Latest news with #YouMatter
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
13cents: A Hoodie, a Hug and a Mission to Remind the World: 'You Matter'
13cents: A Hoodie, a Hug and a Mission to Remind the World: 'You Matter' originally appeared on L.A. Mag. In 2007, my biological father died beneath a freeway overpass. Homeless. Unhoused. Battling addiction. He had nothing but a hoodie on his back and 13 cents in his pocket. That image has never left me.I didn't really know my father. He struggled with alcoholism and was never a safe or stable presence. I was, in many ways, spared the pain of his addiction because I wasn't raised by him — I was raised by a fiercely loving mother and a selflessly courageous stepfather I now call Dad. They gave me the foundation of love and strength I needed. Still, like many children of absent parents, I waited for him — hoped he'd wake up one day and find me. He didn't. Often, they don' death left questions — about pain, worth, love — that I still wrestle with today. But it also planted the seed for something bigger than grief. Something that could offer warmth, dignity and hope to someone else. That something became 13cents. Our Mission Is Simple: You Buy a Hoodie, We Donate a HoodieEach hoodie purchased from 13cents directly results in a hoodie being donated to a local homeless shelter. It's more than clothing — it's a reminder to someone in crisis that they are seen. That they every hoodie, we've included a personal message — a quiet nod to the reason it exists. On the right sleeve, the words 'you matter' are printed as a soft whisper of encouragement. Because sometimes, that's all someone needs to keep going. Why the Name 13cents?Because it's personal. It's literal. It's what my father had in his pocket when he passed. That small, simple detail has become the foundation of a movement. It's proof that even the smallest things — acts, items, gestures — can carry profound weight. From Hairstylist to FounderFor over two decades, I poured myself into my craft as a hairstylist in Los Angeles. I built a career and opened RA_Hair House, a safe, inclusive space, where people come to feel beautiful and celebrated. I married a deeply supportive partner — my unicorn — and we're raising two beautiful children in a home full of love, balance and intentional the story of my father never stopped tugging at me. It took having my own kids to truly understand what he missed out on. That's a heartbreak I'll always carry. So I took that ache and turned it into action. 13cents Is What Healing Looks LikeThis brand is not just about hoodies. It's about connection. It's about rewriting the narrative of abandonment into one of community. It's about using fashion as a tool for compassion. I may have started out thinking, 'I'm not in fashion,' but I realized: I am in the business of people. And clothing people in comfort, care and dignity? That's powerful.I've been guided by brilliant leaders in the fashion industry — mentors and muses who believed in me, even when I didn't. Their belief reminded me that I'm not broken because of my past. I am whole. I matter. And now, I get to pass that message on. What Do You See? Mountains or Waves?Our abstract logo is intentionally interpretive — designed to look like whatever you need it to be. Mountains. Waves. Strength. Flow. Resilience. It's for everyone, everywhere. Just like our message. Let's Keep Each Other Warm13cents is about more than honoring my father's memory — it's about honoring humanity. Together, we can make small, meaningful changes. One hoodie at a time. Join us.@ This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on May 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sidewalk Talk in downtown Kansas City brings attention to mental health
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In your life, do you feel heard? That's the question a nonprofit spent Monday afternoon asking people in downtown Kansas City. The group called Sidewalk Talk launched in San Francisco 10 years ago. The event on Monday aimed to bring attention to mental health. Kansas City Royals honor fallen firefighter-paramedic Graham Hoffman May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Kansas City was the first stop on the nonprofit's tour. Organizers set out some chairs and had trained listeners hear people talk about whatever they want. The impact of it all can't be put into words. Therapist Traci Ruble has spent the last 10 years making mental health awareness a community project. 'I truly believe that we are responsible for one another's mental health by how we show up,' Ruble said. So she founded Sidewalk Talk and created an army of trained listeners around the country to help people feel not alone in their personal battles. 'That's the miracle of this listening project, is that once someone has been listened to they come up with the solutions for their life its really amazing,' she added. Ruble said the nonprofit that was born in San Francisco is now touring the entire country. All it takes, a couple of lawn chairs, some friendly faces, and just like that, people who are strangers to one another show up and talk. 'They want to see somebody they can trust or they can talk to and listen and care,' Ahmad Alirani said. Alirani said he pulled up a seat and had a conversation. 'It's too many people around here who don't have anyone to talk to,' he added. That's what Ruble hopes to change. Something everyone can be a part of. She said they're not a mental health crisis intervention team, they're listeners. —You Matter: Find mental health resources and stories on you are thinking of hurting or killing yourself: Call or text 988 or chat at . Please get help immediately. If you want to support this project, Ruble said you take a . You can donate as much money as you want to take it. Their next stop is St. Louis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
