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The Food Babe’s Recipe for a Healthier America

Eating more real, whole foods changed Hari's health and life. She hopes to help others experience the same transformation. (Adhiraj Chakrabarti for American Essence)

When Vani Hari’s mother joined her father in America, the first food he introduced her to was a McDonald’s hamburger.

“He said, ‘If we’re going to live in America, we’re going to eat like Americans.’ And so that’s how we grew up,” Hari said.

Her father had left India to study in the United States, returned home for an arranged marriage, and then settled with his new bride in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hari and her older brother grew up on a blend of cultural fare and “American” food, as their parents tried to give them the best of both worlds.

“My mom knew how to make Indian food, but she didn’t have handed-down recipes from an American mother,” Hari said. So she relied on pre-made and packaged foods. Hari remembers Thanksgiving dinners from boxes and cans, and years of the same frozen Pepperidge Farm cake for her birthday. She gorged on candy, earning her the nickname “candy queen.” As she grew older, she shunned her mother’s homemade Indian meals, opting for junk food and Burger King.

Hari also grew up struggling with common health issues—severe eczema, asthma, and allergies. By her 20s, she was on eight prescription medications. Fueling a high-pressure corporate job with fast food sandwiches and sugary snacks, she was overweight and wore exhaustion on a puffy face.

Now, Hari knows better. Her younger self is unrecognizable from the powerhouse she is today: an investigative food activist, cookbook writer, and fit mom of two, dedicated to bringing healthy change and transparency to the American food industry. Her high-energy presence attracts supporters to rallies just as her popular Food Babe blog has been gaining ardent followers since 2011. Lately, she’s emerged as a powerful voice of the Make America Healthy Again movement, led by former presidential candidate and now Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) head Robert F. Kennedy.

Hari’s mission is inspiring a revolution of Americans with the food knowledge to take back control of their health—just as she did.

Vani Hari whips up one of her favorite green smoothies at her home in Charlotte, N.C. (Adhiraj Chakrabarti for American Essence)

A Health Scare Turned Into Hope

Hari’s transformative journey to vibrant health began on a hospital bed: recovering from an emergency appendectomy at age 23.

“Everyone my age was going out and going to parties, and I was sitting in a hospital room recovering from getting my stomach cut open. I just kind of had enough,” she said. Tired of never feeling well, she resolved to make her health a priority.

Though she lacked a background in health or dietetics, Hari dove into research and armed herself with books, eager to learn about nutrition—and whether her diet was behind her health problems. She quickly built a case against ultra-processed foods.

“I found out my body was super inflamed because of what I was eating,” Hari said.

“One of the books I was reading has this concept that the majority of grocery foods in a package or [that are] processed are dead. They’re not alive. Well, that’s how I felt for most of my life. So I decided to eat more real, live foods that came from nature, that hadn’t been adulterated by the food industry.”

She visited local farmers markets and sought out fresh, whole ingredients. She ditched the fast food and the candy. Soon, her health began to change.

Hari lost the 30 pounds she’d gained in her early 20s, plus five extra. Her energy soared to new highs. Her skin and breathing issues faded, and she didn’t need to refill her prescriptions. Family and friends noticed the “candy queen” wasn’t eating candy anymore, and they commented that she looked like a different person.

They convinced Hari to share how she did it, and her blog, FoodBabe.com, was born.

The Food Babe and Her Army

On the blog, Hari shared stories about her journey and new lifestyle, including healthy recipes and food recommendations.

She also wrote about her investigations into the American food industry and the harmful ingredients hiding in our food supply.

“I used my newfound inspiration for living a healthy life to drive my energy into researching the causes of chronic disease. It all came back to our food,” she said.

The leading cause of mortality in the United States is diet-related chronic disease. Diet is blamed for new diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity. One in five American children is obese, and rates of Type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are rising rapidly in young generations. These modern health problems have disproportionately affected industrialized countries with diets high in ultra-processed food.

Ultra-processed foods are made in labs, often with chemically altered food extracts and additives that make the food hyper-palatable—difficult to stop eating—and extend their shelf life. Additives include artificial flavors, colors, emulsifiers, and preservatives.

“I realized that I was eating chemicals that were not there to improve the nutrition of my body, or make me healthy, or make me live a long, beautiful life. [They] were invented to improve the bottom line of the food industry, and actually were detrimental to my health,” Hari said.

She also realized there was a lack of transparency around these ingredients that made it hard for consumers to make truly informed food choices. When she investigated healthful claims on the label of her favorite yogurt brand, the company responded by removing misleading marketing.

“This led me more into an activism role, as I saw that we had the ability to influence companies to change,” she said.

The more she called out major food companies for using unhealthy chemical ingredients, the more her popularity grew. Her blog has since grown to more than 4 million subscribers, whom Hari calls the Food Babe Army.

“I started to realize I had this amazing community that not only cared about their own health, but also wanted to hold these companies accountable,” she said. “I realized that I had the ability to get people’s attention on these issues in a way that could really change the food industry.”

Hari has taken her voice from her blog to Capitol Hill. (Adhiraj Chakrabarti for American Essence)

It’s All Personal

Some of Hari’s most popular investigations compare two versions of the same American-manufactured food product: the version sold in the United States, and the version sold overseas. The latter often has a noticeably different, shorter ingredient list.

One of her first investigations was a personal favorite food of hers: Quaker Oats Strawberries and Cream instant oatmeal. She discovered that while the UK version used real strawberries, the U.S. version instead contained dried apple bits, artificially flavored and colored with chemically-derived Red 40.

“We’re tired of this double standard that so many American food companies are participating in by selling safer ingredients to other countries,” Hari said. Other countries have stricter regulations for food additives and, in some cases, require warning labels about ingredients’ associations with health risks. Rather than add the label, American food companies sell reformulated products in overseas markets.

Quaker has since changed the U.S. product to use dried strawberries and natural dye, citing consumer demand for simpler, shorter ingredient lists.

Compelled to action, Hari began launching petitions asking food companies to remove chemical ingredients from their products. She was inspired by fellow food blogger Bettina Elias Siegel, who petitioned to remove “pink slime,” a processed beef byproduct used as a cheap filler, from school lunches.

During a campaign against Subway to stop using azodicarbonamide, a bleaching and dough conditioning chemical also found in yoga mats and shoe soles, Hari filmed a video of herself chewing on a yoga mat. Her petition collected more than 50,000 signatures. Not only did Subway remove the chemical from its bread, but eventually, others like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and White Castle did, too.

“When one product, one company changes, it does inspire the rest of the industry to start changing as well,” Hari said.

Her advocacy is inspired by situations in her personal life, such as seeing a coworker eat Subway for lunch every day, or realizing her husband’s beer didn’t have an ingredient label—and was the only item in her refrigerator that didn’t.

“Every single thing has been about a personal situation or story that has led me to say, ‘Enough is enough. This company needs to be held accountable,’” she said.

Hari credits the Food Babe Army with helping influence some of the largest food corporations to make positive changes, including Chick-fil-A, Kraft, Chipotle, General Mills, Panera Bread, Anheuser-Busch, and Starbucks.

Even when a company is initially non-responsive, she persists. Petitions that aren’t recognized turn into boycotts strong enough to affect company sales.

However, the impact seeps much deeper. Hari noted the power of a single campaign to spread greater public awareness about the link between diet and disease.

“Taking a single product or a single ingredient, and talking about it in a way that wakes people up, that leads to other changes in their diet. That leads to other changes in their lifestyle,” she said.

Hari’s advocacy and education go hand in hand. “I really want people to know what they’re eating so they can make good, informed decisions,” she said. She’s written two books, “The Food Babe Way” and “Feeding You Lies,” and two cookbooks, “Food Babe Kitchen” and “Food Babe Family,” to help empower families to make changes in their own shopping carts and kitchens.

Hari with her husband and two children. (Susan Stripling)

Onto a Bigger Stage

Hari attempted large-scale, governmental-level change early on. She was a Democratic delegate for Barack Obama during both of his presidential campaigns. But when promises to address food chemicals went unfulfilled, she became jaded about the possibility for political change.

However, Hari said the country’s chronic disease crisis has been a big wake up call. Recent public awakening and growing momentum have finally forced the bipartisan issue into the government arena.

She’s been tapped to help elected officials and non-profit organizations from 30 states write bills to ban various chemical ingredients. She’s also uniquely positioned to inspire reform at a higher level.

In September 2024, Hari was invited to participate in a U.S. Senate roundtable discussion on chronic disease. She described it as one of the most important days of her life. Later, Kennedy cited information from Hari’s presentation in his Congressional hearings for his HHS appointment: how McDonald’s French fries differ across the pond. French fries in the UK are made with potatoes, oil, dextrose, and salt; while in the United States, they have more than 10 ingredients, including hydrogenated soybean oil, the antifoaming agent dimethylpolysiloxane, and the preservative TBHQ.

“I’ve never had a politician take my voice like that and bring it to the highest levels of government. I’m extremely hopeful because of that,” Hari said. “It’s the first time we’ve had this level of awareness around chemicals in food at this level of leadership.”

The momentum since has illustrated to her that regulatory change may be possible, ending the game of “whack-a-mole” where change comes slowly, with one ingredient and one company at a time.

“Both sides of the political spectrum are engaged, and it’s just so good for the country, and it’s so beautiful,” Hari said. “I hope when we look back, we see this was the turning point, and we reversed chronic disease.”

At the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., Hari, then a Democratic delegate, advocated for more transparency in the food industry. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Raising Her Voice

Back in 2017, Hari launched her own company, Truvani, making protein powders and bars without synthetic ingredients. She admits that one reason she did so was to step back from the risky role of activism and focus on being a mother. However, she quickly realized that being a mom only fueled her passion.

“I want to make it easier for every mom out there to feed her kids and not have to worry about eating these chemicals,” she said. “I personally know how hard it is to avoid processed ingredients. When it comes to artificial food dyes, I’d love to see them removed from our food supply in my lifetime.”

She’s had to swallow self-doubt and defeat imposter syndrome to step foot in Washington and speak up. But she knows what it takes to overcome insecurities to be in the limelight. When she launched Food Babe, she couldn’t bear to use her own photograph, choosing instead to publish clip art for the first two years. “I didn’t feel like a ‘food babe’ for most of my life,” she said.

Yet she’s driven by a sense of responsibility. Her destiny is written in her name.

In Hindi, Vani means “eloquent with words” or “voice.” She continues to express the voice of many, whether from her blog, through megaphones on corporate lawns, or into a microphone on Capitol Hill.

Each time her platform grows, she’s had to ask if she wants to continue to take the risk of advocacy.

“I kept coming back to ‘yes,’ because I was like, ‘How else are we going to change the world, if I don’t use my voice in this way?’” she said. “If you don’t follow your calling, it just keeps calling.”

Hari in the kitchen with her son, Finley. (Susan Stripling)

How to Reclaim Control of Your Health, the Food Babe Way

The Food Babe way isn’t about dieting or deprivation. Former “candy queen” Vani Hari wants others to know that food should be enjoyed. Her blog, cookbooks, and social media offer countless examples for avoiding chemical ingredients and opting for healthier alternatives that are just as satisfying and delicious. She shared 5 steps for getting started.

Start Asking Questions

Anyone can use Hari’s “three-question detox” to cut back on processed foods and chemical ingredients. “I think this is even better than trying to remove a food group,” said Hari.

Every time you prepare to eat a meal, ask yourself:

  1. What are the ingredients?
  2. Are these ingredients nutritious?
  3. Where did these ingredients come from?

“If you don’t know the answers and you try to find out, you’ll learn more about the food system and what you’re eating, and automatically, you’ll start to make better choices,” Hari said. “You don’t have to have a rocket science degree to learn how to eat.”

Buy Organic, Whole Foods

When possible, buy and eat whole foods that are label-free and organic, such as produce, meat, and cheese. Hari says it’s especially important to buy organic dairy because of the risk of exposure to antibiotics and growth hormones.

Use Environmental Working Group’s “Clean 15” and “Dirty Dozen” liststo help decide which produce to prioritize buying organic.

Read the Ingredient Label

“The most important label on any product is the ingredient label,” said Hari. Labels like “low-calorie” or “gluten-free” won’t tell you whether the food is real or really healthy. The ingredient list is where you’ll learn whether something is made from whole foods or filled with man-made chemicals.

Start by focusing on single-ingredient products on store shelves, such as packaged rice, quinoa, oatmeal, and beans. There are also plenty of processed, packaged foods made with real ingredients that make healthy eating more convenient—think of a jarred tomato sauce made with organic tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings.

The processed foods to avoid are those that contain little to no natural ingredients, or are filled with additives—like tomato sauce with added sugar and preservatives. Compare brands to find the best option.

Hari shares a list of common additives to avoid at FoodBabe.com/ingredients-to-avoid. But you don’t need to commit every name to memory to make smart shopping choices.

“If a product is made with real food, you won’t need to question it, because you will immediately recognize the ingredients,” Hari said. “If you don’t know what an ingredient is on a label, or how it can affect your health, look for a safer alternative made with real food. I believe that if every American took this step, the health of our nation would completely turn around.”

Kick Refined Sugar

Avoiding refined sugar has two benefits: You won’t be tempted to overeat desserts, and you’ll fill up on nutritious foods, leaving less room for empty calories. “Eventually, you’ll develop a distaste for refined sugar, and your desire for ultimate nutrition will become instinctive,” Hari said.

She warned that refined sugar can be called a dozen different names on a label. Common ones include sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, sucrose, dextrose, invert sugar, and rice syrup.

In her book “Feeding You Lies,” Hari shared tips for fighting sugar cravings and transitioning to a lifestyle with less sugar:

  • Eat at regular times every day.
  • Balance your meals with protein, greens, and healthy fats.
  • Flavor foods with naturally sweet spices, such as cinnamon.
  • Drink adequate water, as dehydration can be mistaken for a sugar craving.
  • Exercise to take your mind off cravings and boost feel-good endorphins.
  • Enjoy fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut to offset cravings.
  • Eat fresh fruit to satisfy a sugar craving.
  • Avoid artificial sugar substitutes; instead, use natural sweeteners such as real maple syrup, raw honey, coconut sugar, date sugar, or dates.

Make It Yourself

Hari credits cooking with saving her life. She’s on a mission to teach others how to choose the best ingredients to make home-cooked meals simply and affordably. Her two cookbooks walk readers through healthier ways to make recipes like tacos, waffles, and luscious lemon bars, plus copycat versions of store-bought and fast food favorites. She shared three recipes with us.

8 Smart Swaps

Hari frequently shares favorite healthy store-bought alternatives to commonly craved processed foods on her Instagram page. Here are a few:

  • Chips: Instead of potato chips fried in refined, inflammatory corn and soybean oils, choose chips cooked in avocado oil or coconut oil, like Boulder Canyon or Jackson’s. For tortilla chips, try Sprouts brand organic tortilla chips made with olive oil.
  • Soda: Substitute your fizzy drink filled with high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, and artificial flavors with plain sparkling water flavored with sliced lemon, orange, and cucumber.
  • Cereal: Instead of cereals packed with refined grains, sugar, and preservatives, choose organic, nutrient-dense brands like Lovebird, or eat plain steel-cut oatmeal, made overnight in a Crock-Pot.
  • Fruit Snacks: Instead of gummies made with dyes, refined sugar, and artificial flavors, try dried organic fruit or snacks made with just fruit, like the Soley brand.
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies: Instead of cookies made with refined sugar and flour, choose more natural brands like Simple Mills or Skout Organics.
  • Brownies: Rather than indulging in store-bought brownies usually made with refined flour and oils and man-made emulsifiers, try the organic chocolate Truvani bar.
  • Ice Cream: Since most ice cream is made from conventional dairy, substitute it with an organic coconut milk ice cream such as Cosmic Bliss, or Straus made with grass-fed milk and cream.
  • Candy Bars: Instead of chocolate filled with artificial emulsifiers and flavors, make Hari’s 8-Minute Candy Bar (recipe at FoodBabe.com) with organic Hu Chocolate Gems, or snack on Hu’s chocolate bars.

Snack Smarter

Hari frequently shares her favorite healthier, store-bought alternatives to commonly craved processed foods on her Instagram page. Here are a few:

  • Boulder Canyon Olive Oil Kettle Cooked Potato Chips
  • Lovebird Cereal
  • Solely Organic Organic Whole Fruit Gummies
  • Simple Mills Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Truvani The Only Bar (Chocolate Brownie)
  • Straus Organic Ice Cream
  • Hu Chocolate Bars
Truvani is Hari’s own brand of protein powders and bars. (Adhiraj Chakrabarti for American Essence)

Raising Healthy Kids on Real Foods

The Food Babe way isn’t just for grownups. As a mom of two young children, Hari shares three strategies that have worked for her:

  1. Keep junk food out of the house. “That’s 90 percent of the battle,” Hari said.
  2. Mix up what you eat. “We don’t eat the same vegetables [or] fruits every day. That’s helped my kids adapt to real food, because they can eat 10 different vegetables, 10 different fruits,” Hari said.
    Processed food, engineered to taste the same every time, “actually makes your child more picky,” she added. Real food naturally offers variety—a blueberry may be more sour or have a different texture, for instance—creating interest and curiosity at mealtime, and training kids’ ability to handle new foods.
  3. Try growing some of your own food. Getting children involved in the process makes them more interested and willing to try new foods.

RECIPE: HARI SHAKE

RECIPE: RAINBOW POTATO FRIES

RECIPE: MEXICAN-STYLE BAKED ZUCCHINI BOATS

From May Issue, Volume V

Categories
Food Features Lifestyle

Kimbal Musk Is Cooking Up Innovation

Kimbal Musk is passionate about sustainable farming and widening Americans' access to local fresh produce. (Laurie Smith)

Imagine spending 18 months at one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world, and the first assignment you get after graduating is peeling potatoes in a volunteer kitchen.

But that’s only part of an unusual story that includes a near-death experience, a message from God, and a terrorist attack that led one man to a career dedicated to bringing local, sustainable food to Americans.

Then again, you wouldn’t expect anything less from someone with the last name of Musk. In this case, the tale belongs to Elon’s brother, Kimbal. While the more famous sibling is launching rockets and electric cars, Kimbal Musk is cooking up innovations in the kitchen. The former tech entrepreneur has dedicated his life to his nonprofit, Big Green, which supports sustainable farming, educating children about growing food, and expanding home, school, and community gardens.

He also owns several farm-to-table restaurants in Colorado and Chicago, with a forthcoming location in Austin, Texas. “The kitchen is truly where I have so much passion,” he said. “I love … walking into my restaurant and feeling the energy of the community.” He recently wrote a cookbook, “The Kitchen Cookbook: Cooking for Your Community,” in the hopes that everyone can experience the joy of sharing the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor; he feels that cooking a meal for someone is the ultimate act of sharing.

How he came to this point in his life is a story in itself.

Mr. Kimbal Musk with a copy of his cookbook, “The Kitchen Cookbook.” (Samira Bouaou for American Essence)

From Tech to Social Entrepreneurship

Already successful and financially secure at age 27 when he and his brother sold Zip2, the tech company they founded together, Mr. Musk decided to pursue cooking. He enrolled in the French Culinary Institute in New York, thinking that the experience would be an exotic endeavor. Instead, it was a lot like the high-stress cooking shows on television.

“I thought of going in and it being somewhat romantic. And it was like the movie ‘Full Metal Jacket.’ It was screaming at you, all the time, breaking you down, in a boot camp kind of mentality.” Of the 25 students who enrolled in that class, only six made it through the year-and-a-half course, he recalled.

Mr. Musk bakes a cake in New York, in 2000. (Maye Musk)

Timing is often everything in life, and this case was no different. Shortly after Mr. Musk completed his training, the 9/11 terrorist attack devastated New York. The city needed its firefighters, police, and first responders more than ever; it also needed people to cook for them as they worked around the clock in rescue and relief efforts. “It started out with me peeling potatoes, and I was there for six weeks, through the end of October.” Top chefs from around the world gathered to cook meals for the rescue workers. Eventually, Mr. Musk worked his way up to the point where he was preparing the dishes.

He enjoyed serving firefighters dishes they probably didn’t get on a regular basis, like sautéed salmon in a creamy dill sauce. During this time, he saw the effect good food had on people as he watched the exhausted, emotionally spent rescue workers renew their spirits as they ate. “We would feed them some of the best foods I think they’d ever eaten in their lives. … We were putting so much love into the food. And the color was circling back to their faces. They never stopped talking to each other. And by the end of that 45-minute break, the room would be full of energy and joy.” His immediate thought: “Wow. I can’t imagine a life without this. I have to do a restaurant.”

Mr. Musk knew that the best quality ingredients come from local growers, so around 2004, he started working with farmers to supply his first restaurant, The Kitchen in Boulder, Colorado. At about the same time, he wanted to do something to change the trend in America whereby “your average 10-year-old wouldn’t be able to tell you what a tomato looks like.” He provided financial support for school gardens, so children could learn the value and science of growing food. But he was a “checkbook philanthropist,” he said, basically letting others do the work.

Mr. Musk opened his first restaurant in Boulder, Colo., in March 2004. For the first year, he was sous-chef in the kitchen, working the line 5 to 7 days a week. (Maye Musk)

A ski slope changed all that. Along with a voice.

In 2010, Mr. Musk slid down a ski hill on an inner tube and landed on his head. He ended up with a ruptured spinal column that paralyzed the left side of his body. He thought he was going to die. While waiting for surgery, he heard a voice that led him to his current calling.

“I really had this profound voice in my head that I can only describe as God. … And it told me that I would go work on kids and food. It wasn’t specific instructions. It wasn’t like, you’re going to do school gardens, you’re going to do restaurants. It’s just kids—you’re going to help kids connect to food. And I was going to be fine.”

Surgery was successful. “I also got my movement back in my body. And the voice didn’t go away. It wasn’t like a flash of light or anything like that. It was a beautiful, clear voice.”

That experience led to the creation of more than 650 “learning gardens” in schools around the country through Big Green. Teachers can incorporate gardening into the science and math lessons that are part of their curriculum, allowing students to learn outdoors. Mr. Musk hopes that every American will eventually learn to grow food. “You’re going to get a whole new appreciation for the flavor of things, the seasons of things,” he said.

Mr. Musk teaches students at Eucalyptus Elementary School to plant a vegetable garden in preparation for Plant a Seed Day in Hawthorne, Calif., March 13, 2019. (David Mcnew/AFP/Getty Images)

The Future of Food

Mr. Musk is already seeing the trend of American farming changing toward becoming more sustainable. More farmers are embracing regenerative farming, which is designed to improve the quality and health of the soil. It’s not a new concept, as Native Americans have applied regenerative farming principles for centuries.

A farmer might plant corn and beans together: The corn provides a natural trellis for the beans, while the beans put nitrogen into the soil, which helps the corn grow. A rancher might move cattle around and let grazed land “rest” for a while. Periodically rotating the land on which crops are grown can reduce or eliminate the need for pesticides and fertilizer, on which many farms have become reliant.

While many farmers still need time to learn and adapt to these concepts—“it’s a very risk-averse community,” he said—it is catching on around the country. “It grows food better and more nutritionally. And then the farmer can also charge more for their product. So that’s a win for them, too.”

Looking toward the distant future, his vision lies with his Square Roots company, which has nothing to do with math, but focuses on growing food indoors with less energy, such as through hydroponic systems inside upcycled shipping containers. That will become useful if, say, humanity starts living on Mars. The red planet will have less sunlight and fertile ground than Earth. Technology to grow food with fewer resources “will be critical for our expansion on Mars,” he said.

Mr. Musk has ambitious plans to develop hydroponic farming for future food production on Mars. (Phynart Studio/Getty Images)

A Family Legacy

The creative spirit within the Musk family traces back to his grandfather, who moved the family from Canada to Africa in 1948. “My grandfather was a cartographer mapping Southern Africa. He mapped the Kalahari Desert, and pioneered understanding geography down there.” He tells of a unique family trip in family lore: On a single engine plane, his grandfather, his wife, and their daughter, Mr. Musk’s mother, went from South Africa to India, Indonesia, and down to Australia. Mr. Musk describes his grandfather as a real adventurer, and that the innovative spirit of the family is “in our bones. In America, that translates into being an entrepreneur, but whatever it is, it’s some sort of a pioneer breaking new ground.”

Maye Musk, mother of Mr. Musk, cooking in the Kalahari Desert, 1956. (Maye Musk)

Mr. Musk, who became an American citizen in 2004, talks about how grateful he is for this country, having lived through the apartheid era in South Africa. “My kids, I love them to death. They’ll critique America if we let them,” he said, but he often tells them, “Maybe you should try somewhere else first, before you dive in on the criticisms.”

Mr. Musk with his sister Tosca and mom Maye. (Laurie Smith)

Mr. Musk feels a need to give back to the country that has given him so much. It hit him five years ago during a family trip to the Rocky Mountains. “We were just going for a hike and spending a day in the mountains. And I just had this epiphany—that I have the American dream. I have my wife, I have a beautiful home. I’ve got wonderful kids, and built beautiful businesses that make a difference in this community.”

With reporting by Chris Lawson.

From July Issue, Volume IV

Categories
Features Giving Back Kindness in Action

What Gives Tim Tebow the Greatest Joy? A Higher Purpose Post-Football

Tebow is also passionate about faith-based content for children and has invested in different media projects. (Tim Tebow Foundation)

For Tim Tebow, “MVP” has a whole different meaning. Far from the limelight of the sports field, the 36-year-old Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback has long set his sights on helping the world’s “Most Vulnerable People.” The Tim Tebow Foundation, founded in 2010, works in 86 countries to transform the lives of orphans, people with special needs or significant medical needs, and those caught in the snare of human traffickers.

His favorite night of the year, Night to Shine, celebrates people with special needs, offering them a prom night experience, and takes place simultaneously around the world—in over 1,000 cities and 56 countries. (Next year, it will be held on February 9, 2024.)

The timing, the Friday before Valentine’s Day, is no accident.

“We wanted this to be a night where every person with special needs ‘Shines,’ and we wanted our love and God’s love for them to shine through,” Tebow said.

American Essence had the chance to ask Tebow about Night to Shine, what drives him in life, and the best advice he’s ever been given.

Tebow is also passionate about faith-based content for children and has invested in different media projects. (Hannah Janoe)

American Essence: Please tell us about an inspiring moment or person at Night to Shine that will stay with you forever.

Tim Tebow: I could tell you thousands and thousands of stories just from our first Night to Shine! One that really stands out to me is a mom coming up to me and telling me that her daughter will never get married. She will never have kids. But tonight, at Night to Shine, she felt like she was a princess. Another is the first time we ever hosted a Night to Shine, one sweet girl came down the red carpet in a wheelchair with everyone cheering her on. She had so much fun and loved the experience so much that she came back down again, this time walking with assistance! It was such an inspiring moment.

Another impactful moment was when I got to meet an incredible young boy at a Night to Shine in Haiti. Frantzky had the biggest, sweetest smile, and he danced with so many friends and family that night. Unfortunately, not long after that, he got very sick. Hospitals in Haiti had turned him away before due to him having special needs or simply perceiving him as too complicated to care for. At the third hospital he ended up at, he did not receive the level of care he needed and unfortunately passed away. It was such a shocking reality that it’s our job to love people no matter their circumstances, and that it’s up to us to help other people see the God-given worth and value of every life. I have a painting of Frantzky in a room in my house where I watch movies and football games. That room is somewhat of a break where I can relax for a moment or get caught up in sports, but Frantzky’s picture is displayed as you exit the room as an instant reminder to keep the perspective that there is so much more significance in life than just games and movies.

AE: How has the idea of prom—a quintessentially American tradition—translated to the many different countries where Night to Shine is held?

Mr. Tebow: That’s a great question. One of the ways we’ve described Night to Shine is as a worldwide prom for people with special needs. A lot of countries aren’t familiar with the term “prom,” so we also call it a worldwide celebration for people with special needs. Even though other countries might not be familiar with the idea of a prom, walking down a red carpet, or being crowned as kings and queens, what’s really cool is that once they see it in action, they totally get it—regardless of where they are. A lot of that has to do with our awesome Night to Shine team that walks alongside churches every step of the way. It’s also really neat to see different countries and cultures embrace Night to Shine by bringing in traditions and experiences that are culturally relevant to them, too.

(Tim Tebow Foundation)

AE: You have a great sense of urgency about the causes that your foundation supports. What drives you in life? What gets you up in the morning, ready to take on the world?

Mr. Tebow:I love using the word urgency. I want to be someone that lives with a sense of urgency because we don’t know how many days we have. But, while we have time on this Earth, it’s our only chance to affect eternity. For that reason, we need to be truly focused on what really matters, and that’s God and impacting people. I want to live with a sense of urgency by running hard toward what God is calling me to do because who knows when I’ll lose the chance to? That’s what gets me up every morning.

AE: You and your wife Demi partner on many endeavors. Please tell us what it’s like to work with your spouse, and what you value most about her.

Mr. Tebow: One of the most special things about Demi and I’s relationship is that we get to travel all over the world and serve together. It’s amazing to see her love on survivors of human trafficking, love on babies that have been thrown away, and fight with such fierceness for some of the world’s most vulnerable people. As I’m answering these questions right now, she’s getting ready to launch her Tim Tebow Foundation birthday campaign, which will directly impact children and families in her home country of South Africa, specifically babies that have been abandoned because their parents don’t have the means or resources to care for them. Something else I really value about Demi is her drive and competitiveness. She was Miss Universe 2017, she’s an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker—all of that amazes me about her, but it’s not nearly as special as watching her heart for others in action.

Tebow and his wife, Demi-Leigh, work together closely on the foundation’s charity work. (John Hillin Photo)

AE: Considering the intense fame that you have experienced, how have you overcome any struggles that have come with the scrutiny, and how do you think that experience has served you in your life?

Mr. Tebow: Growing up, I was definitely a people pleaser and wanted people to like me. When I started playing sports and getting recognized by the public and the media, of course there were people who didn’t like me. I struggled with that at first, and I remember telling my dad, “Dad, if people just got to know me, I think they would like me!” And I remember him telling me, “Timmy, you’re right. But some people aren’t going to want to get to know you or like you.” That was a harsh reality to make terms with, but he was right. To this day, whenever I face scrutiny, I reflect on a quote from Winston Churchill that says, “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” I’ve come to realize that I’d rather be respected than liked. And I think that’s a good lesson for other young people to remember as they go through life, too. You can get a lot of “likes” on social media, but being respected by people—even if they aren’t your biggest fan—means so much more.

AE: What life advice do you have for young people who may be reading this?

Mr. Tebow: My advice for young people reading this is to really believe that God loves you, to really believe that what He did on the cross counted for you, and to really believe that He has a plan and purpose for your life. Because when you believe all of that, you’re going to know that every day is created by God on purpose for a purpose. And when you live that way, not just taking in life as happenstance, but actually believing that this is the day the Lord has made for you, you’ll begin to see life and yourself a whole lot differently.

“Night to Shine,” Tebow’s annual prom event for children with special needs, is held in over 1,000 cities in 56 countries. (Tim Tebow Foundation)

AE: Many of our readers have children or grandchildren who are homeschooled. What was that experience like for you?

Mr. Tebow: I really enjoyed being homeschooled, and it felt right for our family situation as my parents were missionaries and we were transitioning between the Philippines and the United States. I am the baby of five children, so my siblings and I were so fortunate to have flexibility and opportunities to serve on the mission field, learning what our parents believed in and watching them serve firsthand during our homeschooling days. Our parents of course wanted us to learn to read and write, but more importantly, they wanted to instill in me and my siblings a love for God and one another and a strong work ethic.

Our school days started with chores on our parents’ farm before Bible study, and then we’d get into school and study sessions. What was cool about being homeschooled was that my parents gave me the freedom to choose topics I was naturally interested in when working on school projects. I would write papers about Jackie Robinson or Jesse Owens. One time, I did a science project about protein shakes, trying to get my parents to let me drink them because I’ve always been passionate about health and fitness. There were times—being homeschooled—when I felt a little different and maybe even a little lonely, but I came to realize that you can be homeschooled and be unique and different, but in a good way! I also still got to play sports during that time, and that was such a fun experience.

AE: What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Mr. Tebow: To know the person of God, to trust the plan of God, and to say yes to the purpose of God.

AE: What do you consider your proudest achievement off the field to be?

Mr. Tebow: I don’t know if I would consider it an achievement, but I do consider it a blessing that the Tim Tebow Foundation gets to serve some of the world’s most vulnerable people in 86 countries and counting. From orphans that have been thrown away to survivors of human trafficking, we love those that we serve so much and, almost on a daily basis, I’m inspired by another boy or girl that we’re fortunate to serve. They are such a driving force for me.

(Tim Tebow Foundation)

AE: What project are you most excited about (philanthropic, entrepreneurial, or both)?

Mr. Tebow: I love all of the partners that I’m so fortunate to work with. There’s so much in the world calling for this next generation’s attention, so I am really excited to be a small part of some projects that are telling God-sized stories and providing educational entertainment that is safe for kids. I’m so grateful to be an executive producer for “The David Movie,” an animated film about the inspiring story of King David. The creators are incredibly talented, and they’re striving to tell the story with authenticity (like “The Prince of Egypt” but with animation quality like in “Tangled” and “Frozen”). “The David Movie” also recently became the largest crowdfunded entertainment project ever and is expected to be released in 2024! It’s so fun seeing the momentum build around a movie that could possibly impact generations to come.

I’m also excited to be an investor, board member, and brand ambassador for Minno, the number one source of Christian content for kids that gives parents resources they can trust that their kids will love. The platform has over 2,500 episodes and more than 125 shows, and it is growing! It’s a blessing to get to spend time trying to support families in this way so we can help teach the next generation about the love of Jesus.

Ultimately, I’m overwhelmed thinking about how God has allowed our foundation to reach people in 86 countries now, and I’m most excited about seeing how we can work to bring faith, hope and love to the next 86.

AE: Since this is American Essence magazine, we would love to ask: What do you love and value most about America?

Mr. Tebow: “One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

(Tim Tebow Foundation)

From Sept. Issue, Volume III

Categories
Features

How Fear Motivates Dennis Quaid, Who Will Play Reagan in New Film

(Samira Bouaou for American Essence)

Dennis Quaid is drawn to projects that strike fear on first encounter.

“You take that fear and you channel it, and you use it. Then what it is is energy,” said Quaid, actor and, some may be surprised to know, singer-songwriter. Fear is what ignited some of his most inspired moments while writing his latest album, “Fallen: A Gospel Record for Sinners,” and what drove him to say yes to playing Ronald Reagan in the upcoming biopic “Reagan,” which spans the life of the late president and is told from the perspective of a KGB agent.

“Fear is really inspirational,” Quaid said with a laugh.

Seeking God

“Fallen,” the album, was 30 years in the making, he explained, built around a song he had earlier written for his mother, “On My Way to Heaven.”

“I was coming out of addiction at that time, and I wrote the song to let my mother know that I was okay,” said Quaid, who has been open about his struggle with cocaine in the ’80s. The song was released with the addition of a bridge he penned within minutes, on the soundtrack of the 2018 faith-based film “I Can Only Imagine.”

Quaid is releasing his second music album after four decades of touring the country with his music. (Samira Bouaou for American Essence)

“So it took me 30 years and 15 minutes to write the song,” Quaid said. After her passing four years ago, he felt compelled to write a song about her vision of heaven. She was religious, and a bit literal about it, he said; he himself has always been more of a spiritual person.

“My dad passed back in ’87, and my mom passed four years ago, and it led to a lot of thinking about what’s after this, and what is all this for?” Quaid said. “It’s about a personal relationship with God.” Quaid grew up on the hymns of the Baptist Church and loved the music even though he had grown “disillusioned with church-ianity,” he said. In his teens, he read the Herman Hesse novel “Siddhartha” about the life of the Gautama Buddha, and he started on a journey of reading books and sacred texts from different faiths.

“They’re really all about the same thing,” he said. “It’s man seeking God and knowing God.”

When he overcame his addiction, …

…

(This is a short preview of a story from the Aug. Issue, Volume 3.)

Categories
Features Entrepreneurs

Texas-Born Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel Wants to Inspire Young Women Everywhere

(Fadil Berisha)

“With hard work, you can do anything,” said fashion designer R’Bonney Gabriel. Today, as Miss Universe 2022, she wants to inspire young women everywhere with her message. Just last year, the Houston resident clinched wins at the Miss Texas USA pageant, followed three months later at the Miss USA competition, and then three months later, on January 14, 2023, the crown of all crowns, Miss Universe. 

Gabriel’s story is a multi-generational American dream. Her father immigrated to America with a college scholarship, $20, and the American dream in his heart. Throughout her childhood, he told her, “You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to make the best grades, you just have to be the hardest worker.” That taught her that even if someone wasn’t born with a natural gift or talent, he or she could still train and work hard to perfect a skill, and achieve any goal he or she set. 

Her mother, who came from humble beginnings in Beaumont, Texas, taught her patience, faith, and unconditional love. She “grew up with warm Southern hospitality, [and] I carry that same energy with me no matter where I travel in the world.”

 “The hard work ethic and ‘can-do attitude’ combined with my mother’s kindness and heart to serve others are key characteristics that have been instilled in me from a very young age, and are now more important than ever for my role as Miss Universe,” she said. 

Gabriel was crowned Miss Universe at the pageant held in New Orleans, La., on Jan. 14, 2023. (Miss Universe Organization)

Gabriel recalls an anecdote from her childhood when she wanted an outdoor playground set that cost a lot of money.

​​“We received a catalog in the mail with these extravagant-looking playgrounds, … and my dad said that we could build it ourselves. He taught me how to dig a hole and mix cement to build a base, how to hammer nails, drill holes, use a level, etc. It was four stories high … with a tire swing, ladders, and even a bridge. That project really showed me how to take a vision and build it into a reality. That shaped me to have a ‘do-it-yourself’ mentality in life.”

The Pageant Bug

She began entering pageants at age 25, after being encouraged by a woman she kept running into at photo shoots. When she first started, the goal was to challenge herself and become better at communicating and speaking because she was very shy.

“I placed first runner-up at my first pageant,” she said, “and got the ‘pageant bug.’ She soon discovered that competing in pageants requires a lot of work. She trained daily for two and a half years to get to Miss Universe, taking hair lessons, make-up lessons, walking lessons, and weekly interview lessons.

“I did mock interviews, watched the news constantly, trained my mind to formulate my thoughts and opinions in a particular way, worked out intensely, dieted, found sponsors, and spent lots of time designing and sewing my outfits for the competition,” she said. “Pageantry took over my life to the point where I didn’t have time for much else, but it was worth it in the end.”

Gabriel has a passion for sewing. During the Miss Universe competition, she made several outfits herself from recycled material. (R’Bonney Gabriel)

Another incentive to enter a pageant was her strong belief that you should always give things in life a try at least once. In fact, she was in a juggling club in college owing to a love of the circus arts, worked at a haunted house where she would pop out and scare people, and put her dorm room mattress under her cutting/sewing table to sleep on because she had a small room and most of it was taken over by sewing supplies and tools, which would ultimately lead to her fashion brand: R’Bonney Nola.

Gabriel is the first Filipina American to win Miss Texas, Miss USA, and Miss Universe. “[It] is a huge honor, and I hope this inspires others to embrace their unique culture. I hope this opens the door for more representation in pageantry,” she said.

Gabriel also believes in giving back; when she heard about Magpies & Peacocks, an organization dedicated to collecting, curating, and reusing post-consumer textiles to reduce waste in the fashion industry, she knew she wanted to get involved.

“I was already so passionate about recycled/sustainable fashion,” she said. “When I walked in for my first tour, Ahshia Berry, the co-owner, offered me a job to be the lead sewing instructor for the MAKR program, which offers sewing classes to women of Houston who have survived domestic violence and human trafficking. I was so happy to get started with them!”

At Home in Houston

Growing up in Houston gave her an open-minded outlook on life. “Houston is home to every culture and ethnicity,” she said. “My high school experience was a great time in my life. We had every cultural background at school, and I was friends with everyone. 

R’Bonney Gabriel hails from Houston, Texas, and is the first Filipina American to win Miss Texas, Miss USA, and Miss Universe. (Fadil Berisha)

Gabriel was also friends with different crowds based on the different activities she enjoyed growing up. “I played volleyball, played oboe in band, and attended yearbook class. This upbringing shaped me to accept anyone for who they are and showed me the beauty of so many different people.”

One of the most challenging parts of her reign so far is the cyberbullying and harsh online comments that get her down sometimes. 

“I try my best to ignore it. I’ve realized that no matter what I do, I just can’t please everyone, so I just remind myself that my self-worth does not come from other peoples’ opinions about me,” she said.

When her year is done, she will continue building her sustainable fashion brand, R’Bonney Nola, as well as modeling and working to educate and inspire young girls and women through her sewing workshops and motivational speaking. With her “can-do attitude” and excellent work ethic, R’Bonney Gabriel has the world (and the universe) at her fingertips—one upcycled dress at a time.

From May Issue, Volume 3

Categories
Features

Sonya Curry on Teaching Her Kids Steph, Seth, and Sydel About the Importance of Faith and Family

Sonya Curry, educator and proud mother of three successful children, Steph, Seth, and Sydel Curry. (Nathan Mays)

Sonya Curry likens her family to The Big Machine. Every member of the family plays a part in helping the household run at maximum efficiency, with chores and activities on schedule for each. So when her eldest son Stephen Curry—who would go on to become the basketball star Steph Curry—failed to do the dishes one week during his high school sophomore year, there was no question that he would not be allowed to go to basketball practice—despite it being before an important game. Curry told her son’s basketball coach that he would be missing practice, which, according to the coach’s rules, meant he would not be starting the next game.

“I reminded Stephen so many times to do the dishes that I realized he was starting to rely on me to manage him. That’s not going to work. I have to train my kids to manage themselves. That’s what this is about. Yes, everyone has to do their part to keep the Big Machine running. At the same time, they have to learn to be their own managers,” Curry wrote in her recent book, “Fierce Love: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Purpose.”

Sonya Curry and her son Steph Curry pose for a photo on the red carpet during a 2019 event in Oakland, Calif. (Kelly Sullivan/Stringer/Getty Images Entertainment)

Parenting for Curry meant having her children learn by making mistakes and learning that actions have consequences. Being the head of a private school in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she raised her three children, Steph, Seth, and Sydel, Curry knew that children must figure out the process themselves while parents guide them to the conclusion. Her approach is similar to the schooling philosophy she embraced as an educator: the Montessori method. Named after Italian educator Dr. Maria Montessori, the philosophy embraces a system of learning that measures success based on the creative potentiality of a child. According to Montessori, it would “activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.”

Curry first enrolled her two sons at a Montessori school when they were 3 and 5 years old. She was immediately impressed with how her sons, with different personalities, thrived in the same classroom while developing separate groups of friends. One day, the owner of the school approached Curry and asked her if she would be interested in running the school’s new satellite program for toddlers and kindergarten. Curry, with a degree in family studies and child development, agreed. She set up the new school on a piece of farmland.

This, she recalled, was the defining moment that led to her career in education.

After more than two decades at the school, she retired in 2017 and devoted her time to writing her book. Curry feels compelled to reach out to parents with sage advice: how to parent with ultimate success according to each individual child and his or her gifts. The bigger picture for Curry now is encouraging other parents in their roles of nurturing their children. “Hopefully the book keeps people talking about what they are doing as parents, to find support, and to offer support to others as a community.”

Curry with her children and grandchildren. (Courtesy of Sonya Curry)

Education Journey

Her journey into the realm of teaching began at an early age. She had a natural gift for teaching. At the ripe age of 10, she taught lessons to several neighborhood children in the trailer park in which she lived. Whether it was math, spelling, or reading, she commanded the class and the children respected her—like a real teacher. One particular experience led Curry to witness how education could transform someone. A neighborhood teen named Philip had developmental disabilities and did not know how to read. Curry took the initiative to teach him. Seeing someone struggle, she was drawn to be that teacher or coach who encouraged success. In retrospect, Curry says this was the only career she dreamed about and opportunities just presented themselves throughout the course of her life.

When she got the opportunity to open her own Montessori school, she didn’t need the Montessori certification to be an administrator. “But it is really hard to lead teachers and parents authentically unless you have had the training,” she added. She enrolled in an intensive training program for nine straight weeks in Baltimore, Maryland. Though it was difficult leaving her children behind, this was her opportunity to learn the Montessori method. “In Montessori, teachers are guides who allow the unfolding of the child that God created. Create an environment where the child will learn and then take ownership of that learning. Here we don’t tell them what the answer is; instead, we encourage them to find the answers.”

Raising a Family

Curry places a heavy emphasis on faith and spirituality, such as by giving God the first part of the day through praying devotions. The family attends church on Sundays and participates in the church community.

Training successfully for spiritual growth also means talking openly about hardships. Instead of sweeping problems under the rug, parents should have important conversations with children about the kind of impact any decision will have on others, she said. “Learn to give yourself some grace, and give grace to other people—and then try to correct or make things right,” she said.

(Courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers)

The Curry household frequently held family meetings to discuss schedules or hash out those tricky topics. Sometimes, the weekly meetings were replaced with a fun family outing. Family bonding is key for enduring difficult moments. She is grateful for them. “Fundamental life experiences are more about looking deeper under the surface so that you can glimpse down the road to the bigger picture.”

She recounts one such tough conversation when her daughter Sydel, at 14, wanted to attend a party where her crush was expected to show up. But the family rule was no dating until the age of 16. In an emotional outburst, Sydel told her she was the worst mother in the world. Curry then gave Sydel a choice. Could Sydel continue to live with her mother who respects her and protects her—or does she want to move out? It was a defining moment of parenting with fierce love. “Sydel needed to learn the valuable lesson of understanding her worth. She had to learn to protect her value because the world and other people aren’t going to,” Curry said.

Ultimately, Sydel apologized. Curry let her know that words are powerful and can hurt. It was a reconciling moment for the mother-daughter duo.

Curry says it’s inevitable for parents to make mistakes, but the key is to share openly with children about any challenges. (Nathan Mays)

Her children also taught her the importance of writing your own story—instead of listening to others tell you what your story should be. This teachable moment came with her middle son, Seth. At practice and in school, he would just go with the flow, wondering why he should put in extra effort. But Curry insisted that children should be challenged to do better, to do their very best. Despite her pleadings and many discussions with Seth, he would not take this to heart, until it came time for him to realize it on his own. Through high school and college, Seth learned to overcome the challenge of being in his brother’s shadow, and he came into his own through hard work. At Duke University, his basketball career thrived, and eventually, he made his way into the NBA. With Sydel too, Curry decided not to be pushy when she wanted to pursue volleyball and drop basketball—the known family sport—from her high school schedule. As Curry wrote in the book, “Make yourself the hero.”

Curry admits to not being a perfect parent. But she contends that that is part of the process. “My advice to parents is to give it 100 percent with intentionality every day. Nobody is going to do it perfectly,” she said.

From March Issue, Volume 3

Categories
Features Entrepreneurs

17-Year-Old Entrepreneur Turns Mission of Improving Children’s Oral Health into Reality with Million-Dollar Sugar-Free Candy Company

It has been said that the world always looks brighter from behind a smile.

And that adage has been shaping Alina Morse’s thriving business decisions since she invented Zolli Candy at the age of 9 years old. Now, at 17, Morse not only creates new products for her extensive line of alternative candies, available through various retailers throughout the country, but gives back through the Million Smiles Initiative, the nonprofit arm of Morse’s candy empire.

“From the start, it was important to find a cause,” said Morse. “In running a business, there are rough days, so finding that aspect that drives you and makes you feel good about why you put in all the hours for the business is important.”

Healthy Smiles

Tooth decay is the biggest epidemic facing kids in America, according to the United States Surgeon General. This gave Morse a shock. “It is a preventable disease. … Why wouldn’t there be other initiatives to combat this problem?” she said. “This fact drove me to create not only a delicious healthy candy alternative, but to find a way to give back and educate people.” What makes Zolli Candy a healthy alternative? According to the company website, a proprietary blend of naturally-sourced sugar replacements—such as isomalt, which is derived from sugar beets—makes it 100 percent sugar-free. The company’s non-GMO blend is not only tooth-friendly but also food-allergy-friendly and vegan.

Morse spent hours upon hours working through sugar-free recipes to come up with just the right concoction. Although a messy process, Morse eventually worked out the recipe that millions have since been introduced to through the Million Smiles Initiative. By giving away free candy all across America, it was an opportunity to talk about the root problems of oral hygiene. Over 250,000 lollipops have been donated since the company’s inception.

Zolli Candy’s retail sales in 2021 totaled over $10 million. (Adhiraj Chakrabarti for American Essence)

She believes that while her products are great, an education can fuel generations of change. A determined Morse now translates this passion and leads others her age—in schools—to rally around the importance of oral health care. Her business has led to important discussions on the topic, garnering extensive speaking engagements including a TED Talk, “Why I Eat Candy To Avoid Cavities”; appearing on various shows and venues like South by Southwest; and making the cover of Entrepreneur magazine.

“I do virtual public speaking with organizations to inspire kids and give them resources to start their own company. I’m a huge advocate for kids but specifically young girls and women. So few women are in the candy business. It’s been tough to pave that road and find the mentors so I try to act as an advocate,” she said. She has shared sage advice with experienced entrepreneurs and those new to their craft. Seasoned entrepreneurs who have been around the block should take the time to listen to those with more youthful perspectives. “The thing that makes young entrepreneurs a commodity is that they are curious and tenacious. Find opportunities to connect so as to never lose that childlike curiosity.”

A Young CEO

Young inventors, Morse claims, will experience success if the company is built on the merits of a fantastic team.

“The CEO title does not mean you can do every job. And you’re never going to grow and reach success unless you find people to delegate to—people you can trust. Always look for people who you can learn from, trust, delegate—and, in turn, you can form a great team of people with a mutual understanding of goals.”

As Morse understands from her own million-dollar venture, start-up businesses require considerable work and time. However, finding dedicated people who believe in the company’s mission is the first key ingredient to success. As she reiterates, “Business is a team sport!”

Today, ZolliCandy encompasses many trademarked candies including Zollipops®, Zolli® Drops, and Zaffi® Taffy. But what started it all was a delicious formula—a vegan, all-natural, sugar-free lollipop. She learned important lessons by purchasing ingredients, melting and cooling the non-sugary confection, and making a huge mess.

Alina Morse wanted to create sugar-free candy that children could eat without worrying about cavities. (Adhiraj Chakrabarti for American Essence)

“Initially, I tried to make it at home in our kitchen. I learned not to melt sugar substitutes like Stevia and other funky stuff that couldn’t make the cut to our finalized Zolli products,” she recalled. Trial after trial led to a tweaked basic formula that led to the best possible product. In the beginning, it was tricky because no one had ever done this before. With such an expansive line, Morse was always inventing, creating something new that adhered to her standards. Any product she made had to be allergy-, keto-, and diabetic-friendly.

People don’t have to worry about it being harmful. According to the teen inventor, the company’s unique selling points are that it must be able to help clean your teeth or it meets the standards for those who suffer from allergies or eat from restrictive diets. “It is important to have variety. Not everyone will be in a lollipop mood,” she added.

Keep Smiling

Looking back upon her success, this regular high school student appears well adjusted despite her fame as one of America’s youngest CEOs. In fact, Morse admitted that although she is tenacious, she is a normal, healthy teen just like her peers at school. An extremely supportive set of friends over the years, as well as a strong family support system, has bolstered her aspirations.

“I am lucky to have supportive parents who believe in me and trust in me. They were willing to invest in me to make this idea a reality. And, I’ve been fortunate with supportive friends who encourage and treat me like nothing is different.”

What Morse finds most rewarding in her day-to-day management duties is the messages from those who have tasted her treats and are, in turn, grateful. Some have told her that her candy line has saved their lives or that they couldn’t enjoy candy until now—and these messages make it a very impactful experience for the teen.

So impactful, in fact, that Morse has been known to use an effective catch phrase, “Keep smiling!” to inspire others through her videos, social media, emails, and appearances. She tries to work positivity and goodness into conversations even if it makes just a little difference. She says it is a good reminder to stay positive and enjoy life.

“So just keep smiling!”

After all, smiling has amazing powers. And her cause with Zolli Candy is not only delicious, but positively contagious for consumers and her business.

This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. 

Categories
American Success Features

Rhonda Sciortino: Empowering Survivors

(Jennifer Schneider for American Essence)

I went from homeless to millionaire, but it wasn’t easy and it wasn’t overnight. Here’s my story.

I was homeless when I was 8 years old as a result of an uninsured fire in the little shack where I lived with my mentally ill grandfather and alcoholic and addicted grandmother. My parents were both long gone.

That time of being homeless made a powerful impression on me. When I think about it now, decades later, I can still feel the emotions of being scared, dirty, and hungry. I went to school every day for months, through fall and into winter, wearing the same filthy little dress and dime store flip-flops that I was wearing on the day of the fire. We slept in the back of our old pickup truck usually at a nearby lake. We fished and we dug around in trash cans for something to eat. When someone gave us a box of used clothes, some of which almost fit me, I was so excited. For me, it was like someone had handed me a million dollars. I didn’t know it then, but I can see clearly now that there was dignity in that box.

When I was 15 years old, I read that I could become an emancipated minor. Wow! No more living in filth (or staying with people who didn’t want us there), being screamed at, or being hit for any reason or no reason at all. I got a ride down to the courthouse, and I asked anyone who would speak to me how to get emancipated. I didn’t know that you were supposed to go with a lawyer or a social worker. My social worker had closed my case years prior, labeling me “unadoptable” because, she said, “no one wants to adopt school-aged children.”

After hours of hanging around the courthouse pestering people, a bailiff had mercy on me and escorted me back to a judge’s chambers. I stood outside the door while the man in the uniform went in and spoke to the judge. When he came out to get me, he said, “You’ve got 5 minutes.”

I told the judge that my parents had been gone for years, and that I wanted to be emancipated. “I can do it, your honor. I know how to take care of myself.” To my surprise, the judge didn’t summarily dismiss me and have the bailiff escort me out. Instead, he said, “OK, if you want to be emancipated, here’s what you’ll need. You might want to write this down. You’ll need to bring me a paycheck stub showing that you have a steady job, a lease for an apartment and a utility bill in your name showing me that you have a place to live, the registration for a vehicle to prove that you have a way to get to school and work, and passbooks for both checking and savings accounts.” I think he thought he’d never see me again.

I left there so excited! I went back to the ROP (Regional Occupational Program) office at the high school where I attended and asked them to help me find a job. They sent me on two job interviews—one at a bank and one in a little insurance office. I didn’t get the bank job, but the insurance agent hired me on the spot. Of course he did, because every time he asked me if I knew how to do something, I told him I was an expert at that! Most of what he asked about was a complete mystery to me, but I figured that I would learn and work hard and have a good attitude, and that all those things would make up for what I didn’t know how to do.

When that insurance agent taught me about homeowners insurance, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I was stunned to hear that this thing called “insurance” existed, which would have rebuilt our little shack, replaced our clothes and furniture, and put us up in a house while they were rebuilding our place after it had been destroyed by fire. It was like this man had lit an unquenchable fire in me. I became passionate about selling homeowner insurance because I never wanted anyone to go through what we had gone through. The only problem was that I was 16 years old and unlicensed.

I filed my application for an insurance license and was turned down. The rules were that applicants had to be at least 18 years old before they could take the test. I was completely dejected. I had taken everything the judge required for emancipation down to the courthouse, and had been declared an emancipated minor. I felt like I could do anything! But the Department of Insurance burst my bubble. My boss, the man who had lit the fire in me, prompted me to appeal. After all, as an emancipated minor, I could be tried as an adult if I committed a crime! So I appealed. I was declined. I appealed again. I was declined again. On the sixth appeal, my boss suggested I write a letter to the then sitting Insurance Commissioner saying that I was going to be at his office every morning when he arrived until he allowed me to take the test. I was approved.

(Jennifer Schneider for American Essence)

Successful Survivors

I passed that test, and I spent the next 40 years in insurance. Most of that time I was in my own business, Child Welfare Insurance Services, an organization that was founded solely to protect and defend the good people and organizations that care for children who have been abused. In that business, we educated the insurance industry on how to properly rate premiums for child welfare organizations that had previously been charged premiums as though they were hospitals or insane asylums. As a result, we put millions of dollars back into the budgets of the organizations we served. That was money that was spent on children rather than insurance.

I sold my company and decided to spend the rest of my life helping other people succeed because of what they’ve been through. That was exactly what I had experienced.

I realized that the most painful experiences of my life became the stepping stones to personal and professional success. The abandonment I experienced when my parents left taught me self-reliance. The poverty I experienced taught me how to manage money and how to appreciate even the simplest things like warm running water, clean sheets, and food in the pantry. Child abuse gave me an empathy for victims of abuse that can be acquired only through lived experience. Being homeless as a result of an uninsured fire gave me a passion for the very thing that would be the vehicle through which I could help hundreds of nonprofit organizations, and indirectly, thousands of wounded children.

I founded an educational nonprofit, Successful Survivors Foundation, for the purpose of helping others create their own successful lives. We launched the Love Is Action Community Initiative to encourage people in neighborhoods to come together to help to eradicate social isolation and the societal ills that emanate from it, including child abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, substance abuse, suicide, and all the others.

In this second half of my life, I’m trying to help as many people as possible. Because I can only be one place at a time, I began to write. And I launched a podcast called Empowering Resilience. I’ve written 14 books, the most recent of which, “30 Days to Love,” is scheduled for release in November 2021. I’m working on turning my Your Real Success curriculum into a series of micro-learning courses, in the wild aspiration of helping millions of people to find and fulfill the purpose for which they were born and perfectly matched.

And the most recent fun I’m having is doing the interviews for the American Success segment of American Essence Magazine. There are so many truly remarkable people throughout our great country who live quiet and peaceful lives of service to others. In their own unique way, each one is making the world a better place. It’s such a privilege to be able to tell their stories. I hope you’ll check in with me monthly for the next story. And who knows, maybe one of these days, the story will be about you.

(Jennifer Schneider for American Essence)

What challenges or hardships have you faced and overcome?

“I’ve overcome abandonment, abuse, poverty, and many other adversities. The most important aspect of facing challenges and hardships is discovering the truth that despite how difficult or painful it may be in the moment, suffering is optional. We can choose to be positive, be good to others as best we can, and expect good things to happen. This is my formula, if you will, for turning our adversities into our advantages. Adversities give us priceless opportunities to develop character traits, such as empathy, and learned abilities that we cannot acquire any other way.”

Tell us about the life that you live now.

“I am happily married to my husband of 30 years, Nick Sciortino. When I married him, I got a great, big Italian family as part of the package. Their acceptance of me helped to love me into wholeness when I was still rough around the edges. I used to be skeptical of people, almost expecting them to hurt me. But I understand now that when people don’t behave well, it’s because all is not well for them. Now, instead of being skeptical and defensive, I try to approach people with kindness, mercy, and love.

I have a wonderful daughter and son-in-love and amazing grandchildren. I can honestly say that I now have what I call Real Success, which is a balance of five separate facets, including good relationships, good health, peace, joy, and financial provision. That’s what I want for everyone.”

(Jennifer Schneider for American Essence)

What are three things that you do for others?

“Through my writing, speaking, podcast, and media, I do my best to share the wisdom that I’ve acquired along the way. I’ve tried to learn from everyone I know. (Sometimes I’ve learned how NOT to behave—still, it’s all valuable.) So I pass along tips so that others can build on what I know and go farther than I ever will. On a personal level, I share my faith and values. In my journey from homeless to millionaire, I’ve learned what works to move us toward fulfillment of our purpose and the real success that accompanies it. I’ve also learned what doesn’t work. Those things that do not work distract us from the good life we were born and fully equipped to live. I share what I know to help others save the precious time of their lives that can never be retrieved.”

Some favorite quotes: 

“You can have anything in life that you want, if you’ll help enough other people get what they want.” —Zig Ziglar

“Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” —Teddy Roosevelt

“The harder you work, the luckier you get.” —Samuel Goldwyn

A book that inspired you:

“The Body Keeps The Score” by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk

“Man’s Search For Meaning” by Viktor Frankl

“Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis

Best advice:

“Forgive those who have hurt you. Be kind to everyone. Show love to others every opportunity you have. When you do those things, your life will be filled with kindness, love, and mercy. It doesn’t get any better than that!”

Rhonda Sciortino is the author of “Acts of Kindness,” “The Kindness Quotient,” and “Love Is Action,” among many other books. She hopes to nudge people toward Love.

Categories
Features

Legendary Civil Rights Leader Writes the (Last) Book on Suffering 

John Perkins. (Courtesy of John Perkins)

John Perkins’s hands move with a passion that still fuels him at 91, as he tells his story of suffering and redemption. Like most black families in Mississippi in the 1930s, life was an all-consuming effort to survive. No one can remember Perkins’ exact birthday, but the significance of one early memory has become very clear.

(Courtesy of John Perkins)

John was living with his grandmother, a woman who had birthed 19 children of her own before taking in John and his five siblings. Pellagra, a vitamin B3 deficiency, had taken his mother’s life when she was still nursing 7-month-old John. Already-full beds grew fuller. John’s grandmother was supplementing their sharecropping income with bootlegging.

Mississippi had banned alcohol statewide in 1908, a decade before the 18th Amendment to the Constitution prohibited it throughout the nation. Then, Mississippi became the last state to repeal its state prohibition in 1966, three decade after the 21st Amendment had repealed Prohibition nationally.

One day, the sheriff came into the house and claimed he found alcohol. John’s grandmother knew the sheriff had planted it there. When he told her he was going to haul her to jail, her response traveled deep into John’s soul. She said, “If I was a man, I would kick your a__ for thinking that I would go with you and leave these little ones.” Her defense fueled a sense of dignity in John: his grandmother loved him; she had stood up for him against the white sheriff. He knew then that he was worth as much as any other child.

This incident helped counter the reflection of himself that John saw in the eyes of many others: like when he was 12 and had worked hard all day for a white farmer. Instead of the dollar or two he expected to receive at the end of the day, the man dropped just 15 cents into his hand. John knew what would happen, to both himself and his family, if he did what he wanted to do at the time: throw the money on the floor in front of the man. “We would get the reputation of being ‘Uppity Niggers,’ or worse, ‘Smart Niggers,’” Perkins said. But the incident had made him think and ask questions, and he had made a decision. This man, John realized, had the capital, and could make evil decisions about what to do with it; one day, John decided that he, too, would be in a position to make decisions about his own capital.

Perkins left Mississippi in 1947, after his older brother, Clyde—home from serving in World War II—was shot by the police. He died in John’s arms. Perkins found work in a California foundry where, while still a teenager, he helped to form a union. It gave him a taste of the success that united action could bring.

After he was drafted into the Korean War and served two years, John and his bride, Vera Mae, a hometown girl who was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, settled in Monrovia, California. They’d already had five of their eight kids, and were enjoying a lifestyle better than either of them had known growing up.

(Courtesy of John Perkins)

Perkins’ life would change drastically, however, when his oldest son, Spencer, was invited to a local Good News Club. Spencer, still in preschool, then invited his dad to church. John went and started reading the Bible for the first time. One Sunday, he heard Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He said that verse spoke to his whole life experience. He knew about wages: it was a dime and a buffalo nickel from a white man. And sin—that was oppression. But what about his own sin? 

(Courtesy of John Perkins)

That morning was the culmination of much searching. John said yes to Jesus, had inner peace for the first time, and didn’t look back. “I moved into my new life like I did everything else: as hard as I could,” Perkins said. Soon he felt God calling him back to Mississippi, where he started teaching Bible classes in schools. He and Vera Mae started Mendenhall Ministries, to help break the cycle of poverty and facilitate reconciliation.

The Paradox of Suffering 

In 1964, civil rights issues were heating up in Mississippi. Everyone, black and white, had to take a stand, Perkins said. He led a voter registration drive, and a few years later, organized a boycott.

In 1970, after several Tougaloo College students had been imprisoned for protesting, Perkins went to the jail in Brandon, Mississippi, to bail them out. When he arrived, Mississippi patrolmen had other plans for him. They tortured and beat him and made him mop up his own blood. It’s not something John can talk about easily. During almost two years of unjust court proceedings, he suffered from heart problems, and had much of his stomach removed because of ulcers.

(Courtesy of John Perkins)
(Courtesy of John Perkins)

This led to a faith crisis, which was eventually overcome by individual acts of kindness and love, coming from both God and man: like the white doctor who sat by his bed reading and caring for him and wouldn’t leave until John was asleep. Years later, the arms of a white chaplain would hold him together after hearing the news that Spencer, not yet 50, hadn’t survived a heart attack. “We wash one another’s wounds,” John says quietly.

Perkins has since written 17 books, but not alone. “I’ve been so blessed in my life to have so many people who have given me the help I need. This whole lifetime of ministry has been with friends God has put into my life. It’s a teamwork.”  He calls his last three books, his manifesto: the truths he has learned in his 90-plus years, and what he hopes will live on after him.

His first book, “One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race and Love,” was published when he was 88. “We are one blood; science has already proven that.” And when we are born again into the family of God, he added, we are also brothers and sisters in the faith.

Book two came after Perkins was asked by a college student how he could make a difference in the world. “Become friends with God, and be friends with each other,” John answered, and then unpacked this response in “He Calls Me Friend: The Healing Power of Friendship in a Lonely World.”

In September 2021, Perkins’ last book was released: “Count it All Joy: The Ridiculous Paradox of Suffering.” This book describes his journey through months of mysterious pain, morphine, and two hospital stays, until the source of the problem was finally found. Behind layers of scar tissue that had grown where doctors had operated following his attack in the Brandon jail, cancer was growing.

(Courtesy of John Perkins)

Perkins had already beaten cancer twice before he reached 90. The incredible pain of this third journey, however, was different, he wrote. He’d had words for the other pain. But with this one, came the unexpected, and John asked the Lord to give him a little more time. There were things he hadn’t been able to say before: like the value of lamentation. “Lament is an old word that has been given a fresh new meaning in this generation,” Perkins said. “We need to let people know that God allows us to lament. We don’t have to act like we’re strong when we’re falling apart. Life is hard. And it becomes harder when we don’t have safe places to share our grief and our struggles without being made to feel like we’re not strong enough.”

And the paradox in this last book: Perkins makes the case that suffering is good, and it is sometimes God’s way of getting our attention and preparing us for His purposes. He speaks with authority after a journey that has borne the pain of breaking down barriers. His conclusion is a surprising closing hymn: True joy is formed in the crucible of suffering. It isn’t experienced alone. “When I cry out to Him, He meets me right there in the place of my pain. And He feels what I feel. He hurts when I hurt. I believe that,” Perkins declared.

John and Vera Mae, with the support of friends, have started many ministries that focus on Christian community development, multiethnic church planting, health care, education, legal assistance, low-income housing development, and more. It’s clear that John hasn’t let his third-grade education hold him back.

In 1969, his testimony before the McGovern Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs led to The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), a government program that helps feed millions of low-income women, infants and children each month. He has served in an advisory role under several U.S. presidents. He is an international speaker on reconciliation, leadership, and community development. Sixteen colleges have recognized his life and work with honorary doctorate degrees. Three colleges have established John Perkins Centers.

(Courtesy of John Perkins)

John, now Dr. Perkins, still has hope for the future. “The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution are the greatest statements on human dignity,” he often says. While America hasn’t always lived up to it, for the first time, Perkins now sees “a generation that values differences. One of the greatest statements in the world” he says, “is ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.’”

Although he’s quick to clarify that he’s still alive, and “still listening,” Perkins has imagined what it’s going to be like when he meets his mother on the other side. He will borrow the words of Thurgood Marshall. “I’m going to say, ‘Momma, I tried. I did what I could with what I had.’” Her response will likely be the second “Well done” that John hears.

(Courtesy of John Perkins)

For more information about John Perkins, and his free video class on living with purpose and passion, visit JohnMPerkins.com

Categories
Features History

Service in the Time of JFK’s Camelot

Cadet Tom Fryer shakes hands with President John F. Kennedy at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation in 1963. (Courtesy of Wes Fryer)

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the start of President John F. Kennedy’s administration. When he took office in January 1961, he ushered in a new sentiment for the country. That sentiment was all about youth.

At 43, JFK was the nation’s second-youngest president, and he was good-looking to boot. The First Lady was also young and good-looking, and their two young children were adorable. It was all about youth.

JFK succeeded President Dwight D. Eisenhower. While both had served in the military during World War II, they were from opposite ends of the age spectrum. Eisenhower, known as Ike, was a career soldier, and had reached the rank of five-star general in the U.S. Army by the end of his military career. JFK, while an officer in the Navy, was far younger, and only rose to lieutenant during the war.

“What had happened in 1960 was that the junior ranks of the military in World War II replaced the generals,” said James Piereson, a historian and fellow at the Manhattan Institute. “That was part of the generational change that happened. Kennedy was, of course, quite pro-military,” he said. “JFK gave luster to military service,” he added, having “very much campaigned on his war record” in 1960.

So, what was it like being young and in the service during the Kennedy administration?

Bob Hogan was a gunnery officer and lieutenant junior grade on active duty in the Navy from 1960 to 1963, essentially the entire duration of JFK’s time in office. He was commissioned at age 22. “I was blown away by JFK’s Navy war record, his charisma, style, and wit,” he said. “I was immensely energized by his call to service, and really believed in it. His seeming idealism, his patriotic values—I was completely taken in.”

Tom Fryer had the thrill of a lifetime when JFK handed him his diploma and commission. They shook hands at Fryer’s graduation ceremony from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1963. “I felt so honored, so humbled,” said Fryer, who was also 22 at the time.

The American president is also commander-in-chief of the nation’s military. In October 1962, JFK had to make some difficult decisions in that role. The United States and the USSR were fighting the Cold War. Nikita Khrushchev was JFK’s counterpart in communist Russia. A U-2 reconnaissance photo of Cuba confirmed that Khrushchev had placed nuclear missiles on the island, just 90 miles off the coast of Florida.

JFK responded by ordering a naval blockade around Cuba, and essentially told Khrushchev that the missiles had to go. If they didn’t, there would be war. A nuclear war.

This period, known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, was essentially a naval operation. But the entire military, worldwide, was ready for deployment, including a possible invasion of Cuba.

Harry Moritz was at Morse Intercept School at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, at the time. “One day, we marched back to our barracks and were held for an announcement. We were asked if anyone spoke Spanish. Several guys raised their hands. They were pulled to one side, told to pack their gear, and they were sent on a ‘special assignment’ TDY (temporary duty station). They disappeared and were never seen again,” he said. “We non-Spanish folks stayed in Morse school, and in the dark, like the rest of the USA, crapping our pants.”

Gary Mahone was a Morse interceptor, stationed in Hakata, Japan. “During that time, we were on red alert and worked 12-hour shifts, 24/7,” he said. “All leaves and terminations were canceled. Very tense times.”

The Air Force Academy that Fryer attended was in Colorado, not far from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (called NORAD), which conducts aerospace warning and control for the United States. “If the Russians would have come after us, that was a prime target,” said Fryer.

However, according to Fryer, Soviet missiles weren’t all that accurate at the time, so if they fell 15 miles short of their target, the academy could easily be hit. “In preparation for that, we held some drills,” he said. The academy was built with underground tunnels that distributed its utilities. Top brass decided the safest place for the cadets was in these tunnels, which no one really knew about.

Hogan was on a destroyer, which was part of the task force that was going to invade Cuba. His ship was the submarine screen and would provide shore bombardment should the invasion happen.

Hogan spotted a Russian submarine tailing them. “I heard his torpedo doors open,” he said. That meant the Soviets were preparing to attack. Hogan had his hand on the trigger, let his captain know he had positive identification, and requested permission to fire.

Had permission been granted, this very action would have kicked off a nuclear war. However, he was “in a system” and “the system has its rules; you follow the rules.” He would have obeyed the order to fire if it had been given.

“I was (expletive) my pants,” Hogan recalled. “There was a long pause, and the captain said, ‘Classify your contact as a whale,’” instead of an enemy submarine. “I was really glad when the captain chickened out.”

With a nuclear war between the two superpowers looming, Khrushchev eventually gave in and agreed to remove the missiles.

Veteran Joe Schmidt of N.Y. (Dave Paone)

Joe Schmidt was a 21-year-old signalman on a destroyer in the blockade. His job was to directly communicate with the Russian merchant ships as they removed the missiles from Cuba. “With a flashing light, we would send a message to them, and we had to ask them, ‘What is your cargo?’” he said. The expected reply was, “Missiles.” Schmidt would relay that message to the captain, who would relay it to the naval air station in Key West, Florida.

It was understood by everyone involved that the Soviet merchant ships were carrying the missiles and nothing else. “Anything coming out of Cuba at that point was only coming out with missiles on it. They weren’t bringing cigars,” said Schmidt with a laugh.

Key West would then dispatch a P2V Neptune anti-submarine aircraft to fly over the Russian ship to photograph its cargo. The only time Schmidt was in contact with a Soviet ship, it was after midnight and completely dark.

“They had these huge searchlights on the wingtips,” he said. “And they lit that ship up—that plane lit it up—it looked like it was 12 o’clock in the afternoon with those lights.” Even though the two sides spoke entirely different languages—ones that don’t even share the same alphabet—there was a code that both understood, which made communication possible.

JFK’s presidency is fondly referred to as “Camelot,” and the consensus among those who served in the military during his administration is that, for different reasons, it was an exciting time. As Hogan put it, “Best and worst experience of my life.”

Dave Paone is a Long Island-based reporter and photographer who has won journalism awards for articles, photographs, and headlines. When he’s not writing and photographing, he’s catering to every demand of his cat, Gigi.