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FLINT, MI – For a number of years, Flint’s “This Is Me” trend present has highlighted the great thing about individuality, giving individuals with particular wants a platform to showcase their confidence and persona.
This 12 months’s occasion will embrace a brand new path with a superhero theme, permitting members to channel their interior power and creativity.
Capes, masks, and vibrant costumes will rework the runway right into a celebration of braveness and uniqueness, creating an unforgettable expertise for the members and viewers alike.
The superhero theme will mark a major evolution for the occasion going into its sixth 12 months, emphasizing empowerment and self-expression in a method that resonated deeply with members and their households.
At 5 p.m. on Dec. 15 on the Sloan Museum in Flint, 1221 E. Kearsley St., 25 members will stroll within the trend present, which has change into a yearly custom organized by Tracy Palmer.
This 12 months may have a distinct contact, as the style present will honor Hunter Mooring, a particular wants baby who died in a home hearth in March this 12 months.
Doing it for Hunter
Olivia Kushuba held again tears remembering her son’s tragic loss of life.
Hunter, 13, died following a March 7 home hearth at Creekwood Cell Residence Park in Burton.
Kushuba, 36, and her 11-year-old daughter, Bonnie Mooring, survived the hearth.
Kushuba would somewhat not understand how the hearth occurred.
“I simply don’t wish to know, it’s nonetheless too recent,” Kushuba stated.
The hearth began round 10:30 p.m. within the household’s lounge.
Kushuba stated she thought Hunter was proper behind her as they had been escaping the house, however he received disoriented due to his drugs.
“He didn’t comply with me out and the doorways air locked (from the smoke) and I couldn’t get again in,” Kushuba stated.
On the That is Me trend present, Palmer and the crew plan to honor Hunter, who had Tuberous sclerosis.
Bonnie, who has autism and ulcerative colitis, will take part for the primary time, dressing as Starfire from the Teen Titans.
“I selected Starfire as a result of she has inexperienced powers and he or she makes use of her eyes and they’re razor inexperienced,” Bonnie stated. “She is a princess from Tamran and is my favourite superhero.”
Hunter would have gelastic seizures, a uncommon sort of seizure that entails a sudden and uncontrollable burst of laughter or guffawing.
However he nonetheless did effectively at school, attending Bendle Center Faculty, his mom stated.
He loved telling knock-knock jokes.
“He favored to make individuals chortle,” she stated. “He was quiet till he hit you with a one-liner. He was referred to as an enormous goofball.”
Hunter’s obituary additionally notes he can be remembered for “loopy dance strikes, zombie kisses, his love of video video games, popular culture and his excellently curated assortment.”
For Kushuba, the loss is a each day wrestle, however she finds solace in maintaining his reminiscence alive.
The style present tribute serves not solely as a celebration of Hunter’s life however a reminder of the resilience and love inside the particular wants neighborhood.
“We do numerous laughing and telling jokes to maintain his spirit alive,” she stated. “We’re remembering every single day is treasured.”
Elevating two particular wants kids hasn’t been straightforward for Kushuba.
“It’s attempting to choose your battles,” she stated. “You’ve received to satisfy them the place they’re at, not the place you need them to be and simply be versatile. There are days it’s actually robust, however they’re my youngsters and I’d do something for them.”
Bonnie deeply misses her brother and the bond they shared, however she attracts power from honoring Hunter’s reminiscence.
“I miss him,” Bonnie stated.
The way it began
In 2018, Palmer was internet hosting one in every of her longtime anti-bullying trend exhibits when Charise Key-Grey launched her to an thought.
Key-Grey’s son, Emari Suggs, had a ardour for trendy socks and a aptitude for trend, which she believed made him an ideal match for the runway.
“I advised Tracy if she ever considered having a trend present for particular wants as a result of Emari may be very excited at her exhibits,” Key-Grey stated. “I needed to offer Emari a chance to mannequin his socks.”
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Suggs, then 18 and celebrated as probably the most modern pupil at his college, was additionally within the crowd that day.
As he watched the fashions stride down the runway, his face lit up with pleasure, a second that sparked inspiration for what would come subsequent.
Suggs, who has autism, discovered himself drawn to the world of trend in a method that resonated along with his persona and creativity.
It took Palmer 24 hours to name again Key-Grey.
Her reply was a straightforward one.
“God advised me to do it,” Palmer stated. “I needed to vary their lives and so they modified mine.”
Impressed by the interplay, Palmer got down to give a platform to people who’ve particular wants and a highlight to do one thing that they’re greater than able to doing.
Suggs, 25, plans to decorate as King T’challa from the Marvel superhero film Black Panther.
“I selected him as a result of I’m a robust individual,” Suggs stated.
Suggs is presently attending the Genesee Intermediate Faculty District’s Transition Heart in Flint Township. This system permits individuals to attend till they’re 26 years previous, getting ready them for a profession.
The style present, as Palmer and Key-Grey stated, will give Suggs an opportunity to really feel embraced.
“When he will get out on that runway, he shines like a star,” Key-Grey stated. “It offers him an opportunity to be him with out judgment.”
When Suggs was born with autism, Key-Grey discovered herself overwhelmed with worry and uncertainty.
Questions like “Why me?” and “How will he be if I’m not right here?” ran by way of her thoughts as she grappled with the unknowns of elevating a toddler with particular wants.
Over time, nonetheless, these fears have advanced right into a profound appreciation for her son’s distinctive spirit and skills.
Now, Key-Grey appears again with gratitude, particularly for alternatives like Palmer’s trend present, which has given Suggs an opportunity to shine.
Annually, the occasion grows greater and extra impactful, creating an area the place members like Suggs can thrive.
For Key-Grey, it’s a strong reminder of how far they’ve come and the significance of celebrating each particular person’s strengths.
“I’m going to proceed to ask all people to see the ready, and never the label and I’m grateful,” Key-Grey stated.
‘Coming to guard town’
A household from Pontiac plans to make the journey over 40 miles on Interstate 75 to take part within the occasion.
Twin brothers Braylon and Ayden Jackson, 11, can be suiting up as Spider-Man for the upcoming trend present.
Although the twins are from Pontiac, their focus is on Flint.
“I’m coming to guard town,” stated Braylon with a smile, embodying the superhero spirit.
This would be the first 12 months the Jacksons take part within the trend present.
Romona Greenlee, Braylon and Ayden’s godmother, began elevating them earlier than they had been two years previous and needs them to work together extra with different kids.
“I noticed it on Fb and reached out to Tracy,” Greenlee stated. “That is superb.”
The Jacksons have ADHD with sensory points, reminiscent of speech delays and lack of communication. They didn’t begin talking till they had been 5 years previous.
Greenlee is initially from Flint and loves the path of the present.
“We‘re bringing this to Pontiac,” she stated. “It‘s coming. Different kids have to know they‘re beloved and what they’re able to doing.”
The twins love enjoying baseball and hope to play professionally sooner or later.
They take part in numerous mentoring applications and martial arts.
“I do know individuals don‘t have this every single day and I’m having enjoyable as an individual,” Braylon stated.
‘I love to do trend exhibits’
Tanisha Davis and her son Jordan Jeffries, 21, can be on the present.
Jeffries, who plans to decorate as Harry Potter, suffers from trisomy 8, a uncommon chromosomal dysfunction by which an individual has an additional copy of chromosome 8 in some or all of their cells.
Usually, people have two copies of every chromosome (one from every mum or dad), however in trisomy 8, there are three copies of chromosome 8.
Jeffries has a cognitive delay and must be advised what to do repetitively.
“I selected Harry Potter as a result of it’s a superb film,” he stated. “I noticed it after I was little and it was so good. I love to do trend exhibits.”
That is Jeffries’ second time collaborating within the trend present, the place he’ll be a part of his cousin Cameron White.
A spot to be your self
Laura Fleming and Chad Fleming signed up their son, Noah Fleming, for the style present final 12 months for the primary time.
Noah will gown as Optimus Prime from the Transformers.
“I like him as a result of he can rework,” Noah stated.
Noah, 8, has autism on the low-end spectrum and battles with seizures.
It wasn’t till he was 5 years previous when the Genesee Faculty District helped uncover he had autism following a collection of seizures and outbursts.
For Noah, who has an brisk, outgoing persona, the present can be a spot he can simply be himself.
“Youngsters with autism get missed so much,” Laura Fleming stated. “Individuals inform them they’re not ok and get advised no so much.”
