in the vibrant artist community while honing her skills as a designer and production manager. In 1984, serendipity intervened as she met her husband Michael, ushering in a new chapter of family and creativity. Several years later she was diagnosed with Lupus, which changed her life and her family's life forever. Amidst the joys of parenthood and the challenges of living with Lupus, Donna's art became not only her refuge but also a catalyst for collaboration. Establishing the Jordan Design Network allowed her to transcend physical limitations and unite with fellow artists in collective expression. Today, as Donna continues her artistic journey in the embrace of her beloved family and the ever-inspiring landscapes of New Jersey, she invites you to join her on a podcast where we explore the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of art.