Diabetics Doing Representation, Diversity & Inclusion with Ariel Lawrence

[00:00:07] Rob Howe: Welcome to the Diabetics Doing Things podcast. We've been telling the amazing stories of type 1 diabetics all across the world since 2015, and we have over a thousand years of living with T1D on the podcast. The interviews range from incredible feats to everyday victories, and we celebrate them all just the same. Thanks for listening, and if you want to get involved even further, just send me an email at rob.diabeticsdoingthings.com. Hello and welcome to another episode of Diabetics Doing Things. We are telling the amazing stories of type 1 diabetics from all across the world. And my very special guest, calling from New York, New York today, Miss Ariel Lawrence. Welcome to the show.

[00:01:02] Ariel Lawrence: Hello. How are you, Rob?

[00:01:04] Rob Howe: I'm doing fantastic. For those of you who don't know Ariel by her real name, you might know her as Just A Little Suga' on Instagram.

[00:01:14] Ariel Lawrence: Yes.

[00:01:15] Rob Howe: Sorry, I just outed you. Now the episode is completely, your disguise has been lifted.

[00:01:22] Ariel Lawrence: It's okay. Everyone knows my government name. That's fine.

[00:01:25] Rob Howe: Okay. Yeah. When my mom calls me Robert, I always shiver because I know it's like, oh, now everyone knows my government name. Look out.

[00:01:33] Ariel Lawrence: It's all good.

[00:01:35] Rob Howe: So Ariel, tell us a little bit about how you joined the type 1 diabetes family.

[00:01:40] Ariel Lawrence: Ha ha. Okay. So how I joined the family, I feel like that's a hard question. So I first joined the family when I was diagnosed 12 years ago at this point around this time, honestly. So I remember being diagnosed around the end of April, early May. I don't remember the specific date. I don't know if it makes sense for me to tell you kind of the events that led up to that diagnosis.

[00:02:07] Rob Howe: Yeah, why not?

[00:02:08] Ariel Lawrence: Okay. So yeah, I remember it was spring of my sophomore year. Around that time, I thought I was being super health conscious like me and one of my close girlfriends we decided to do like this water challenge um and so she would bring like four one and a half liter bottles of water to school um and we would challenge each other or guess have a little competition to see um who could finish the most of that by the end of the day oh that's awesome um and so with that came frequent urination or at least i thought it was the result of me drinking so much water um and then i also at the same time began to lose weight but again you know silly teenage me i was just like you know what this is because i'm taking more care of myself like yeah i'm drinking water because that equates to you know big health gains or at least that's about the time um and so that was happening i was urinating a lot um i was losing weight and then around that time i decided to take a trip to visit my sister who was away at school at the time in Massachusetts. And so I went away for the weekend. And I remember being on the bus and having a really hard time just trying to hold my urine, like drinking soda. And then like 15 minutes later, having to use the bathroom and then just like talking to myself like, no, you cannot get up again. You just went. um and so when I went to Massachusetts to see my sister um she would keep like a caseload of water in her fridge and so while I was there I was just going through her water and then she said that like I would wake her up at night often to go use the restroom um so that was happening um when I came back to New York she spoke to my mom and said hey you know Ariel has lost a lot of weight she's also been like drinking up on my water I don't know what's going on with this girl And so at that point, it's funny because I spoke to my mom earlier today just around like my diagnosis story and what she remembered. And she said that it was like that point where she kind of realized that something might have been wrong with me, but she still didn't feel comfortable kind of like verbalizing that. So I kind of remember, I guess, the last moment for me that really propelled me to go to the doctor and figure out what was going on was when I went to go get my hair done. And I was at the Dominican hair salon getting a blowout, which usually only takes about 20 minutes. But I could not sit in the seat for longer than maybe five or seven without having to use the bathroom. So at that point, I came back home and I told my mom, I was like, you know, I really think I have diabetes. And at that point, like I was very much familiar with the symptoms of diabetes because I thought I wanted to be a doctor. I went to a specialized science high school. I went to a science magnet middle school. I knew about the immune system. I had some awareness of different autoimmune diseases. So I remember going to my mom and telling her, like, man, I think I'm like displaying the symptoms of type 1 diabetes. And she reluctantly said, you know, I hear you. We're going to take you to the doctor. Next day, I went to the doctor, did the typical blood work. And then a day later, the doctor called my father and told him that they needed to take me to the hospital. So, long story short, my dad, I live in Queens. I don't know how much you know about New York. I live in Queens, New York. I went to high school in the Bronx. My dad came all the way to the Bronx to pick me up and take me to the hospital. But instead of taking me to a local hospital, my mom, who was very much familiar with how hospitals in certain areas, especially within Black neighborhoods, tend not to offer the best care because she was very adamant about her daughter receiving the best of the best. they took me all the way out to Long Island. So I went to Long Island Jewish Hospital, which is maybe like a 45 minute at the very least drive from my high school. And then I spent maybe three or five days there. I can't really remember. And I began to adjust to my new life as a type 1 diabetic. And to be quite honest, I remember when I was first diagnosed, I, unlike a lot of other people, like I wasn't really startled or afraid. I remember being familiar with diabetes because one, my grandmother was a type 2 diabetic. And from what I understood, I mean, I knew she didn't take care of herself, but I knew that she looked well. So I didn't really fully understand, I guess, the risks for complications and all of those things. And also, I think Naive Me believed that if I just took care of myself, if I listened to doctor's orders, if I took my medication properly and carb counted correctly, then I would be fine. So I remember just having a very kind of stoic mindset and even encouraging my mom at that point, who to some extent like was more discouraged and startled than I was. And so I would say that's where it started. It wasn't until maybe a year later that the reality of the disease kind of hit me. And I remember like breaking down in my room by myself. I don't recall telling a parent. I remember my brother came and like, just so happened to come into my room and he asked me like, hey, what's going on? But he was also six years younger than me. And I was 15 at the time. So he was around like, I don't know, nine, 10. So he really didn't understand what I was going through. But once I cried it out, let it out, I was kind of just like, this is my life. Let me do the best that I can do to treat this. Let me do the best that I can do to make sure that I can live healthy and well. So that was like my first initiation or induction into the type 1 diabetes community. And then in terms of me becoming active within the online diabetes community, that didn't actually happen until 2014. After the passing of my grandmother, who was a type

[00:08:26] Rob Howe: two diabetic. So I can talk more about that if you want. Yeah, I think let's I want to talk about that. Because often I think most people with type 1 diabetes who are living and thriving with it, I think, get diagnosed twice, right? You get diagnosed by the doctor and then you have that moment of acceptance where, you know, you talked about at the end of your sort of breakdown in your room, you then refocus and kind of continue to live on past that. And there's different complications associated with each one. But then also, you know, from an activism standpoint, I think it's three times because then you realize, oh, I have a chance that I can help people and, you know, a positive message to spread. So I definitely want to focus on your sort of second diagnosis, as you mentioned earlier, as you called it earlier. But one, I got to say, I got to go back to the first interesting thing that I heard was that you and your friend were having a drinking competition. Did you win every single day? I imagine like just with the thirst from diabetes, was she discouraged at all by her progress?

[00:09:28] Ariel Lawrence: I feel like I should have, right? Considering how thirsty I was. But honestly, I don't remember. I don't know who the winner was. That was a real long time ago.

[00:09:35] Rob Howe: That's funny.

[00:09:36] Ariel Lawrence: I just, I thought about that and I laughed.

[00:09:39] Rob Howe: But so you're, and then I think the next thing, I've talked to a few people who were, you know, self-diagnosis, I would say, like that they knew definitively like, oh yeah, these are my symptoms. This is what's going on. And everyone's parents, I think, have different reactions. What kind of relationship do you have with your mom where you came to her and then the next day she was like, yeah, we should go. I think you know what you're talking about. Let's go to the doctor.

[00:10:03] Ariel Lawrence: Yeah, so I would say me and my mom have a great relationship, super open, can communicate to her about anything. And I think whenever I have a concern, she's always made me feel validated and listened to. And so I think part of the reason why she was so quick to take me to the doctor is because she felt something was wrong. And in talking to her today, I realized that she was like, you know, I had a feeling that that might have been the issue. And so I feel like she just needed someone else maybe to verbalize that because she was, I don't want to say fearful, but maybe she was fearful to do it on her own. So I think the fact that I had said something that kind of just confirmed what she had already thought, which is why she was so willing to kind of just, you know, take that next step and actually bring me to the doctor's office.

[00:10:53] Rob Howe: I think that's so important though. I mean, just having that openness and communication. When I talk to parents of type ones who are struggling, I have to kind of talk them back because my parents are very similar. I didn't diagnose myself, but my mom knew something was wrong to me to the doctor. We have a very open relationship. and I think even now you mentioned talking to your mom today about it uh I when I talked to my parents today about my diabetes and the diagnosis I think so much of as a parent of the fear of diabetes comes from what you don't know and the fear of the unknown and the lack

[00:11:27] Ariel Lawrence: of explanation of why this happened yep yeah so it's so funny because when I talked to her she said that her whole feelings were, God, why is this happening to me? And then also, she brought something or perspective that I hadn't yet considered before, which was that she said that she, throughout her life, had experienced loss. So she lost her father at a young age, around 13, 14. And two years before I was diagnosed, she lost her brother. And she came from a very small nuclear family. So she shared with me that she was kind of at a point where because she had experienced, I guess, so much trauma loss at a young age, she kind of felt like, God, at the very least, the very least you could do is give me a healthy child. And so she was very, I guess, dismayed, disappointed by the reality that now her daughter would be living with

[00:12:22] Rob Howe: this chronic condition. And I think it's interesting, you look at both sides of that coin. On one hand, you know, yeah, I think putting yourself in her shoes, that sense of fear and loss and why me could be overwhelming. But I think also maybe prepared her for dealing with, you know, a child who has to overcome living with a chronic illness. Right. And I think in some ways, when I talk to young kids, that's what really when I talk to people with diabetes, the people who blow me away the most are the young children and teens because they have grown up so fast and they're so good at dealing with things not working out at a young age that you know obviously like if you had to choose you would never give them diabetes but living their life through that lens of well whatever happens today whatever my blood sugar is I've still got to keep going. That sense of loss is it's, it's almost a skill you can't teach, especially for people, you know, who don't have any other real, you know, chronic hardship in their life. Maybe, maybe that's a bad example, but yeah, for people, it gives, it's a good example for kids who, you know, don't have to, we don't have to struggle for food normally, right? We don't have to go hunt our own things, but we have to overcome this disease at an early age and prepares us for

[00:13:42] Ariel Lawrence: dealing with other types of adversity long term. Yeah, exactly. Like, um, when I think of so I, I think for the most part, I try to like maintain a positive outlook when it comes to dealing with things in life. I don't know if all of that came from, you know, being diagnosed with diabetes. But I know that when I think about my life as a type 1 diabetic, at this point, I think I'm always trying to look for the silver lining. And so yes, I can certainly say that I have, I think I've become or grown to be more resilient than some of my peers. I've had to acquire that skill at an earlier age than some of my peers because, you know, I've had to deal with the chronic nature and the seriousness of this disease. So yeah, it does kind of force us young people to grow up quicker than maybe some of our peers or friends who don't have to deal with something

[00:14:34] Rob Howe: so heavy. And in what ways, I know you mentioned the sort of breakdown in your room. What other, what other adversity or maybe obstacles did you have to overcome either early on or in high school, college, those, those years that are so tough anyway, that when you also throw the, you know, the chronic illness and the, you know, the highs, the lows, the what have you, the technology, the reliance on insulin, any other things stand out to you that you're like, yeah, you know, know, I have to deal with this, but I'm still, you know, standing through it and overcoming these obstacles? And that's, and I totally jumped you with that question.

[00:15:15] Ariel Lawrence: So I, I know it's a, I know it's like, as long as you know, um, no, I think in terms of like managing diabetes and also realizing or having to manage like other difficult circumstances, I would say that college was a very difficult time for me because I went to Princeton. And so I was in an environment that was super competitive, super stressful. And I really had to figure out how to get all my work done, follow through on my social and personal commitment. so any clubs that I might be involved in. And then also on top of that, like, manage my diabetes and also make sure that I wasn't neglecting that part of myself. And to be honest, I was like, always a serious child, like a super serious, like studious child. And so work was very important to me. And I remember, like, my family, it's kind of a joke, but it's not really a joke. But we'll say, Like, Ariel, you know, part of the reason why you have type 1 diabetes is because you just you just overworked yourself. You're always stressing about stuff. Maybe, you know, that has something to do with it. But obviously, you know, that's not it. But I say that to say that managing work for me has always been difficult when I factor in my diabetes, because I have a tendency to want to put forth my best effort and energy to the point where I am staying up all night or to the point where I might be skipping out on meals. And obviously, I think there's also a component of diabetes that for me, at least, has impacted, I guess, my mental health and anxiety and dealing with anxiety on top of juggling all of these demands. And so I don't know, I just feel like I've always tried to stay positive with what I feel and experience. But I think because I kind of carry the load and the weight of diabetes, it's also made some things like adjusting to life at Princeton, not feel so bad. So I know for some of my peers, who were like, you know, super stressed, they're super depressed, because of all the work that was being thrown their way, I was kind of just like, yeah, I'm stressed out. But at the end of the day, I know that this is not it. You know, this is not the end of the world. So I don't know if I answered your question. I feel like I probably didn't. But I said that all to say that in terms of juggling life, like it's always been diabetes plus work and trying to figure out how to best navigate work along with taking care of myself and not neglecting myself in the process?

[00:18:17] Rob Howe: Well, I think you did answer the question. And I'll tell you why. And you really gave me this like great analogy, or not even analogy, just like a great way to describe this mentality of diabetes plus. And I think I was very similar. I knew this conversation was going to go great. I knew we were going to get along good because I was, I was very similar. I think that I'm not sure if type A personalities breed type 1 diabetics, but I know that type 1 diabetes breeds type A personalities. So they somehow play into each other. But for me, you know, I would hear just like you said, like people, I didn't go to Princeton's. My school was nowhere near that kind of level of study. I went to state school, but people would complain. I hear people complain in class and they'd be like, oh man, my workload's so crazy. I'm never going to pass this class. And I was like, well, uh, I'm playing basketball for 40 hours a week, traveling all the time. And I have diabetes and I'm okay. I don't know. This'll be fine. And I think part of that is, and you know, you're talking about mental health, you were talking about staying positive, but that's like an active choice. You know, that doesn't just happen. And you know, for some people there it's easier than others, but But for me, I think in those college years where there's a lot of stuff going on, you're learning a lot about yourself and you're either living away from home potentially for the first time and you have all these things to juggle and you're the only one responsible. You learn and you do and that's where you build your tactics. So whether that's staying positive and being relentlessly positive is what this I read this tweet from John Calipari back when I was in college. and he was talking about their mentality as a team is to stay so relentlessly positive that even when something goes bad things can be tough the world can be swirling all around but everyone's mindset is the same yeah and i think that you know that's a sports example and my entire everything i ever talk about comes back to sports because that's what i know but that applied to life with diabetes is so essential. And I think I'm glad you talked about the college years, because I think that's a lot of parents biggest worry. And yet you still were like, yeah, diabetes plus all these dreams that I want to live, I want to go to Princeton, I want to go live my life. And I'm just going to deal with diabetes along the way. yeah um if you were you know going back and um putting yourself in those positions of it hey or in that back in that like time where you're making those decisions about your life with your family was there ever a moment where you said hey maybe I should think about this about you know because I have diabetes or was that just hey I'll deal with it I'm gonna chase my dream I'm gonna

[00:21:07] Ariel Lawrence: live it all the way and we'll deal with it as it comes you mean in terms of making decisions like certain decisions where I ever felt like maybe I should rethink this because of diabetes. I don't know about rethink, but just like, is this a factor or, uh, or not? I would say sometimes diabetes is a factor, but it's not a huge one. Like it's something that I would put thought to. So for example, let me give you a specific example. My sophomore year, I wanted to study abroad in Ghana. Um, and it was like the first time I think like I would be leaving the country for an extended period of time. So the idea was that I would be traveling between Ghana and London over the course of six weeks. And for me personally, it was an opportunity that I did not want to pass on. I was like, oh my gosh, I'm obsessed with West African culture. Like I was like that black girl, I'm black American. But I was that black girl who was like in the African Student Association Club, just pretending that I was from some West African country. So I was like, no, I have to go to Ghana. I don't care about diabetes. We're going to figure it out. But I know for my mother, she had a lot of fears and she was concerned about how I would be able to take care of myself if there would be reliable refrigeration, if there would be a place to go to in the event that something happened to my insulin. And so, So, you know, there have been moments where I've had to like factor consider my diabetes and how, you know, that might play out if I either go to a new space or I'm in a new environment. But I've never allowed that to be a deterrent. Now, there was one time, I would say, where I made a choice after undergrad. I went to work for Teach for America. I don't know if you've heard of that program. But I did teach for America and I was placed at a extended day charter school. So the day for students began at 7 a.m. and it ended for students at 5 p.m., which meant that staff had to be in the schools before like 645. And we often didn't leave until 530. Initially, I didn't really think about how my health might play into my effectiveness as a teacher or to what extent I might enjoy this experience. But I quickly found out from that experience that as a type 1 diabetic, there are just certain environments that I cannot be in. I can't be I can't work necessarily an extended school day like that I don't think it's feasible for what I need in terms of my health needs I need an employer who is flexible and understands that sometimes I need to take off because I'm not feeling well or sometimes I need to take off to go to the doctor so I would think like I would say initially when it came to big choices in my life no I didn't really consider diabetes because I was very much in the mindset that if I want to do something, I'm going to do it. But it wasn't until later on in life that I realized that in terms of like professional environments and things of that nature, like, yes, I need to consider my disease and like, to what extent I will be able to take care of myself well, if I allow myself to be in a specific

[00:24:30] Rob Howe: space. And I think that, I mean, I couldn't have put it better myself like that. And everyone is different, I think, but prioritizing and learning and like, there's really no teacher like experience, right? You know, you get put yourself in those positions, and then you quickly realize that, you know, you need somebody that will allow you to go to the doctor, you need a schedule that's flexible. And it's not just the hours, right? Like being with students all day where you're responsible for them, that can sometimes be, you know, the biggest part of that specific example,

[00:25:00] Ariel Lawrence: I'm sure. Yes, it was an intense place. I remember like, there was a no sitting policy. Like that's not gonna work if I have a low. And like granted, you know, they did try to make minor exceptions for me here and there. But in terms of like, what was actually best for me, I don't think

[00:25:19] Rob Howe: you know, it was a good fit. Yeah. And I think, you know, it's hard to, I don't know whether it's culturally or, you know, I'm not, I'm not even sure I'm probably, I'm thinking I'm reaching at this point, but, you know, prioritizing yourself isn't always the most popular decision, especially in organizations that don't value that. So, you know, finding those where finding that place where, you know, you've been upfront about everything from a diabetes perspective and you say, Hey, I still need this to work for me and my health. Uh, sometimes when the answer is not the right one from the organization, that can be a tough place to, you know, I guess the decision becomes easier at that point, maybe that you know that you have to look somewhere else, but that's

[00:26:01] Ariel Lawrence: not always an easy thing to swallow. Yeah, it isn't always an easy thing to swallow. But as I've grown, I've realized the importance of, you know, prioritizing my well being. And so that is

[00:26:12] Rob Howe: something I have to take into consideration at this point. So speaking of that, like as you've grown. So 2014, um, you mentioned that your grandmother passed away. Um, walk us through, you know, when you knew it was your, when you, when you had your moment of, you know, I want to be active and I want to use, uh, you know, build a platform, uh, around type 1

[00:26:37] Ariel Lawrence: diabetes. Yeah. So, um, it was before she actually passed. So my grandmother, like the summer of 2014, she made the decision that she wanted to go into hospice. But before she had, like, recently had both her legs amputated. So it was clear to me that even before 2014, that there was kind of like this stage of demise that she was going through. And so as I began to experience that I realized that perhaps I needed some type of community. I remember while she was in the hospice and witnessing her deteriorate, going home, crying hysterically, because I thought that meant that that could possibly be me. And granted, my grandmother was a type 2 diabetic and there were a whole bunch of comorbidities and her case was a very unique one. But you're not thinking about all of that. You just see someone suffering, or I wasn't thinking about all of that. I just saw someone suffering from complications of diabetes, and every worst or terrible thought that could have gone through my mind did. And I remember like trying to confide in close friends, like people I expected to listen and to be empathetic and being told like, oh man, I can't take that. Oh no, please don't tell me that. Oh no, like I can't hear about your grandma. And it was just like, imagine how I feel. You can't take this. So that was like the first indication to me that I probably needed a community of some sort. And so I didn't necessarily know what I wanted that community to look like. What I did know though, was that following her passing, I just felt like I had a lot of stuff on my chest that I needed to get out and I needed to write about it. And so I feel like for me, like I didn't launch my blog until 2016, but the first or two of the first blog posts were actually written in 2014. And so that writing for me was cathartic in a sense and allowed me to kind of release some of the frustrations, loneliness that I was experiencing at that time and really articulate to other people like what it was I was truly feeling. So yeah, I wrote those things in 2014. I kind of just sat on it because, you know, life happens. I was going through some transitions. I was studying grad school. And then I just got to a point where, you know, when I'm all about kind of like living a very purpose-driven life. And sometimes I feel like when things just sit on your heart and mind and you think about it constantly, to me, that's an indication that like, I need to do something. I need to take the next step with it. Right. It's important to you. Yeah, exactly. So finally, in 2016, I was like, I don't know what I'm waiting for. I know what I need. Like, I, you know, had gone through this process in 2014, where I was grieving my grandmother's death. I was writing about it. I had gone on to online communities that talked about diabetes. It was cool and everything. There were people who were openly sharing their stories, but I was like, okay, where are the people who look like me? I didn't see anyone who looked like me. So I've always been of the mindset, I've always been the type of person, if there is something that I want to do that doesn't exist, if there's a community that I feel like I need to be a part of that doesn't exist, fine. I will do the work and create it. And so I got to a point where I was like, you know what? I just want to create this community for diabetics of color. I can start by sharing my own experience. But my hope is to also, you know, empower other diabetics of color through my story, get them to become more outspoken about what it is that they are feeling and experiencing, and hopefully also giving them the opportunity to connect with one another. So, you know, I still have a lot of work to do in terms of accomplishing all of those goals. But in 2016, I was finding like, you know what, like you've waited on this long enough. You sat on this long enough. It is your time to just put this out there and see what happens.

[00:30:57] Rob Howe: Well, I'm really glad you did. Hey, because I think it brought I mean, I am I relate to that on like such a spiritual level of like, hey, having something to do, knowing you're supposed to do it and finding, you know, meaningless day to day tasks or a million other things to do without doing it. I mean, it's like the writer's curse, right? You can't write a page if there's dirt on your shoes that you wore yesterday, because what if you have to wear those shoes out and there's dirt on them? You know, you got to go clean them. But I think, you know, now, you know, this community especially was built on that as well, because I, in my own way and everyone in their own way, right, when they get diagnosed with type 1, looks for people like them or who do the things that they want to do or love to do. so for me that's what I wanted I wanted to create diabetics doing things whatever that was so that someone who loved that thing could find it so let's talk about diversity A in T1D and creating that community because I'm sure along the way you found so many people who felt the exact same way and needed a place to go because let's be honest and I have to credit or give credit where credits due my friend joe jones uh shout out joe jones who's one of my dear friends who's not a type 1 but when i posted a picture from type 1 nation in dallas earlier this year uh it was one of the teen panels and all of the uh with libby libby russell Lauren Bongiorno Austin Fuerst gretchen oddy and laura pavaklovich she's gonna hear that and get really um Um, we are, we are all white and we were, and, and, you know, Joe commented, he's like, I don't want to, he's like, I don't want to call this out. He's like, cause I don't know. He's like, but you guys are all white. Um, is that a normal thing? And I said, you know what? It's, you know, people of color have, have type 1 diabetes and we, you know, we didn't represent them. And so we saw, there were two kids. I told you this before the call. there were two african-american kids in the in the room and they i couldn't help but relate to them to say hey like none of these people look like me t1d doesn't look like me i don't belong here and they weren't a part of the activity and they kind of left the room before it was over and i felt like we really failed them in that in that moment um so i i now i'm gonna hand the mic over

[00:33:24] Ariel Lawrence: to you and let you do uh the work that that you're so great at i don't know about all that i'm just trying um so talk about diversity within the t1d community um so i i guess i'll start by saying like i've grown up kind of accustomed to being the only one only female only black girl whatever within a particular space. So I was never intimidated by that. But yes, I, you know, I'm a black girl with type 1 diabetes. I remember in high school when I was first diagnosed, I ran into a classmate, an Indian girl who also had type 1 diabetes. So I knew that there were people of color out there. And I remember in college, like kind of like hearing through the great mind. Like I am in a sorority. And so I met one of my like diabetes through my sorority, because people talk. And, you know, during our initiation process, onboarding process, someone told her that there was another black girl living with type 1 diabetes. So I was always aware that, you know, we existed, or there were other people of color living with diabetes out there. And then through that connection, she ultimately introduced me to some of her friends, which were brown and black folks living with type 1 diabetes. And then I decided, you know what, again, because I wasn't going to be deterred that there weren't people who looked like me within the diabetes space. I was like, you know what, if I'm really going to talk about diversity and the need for diversity and the need for representation within, you know, particular spaces or diabetes focused organizations, then I have to do my part and I have to be willing to show up, even if it means I might be the only person. So then I was like, you know, if I'm going to do that, I'm going to invite my tribe. And I remember I met one of my other besties through one of my good girlfriends who came and supported me at a JDRF walk. So in terms of the issue of diversity within the diabetes community. I think there are a variety of factors or causes that lead to that. So one, you know, some of it is education and thinking about resources and who has access to resources or who feels empowered to seek out certain health resources. Typically, that's not people of color. Typically, that's not people coming from low income communities, right? When you think about some of the other diabetes communities that might focus on raising money, fundraising. I don't have necessarily the best network to help you raise money, right? And I know some other people of color, I don't want to speak for everyone, but they might not necessarily be inclined to connect with an organization whose main purpose is to fundraise because I don't have that type of financial capital. So that can be a deterrent in ways. Again, when you don't see people like you, not everyone is as bold and as willing to say, you know what, I'll make space for myself. Some people see that as a closed door and are unwilling to kind of take the leap and jump into a space where they are one of few people represented. I think for me, what I've learned is that I would say at this point, in terms of really addressing the issue of diversity within these diabetes platforms, I think there needs to be kind of like a two pronged approach, right? So the first, I think there has to be a certain level of intention on the organizations that are planning these conferences and summits. The same way, like, I'm one of those people, I will look up, you know, the diabetes hashtag on Instagram and keep looking into a person of color and be like, oh my gosh, who is this person? Like, let me get to know them. Let me reach out to them. Let me connect with them. So I feel like there has to be a certain level of intention where people understand and realize the value of incorporating diverse voices. Everyone's experience of living with diabetes is unique. And there are certain factors, you know racial social economic that also kind of affect how we experience disease and I think until we become intentional about like really seeking out those unique experiences then the rooms are going to look pretty darn homogenous right so I think that's one kind of approach or thing that people need to take into consideration and I think the second part of that is also So empowering people of color to become more vocal and to realize that they deserve and they have every right to take up space within certain environments. And so part of my hope is that I can do some of that by providing like visible examples of black and brown folks living with diabetes and hopefully encourage other people in the process to say, you know what? like maybe diabetes might have been a private thing for me to deal with or manage before maybe I didn't understand or see the importance of speaking out about it but now that this girl who looks like me who's coming from the same place as me who understands like my culture what we eat like how we work whatever now that you know I see her and she's vocal about her disease maybe I can be vocal too right so i think like i don't know that last part kind of deals with just like the importance of representation in any field if you think about it like the more you see people who look like you doing something the more it becomes or seems possible for you to also do that thing

[00:39:22] Rob Howe: um so i don't know well and i think on the opposite end of that the the fewer that you see it kind of has the same effect in the opposite direction. And I think that's where, you know, that's why, you know, we are obviously having this conversation. So that stops happening, right? Because I think there's a little bit, and I don't want to speak for all the organizations because I, but I think there's a little bit of check the box and say, hey, well, we are making this available when they think they are, but they're really not. And, you know, we say T1D looks like me, but does it really look like everyone? Or do we showcase everyone? And that's where I think that level of just being intentional comes in and really seeking out different people. It's really easy to tap into your own personal networks, et cetera, or communities that are easily accessible. But sometimes, and maybe you might not be the best person to do that. Maybe you need to get an ally or someone that looks like the people that you're looking or hoping to serve. but you have to be willing to kind of seek out people who are different from you. And not everyone is always confident, willing to do that because it seems scary.

[00:40:38] Ariel Lawrence: Well, it is. And I think, you know, all those things are scary and impossible until they're done. Right. Until you just do it.

[00:40:46] Rob Howe: Since you made that choice and really, you know, in 2016 took that on and really embodied it and were very intentional with it. What, um, you know, how is that, how is that community? Did you find what you were looking for? What's the, what's been your favorite part of, uh, of being that person and being vocal and finding those people of color with living with diabetes?

[00:41:09] Ariel Lawrence: Um, you know, give me, give us a sense of what that has been like for you. So one of the things that I always wanted to do in starting my platform was to provide people with an example of diabetics of color who are like living well who are involved in the diabetes space who are vocal and I have come across those people um and so that's been rewarding for me personally um and I'm getting to a place where I'm finally being able to excuse me where I'm finally able to share um what I've learned and who I've met with other people but that's also kind of been a slow process and one that I hope to kind of dig more deeply into like just really being able to expose everybody to the many other people of color who are doing awesome work within the diabetes community or who are doing awesome work in general unrelated to diabetes but also happen to be living with diabetes so I've made those connections for myself and that's been rewarding and it's been encouraging to hear people say like I really appreciate you being outspoken about your experience I feel the same way or I've thought the same thing or I've been discouraged and like now I feel motivated or empowered to speak up more like that's that's always refreshing especially when I feel you know a bit discouraged um but I certainly think that just in general, there's more that I can do. And my hope is to really like, start connecting other people with each other. Because I feel like I have a, I'm getting a sense of kind of like, who's who, where people are. And I'm doing like these kind of like, one off connections, like, oh, you need to meet this person. They're also based in Atlanta. Or Oh, do you know about her? She's based in your area but I wish that there was a more like kind of streamlined way of doing that so I've been thinking about that um but I would say overall like I'm excited I guess with you know the work

[00:43:23] Rob Howe: that I've done um but it just makes me feel like man there's still so much more to do and maybe that's that type a personality speaking I don't know yeah I think so like there's a couple like type a trigger phrases that i heard throughout uh through the whole explanation which i know i it's not it is not a problem i i just relate to it i think it's like oh yeah oh there she goes not giving herself credit for everything she's already done um you talked a little bit about you know wanting to be the connector but for you um what what gives you the most hope in this what are you hopeful for what do you want this to become What do you, how, what is it, what is the, what's the ideal scenario for you to say, wow, you know, we've made an impact and, you know, what can, what can other people do to help with that?

[00:44:19] Ariel Lawrence: The tough question, Rob.

[00:44:21] Rob Howe: Hey, they, they don't pay me, but if they did, it would be to ask the tough questions, I guess. I see. So what was it? what is there still to do? Is that what you're asking me? I mean, I don't want it to be as, as like, you know, what do we, what do we do from here? But I think, you know, for you, what, when you get super fired up and empowered by the work that you've done, like, and you can admit to getting excited about the work that you, that you, the great work that you do. What, what do you say? Yeah, we need more of this. Like, let's do more of this right now.

[00:44:57] Ariel Lawrence: What are those things? I would love, we need more community. um and i mean we need more community among other diabetics of color and the people who support them and even allies who maybe not be of color but understand the importance of representation and honoring the experience of everyone um and whenever i get fired up it's always about this idea of like how can I most effectively again connect people with each other because like Instagram which is my primary means of I guess you know building community and also through my blog like it's great you can comment on people's photos but in terms of really like pushing for an ongoing dialogue, I don't know if Instagram is necessarily the best space for that, right? So like a Facebook group would be something great. I would love to do that. More in-person connections, if there were more opportunities for that, that would be awesome. I mean, you know, it's lovely to see people through my phone, but it's even more powerful when I can meet someone who looks like me in person and we can both like pull out our pumps or check our blood sugar together. So I don't know. I think like when I think about the shoot that I did for Black History slash Women's Month with my two diabetes, one thing that came up frequently was people wishing that they knew they had someone in real life who had diabetes, who they could connect with, hang out with, et cetera. And so if I could provide people the opportunity to connect in person with other diabetics of color within their area, that would be so awesome. Like I would feel so fulfilled and feel like I am getting closer to this goal of building a tangible community for diabetics of color.

[00:47:22] Rob Howe: Well, not to be even more type A, but you're speaking it into existence.

[00:47:27] Ariel Lawrence: Amen, amen. I receive it.

[00:47:29] Rob Howe: Yeah, it's there. It's out there. I, and I, you know, I just in the hour that we've been talking, I can tell it, that will happen for you. When and where I can't, I don't know. I'm not, I'm not speaking, but I'm speaking it. I think it like it is a, and the power of, of speaking that into existence is not something that's just like words.

[00:47:51] Ariel Lawrence: Right. for me I underestimated the impact it would have on me to interact with people that I didn't know with diabetes face to face so at the end of last year I just spoke it to some friends I said I'm gonna go I'm not just gonna be on Instagram I'm not just gonna be on the podcast I'm gonna go see people face to face across the country I'm just gonna try to make it happen whatever I've got to do and I realized and I went to an event in February and this little kid came up to me and he was super embarrassed and he was probably five years old and his mom was like hey you know my son wanted to meet you and I could tell he was embarrassed but I had never done a pump bump that I've seen kids do on Instagram and talk about but I and like in that a pump bump I don't know it's just like where you like bones your pumps together you just like bump them together which is like a silly thing right but i had never even under like i'd never wanted to do it never thought about doing it never had even considered and this kid i had no way he wasn't going to talk to me but i took my pump out and he took his pump out and he bumped it together and just like his face lit up and i thought okay this is what face-to-face is like because i didn't get a bunch of followers i didn't get a bunch of likes in that moment i didn't get a bunch of downloads but that face-to-face interaction was worth so much to me. So I think I would, I wouldn't underestimate the power of creating those communities and those in-person interactions will have on you as well. Um, and I'd encourage you to just do whatever you can to make it happen. Oh, thank you. Thank you for that. Now I feel so energized and I'm probably going to get off this

[00:49:35] Rob Howe: call, um, begin some brainstorming. Well, good. And let, please let me know how I can help. Um, um, that's, this is a, I think, you know, in that moment and Libby and I, Libby Russell and I've had conversations about seeing those kids in the room and then not being able to get to them, uh, before they left a few times. And just like, so what you're doing is super, super important. Um, and And like you said, there are allies that are not diabetics of color who have seen and experienced how important it is for this to happen. So whatever I can do to help you, please let me know and I will do whatever I can.

[00:50:16] Ariel Lawrence: Thank you. I'll take you up on that offer. And I really enjoyed that conversation. Your questions were hard.

[00:50:22] Rob Howe: Well, with that, I can't let you go yet because I have one more question that I asked everyone that you have to answer.

[00:50:29] Ariel Lawrence: Yes, sir.

[00:50:29] Rob Howe: Let's go. Before we get to the close of this interview, so the context is important. So imagine you're at an airport and they're about to close the door to your gate. And whatever the reason is, you can't miss the flight. There's something important on the other end, whether it's a trip abroad to Ghana or what have you. You're not missing it. But you bump into somebody who's either been recently diagnosed or is struggling with their life with diabetes in any way. And so in 30 seconds or less, what's the one thing that you leave them with?

[00:51:07] Ariel Lawrence: They were recently diagnosed. So in 30 seconds or less, I would say, you know what, it might feel hard right now. But I promise you, it gets better. And whatever you don't know, there will always be people or resources available to assist you as well as you are willing to seek them out. and then I'd also because I believe in like cultivating relationships meaningful ones with everyone I meet especially if they have diabetes so of course I'd leave them with my number so that they could feel free to call me at any point in the event that they needed encouragement or had any questions or just wanted to complain I always try to make myself available for people so I never realized how important it would be for me to complain with someone else that has type 1. I like it was, it's the most refreshing world opening experience. Exactly. I started to do that with Gloria and Aisha. Hey girls. I love y'all. Um, who are my diabesties and it has been life changing. Seriously. There have been moments when I've been in tears so flustered because I feel like folks just don't get it. And they might say some insensitive thing and I can immediately go to them and they'll be, you know, just so empathetic and give me such reassurance and I appreciate them for that. So yeah, that's value always in connecting with other diabetics and being able to speak to them about

[00:52:37] Rob Howe: whatever, whenever. Well, in the spirit of that, I know we plugged your Instagram as Just A Little Suga' and we'll link to that in the show notes and your blog, I believe is Just A Little Suga'.com. yes all right so uh definitely check out subscribe reach out um use all those social media networking powers uh out there available to all of you and connect with ariel guys build

[00:53:04] Ariel Lawrence: this community and uh and support each other most of all yes and thank you thank you again rob i'm super excited that we had this opportunity to speak and i'm excited to see what comes of it

[00:53:17] Rob Howe: oh I am too thank you so much for the time it was an awesome interview and I look forward to whatever the next project is that we get to work on

[00:53:24] Ariel Lawrence: okay Thank you.

[00:54:18] Rob Howe: Thank you.