The Journey of a Lupus Warrior Series: Shuniya Cooper

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Shuniya Cooper, who shares her journey and hard-earned wisdom on living well with lupus. From initial diagnosis to finding effective coping mechanisms and embracing self-compassion, Shuniya's story offers hope and practical guidance for others facing similar challenges. Learn how she's navigated the complexities of lupus and discovered the keys to living a meaningful and vibrant life despite the diagnosis.

Website: LupusHasNoFace.com
Youtube.com/LHNFPodcast
@LHNF2020

Thank you for tuning in to "Lupus Has No Face," a podcast dedicated to sharing real stories and insights on living with Lupus and other invisible illnesses. Join your host, Savannah Burks, as she explores the struggles and triumphs of individuals navigating their health journeys, all while juggling life's many challenges. Don't miss an episode! Subscribe, listen, and share on all major podcast platforms. For more content and updates, follow us on social media and join the conversation.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
M m m m hm rang waited Star Street up.

(00:22):
M m m m m m m m mm hmmm.

(01:21):
Hello you guys, Thank you for tuning in to another
wonderful episode on Lucas Has No Face Podcast. What's Your Wonderful?
Hosts Savannah and our special guest Shanayah in the building today. Hey, y'all,
how are you beautiful? I'm doing pretty good. The weather
is a little wonky today, but everybody, girlfriend, we're blessed

(01:43):
and we here. Okay, you heard her what she said,
We're blessed and we hear it so that that that
leads us right into this this outfit, y'all. I didn't
put no energy into today, Okay. My goal is always
to be clean, smell good and look cute, and I
think I accomplished all of that right with the pink.
I love the colors, okay. Like the hat is just given.

(02:05):
It's like you know those little accessories that just add
yeah and make it something when you don't really feel
like doing nothing. Y'all gass me now. I said, hoodie
is always cute. Face, never decline Hello, put that lip
pizece on and I said, this is what they getting
today because I gotta reserve my energy for New York. Yes,
New York. I can't wait to go to New York. Oh,

(02:26):
you gonna love it. You're gonna love it. You're gonna
love it. Well, you look comfort yourself. Yes, and it's
super cute. Yes, I am wearing my mom's brand boohoo gee.
So yes, I had a different outfit. I was gonna be,
you know, dressed up, but I was like, the weather
was like this, I'm like, let me just throw this
on and do my rest with dazzle and be comfy.

(02:48):
So that was the goal today. And I already know,
like I'm a person. Whatever I put on, I know,
and the face never the clients. Baby, and my eyebrows
is given. So my eyebrows done, So that means that's
that's a blessing. Thank you, Rachel. You heard what she said, Ashley.
We got some people on here that do that. Okay, Hey, Brittany,

(03:10):
thank you for tuning in, baby, Okay, thank you for
tuning in. We'll be talking about another beautiful warrior, be
sharing her story and all the amazing things she does
in the community. Right, yes, So before we jump into it,
who is Shanaya without all of the hats. Who is

(03:33):
Shanaya and who was Shanaia before Shanaya got dianosed with.
So Shanaya is kind, Shanaya is loyal. Shanaya is a warrior. Okay,
Shanaya makes things happen. Okay, Shanaya is a lover. Don't

(03:56):
take no gags. What sign is that in her Gemini
season today? Okay? So Shanaya is very original, loves being herself.
She don't want to be nobody else ever, never period.

(04:18):
So without all the different hats, that's just a little
bit of who shana is. Okay. Well, I love all
of that. I love all that. They say we mad
I'm a libra Okay, yeah you know some air size. Yes, yeah.
You know what's so funny is we really do be

(04:39):
in the We be in our own world like we
really be in the in the loop. My people will
tell you, they be like they be like you just
you just be slowly in the air doing me like
that's how it's supposed to be. So yeah, yeah, okay,
So can you share your journey with lupis and it

(05:00):
has shaped your perspective on healthcare? Oh? So, so like
when you first, let's start off, like before you got dinosed,
like what were your symptoms and what kind of loopis
do you have? And so this's all mouthful, okay, So
what kind of loopers do you have? And do you

(05:21):
have other invisible illness under that umbrella? Okay, So the
kind of loopers that I have will be it would
be the systematic loopis throat, don't even s l e.
Yeah that's okay. Wait, I get so tongue tied saying that.

(05:42):
But I can pronounce all the medications like the original term.
But anyways, that's the loopers that I carry now under
that umbrella, I did develop the ritis. So I am
a spiddy girl, but a beautiful one okay, okay, lover
part of me. So that is what I had. How

(06:03):
it changed, I would say, I really don't know. I
know exactly when I really started to notice, but like
I would say, twenty nineteen, right after I graduated. In
twenty eighteen, I started to notice cause I had like
this big corporate job at Chase, and one day I
was on the elevator with my coworkers. We was going
to lunch, and my knee went out and I was like,

(06:24):
what the freaking I had? My and Berlin it was
a long one because it was brainy that day and
I was just using it like a little kin, like
what is going on? And on my knee? Why is
my knee acting like this? You know? And I feel
like prior in like high school and stuff, my knee
used to probably you know, be sore, but never like that.

(06:45):
Like yes, So from there I start having a lot
of knee problems. And I was going back and forth
to the er, like what's wrong with my knee? Something
is in my knee, something is wrong. They like, we
don't see nothing. Your knee is fine, you know it's fine.
It's not fine, right, And I actually was misdiagnosed. So

(07:06):
if the journey gets a little crazy, So what did
they missdinose you with? So they just told me I
had arthritis? Okay, they didn't tell me nothing else. So
how I ended up finding out is I have my
own place and I was moving out and I just
couldn't do nothing. But prior to moving out, I was
like having migraines every like sun up, somendown, Like I

(07:29):
wasn't no break, I couldn't sleep on no side of
my head. It was like sweats, but I was it
was like I was hot, but I wasn't sweating. It
was just so much going on and I was living
by myself and I wouldn't talk to nobody. I was
just like, what is going on? And my Mamma when

(07:50):
she I was moving out, she really had to pack
up my whole house because like and this is prediagnosis.
We don't know nothing, but like it ain't God that
she was the like she's the mother that she is.
That was like, sit down, you know what I'm saying,
because I literally could not pack anything. Like she packed
my whole house dang there for me to move. And

(08:12):
from there I still didn't go, you know, back to
the doctor. But at one point I was waking up
like like four days in a row with a migraine,
that same migraine where I couldn't do anything, and I
had ended up scheduling me appointment to a neurologist, okay,
And when I went to go see the neurologists, she
come back in the room talking about some you know,

(08:34):
you have loopus in your church, Like loopus? What is that? Like?
What is going on? Like? What is going on? Like
what do you mean? What do you mean? I have lupus?
Like what is that? So that's where it all began.
So I was diagnosed in like twenty twenty November. I

(08:58):
took my first DOCI medication on Christmas Day of twenty twenty. Mmm,
what was that? That was? How did you feel? Like?
What was it like? Did you understand it? Did you
accept it? In the moments I was, I was so sad,
and you know, in that stage, I was just like

(09:19):
I don't want nobody know, like it's nobody business, Like
I don't even know what's going on. Like absolutely, you know,
this is just too much Like if that was that
was a hard pill to swallow, and I was swallowing
with some pills because you know, in the beginning stages
they give you about twelve fourteen pills out gay absolutely,

(09:39):
So I'm just like from going to not really having
like I wasn't a person that was back and forth
in the hospital. I did get my tossles pulled out,
and I did break my fracture my foot as a kid,
but outside of that, I wasn't like yeah or like teenager.
So from going from that to like all the these pills,

(10:01):
it was just crazy to me. Now I've got all
these doctors, doctor's appointments. For some reason, I'm always their
youngest patient and they're like, I want, I want you
to come home with me. Now I'm crying. They always
tell me like, oh my gosh, you're so young to
be going through this crying again. Like, Lord Jesus, it

(10:26):
was just a really like I don't even know, I
totally understand how you feel. When did you accept that? Now?
What you mean now, Like I've just like the last week,
the last month, I would say, the last it's it's

(10:46):
like the end of the year, this year, And how
did you know you accepted it? Like what was that?
What did that feel? Like? It was a process because
like it was also spiritual, Yes, absolutely, that has a yes.
It was also very spiritual because like I was going
through some stuff and like I knew I couldn't let

(11:10):
stress overcome me because that would kill me, Like that
would put me in the even worst position to where
I couldn't even do what I set out to do.
So like I couldn't let it stress me. I couldn't
let nothing or nobody get in my head. I had
to really stay faithful and stay focused on God to
be able to like accept me absolutely absolutely, So it

(11:32):
was really spiritual because without him, I don't know. But
like you know, yeah, I applaud you on that. So
it's been you said two thousand and so what five
five years? Five years? But ILL applaud you on that
because some people would never something takes them longer. But

(11:53):
the fact that you know that you needed to do
that or else, like, it's that's super dope. And to
have that support around you, you know what I mean,
because you have to accept in order to do better,
because I'm sure you was not doing well. No, especially
when your doctors can telling me you like you're not normal.
That is like and you know they speak since I

(12:15):
am their youngest patient. They speak to me as you
know what I'm saying, like not in a bad way,
but like nurturing, yeah, nurturing. So they're like, I know,
you're not normal or you can't live the normal life,
you know. And it's just like how do I find
normalcy within my life? Like, you know, how do I

(12:36):
have to accept this? Like I can't keep trying to
like hide behind it or like you know, hide myself
you know what I'm saying. Oh, I know, So it
was just like I can't like I may have to
things may have to be altered, but I can be normal.
I can't find that middle ground and balance, you know.

(12:58):
And I've been recently doing that and coming into that
and it's a beautiful feeling. It's a butterfly, right. So
it's your norm, your norm within your norm, that's what
That's what it is. So you are normal within your
norm exactly. So I love that for you. And you
look just so radiant and so happy. So to just

(13:20):
be telling other young folks that that's beautiful, thank you,
I appreciate it. Huh No, I love it like I'm
just taking it all in right now because a lot
of people just don't make it here, you know what
I mean. And you know what's so funny is that's
another reason why I'm here, because when people get to
meet me and like if you know me on a

(13:42):
personal level of yo, like I needed show energy and
I didn't know like you supposed to be like tell
your story, like what's behind you? Like I want you
to show you And I'm like if it was a lot.
I have a lot of people who seeing stuff before
I've seen it, and I can admit that and like

(14:03):
that's why I think like a lot of things that
my becoming is so spiritual because like you are before
you become, yeah, you had nothing, but exactly that's what
it is. I like to have before I ask you
to the other questions, I like to have my guests
read the questions, so we can start with after the

(14:26):
true Gemini. Okay. So it's a such an articulate from
the Canja McCrae, such an articulate and beautiful woman. Thank
you so much, beautiful love you, Thank you for sharing. Oh,
thank you for listening and being here. Thank you, guys,
thank you, No and I you will find yourself to

(14:47):
continue healing as you tell your story and to open
up more doors and to be like oh and oh
and oh and oh. Well, at least that's how I
did it, That's how I came to it. Okay, just
f y, I'm a burper. You is okay? You is okay?
You is okay. So the passionate for pharmacy, right, what

(15:08):
inspired you to pursue a career in or aspire pharmacy,
especially in the light of your experience with Oh yeah,
that was a question. Okay. So when it comes to
my pharmacy world and the aspirations that started it's my
sophomore year. And funny story, I used to fall asleep

(15:31):
in that class every day because it was after lunch
in the beginning of the school year. And then I
just woke up, like why would I feel this class
because it's after lunch and I'm sleepy because go to
my year has a lot of stairs. So I just
started getting up doing the work and I fell in
love with it. And I asked my teacher like, mister Baker,
if I'm good at something, if I'm good at this,

(15:51):
like shouldn't I do something in this field? And he
was like yeah, but like what do you want to do?
I want to help people, And we came up with
pharmacy and from there, like I did my junior year, internship,
pay internship, and workshop, I did a whole lot of things.
So now it's so funny because I started to be
in pharmacy or have aspirations because of that, but since

(16:16):
I've been diagnosed, it just grew to like a greater cause,
like I want to do more. I want to be
able to like actually figure out exactly how I want
to heal and help people and how the difference I
want to make, Like I would love to be a
black woman in a white coat. I would love to

(16:37):
help my people. I would love to be able to
give them the best and most honest help and not
just be looking for a paycheck. Like I really want
to be passionate about it, even though you know the
money come with it. But I want to be able
to run my own book of business where it's really
genuinely to help you and not like take from you.

(17:00):
I get real results, you know, I totally, I totally
get it, and I will ask you. I asked all
of our warriors, is it because that you were diagnosed
with loopus? As to why you feel that way? Well,
I've been wanting to help people. No, to the extent, Well,
the extent change, okay, the extent change, yeah, absolutely, Okay,

(17:21):
the extent change it heightened. Yeah, okay that was for
me too. Yeah, that was for me too. And when
you say like a black woman in the white cold
and like on a medication expert experts of it. When
I was in Washington, DC at the Capitol a couple
of weeks ago at the Loopus I'm in, that was
one of the questions that I have for them. So,
you know, as us warriors we'll have loopus that's the umbrella, right,

(17:45):
but then we'll have five miles general mature author riders
and all of these things. I was asking them, is there, oh, like,
do you guys plan on studying a medication to where
it's uphill or two that's going to manage all of
these symptoms versus having all of these pills managing each

(18:07):
individual symptoms. And then each of these pills are used
for mental health issues and helping me with a nerve
pain or something like that. You understand what I'm saying.
So it was an accident, would they be extractment? Yeah,
So that's funny that you say that, because that was
one of my questions that I asked them. Yeah. Because me,
I'm not gonna lie. I'm my doctor, sweetie. But I'm

(18:29):
also there rebel because when I feel like my medication
they're working, it's problem. It's a problem. I'm raising the roof.
It's a problem. I'm aggravating. Why am I still in
this medication? It's not working? Absolutely, things changes, and you
might be I always tell people, no one knows your

(18:51):
body more than you, and you gotta learn your body.
Some people don't know that the body that they're in
because they never took out the time to learn their
own body. You gotta know your triggers. You gotta know
what you can and cannot eat. You gotta know your
blood type. You gotta know all of these things. Because
a doctor is only as good as you help them
be right, because if they go off a respectrum, that
and some of them are amazing, but those doctors go

(19:13):
home and do extra work outside of their studies, so
it's not many of those. And then the patients are
our right because they don't know about their body, but
they want the doctor to help them. And it's kind
of like you gotta help the doctor help you. It's
just like, oh my lamb, so heavy on now after
my twenty wight, I just finished a twenty one day

(19:34):
spiritual fast and the purpose of that was for a
few things. But want to really track what triggers me?
Did you document it? It's so funny because it's dairy,
low key and I just bought some ice cream bars,
but you know what, moderation, moderation. I'm honest, I'm an
honest person. Why did I buy those? I don't know,

(19:59):
but I love cereal and milk all these things, so
now I have to go on like a milk taste
taste taste testing, sorry, to see which milk is like
best for me outside of whole milk. So that's the
worst say that. I'm gonna get it. I need the
whole thing. No water, you know what I drink. I

(20:24):
used to know now, don't get me wrong. When I
was younger, I used to out the jug a whole
the thing, you know. But now I can't handle none
of that. I have to drink coconut or walnut, that
type of thing. Like I can't even do almond because
I went to almond and almond messes me up. So
what I went to almond? I just think it triggered me,

(20:45):
like different, Yeah, same difference because when it triggered and
triggered and we don't know what else. So I kind
of did my own little study on it. And then
it's like coconut walnut milk for me. Okay, it's unique,
but I promise you you'll get used to it. So yeah,

(21:06):
I'm in the beginning stage. Do you document it? I
have not documented yet. I just did a book launch,
but I've been wrote my book. It's a book and
it's a journal. I should have. I just reordered something
so when I when they come, I'll give you both.
So I have a journal, yes, so you can document it. Yes,

(21:29):
I do, because that's that was one of my intentions,
is to really figure out exactly what am I eating,
what am I doing that is sugaring this, trying to
help my doctors out, you know. And you got your
blood type too, and I learned that from your recent
and you were talking about learning your blood type, and

(21:51):
I was like, you know what, I have not figured
out my blood Get on that and figure out what's
going on with that. No. Yeah, yeah, they will teach
me some stuff that I didn't know. It don't matter
how long you are in the game, you are always
It's always something that you're supposed to be learning. Five
years in and I just start accepting it and started
really being inside of the community. So, yeah, you can

(22:15):
have fun while dealing with this. You can have we're
dealing with this, Okay, challenging challenges you face. What are
some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a
LUPUS warrior and how have they influenced your goals as
a future pharmacist who Well, some of the challenges will be.

(22:40):
I would say biggest that I had to like really
learn how to navigate and thank God degrees and like
really blessing me. But I would say employment because I'm

(23:00):
a young, ambitious girl. I've been working since fourteen years old,
and with loop is it's so unpredictable, Like I can't
tell you when I'm not going to be able to
like show up, and I can't be sorry for that.
But for so long, I've just learned how to not
be sorry for that. Like if I can't show up,

(23:23):
I can't show up. And sometimes I still feel like
a little chip on my shoulder, but it's not how
it used to be, Like I used to be like
feeling guilty, which makes stress me out and then made
it even worse, you know. But I would say employment
because like for so long, I was, you know, depending
on like corporate America and you know, desks and all

(23:44):
of those jobs. That was my expertise. But like I
faced some really crazy things like can't walk, but still
got to show up to training, and even though I
sacrificed myself to still come, a person would still look
you in the face and say, good thing you came,
because if you didn't, we would have to let you go,

(24:05):
like they just have to wheel me a wheelchair from
the whole other building to be here. And you're gonna
tell me that, but that's that's what to be like.
And I just that's what actually motivates me to like
be where I'm at now and just only progress and

(24:27):
go up from here. Because these jobs they don't understand. No,
they don't understand, and they do understand as too. It's
one of theirs. That's that's the whole thing. And the
problem is they want to diagnosis by the way that
we look, you know what I mean. And we it's
not okay for us to have to look like we're
sick to get the sympathy. We don't want to look

(24:48):
like that. That's not how our culture is raised. We
want to look our best so we can halfway feel decent. Right,
And of course when they probably look at you, they like,
ain't nothing wrong with you? You don't know that I
spent my five hours getting ready. I'm smiling because I
really want to cry. But why should I have to

(25:10):
tell you that that's from your business, you know what
I mean? So people are so like insensitive and people
are so judgmental, even though that's they say that they're not,
and especially if you're in a healthcare field, people should
take things for face value. Yeah yeah, and that was
I think that was a big struggle in the beginning,
is because like I don't look like how I feel

(25:32):
and it's so invisible, and like I don't know. And
that's another reason why I'm doing what I'm doing, because
so many people see me show up, but they don't
know what's going on behind closed doors, and they think
I'm so great before they even know just know what
it took to be here sah. And still even when

(25:55):
you tell them that don't know. That's why I like
I hold classes and I like to have events and
bring people to together, not only for the worriers to
live well a little bit, but for the family members
and the friends to understand how to treat someone with
an invisible illness. Like you may not understand from what
I'm communicating or delivering to you, but pick up a
book because what you will read is going to stick

(26:17):
with you versus me just telling you. I don't want
to be a sympathy card, but I want you to
understand and have some type of knowledge of what you're
dealing with because most people what they won't and I
feel like if they care enough, they will look into
and everybody around you. It's not your people. And you
got to learn that too, and you gotta be okay
with that. Yeah, and got nothing to do with you.

(26:41):
Just just tell by how people treat you, especially when
you're going through an episode. Oh, you know the people
who show up and acknowledge you and be there for
you them be your people. Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
Because themtimes be rough and usually I don't really call

(27:02):
on people, but I've learned to call on my on
my people, and my people know they have been showing
up and they show out and I love that and
I'm just happy to be in the stage to receive
yes and utilize that. Yeah, so many people don't for
so long and they be resent for other people. But
it's like, how are you like for me? I tell
my friends and my family like who I who I'm around,

(27:25):
and something happened to them. I'm like, listen, I don't
know how to be there for you, but I'm telling
you I'm here for you, So you gotta tell me
how you want to utilize me. Now, I gave you
that al abortion. You gotta use me, so you can't
come to me and tell me I wasn't there because
I told you. You got to communicate that with me.
So at least I've said that, you know what I mean,

(27:46):
because most people don't know how to So if you
can communicate that in some type of way, form of fashion,
then you're off the hook. Yeah, everybody need help, so
I'm glad you got to get support system. Let's talk
about your public speaking. As a public political speaker, how

(28:09):
do you use your platform to advocate for those living
with and chronic illnesses? Oh wow, so recently, I would
say early March, I actually went out to the Capitol
on a lobby day they also did. It was like
a women's march and and what do they call them?

(28:31):
Gathering there also, so that was really protests. I think
I heard about that. Yeah, so I was there that
same day, just earlier, and I actually spoke on the
behalf of Medicaid and shared my story and that was
my first time ever sharing my story in front of
like strangers and like a group and body of people.

(28:54):
But from that I got such overwhelming response just on
like the public speaking and the loopis like people just
coming up to me telling me their stories and like
telling me how I just inspired them, and trickle effect.
I ended up getting offered the opportunity when nor started
rising to become a part of the Wisconsin State Committee

(29:17):
Board and also sit on the state Local health Care Team.
So all of that for just using my play and
telling my story and just showing up and now you
somewhere where you would be appreciated. They understand your illnesses
and time that you need off and came to you

(29:39):
in ways that the other people couldn't cater to you.
See how that works? Yes, So that's just another testament
of what God is doing, because he'd be like, girl,
you cannot be in the back in that shell. If
you want to be in the shell, then you're gonna
keep reaping the shell. But if you want to be
used for me, you gotta be up here, so use

(30:01):
what I gave you. But I felt exactly like confirmation
from him. Well after that, that's I'm happy for you.
So how did that look for you? How did that
feel for you? What are you working on? Can you elaborate?
Or is that sacred? So some things are sacred, but
I do plan like my community. You know what I'm saying.

(30:24):
My community of people are so great. And one day
we planning to heal. People were planning all over the
world the hood listen, we want to heal. So we're
on different journeys. And I love that because I can
pull from them, they can pull for me, and we
can work together and we can find, you know, so

(30:46):
many solutions. And that's the goal. And that's why I
love that. I'm chasing my dreams and still going to
become a pharmacist. That's the I love that. For you.
You can just tell and I'm gonna use my boys,
and I'm gonna use my speaking and I'm gonna use
it all because I'm just I can't do one thing.

(31:08):
I'm a gymnia. I'm telling you my whole chart Gemini, y'all.
I'm choose to the bone, right, So I just can't
do one thing, like I have to do this. I
have to do that. Everybody will tell you miss ten jobs.
That's me, And that's okay, yes's okay. What they say
you gotta have with fifteen, I probably went up these days. Okay.

(31:35):
When it comes to health care team opportunities, can you
tell us more about the health care team opportunities on
the state level that you were, well, you just told
me that. Okay, So never mind about your advocacy goals.
What specific changes or improvements would you like to see
in the health care system for individuals with lupus and

(31:55):
autoimmune diseases? Okay, So one thing I would like to
change will be I actually wrote about this in my
economics health care class, and I just got an a
in I just school's Okay, congrass a, let's talk about
that one, y'all, let's talk about it. So no, I

(32:17):
just spoke about it. I just actually wrote a paper
about this, about how like doctors treat black women. It's
been one of my frustrations at some points in this journey,
like when I say I'm in pain, the like the
how they treat you when it comes to pain, and

(32:38):
I really it's a it's a passive thing because it's not.
Sometimes I feel like they genuinely do want to help
and they just don't know how, because when we go
to the e R it really be pointless sometimes because
what can they do what some of the times, because
it's just like I feel like it depends on what

(33:01):
team you have true. That is true, that it's a
bend at most times, and I'm just such a realist.
I hate the bendei feeling. But outside of that, back
to the question, I just feel like sometimes they disregard
how we are in pain. I feel like sometimes they

(33:21):
be like, Okay, it's okay, or like it's not that serious,
or you know, maybe you should we can just give
you this and go about the day. Like, no, I
have fifty million things going on. Something is not right,
Like you can't send me home when you tell them,
and I can't sleep like something something has to get better.

(33:43):
Like I just sometimes feel as if that is one
of our struggles in the healthcare field is like the
I'm trying to find the word that I typically use,
but I was just going all over the place. But
I just I don't know. I just feel like it's
an indifference. I know you're trying to be safe with
the word, and I know what you're talking about. My

(34:06):
girl Sta, she spoke, she has spoken on that and
went through that. Unfortunately, I have never experienced that, but
I do know what you're talking about from the stories
that people have said, so I know what you're talking about.
And I'm sure the listeners probably know what you're you're
speaking on exactly. But er doctors like encounter, like the

(34:31):
er experience. I don't like it, but you know that
goes but that's a whole other topic within itself. I'm
always speaking on that, and I gotta be careful what
I say too. But that goes back into corporate America period.
You know, it's always higher above you are on this
time special track to where you only can spend so

(34:53):
much time with a patient. You know what I'm saying,
You just you trauma. You trauma I call it. I'm
finding them, you know what I'm saying, So you really
not don't have all the time that you are supposed
to have. And then with that patient, because if you
spend too much time in there, you gotta answer to
this person and that person got to answer it. So
it's a trickle up effect and it's a triple down

(35:14):
effect which is understandable, which is not understandable, it's not okay,
but it's understandable because at the same time, I do
think because I'm a person that can put myself in
any anybody's shoes to see it from their perspective, which
I love about myself. So I feel like, since I'm
such an understanding person, it be to my detriment sometimes
and it irritates me because like I understand that it's

(35:37):
fifty million people in here and this person is bringing
in I understand. I feel like I can put myself
in your shoes, and it's busy at times. But like
on the patient side, I'm aggravating, right, That's what I'm
talking about. I'm being inconvenienced. But it's like sometimes it's
just what can they do? But that's and sometimes it

(36:01):
takes more to just make a change exactly. And that's
what I'm saying, like is not understandable in the sense
of y'all need to hire more people period. You know
what I'm saying, Like this is beyond I think it's skills.
I shouldn't even be having to deal with this right now.
Hire more people. You know what I'm saying, be fair
pay people because the healthcare, feel is, I mean, it's

(36:26):
the healthcare. Everybody needs to go to the doctor, everybody
all the time. Every human needs to go to the doctors.
Not every year, probably not every month, not as much
as me, but hey, you gotta at least have like
a yearly, quarterly check up at some point. Yeah, so
it's the system. The system is broken, period. Oh that's
a fact. Though I don't even think we have to

(36:48):
say that, wave wave that flag on that. So I
totally understand what you're saying. Yeah, you know that goes
like I'm gonna say us, because I'm gonna say us
as a whole. We don't use our voices and we
can change, Like we are so powerful as just one

(37:09):
culture period, were just gonna leave all the rest of
them matter that we are so powerful as one culture period,
But we don't come together for whatever our reason or another,
for indifference or not. We don't come together for certain things.
And if we did come together for even thirty days,
we can make so much noise and make so much
movement and so many things can be changed, but we

(37:30):
won't and we don't. And so at the end of
the day, are they to blame or are we to blame?
Because we have rights. We have rights. But what do
you mean by blame? Why the system is broken? Because
if you don't do the work, nothing changed, right I mean,

(37:54):
And if you don't make enough noise, things don't change, right. Okay,
So now you understand what I'm saying without actually really
actually saying something, like things that goes on in the community,
and if they do something, it'd be like fine. But
then once people get the knocking on people doors and
make some noises like okay, pull that back, let's get
that back, let's redo this, Okay put that person, things

(38:15):
get happening. And we don't do that all the time.
So at the end of the day, not all, but
majority of the time, we are to blame as the
people because we don't do what we're supposed to be doing.
We have rights, So I would say this, I wouldn't
say that when it comes to blame, I feel like
it's systematically created, right, and I feel like it's a

(38:36):
lot of it's a lot of loopholes to systematically put
us in certain positions in places and to hide of knowledge. Now,
ignorance is a bliss, and the more I grow, the
more I learn, the more I age is completely a bliss.

(38:58):
And I just feel like a lot of people are
not of knowing, so really they're just doing what they
have seen because they honestly simply don't know. And I
feel like that comes from education, which is systematically created
and I feel like that comes from a lot of
other systematic things that have put in place. So you're

(39:18):
taking it there, I mean I'm taking it. Okay, you
taking it from the room. I'm with you on that.
But now I'm with you on that. I do feel
like we are responsible once you are aware of aware,
and once you are aware, you have to do up.
You have to do and be of what you of

(39:40):
knowledge of. So once you become like, no better, do
better exactly, you can't ignore it. And if you do,
then that's when you choose to be downright. That's one
of my favorite sayings. Once you are that's anything that
you're doing life. Once you are aware, you are responsible.
But see, I was trying to keep keep what you
dug and deep I guess so we're gonna have to

(40:03):
definitely bring you back because we could definitely reopen that topic.
That's the whole topic within itself. That's a I like you, Okay,
let's let's let's change it because we can. We can
finish off with that. No, but future aspirations looking ahead,

(40:25):
what are your aspirations in both your pharmacy, your pharmacy
career and your role as a healthcare advocate. Okay, So
in my pharmacy career, like right now, I'm in school,
and honestly, I had ended up switching my program a
couple of times, just a transparent moment, just on some
survival type thing. And I'm learning how to like get

(40:47):
out of survival and thrive and just follow my dreams
and be free in that. So when it comes to that,
so let's speak a little bit about that. So when
did you When did you notice that you were switching
your careers off of surviron mode versus you not knowing
actually what it is that you want to do. Well,

(41:09):
I knew what I wanted to do. The thing is,
I was in the situation I had. I knew I
had to move like I had, like move mentally, moved
physically like I had to get something going like I
had to, and I knew I always knew I was
good in school, regardless of what school. That's nothing. I
ain't gonna say nothing because the college students we've been

(41:30):
going through it. It's tough. But school is my thing.
I can do school, but I have to have everything
else in order, Like I can't be just everywhere, Like
I like structure. I like having my own flow of things.
So I was in a situation I was just like,

(41:50):
you know what, I was being obedient to God, like
he was speaking to me. And I knew I had
to go to school. Like, if you want to make
something shape, you got to go back to twenty eighteen,
or you should never even left school in the first
place for that job. That's your problem now. So you're
gonna have to go back to school, and you're gonna
have to start back from where I won. And I

(42:12):
was like, you know what, okay, on the scholarship had
offered me an opportunity in one of my business ventures
that I planned to do. You know, yes, can I
know what that is? Oh? Okay, okay. So it was
funeral services, y'all. I just felt like, you know, hey,

(42:36):
one thing we all got in comments, we all got
to go. I can pass that on forever. So that
was the scholarship that I was gonna be under. But
then some things got a little rough and my tough,
and I was like I needed the other scholarship, but
the other scholarship didn't support that degree. So I was like, okay,

(43:00):
I have to switch it. It was so annoying, but
I did it, and I went to business management because
I was like, at the end of the day, I'm
still entrepreneur. I plan to be a multi entrepreneur, so
it'll make sense still, you know what I'm saying, right,
But yeah, it's just not following my dreams type thing,

(43:25):
you know what I'm saying. Yeah, it's just the supporting
part of it, you know. So yeah, get out of that.
It's crazy. But I'm happy, like I feel like I'm
at a stage to receive and understand that I can
be free and follow my dreams. Like this is the
time you look like it, you like your whole thank you.

(43:49):
And when it comes to the political stuff, Jesus, I've
been a speaker all my life. I hosted my eighth
grade graduation with no help. I've been in forensics and
debate since middle school. Just stay tuned. I'll be at

(44:11):
a press conference at the Capitol May twenty seven, so
I'll be on somebody news station speaking in about my
looping story. So keep me updated. I sure will keep
me updated. Keep me updated. Your role models do you
have any role models or mentors in the health care

(44:32):
field who you have inspired, who inspired your journey, and
how have they impacted your path. I wouldn't say I
have like any see. I never since the kid, I've
never been being on like role models me easy, like
I never been like into celebrities like me. I never

(44:54):
been like I don't know, so you know the answer
is no. I mean I have important people in my
life that have put me on a pedal store and
seen things in me and like being great mentors. I
can speak on that, but like not like role modeling

(45:14):
and that's okay, yeah, everybody know what And that's you know,
like you see things like like I don't want to
be cliche and be like, oh mom my mom. I
seen her like she like honestly, how I dress and
all of that stuff. I seen that growing up. Like
my mom was a corporate, a corporate honey. You know,

(45:35):
she's been in banking for over twenty plus years. So
I seen her in her heels and suits and dresses
and skirts, and she's never played about her appearance and
she was always natural and just herself with it. So
I need know things like that, like you know, but
I feel like that's a little cliche likes to say.
So it's not healthcare, right, It's not health care, it's appearance.

(45:56):
So you're okay with that. But when it comes to
about your life, how do you balance your health care management,
education and public speaking responsibilities and what does a typical
day look like for you? You know, that's a good question.
I'm so happy to speak about it because I am
so blessed by the best. I don't care, y'all. I

(46:18):
am blessed by that man above, because for some reason
everything works out. Like now I do more independent contract work,
so I work when I want. I pick the gigs
like and God just keep blessing me with different gigs,
different people. I just meet different people. And that's how
I say, I do that, and then I have all

(46:40):
these miscellaneous jobs. I can't even get into it. But
it allows me to go to school. It allows me
to take a lot of self care that I need.
It allows me to be open and available for my

(47:02):
commitments when I have to go speak at events and
go up to Madison and meet with representatives and you know,
discuss legislator bills. It allows me that. You know, so
in a sense, it just all aligned. But it took
for you to put yourself out there. That's how you
got there in the first place. Right, put myself out

(47:24):
there and keep going and show tenacity and discipline like consistency.
I didn't give up. I don't. I don't even like
last May. I wasn't in this position, like I don't
triple double everything since last May, like literally and beat
your stuff then, And I just I sometimes I look back.

(47:46):
Sometimes I sit down and I started crying, like how
did I get here? What's for you? For you? And
I always say, because I'm real big on face and
that's how it got me through. So I always say, like,
when you are doing what you are supposed to be
doing and he speaks to you in the way that

(48:09):
you need to be spoken to to understand him, you
got to continue that path and you do it like
Lupus has no face. Don't get me wrong, I am
in love what I do. I wouldn't stop it for
nothing in the world because the emails I get, the
people that meet me, the tears, the everything, it just
keeps me going. It's like I have to make sure

(48:31):
my team is straight so I can continue pouring in
to to everybody I need to pour into. But that
wasn't I like fashion. I like everything about glam life, hair,
nail clothes, what say what I like the glam life.
I tried that at first. That didn't last long I
don't know. And one day he said, this is on

(48:52):
your mind, and it never left my mind. And then
when all these things even it was a day before
my event, I'm like, I'm not doing this. I don't
know where the money can came from. And I five
on one C three is the hardest thing to ever
run in your life. And he just always made away
and it just got better and better and better and better.
So I always say, what was for you is for you.
He's gonna make away as long as you continue, and

(49:12):
I continue. As long as you continue, he's gonna continue
to open them things on doors. Your way is not
your way, it could be your way. Like I get
to dress up still to go up to the meetings.
I still get to be fly. How I won't. But
having him bouts that wasn't my no. This is his way,
and I'm okay with that. I'm happy nothing I want.

(49:32):
That's how I feel like I always had a voice.
That's that's one of his blessings to me. That's one
of his gifts that he gave me. So I feel
like once I actually started opening my mouth and using
my voice. It just was like whoa this door, that door,

(49:53):
all of these doors just start opening. You have a
voice that's like I've been listening to you your voice. Now,
I could have missed that. Uh, but your voice haven't
went up and it haven't went down. It's so even tong.
So you have one of those voices that like, if
somebody really want to listen to you, they gotta be

(50:14):
quiet or they gonna miss it. And I don't like
it myself. So it's like, you know, and since you
saw melowtone, like I'm I'm high pitched anyways, but since
you saw melotone, you will bring another person down, you
know how. Sometimes you were political. I could never. I

(50:35):
ain't gonna say could never, but that's something I don't
see myself doing. Being the political side. Somebody would have
to be they would have to be quiet talking to you, well,
because your voice is so the attention though, like it
speaks loud, but it's so soft, you understand. Yeah, so
I can see that compliment. Well, I catch that. I

(50:59):
was gonna say, well I can well, I go high
pitched when I yell. I sound like Mario carry on
the E Street. But it's so ridiculous how I sound
like this. I don't even want to do it. Example,
but it just gets so pitchy, like you, who is
this girl? Like it's bring it, bring it, bring it.

(51:23):
Oh my god, I don't even have We don't even
We're definitely gonna have to bring you back because I
don't even have all the time to go through all this.
But I am gonna ask you one more question from
the list and then I'm gonna go over some other stuff.
But as far as personal growth, how has your experience
with lupe Is contributes to your personal growth and transformation
as a leader. Well, I would say that with lupus,

(51:50):
it's just like it makes me showing up ten times,
like it matters ten times. More like when I show up,
like I be feeling good, I'd be looking good, I'd
be feeling good because you don't know what it took
to be here. Okay, So like I feel like lupas
gives me a different like swag, cause it's just like

(52:13):
you don't know what. You don't know what it takes
to be in these shoes, what it takes to be me,
what it took to come here and do my hair,
put a little curl in my hair this morning. You
don't know what it took to open that oranges just
this morning. Oh, I don't know what. You know what
I'm saying. So I'm here, you know, I feel like
it give me I walk with more confidence. And sometimes

(52:38):
I be faking the walk because my knee or that
foot me messed up. And sometimes people never know it's you,
it's just me, So I just, hey, I don't know.
I feel like at one point lupas kind of you know,
I always had high confidence and self esteem. And I

(52:58):
wouldn't say like it broke my confidence a little bit,
but it kind of altered it a little bit. It
kind of you know, tilting my crown because I'm like,
what is going on? You know, while am I being
an old lady status, I'm only twenty twenty one, you know.
But at the end of the day now it's like
my biggest one of my biggest loosters, because it's like, yeah,

(53:19):
crown is six, it's six, and she's there, you know
what I'm saying. And however I come, I'll be on
the crutch still looking cute. What happened to you? You
better beza that crutch it's all regular that a little
too One day you will see me walking. The other
day I'll be on the crush. They'd be like, what
happened to you? Listen? Just know I'm here. Okay, No,

(53:44):
that's dope. I was just speaking to my people yesterday
and I said, in hindsight, now, I was like, Lucas
just had me look at life totally different from a
person that speaks, and I just be like, no, that's
not how you should look at life. And then I
go back and forth with myself to them. While I'm
talking to them, I'm be like and people might be like, well,

(54:06):
who is you to tell me how I should look
at life? Like I done die like ten times and
you ain't doing now? Once I got the experience, and
tell you how you should look at life, like you
need to be grateful, like like, listen, you know what
I always say that I always tell my friends, Like
people ask me like, how do you like why you make?
What makes you so happy? Like I always believed in joy.

(54:28):
It's unstillable. And yes, I feel like once you be
death a few times, you gonna look at life different.
I appreciate everything that aligns with me, any experience whether
it's negative or not. I take the lessons from it
and I keep moving and I talk to God about it, okay,

(54:50):
And I just feel like, once you be dead, when
you show up, That's what I'm talking about. That confidence, mister,
when I show up, you don't know what what it
took yes to be. It's like the vision is so
much clearer, the water is so much bluer, the voice
is so much deeper. Like people that talk like, oh,

(55:10):
I just have faith in that. But people that really
experience the faith and the speriology and his voice, that's
something totally different. People that go to church every Sunday
have an experience what I experience with him. So can't
tell me that I should be in church every Sunday
when I experienced him and you never experienced him, you
know what I'm saying, Like, I got my own walk
with him, so I totally get what you saying. And

(55:32):
it's a beautiful thing. It's a beautiful thing. And we
still live our life, Yes, still live Listen. I was
on the Chicago vacation with my friends. Couldn't do it
by the look of nothing, but they was with me.
That's it, right, And you still have fun enjoyed the scenery,
didn't feel out of place or anything. So you know,

(55:53):
this is lupis awareness. What have you done? So what
have I done? Is I became more in gage with
my community. Like literally, I don't even this is just May.
I did the Loopers Walk to End Loops Walk. I
think that was like last weekend or weekend before America. Yes,

(56:16):
I went there. That was very nice for me to
see and go through. I want my mom and my
baby sister. That was really nice. I was so proud
of myself because I thought I missed it, but God
always make a way. Because it was another it's another
one coming up on the twenty. Yes, I know I
seen yours and I was up to my friends that

(56:36):
missed the other one. They probably make this one, so
I'm happy about that. I also attended your conference. I
learned so many gems. I think I shared that with
you some takeaways, which is to get my blood type
and some of my favorite takeaways y'all, And that I

(56:57):
need my vitamin D because I am. I know I'm
the fit vitamin D deficiency. Like you know, I checked
my tests so I already know, and I just told
him to give me all these vitamins vitamin tests. So
I just had all this blood work. Girl, get the
vitamins you need, so please do like yesterday. But you
know I've been taking my I've been taking my iron pills,

(57:17):
and I've been taking this plaquel. Now you know, I
don't like PA. That is one ofe of the most
important pills that you will ever take while you on
this whole joint exactly. So I told you I'm a rebel,
so I'm coming back around. I won't. I'm just being transparent, rebel.
I'm coming back around. So I've been about three weeks

(57:39):
good on it, okay. And the iron pill, well, the
iron a little bit before then, because once you start
taking your vitamin D, you probably won't need your iron
pill really, yeah, because I don't need it. I haven't
took that forever. Yeah, I have to give do you
just buy the vitamins. I get a prescribed I know.
That's why, better pay for the That's how I feel.

(57:59):
I want everything started to me. Yeah, my Vitamin D
once a week, yeah, okay, okay, yeah, and you're gonna
feel better to You're gonna notice the difference in everybody.
So I just moved to my new place, and I
went from having one window over the house to five.
So I've been loving that. I need that sun light.

(58:20):
Bring me the sunlight. Be careful with that. I know
why we gotta be so careful with everything. It's like
we can take so to this, but we can't have
too much of it. Just make sure you have on
your sunscreen. O gotta have sunscreen. And I got my
blind Yeah, so then you you being careful. You already
doing that because son can give me a headach real quick.

(58:41):
It that's why you need to be careful. I know.
I don't learn. I don't lert, I don't learn. Oh,
you got anything else coming up? I do want to
attend your own walk. It is at one pm, so
I got to make sure that schedule a line. So
I'm gonna double check that, but I do want to

(59:02):
make that. And then the Lobby Day which is next
week Tuesday, IB and Madison at the Capitol at the
press conference speaking so and trying to get some stuff
situated with this Medicare bill and legislator y'all, So, if
you have any concerns about how people are being treated
on Medicaid or healthcare, if you have your fears. If

(59:25):
you have your stories, make sure you reach out to
your local representatives and tell your story and let them
know so you can be heard and we can push
for better. So period, you got any tags you want
to let them follow so they can keep up with
you or anything. Drop our tags in once you tell them. Aunt. Yeah, no, yes,
maybe so. I don't have any tag, but for the outfit,

(59:49):
this is who Jesus is my mom's brand. I'm just
Shania Leshell on Facebook and yeah I haven't. I don't
have any socials just yet, but I be I'll be everywhere.
Just say for her, lookout for her. What's the website
of the website that you can find for the Dragon Soup? Instagram?

(01:00:12):
Instagram where so b b o U h o O
d g E. So y'all got that? Yeah, Town, He
is going to put that in the chat. It was
so lovely having you today. You were such a ball
of energy. I love everything that you're doing out here

(01:00:32):
in the community. Keep doing it. I do want to
bring you back a guests So about feeding the homeless?
Want we did that? Yes, I gotta put up sometimes
I overbook myself. It's okay, It's totally Okay, how was it?

(01:00:56):
It was really good. It was really good. And then
I didn't public this year. But we also getting ready
to do the diaper drives, so already collected the diapers.
I'll be posting that. Hopefully they'll let me take some
footage in the storage for Janni's the Mawukey Diprimission giving
them the diapers. So people have donated diapers to Lupa's foundation.

(01:01:20):
I mean, look, Lucas has no face and Luca's has
no face. Will be donating to the Milwaukee Diaper Mission,
which is Janni's or him and his wife work. So
hopefully that they allowed me to take something and I'll
put that on the books. But I'll just take pictures
of the diapers that was donated and put it on them. So, yeah,
we did it. That's gonna be doing it too. But
I already got the diapers. Thank you for reminding me

(01:01:40):
of that, because I wasn't gonna post that either. But
that's every year. Two Okay, they all in my storage. Okay,
sorry y'all. I'm gonna be posting the diapers that y'all
have gave us so we can give to him. So
I'm be posting it. I'm I'm gonna post that. What's today,
I'll post that next week. Give me to next week.
I'll post the next with y'all. But thank you, and

(01:02:03):
we can do we Oh, we're going to be setting
up again. Tom. Tom's gonna be making another flyer. We're
gonna be doing another Feed the Homeless dough again in June.
I think it's the seventeenth. Don't hold me to that,
but I'll tell you the next time. We're gonna be
doing it because we don't just do just a month
of mate. I make noise every quarter, every Wednesday, so

(01:02:24):
it's not just the month of May. But we do
go crazy in the month of May. Yes, So I
would like to bring you back on if you are
open to it. You have so much going on. I
want to keep up on you. It's like a news lady.
Make sure you guys come to the walk. Please do
register at www dot Lupas has no face dot com.

(01:02:48):
There are Lupas Walk shirts available beforehand, and during that
time we did give her the four and fops shirt.
What else we got going on? Oh, be sure to
attend the United Spo number nine. Do not beat me up.

(01:03:09):
Quinn if I got that wrong, Ordiena, that's gonna be
this upcoming No, not this upcoming Saturday, Next Saturday from
twelve to two with the Running Rebels. I'll be collaborating
with them as well. And if you guys own any
lupa's has No Face shirts or you guys are putting
up the l please tag it on my page. Let's

(01:03:32):
continue to support lupa's awareness and until next time. We
are live every Wednesday as six thirty on all platforms
and you can replay on my YouTube channel at lupas
has No Face podcasts until next time. See soon