We recently sat down with local entrepreneur and aesthetician Heidi Bellerjeau, whose personal journey is a story of reinvention, resilience and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others. In her 50s, Heidi made the decision to return to school and further her education in aesthetics, skincare and the science behind beauty and wellness. After completing 750 hours of classroom and hands-on training, she achieved her goal of graduating with a renewed passion for helping both men and women better understand and care for their skin. That passion eventually led Heidi to launch her own skincare and makeup line, Salt Mineral Beauty, featuring products made with 100 percent minerals and natural ingredients. Her philosophy centers on embracing the aging process naturally and helping people feel confident without relying on harsh chemicals. But for Heidi, beauty is about more than skincare. It is also about community and giving back. A portion of every purchase through Salt Mineral Beauty supports those who are facing ocular melanoma, turning her business into another avenue for helping someone she cares deeply about. During our conversation, Heidi also opened up about the importance of mental health and suicide prevention. Having worked closely with fashion designer Kate Spade, who died by suicide in 2018, Heidi shared her firsthand perspective on how someone can struggle privately while appearing successful and happy to those around them. For Heidi, beauty and wellness are closely connected to overall well-being. Today, Heidi says her goal is simple: to help people in Nashville feel loved, confident and strong. Her story is a reminder that it is never too late to start a new chapter, pursue a passion and use your talents to make a positive impact in the community around you. Now, you can nominate someone whose confidence gives you strength to have a lipstick in the line named after them on her website.

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What happens when you are wrongly convicted? There is an organization in Tennessee that is there to fight with you and for you. We sat down with Jason Gichner, Executive Director of the Tennessee Innocence Project, to learn more about the organization’s work to help correct wrongful convictions across our state. Founded in 2019, the Tennessee Innocence Project investigates and litigates credible claims of actual innocence, working to give wrongfully convicted individuals a path back to freedom and, ultimately, back to their families and communities. But the organization’s work goes beyond the courtroom. TIP also helps exonerees rebuild their lives after release, while advocating for policy changes and educating the public about the factors that can contribute to wrongful convictions. Since its founding, the organization has helped secure the exonerations of 12 people, representing more than 300 years of wrongful imprisonment. In our conversation, Gichner shared why this work matters not only to the individuals and families directly affected, but to communities across Tennessee—and why seeking justice also means working to strengthen the system so that wrongful convictions are less likely to happen in the first place.

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A Mt. Juliet mother is helping create meaningful change for children with disabilities, and she’s doing it with the support of Wilson County officials and members of her community. Jennifer Ethridge is a mother to several children, including her son Leo, who was born with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Because of his unique needs, traditional Parks & Recreation playgrounds haven’t always provided a space where Leo can safely play, explore, and have fun. But Jennifer wanted more for her son, and for other children like him. She teamed up with Mt. Juliet Parks officials and community members to turn that vision into reality. Today, LeoLand is underway and continuing to grow, creating an inclusive space where children of all abilities can play, connect, and simply be kids. We spoke with Parks Director Ross Hudson about the work that went into bringing LeoLand to life. We also spoke with local nonprofit founder Steven Whitehouse of SW & Friends, whose organization has helped provide funding to make the space even bigger and better. Find out how one mother's determination is helping build a place where every child has a chance to play.

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Tala spoke with Melinda LaFollette, Musicians On Call's Director of PR & Events, and local musician Mikki Zip about the organization’s history and its mission to bring the healing power of music to patients, families and caregivers. They shared stories about the many artists who have supported the cause, the Middle Tennessee hospitals they serve and how musicians and community volunteers can get involved. Mikki also opened up about what inspired her to join the mission and the unforgettable patient experiences that have made every performance worthwhile.

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Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) is raising awareness about the growing threat of cryptocurrency scams and the importance of recognizing financial fraud. In our conversation with Kevin Walters, he explained their ongoing work to educate Tennesseans and strengthen protections against crypto-related fraud as well as commerce and insurance fraud throughout Tennessee.
The TDCI has warned that scammers increasingly exploit crypto kiosks to take advantage of unsuspecting victims, with more than $110 million in reported losses involving these kiosks nationwide in 2023. Tennessee’s recent ban on crypto kiosks underscores the need for continued education and awareness. Kevin also discussed other ways TDCI can support the community, including its various training programs for the Nashville Fire and Police departments. These programs equip first responders with the knowledge and tools to identify emerging scams, assist victims of financial fraud, and help protect the community.

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We spoke with William Kenney of the Parkinson’s Foundation Tennessee and Kentucky Chapter about his personal connection to the organization’s mission. After witnessing his father’s experience with Parkinson’s disease firsthand, William joined the foundation to help ensure other individuals and families have access to education, resources and a supportive community throughout their journeys.

He also discussed Moving Day, one of the foundation’s largest annual fundraisers, which brings the community together to celebrate movement, honor those affected by Parkinson’s and raise critical funds for research, programs and services. William shared how people can participate, support the cause and help create a future without Parkinson’s disease.

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We spoke with Clip In 4 the Cure Director of Community Development LeighEllen Blevins about the high-energy team cycling event benefiting cancer initiatives at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. LeighEllen shared her personal connection to the cause and why supporting patients, families, researchers and care teams affected by cancer is so meaningful to her. We also discussed the powerful stories behind the event, where the money raised goes and how the Nashville community continues to rally around those facing cancer.

From riding solo or forming a team to fundraising, volunteering or cheering from the sidelines, LeighEllen explained the many ways people can participate—regardless of their cycling experience. She also offered a look at what attendees can expect from this inspiring, high-energy event and how every rider, donation and act of support helps move us closer to a world without cancer.

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We spoke with Ashleigh Gonzales, Chief Development and Marketing Officer at AncoraTN, about the organization’s work to nurture survivor healing and combat human trafficking throughout Middle Tennessee. AncoraTN provides survivors with long-term, trauma-informed support through residential and community-based services, while also working to prevent exploitation through education, advocacy and training for professionals and community members.

During our conversation, Ashleigh helped dispel common misconceptions surrounding human trafficking and explained how exploitation can involve force, fraud or coercion—not only kidnapping or physical restraint. We discussed some of the vulnerabilities and warning signs community members should recognize, how to respond safely when something does not seem right and the importance of reporting concerns rather than attempting to intervene alone. Ashleigh also previewed Flourish: A Gathering of Hope, AncoraTN’s upcoming women’s luncheon supporting survivor healing and human- trafficking prevention across Tennessee.

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