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Community
In the Spotlight celebrates the people whose stories shape culture, community, and creativity. Each profile captures a lived experience, a craft, or a journey that reflects the spirit of LIFEstyle Resource Magazine. These are the voices that inspire us — and the stories we’re proud to share.
👑 Community Inspiration Leaders
Scuba Diver | Photographer
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Australian underwater photographer Brett Lobwein is known for transforming marine ecosystems into striking visual stories. His award‑winning work blends technical precision with conservation advocacy, capturing the beauty and fragility of ocean life. Through global exhibitions and environmental campaigns, Lobwein uses his lens to inspire awareness, protection, and deeper connection to the world beneath the surface.
Brett Lobwein
Grassroots Leader | Artist | Blogger
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Writer David Concepción brings sharp insight, humor, and lived experience to his long‑running blog, where he reflects on culture, family, health, and the unpredictable rhythms of everyday life. A graduate of New York’s High School of Art & Design, he blends creative training with candid storytelling. Concepción’s work stands out for its honesty, resilience, and ability to find meaning in moments both ordinary and profound.
David Concepcion
Singer | Actress | Entertainer
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Cape Verdean singer Dona Maria brings the soul of traditional Morna and Coladeira to global audiences with a voice rooted in heritage, emotion, and storytelling. Her music blends island rhythms with contemporary influences, honoring Cape Verde’s cultural legacy while expanding its reach. Through performances, recordings, and community engagement, Dona Maria celebrates identity, resilience, and connection. Her artistry continues to uplift Cape Verdean music on the world stage with grace and authenticity.
Dona Marie
Graffiti Artist | Drug & Alcohol Counselor
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Graffiti artist George Colón brings bold color, cultural memory, and urban storytelling to every wall he paints. His work blends raw expression with refined technique, honoring the communities that shape his vision. Beyond his art, Colón serves as a dedicated drug and alcohol counselor, supporting individuals on their path to recovery. His dual commitment to creativity and healing makes him a powerful force in contemporary street culture.
George Colon
Leader | Author | Politician
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Strategist and community leader Jamelle McKenzie has built a career centered on service, innovation, and public impact. As founder of the College Park Chaplaincy Corps, she strengthens public safety through advocacy, resource coordination, and compassionate support. Her initiatives—including the Senior Dignity Project and IGNITE Resource Center—address critical community needs with dignity and vision. An educator, author, and entrepreneur, McKenzie continues to champion equity, connection, and meaningful change across College Park.
Jamelle McKenzie
Singer | Song Writer
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Singer‑songwriter Lily Virginia creates intimate, emotionally charged music that blends indie, folk, and experimental pop influences. Known for her audiovisual album Play Me Twice, she pairs evocative songwriting with immersive visual storytelling. Her performances—often captured live in Brooklyn studios and venues—highlight her textured vocals and reflective lyricism. Through recordings, collaborations, and multimedia projects, Lily Virginia invites listeners into a world of connection, vulnerability, and deeply felt artistic expression.
Lily Virginia
Author | Health Advocate
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Author Lisa Sparrow writes with clarity, vulnerability, and insight about mental health, identity, and the complexities of everyday life. Her work blends personal narrative with practical reflection, offering readers understanding, validation, and tools for navigating emotional challenges. Sparrow’s voice is grounded, relatable, and unafraid to confront difficult truths. Through her books and advocacy, she encourages open dialogue, self‑awareness, and compassionate connection, resonating with readers seeking honesty and healing.
Lisa Y Sparrow
Singer | Song Writer
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American artist and vocalist Nicole Willis has built a distinctive career blending soul, funk, and modern jazz influences. Now based in Helsinki, she is known for her collaborations with The Soul Investigators and her genre‑shifting solo projects. Willis’s work spans music, visual art, and film direction, reflecting a multidisciplinary creative voice. With acclaimed albums and international performances, she continues to shape contemporary soul with depth, style, and global perspective.
Nicole Willis
Author | Motivational Speaker
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Author and motivational speaker Randy Kearse transforms lived experience into powerful testimony and social insight. Raised in Brooklyn’s Farragut Houses, he rebuilt his life after incarceration and now writes influential books on street culture, personal accountability, and transformation. Through speaking engagements, community work, and his widely read publications, Kearse challenges cycles of violence and limitation. His voice resonates for its honesty, resilience, and commitment to guiding others toward meaningful change.
Randy Kearse
Filmmaker | Historian
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Blauweiss Media, led by filmmaker‑historian Stephen Blauweiss and producer‑writer Karen Berelowitz, documents arts, architecture, and regional history through films, books, exhibitions, and live presentations. Based in Kingston, New York and Leuven, Belgium, their work includes over 75 short films, PBS‑aired artist profiles, and acclaimed books on Hudson Valley history. Their projects preserve cultural memory while elevating community stories with depth, research, and museum‑quality visual storytelling.
Stephen Blauweiss
Singer | Song Writer
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Singer‑songwriter Thurston Ray blends soulful grooves, jazzy vocals, and reflective storytelling into a sound crafted to uplift and inspire. A Brooklyn‑born bass‑baritone, he creates music that feels intimate, optimistic, and emotionally resonant. His albums and performances weave together soul, spoken word, and real‑life themes, inviting listeners into a journey of melody and meaning. Ray continues to evolve artistically, offering heartfelt music rooted in authenticity and connection.
Thurston Ray
Artist | Cancer Survivor
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Creative and community‑minded Yvonne Fitzner embodies resilience, style, and unwavering determination. A proud cancer survivor and alumna of New York’s High School of Art & Design, she blends artistic roots with lived wisdom and advocacy. Her presence reflects courage, reinvention, and a commitment to uplifting others through honesty and joy. Fitzner’s journey inspires strength, self‑expression, and hope, reminding others that healing is both a personal victory and a shared celebration.
Yvonne Fitzner
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"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge"
Born in Germany 1879 - 1955. Albert Einstein was a Theoretical Physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest physicists of all time. "we make scholars" have more...
Our Sustainability__ It's not about you. It's about EVERYONE! #OceanStewardship
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Ocean Clean-up
Ocean Friendly Food-ware Guide
Ocean Conservancy Video
Ocean Friends Thank you
Donate to LRM
Ocean Clean-up
CLEANING THE OCEAN
The Ocean Cleanup is developing cleanup systems that can clean up the floating plastics caught swirling in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. System 002, our latest system iteration, reached proof of technology on October 20th, 2021, meaning we can now start the cleanup.
WE DEVELOP AND SCALE TECHNOLOGIES TO RID THE OCEANS OF PLASTIC
Every year, millions of tons of plastic enter the oceans, of which the majority spills out from rivers. A portion of this plastic travels to ocean garbage patches, where it gets caught in a vortex of circulating currents alongside plastic from other sources (e.g. offshore fishing activities). If no action is taken, plastic will increasingly impact our ecosystems, health, and economies.
WE AIM TO CLEAN UP 90% OF FLOATING OCEAN PLASTIC POLLUTION
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization developing and scaling technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. To achieve this objective, we have to work on a combination of closing the sources of plastic pollution and cleaning up what has already accumulated in the ocean and doesn’t go away by itself. This goal means we plan to put ourselves out of business – once we have completed this project, our work is done
Ocean Friendly Food-ware Guide
Ocean Conservancy Video
Ocean Conservancy
Ocean Friends Thank you
Donate to LRM
Help Ocean Cleanup
OpenSeaMap - The Free Nautical Chart
Charities
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High School of Art & Design
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High School of Art & Design
The mission of the High School of Art & Design is to inspire, educate, and fully prepare our gifted students to become exceptional artists.
Through a unified curriculum that incorporates a broad spectrum of disciplines integrating art, technology and academics, our students are prepared to go on to college and careers with industry-standard mastery in the major of their choice.
By clicking the pic to the left you would be helping a child’s education. Thank you!
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St Jude Children's Research Hospital
Special Olympics
Susan G. Komen
A Day In Our Shoes
"Lisa Lightner is a nationally known, award-winning Special Education Advocate and founder of A Day in Our Shoes, a website that helps millions of parents and teachers navigate the IEP and 504 process. A special needs parent herself, she’s been in the trenches since 2010—explaining the process in plain language, and showing parents how to get the support their kids need at school.
She’s the creator of Don’t IEP Alone, a hub of online special education advocacy training courses and tools. You can find her work, free resources, and signature sarcasm at A Day in our Shoes or Don't IEP Alone, and most social networks." ~ Amazon Books
What is Autism?
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts socially, and processes information. It’s called a “spectrum” because it varies widely from person to person—some people need a lot of support in daily life, while others may live independently.
Common characteristics include:
Challenges with social communication (like reading body language or understanding tone)
Repetitive behaviors or routines
Deep focus or strong interest in specific topics
Sensory sensitivities (like being very sensitive to sounds, lights, or textures)
Autism is not an illness or something to be “fixed.” It’s a different way of experiencing the world. Many autistic individuals have incredible strengths in areas like memory, creativity, or attention to detail.
Awareness and acceptance are key. Everyone deserves understanding and the space to thrive in their own way 💙
FREE Autism Parenting Magazine
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- Behavior Goals for an IEP: 101 Examples incl. Adaptive Behavior Goals March 14, 2026If your child has negative behaviors at school, they should receive an FBA and a Behavior Plan. Here are behavior goal ideas for your IEP. This article originally appeared on A Day in Our Shoes by Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate.
- IEP Goals vs Objectives: Key Differences and Examples. March 14, 2026IEP teams often use the terms goals and objectives almost interchangeably, which can make the difference between them confusing for parents—and sometimes even for educators.... This article originally appeared on A Day in Our Shoes by Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate.
- HIPAA vs FERPA: Why HIPAA Usually Doesn’t Apply to Schools or IEPs March 12, 2026It’s exhausting. I see this in online conversations all the time. A teacher says something about a student in the hallway. An IEP gets sent... This article originally appeared on A Day in Our Shoes by Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate.
- IEP Goals for Students with ADHD: Examples and Ideas March 12, 2026When writing IEP goals for students with ADHD, the goal should not target “ADHD” itself. ADHD is the disability category. The IEP goal should focus... This article originally appeared on A Day in Our Shoes by Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate.
- Getting Assistive Technology on an IEP: Devices, Evaluations, and AAC. March 12, 2026Assistive technology is one of the most underused supports in many IEPs. Parents often ask questions like: How do I get assistive technology added to... This article originally appeared on A Day in Our Shoes by Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate.
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Rocket Lawyer
A vision for justice. Laws are intended to protect and empower us—but for many, justice is out of reach. Most small businesses and hard-working, everyday people don’t have access to affordable legal services to help them put their affairs in writing or enforce their rights with reliable counsel.
“At Rocket Lawyer, we want to make the digital tools of justice available to more people than ever before. I’m proud to say that since our founding in 2008, nearly 30 million people have created Rocket Lawyer accounts. That equates to over 1 in 9 American adults who can make and sign legal documents, get affordable attorney advice, and incorporate their businesses with confidence. That’s legal made simple.”
®Charley Moore,
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Ancestry.com
A family tree takes you back generations—the world’s largest collection of online family history records makes it possible.- AncestryDNA® gives you much more than just the places you’re from. With precise geographic detail and clear-cut historical insights, we can connect you to the places in the world where your story started—from unique regions to living relatives.
- Explore the 1950 U.S. Census for free. Your dad’s old neighborhood. Your grandma’s first job. Find something new about the people you’ve known your whole life.
- Connect with family to discover more. Our newest tools make it easier than ever to collaborate with family and friends to find a fuller, richer story.
Disability Rights Commission
The ABA’s (American Bar Association) Commission on the Mentally Disabled was established in 1973 to respond to the advocacy needs of persons with mental disabilities. It further branched out to other civil concerns for disabilities such as Down syndrome, Autism, and paraplegia. Install ramps for employees and clients with disabilities, warning signs for neighborhoods and parks, and other advocacies.
