The Scoop with Tanya Flanagan

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This is a k u NBC Studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 Jazz and more the University of Nevada Las Vegas or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Unknown Speaker 0:19
Good morning and thank you for joining me for the scoop with Tanya flat again. I'm so happy you decided to wake up and start your day with me. Here on the scoop, where we talk about life, joy, funny moments, trending topics and so much more. We promise to keep you in the know and find out what you know. So let's get started.

Unknown Speaker 0:47
Good morning. Good morning. Good morning, Las Vegas and welcome to the show. Thank you for waking up for another Sunday Morning Edition of the scope of Tanya Flanagan here on 91.5k u n v radio, jazz and more. I'm so delighted that you were up early with me to enjoy this beautiful day. I am excited to welcome to the show the guest I have this morning, who I have learned and had the pleasure of learning recently is a member of the same sorority that I am a member of the prestigious illustrious and wonderful Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Summer pain. Welcome. So Rob.

Unknown Speaker 1:27
Thank you so much. Welcome. Good morning to you. Desert neighbor desert of Vegas. Yes. Arizona, Arizona. Arizona,

Unknown Speaker 1:37
my hometown. I grew up in Phoenix and so very familiar with Arizona. I love Arizona. I hope to get back to home soon. But the for those of you who are saying who was summer pain, and why are we talking to her this morning summer pain is amazing. And you know, I like just put a spotlight on people who do the extraordinary in an ordinary way to impact the lives of people not because they have to, but because they can and because it's the right thing to do. And summer you were one of those people. And you are a licensed social worker who has an MBA. So we have a little bit of Brandman University in the house. And then you also went to that arch rival of mine Arizona State University and got a master's

Unknown Speaker 2:23
for club or up Arizona. Bear Down

Unknown Speaker 2:28
Arizona though we bear down and got pulled out of the the NCAA Final Four to think it was Clemson or something, whatever. But we were there and ASU. Exactly. It wasn't really even on the court. Any court. So we are I mean that's my shade shade for the day as my shade for

Unknown Speaker 2:44
the morning. Graham was saying was there though. The state was there. Okay, all

Unknown Speaker 2:48
right. So hard to Trueheart which like you have a as my undergrad I did my masters here at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and we are here on I'm here on the beautiful campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas with the show. So again, as I said, I like to shine the spotlight on people who do amazing, extraordinary things. They don't have to to impact the lives of everyday ordinary people. Because none of us is really ordinary we're all in our own unique way. Amazing and that's why I'm inviting you to come on summer and talk about your program wrinkles, your website wrinkles Society of hope.org So I thought that the acronym wrinkles was just really cool and I want you to share it and let's talk about it.

Unknown Speaker 3:40
Yes, yes wrinkles. I know a lot of people think that wrinkles is about just the wrinkles on your face. But wrinkles for me stands for women rejoicing and nourished and courageous with a K now life encouraging stories women who are encouraged to share their life wrinkles that they're pressing through in life are have passed through in life. So that is what wrinkles Society of hope we're providing cope for women through sharing our wrinkles stories

Unknown Speaker 4:13
are so cool. Why is the K Why is courageous with a K? I am curious about that. What's that about?

Unknown Speaker 4:21
Because we're kicking we're kicking courageous you know you were chicken but like you kick it up to a whole new now okay, when you put the K You know, I could have changed it and you know, but then I was like nah, I want to put courageous because you have to be courageous to kick whatever you're going through in life. But that k there to kick it up a notch because we you know, it takes a lot to press through the things that we're going through our went through in life.

Unknown Speaker 4:49
So what does wrinkles do? How does the wrinkles function? Is that a support group? Is it how does it work to embrace women? What's your platform? How How do you use it?

Unknown Speaker 5:02
So wrinkles is a, I have a YouTube channel. And I also have a shared on Apple podcast and Spotify. So what I do is I interview women of all walks of life. I've interviewed women internationally. And all those women, some might come with the same wrinkle as some women, they talk about domestic violence, they might talk about being abused as a child, some talk about going through cancer, and they are sharing how they press through that wrinkle, so they can provide encouragement, wrinkles, is also moving forward to embrace women while they're going through their wrinkles. So we have given out sunflower wars, because when you're going through something, it's hard sometimes to face the sun to see the brightness in the darkness that you're going through. So the sunflower award is given to a woman once a year, when they're going through that wrinkle, to give them some encouragement to press through to see the sunlight. And the reason why I call it the sunflower award is because if you don't know, sunflowers always face the sun. They wait for the sun to rise in the morning, and they follow it all the way throughout the day. And that's how we have to be in life is following the sun when we're going through those dark moments. So we are just a platform of encouragement and motivation we give back to the community when women are going through things. And yes, I'm focused on women because I'm a woman. And I just want to make sure that women are encouraged by other women. We're also mentorship. So if a woman is going through the something that another woman has gone through, I paired them up to get that encouragement to press through what they might be going through. So it's just a holistic approach, a women encouraging each other.

Unknown Speaker 6:56
I love it. It's beautiful. I have to ask, what happened? Can you share a little bit about what happened to you? Because I'm assuming something had to happen to motivate you to start this. So what was your wrinkle?

Unknown Speaker 7:09
So? So so funny, I started wrinkles prior to my big wrinkles. So let me start there. I the reason I started wrinkles is because I had I'm a social worker, as you know. And so I always have people talking about other people on social media. Oh, you know, I saw such a such got a brand new car, why can I be where they are? Oh, this person has this happened? Why can't I be where they are. And I will explain to a lot of people you don't know what they've been through. To get to the victories. I started just interviewing people at work, and just doing things on Facebook, posting audios on Facebook, and finally say, You know what I'm about to start this YouTube channel and interview people so they can see the faces expression, the real tears that are going through. So I started wrinkles during COVID when everybody was sitting around. And I started the video then. But however in 2022 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Wow. Oh, wow. I'm good. Yeah, I didn't know that. Um, I was gonna be going through my own wrinkles have a double mastectomy. But I'm here to tell that early detection saved my life. Yes.

Unknown Speaker 8:28
Second, Second. Second, yes.

Unknown Speaker 8:33
Yes. And so wrinkles, I feel. Also now I have even more of a wrinkle to share, and now be more of a platform to educate and also motivate those women that are going through breast cancer as well. So that is how wrinkles came about. It wasn't for my wrinkle. My I started the sunflower award before I started my breast cancer, because my cousin died of breast cancer in her 40s. And she was young, she didn't get diagnosed soon enough. And so when they'll be new was no longer here. So I put that sunflower word together in honor of her name, because of the breast cancer that she went through. And then a year later, when after that award, I was going through my breast cancer journey.

Unknown Speaker 9:22
That must have just been so nice. It must have just been crazy sobering though because you do something that honors someone and I understand what you're talking about with that journey. The reality the like, unexpected shock of the reality of I've done something I've honored someone, I've been there support them and now I'm finding myself in the same space because it kind of my story is similar in that my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and four years after she passed away I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So you know after taking care of her and doing everything I could to preserve the family Emily, there, they were facing it a second time, really still grieving. And then dealing with my diagnosis and walking with me through that journey. So, but yours was like a year apart and mine was like four years.

Unknown Speaker 10:17
Yeah, yeah, I was really close. I'm really shocking Mikey, literally was, I

Unknown Speaker 10:23
want to say thank you and apply to though because finding the inner courage to take something that can be defeating. And turning into a triumph is a really huge and effective attitude to have when you're faced with something that feels like it's insurmountable in life. And I've had people come to me in my days of my breast cancer experience and say to me, I don't know how you're doing all the things that you continue to do. I would have balled up into the fetal position and just been in the bed or in a corner. And I was like, No, you have to fight. You have to push you have to press through. I don't always know how I did it. But it could have been I was younger, I had certain energy level. I don't know. But I know that by the grace of God, I pressed forward.

Unknown Speaker 11:13
Yeah, it definitely was that. Definitely the fact that I knew that my, my current journey was not just for me. I knew that. And, of course, I didn't know what the outcome was going to be. But I had to show strength, even in my weakest moments. So

Unknown Speaker 11:36
what with, with wrinkles on what you do? I know you said it's on YouTube. It's a podcast, people can find it on Spotify and on like Apple podcasts. Do do you ever have a space where people come together? I know you're based in Phoenix. But is it a network where people ever come together? Or is it all online, completely an online platform.

Unknown Speaker 12:04
So actually, my board is we just talked about doing some gatherings, we were online doing peer groups, we're doing some support groups, we're doing some life changing skill groups. So we're talking about bringing that now. I just finished my journey last year. So I'm still recuperating. So this is the year that we're talking about bringing. So we're going to start off in September having a meet and greet, and a sunflower celebration in October 1 week in October. Just because you know, we've had so many wrinkles, women, and I'm so grateful for those women who have shared their stories, those that can come, we want to celebrate them just first of all, just for being brave enough to share. Because a lot of people go through things and they don't share. So we're going to honor those wrinkles, women that have come forth. And then we're going to start again, with boosting some of our life skills. We had women talking about marriage and staying in love and fighting. And then we have women talking about terminal illness. And these are private groups that we have with women over zoom. And some women, you know, received education, they received that motivation to continue on. So we definitely want to do those in person. And also resume because I've had women from Africa and Australia that I've interviewed. So we want it open to people internationally, and women internationally. So they can also engage with some of the support groups and the peer classes that we have.

Unknown Speaker 13:41
Because it's really it's a beautiful program that you're putting together and the outreach component and the reason why you're doing it to reach women and just to give them a safe space to have conversations in the inspiration that is born out of I just want to commend you and to go through your own breast cancer journey and continue to fight impressed to give to others I know because you're your mom and your wife, right? So you have family and then you still making this community, cut this contribution pouring into the community.

Unknown Speaker 14:15
Just want to get your purpose. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. And I feel like when you finally get a purpose, you know is your purpose when you can't rest. When things keep coming up when your pencil keeps writing, you know with a ministry and being a minister daughter preacher's daughter. I'm not in the church doing the ministry. I feel like my ministry is outside the church to reach people. And they don't have to be anyone who believes in God or it's about just believing in each other, supporting one each each other and just being encouragement. That's my ministry is to encourage each other to fight through whatever you You've been through are going through. I mean,

Unknown Speaker 15:02
I mean, the value in it is tremendous. And I don't think we, I think that increasingly now in society, we're becoming more a student in tune to the pressures of life and how it affects people, because mental health is such a conversation. So I think that we're changing the dial and how we're tuning in, to issues people face and the sensitivity that we need to apply to those spaces and being there for one another to provide support. Having a conversation and then taking action is a completely different thing. And then creating a component that allows for the inclusion of an entire family because when you're talking about women going through something you're talking about me when you look at a woman, it's not just a woman, it's it can be a mother. So wife, it's a sister, it's a best friend. It's a daughter, it's a grandmother, it's an aunt, you know what I'm saying. So like, this is a person who wears all these different hats. And at the same time, she's an income earner, in some places in some spaces. And so you're wearing all these different hats. And you're going through whatever hardship you're facing. And then you're like a warrior, because you have this this kind of keep going women are always like warriors to me, they face all these things, in spite of what they face, they keep battling and pushing forward. So giving us a space to come together and to connect and talk about those hardships in the safe space to understand that is okay. Is Yes. For some I'm sure price is probably like a lifesaver.

Unknown Speaker 16:43
I hope so that is definitely my mission. Because we don't get it enough. I feel now in society, we don't do enough self care. You know, you don't get to spend time with your girlfriend and just let things out. We don't get the moments to cry as much as we need to, because we're moving around and taking care of everyone else. And you need that space, that safe space to be able to say you know what? It was hard. Being a wife, mom and a daughter, it was hard for me to go to work and continue to press through everything. You need to hear other women say it. So you can be okay with feeling what you're feeling.

Unknown Speaker 17:22
What was the hardest challenge for you in trying to get all this set up and creating wrinkles? Because it's a nonprofit, right?

Unknown Speaker 17:31
Yeah, it's a nonprofit, the nonprofit part was actually the hardest part. To some reason, I had trouble with IRS and things, but But I will say the physical part of trying to make sure that I gave myself grace, especially when I was going through my cancer and all my surgeries and knowing that I had to take breaks because I was, you know, you get exhausted going to medical changes and emotional changes. And so giving myself grace that, you know, wrinkles, I couldn't do an interview are, you know, I had to take a couple months off from the podcast, and hoping that people would still listen in when I came back. But at the same time, pushing away the naysayers and people putting negative spins on things like oh, you only have such and such followers and this that. And I have to educate people, it's not about the followers, because these videos are online forever. So when someone Google's domestic violence and they might come across as a woman who spoke on my wrinkles channel, that's the goal is that that may be one person will be affected by every interview that is placed on wrinkled Society of Hope YouTube channel, that it will help someone one day, you don't have to be today or tomorrow. But one day someone will be motivated and encouraged are are even able to be comforted that they are going through something that will only be temporary for them at that moment. That's the purpose of it.

Unknown Speaker 19:10
This I can relate I understand that. I mean, I think that's the whole crux of anything that you do in this space of hoping that you're providing a worthwhile outreach component and program is that one person of one life has changed and it's worth the effort of what you're going through. And I think too, is just the the ability to have strength to press forward despite the naysayers as you're talked about, because people are always going to tell you, you know, this isn't going to work or that isn't going to work. It's the personal drive. That you have to try something the unconventional for you the unexpected for you to still try and in spite of, you know, the obstacles before you two years. Okay, so I guess you're like, This isn't caught up on a second anniversary since the day diagnosis that changed your life is a three. Yeah, yeah.

Unknown Speaker 20:06
I got diagnosed in September of 2022.

Unknown Speaker 20:10
Okay, so you're approaching your second your two year anniversary? How are you feeling? About You know, it's

Unknown Speaker 20:17
funny about I'm sorry, no need to

Unknown Speaker 20:21
have about just about it, how you feeling?

Unknown Speaker 20:25
Um, first of all, so of course, grateful. But to be totally transparent, I have fear sometimes. Still. I'm in the medical field. I've been a medical social worker, 20 plus years. So I've seen people come back in. And so fear. And also, you know, the fact of knowing that my children went through so much. So I'm trying to embrace every moment. And make sure that I count the moments. Because that, you know, that word, hearing that word, cancer, it's a very scary moment in life. So I'm grateful, I'm still emotional, which sometimes I'm like, really emotional, you know,

Unknown Speaker 21:25
being that you're a little bit of a trailblazer, because you're a little bit of a trailblazer. I mean, doing this as going out on the deep end in a way and doing something that you probably never thought you would do that just kind of became this a huge segment of your life. And this might be a sensitive question. So if you don't want to get into it, I respect that. But having had the cancer diagnosis now in your in your rear view window, but yet at the same time, always kind of like not that this is what you're what you're saying, Is there anything on the bucket list that you're like, I want to seize this, I want to jump into it, I don't want this opportunity to pass me by whether it's someplace you want to travel to something you want to try something you want to do with? What wrinkles, are there new things on the list of things you want to accomplish or experience.

Unknown Speaker 22:19
There's two things, there's one is to go to Greece, okay, that's on my bucket list, for sure. I've traveled internationally, but Greece is on my list. With my children, though, I want to travel to Greece with my children. And the other thing is to start my own social service agency, underneath of wrinkles, and it for it to be a platform for women, to help women who are homeless, women who are looking to get life skills for, you know, trying to find a job, life skills, and just social skills, things like that. And then also mental health support. So those are the two biggest things on my bucket list right now. And I know I'm gonna see those, I'm gonna see those, I'm not gonna give up until I see both of them.

Unknown Speaker 23:17
Well, I believe you're going to be successful in doing it with the type of drive and determination that it sounds like you have, I can't see where you won't be successful. And whatever it is that you choose to do, I mean, for someone to just wake up and go, I've been talking to people, and now I'm going to turn it into a YouTube channel. And then I'm going to establish an organization that brings women together to talk about the challenges, the highs and the lows, and not just the challenges because I don't want it to sound like every show is about a Debbie Downer space of something, but it's about reality of things that women deal with and may want to talk about. But how do you find the people who you talk to? Like? Do they find you do you find them? How do you because you're a gentleman, come on. I mean, I understand I'm doing the same thing in a sense, but where did they come from? You

Unknown Speaker 24:13
know, it's funny, I I end up seeing a lot of social media, you know, I'm on and I might be on someone else's page or somebody posted something and I'll friend them or I'll see something successful in the community something going on and I'll I'll just chase them down. I'll email them called. And I and I never even know if they even want to share I don't know if they have, you know, been through anything. But I feel I always say that I know that it's my calling because I end up embracing some amazing stories and the wrinkles that come to victories. With that the women's share are amazing. Every interview has been amazing. And I just Uh, you know, I tell people, I can follow you on Facebook. Or somebody might say my cousin, my aunt, my sister, you know, I think she'll be amazing for your channel and people just, you know, refer me to them. And then I'll call text email and say, Hey, this is who I am. And they'll either say yay, or nay,

Unknown Speaker 25:20
can you find and people in small cities just use it internationally, nationally? So you're just like, covering the globe with this, this women's conversation that is happening online? That is becoming an entire movement? Well, cool. Kudos to you. And keep up the great work. How do people share the website, I know I mentioned it earlier, but I want to ask you to share it again, in case someone just wants to check it out. And if you know someone, you know, we know, it's only a state over we are in Las Vegas. But I know people in Phoenix and other people do too. It's just a hop, skip and a jump as people like to say. So where can people find more information on you, or just even just listening because this is a platform that you can be anywhere and tune in to these conversations, or you might find a nugget that's helpful to someone and be able to say to them, Hey, here, you can listen to these, these conversations.

Unknown Speaker 26:21
Well, you can find me on wrinkled Society of hope.org. And also you can go to YouTube and put in wrinkle Society of hope, you'll find me there are you can put in record Society of hope on Apple podcasts, or Spotify, and you'll find me there as well. But if you go to Rinko, Society of hope.org, you can go directly to all our links and find us that way, and see all the events that are coming up. And if you want to sign up for the sunflower award, and that award is that you are nominating someone else. So that is coming up pretty soon for nominations to start. And you just write a little email about another person that is going through a wrinkles. And we end up you know, our board meet. And we select the person that we that they I don't feel like with the board, select the person, and we give them some monetary and some gifts of love

Unknown Speaker 27:17
Kim the person be anywhere. Could they be anywhere just anywhere, okay, so they don't have to be which is cool. So they can be here in Las Vegas. And you could nominate someone, a woman who's gone through something that is just a hero to you. And she'll get this acknowledgement from this organization out of Phoenix. And I think it's just nice no matter where love is showered on you from. So that's pretty cool. I just want to make sure people knew that the recipient does not have to be in the Phoenix metropolitan area, but could be anywhere. And I think that is a really nice reach as well. So is there Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, all of those social handles?

Unknown Speaker 27:56
You were there. Sorry about that. Yes, we're ringless Society of hope on Facebook and Instagram. So you can find me there as well. Those two for sure. And then like I said, the YouTube, Apple podcast and Spotify. Well,

Unknown Speaker 28:12
I look forward to the day that we get a chance to actually meet face to face, I want to thank you for spending some time with me here on the scoop. K u and v 91.5. Jazz and more. The Las Vegas listening audience, I think I hope has been blessed to just hear this conversation and get some takeaways from it some encouragement. And also if you think of some great woman out there in your life who has overcome some things, it was just an amazing person. You think she might be good for a sunflower award? The wrinkle Society of hope.org Let her have her roses and smell them while she's still alive. Summer. Yes, have an awesome rest of your day so far. Have a great week. Las Vegas, have a great week. And as summer mentioned YouTube Ken if you didn't get a chance to tune in or you want to tune in again. You can find the scoop button you Flanagan on Spotify, and wherever else you'd like to find your listening podcast. Have a great week Las Vegas

Unknown Speaker 29:11
Las Vegas thank you

Unknown Speaker 29:16
I want to thank you for tuning into the scoop with me telling you Flanagan and I want to invite you to get social with me. I'm on Facebook and Twitter. My name is my handle ta n YAFLA na GA N You can also find me on Instagram at Tanya almond eyes Flanagan and if you have a thought and opinion or a suggestion, don't hesitate to shoot me an email to tonya.flanagan@unlv.edu Thanks again for joining in. Stay safe and have a great week.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai