Carolyn Evans Has A Heart For Animals
To many, Carolyn Evans is better known as Cincinnati’s very gifted and kind hearted PhoDOGrapher whose art is capturing the beautiful relationship between pets and their humans, and their very real emotions. Carolyn is also the heart and soul of what has grown to be one of the largest animal rescue adoption events in the region – even nationally – called My Furry Valentine.
She will tell you, it is a journey she never intended to take but sometimes in life your heart draws you down paths you hadn’t discovered. Carolyn grew up in an animal loving household. Dogs, bunnies, cats, hamsters, gerbils, mice and even a bird were part of their menagerie. Her role model for understanding and appreciating the welfare of animals was her 
mother. Together many years ago, mother and daughter were among a crowd protesting the capture of beluga whales.
You could say, caring for animals in need was just part of her DNA. It was about 20 years ago when Carolyn founded a non-profit called Happy Tails, that created note cards featuring touching stories and photographs of adopted animals. She couldn’t volunteer at shelters (as the vulnerability to come home with additions to her clan was too great) and saw this as a good solution. On the back of each note card was a description of the shelter or rescue group from which the animal came. Money raised went back to the shelters. Back then there was no such thing as PetFinder or rescue websites so this was an even more valuable service.
One thing led to another. People she had photographed and people who admired her work began asking for more photos, and soon PhoDOGrapher was born. In addition to photographing people and their non-human companions, she also photographed shelter dogs who were about to be euthanized in hopes of helping them find happiness again in a new home. I remember many of those images, portrayals of dogs whose lives were at risk because people had let them down. Carolyn’s talents have helped save countless animals.
She also joined the board as president of nonprofit, United Coalition for Animals (UCAN). UCAN opened our region’s first low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter clinic, offering an effective and humane alternative to euthanasia in tackling overcrowded shelters.
And, somewhere along the way she began holding small adoption events. However, a small thinker does not describe Carolyn. In 2012, she founded My Furry Valentine, an adoption event traditionally held over Valentine’s Day weekend that has grown so large that it now needs to be held in a convention center. In 2015 alone, the event helped facilitate the adoption of a record 813 animals. In five years, My Furry Valentine has collectively helped facilitate the adoption of over 2000 animals. It is a huge accomplishment with wide support from the media, sponsors, and rescue organizations.
Lisa: What is the most rewarding part of your work?
Carolyn: For me, what is most rewarding is knowing you have impacted someone’s mindset on adoption. There are many people who would not have made the choice to adopt an animal if it were not for our event. Even greater than the numbers of direct adoptions through the actual event, we are planting that seed in people’s minds who, down the road, choose to bring an animal into their life this way. We are also making a long term impact by directing people to the rescues and shelters, who they may have otherwise never heard about. For many of our 2000 plus adoptions, those people were first time adopters and we made them a lifelong adopter instead of a buyer.
Lisa: Tell us about your own pets.
Carolyn: Currently our home includes two dogs, Abby (a black flat coat mix) and Jack (a golden retriever/irish setter mix) who found their way to us shortly after our other two dogs passed away.
Jack is my photography muse as he is very photogenic. He was the cutest, furriest puppy at an adoption event we had just stopped at so that I could deliver a donation. I convinced my husband to come inside; and, after he had told me that IF they were going to get another dog, it would be older and smaller, he grabbed this flub ball who was not even potty trained. That was it.
Abby was a stray that a friend found wandering the streets of Covington, Kentucky in an area where animals are frequently abandoned. Our plans were to just foster her temporarily but we ended up keeping her.
Lisa: What would you like to say to people about animals who are up for adoption?
Carolyn: Many animals end up in shelters and rescues through no fault of their own. They are often victims of circumstances outside of their control such as a change of life for their caregivers. But they have big hearts and they can forgive. They may need training and patience to fit into and adjust to their new family and home, but there are huge benefits.
#GoodThingsCincy
Diana Mairose Inspires Inclusion
Photo taken at a Women Helping Women fundraising event
At 37, Diana Mairose may have a soft voice but it speaks loudly and with purpose. It is the vehicle behind which a confident, driven, empathetic, idea person collects believers of her cause. Sitting on the sidelines is not her thing. No, Diana’s friends, peers, co-workers, and public officials will tell you she is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to getting things done. What she gets done enhances lives, strengthens communities, and ensures people of their human rights.
Diana is an advocate support advisor for Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services (HCDDS), that promotes and supports opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to live, work, learn and fully participate in their communities. In a nutshell, what she does, she told me is, “help people to find their voice, and what they believe in and what they want to do in life.”
She has been referred to time and again as one of the best, most effective advocates in Ohio. She has spoken at conferences and events, in the community and before local, regional and statewide public officials; and she provides her peers with information and encouragement to have a voice…to be included.
Diana is also past president of the Ohio Self Determination Association (OSDA) and chair of Advocacy United, a group of professionals and advocates whose mission is to help move people with disabilities into places of power so their voices can be heard.
A driving force behind positive change
That seems to be the theme when it comes to Diana.
She has testified before President Obama’s Election Commission for accessible elections. On behalf of OSDA, she testified before an Ohio State Senate Committee last year about concerns that an amended House Bill would take away opportunities and rights of people with disabilities.
And she is the major reason for the removal of the word ‘handicapped’ from the blue accessibility signs local, and statewide. Diana told me, it was when Ohio changed the name from Mental Retardation Developmental Disabilities Services to simply Developmental Disabilities Services that spurred her quest to change those signs in public places and parking lots. It all began with the Hamilton County Commissioners around the time when the Banks new garage was opening. “I told them the importance of reading symbols and showing respect in the community,” she told me. “After that I took my advocacy idea to the next level. I asked the City of Cincinnati council members to vote yes for the City and for it to also be a budget neutral law. At that time I also helped other counties and cities to remove the word ‘handicap’ from Ohio, and spoke with Eric Kearney about introducing this bill to make it a law.”
That law took several years to happen, but it happened! “I really like the accessible symbol. Symbols help everybody everywhere,” Diana said. “It is a simple way to respect other people. My grandma is 102. Elderly, children and adults with disabilities, family members and friends benefit.
“Advocacy comes from ideas and hopes and dreams. When I see the accessible symbol I smile for a positive change in the state of Ohio.”
Diana has a lot of reasons to smile.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Today, I am looking forward to celebrating this very special woman who brought me into this world many years ago; and who, on this journey, taught me about being kind, laughing often, appreciating every day, saying ‘thank you’ and ‘I’m sorry’, and giving to lift others up. My adorable mom brightens my life in so many ways. I love her so much. Happy Mother’s Day!
Mother’s Day Messages
Several of my friends shared their thoughts and photos of their mothers, in celebration of Mother’s Day.
Deb Haas
My mother never told me what to do, rather she taught by living her life as an example of how to be a good person, and how to treat others. She was kind, always. She treated everyone she met with respect, and a smile. She saw the good in people. How lucky I was to have her– I hope I’m good at those things, too. She was my greatest champion and friend. When I spoke at her funeral, I said, “I sure am glad I had her for my mom for 33 years, rather than someone I didn’t like very much for 70!” The time with her was too short, but I am reminded of how fortunate I have been when I meet someone new who knew her. Almost to a person, they take my hand and say, “You’re Linda’s daughter?!?”….it feels like they are happy just to be with someone who reminds them of her. And that is a gift to me.
Brian Gregg
I’m a lucky man to be born to this woman. Her sacrifices and hard work laid the foundation for not only me, but my children. She was a parent at 17 and raised three children, mostly by herself. We didn’t have much at all, but we had a ton of guidance and love. As I navigate parenting, I turn to the example she set and the things she taught. Sydney and Tyson just love her for being grandma, but they are going to hear stories about her for the rest of her life and some day they will understand her greatness and impact on the people they become.
Kate Lopez
That is my older sister Emily Pack and my mom is Cathy Young. “The first thing my mom gave me was her smile and then she taught my siblings and I how to use it well! She was a nurse who cured with medicine and her quick smile. She is my example of selflessness, strength and unconditional love. She is who I strive to be.”
MYCincinnati Teaches About Music AND Life
They are young, impressionable minds from different diverse ethnicities, religions, and socio economic backgrounds but through music they are learning to be as one. They are growing individually into more compassionate, empathetic, responsible, and confident human beings; and 
they are growing collectively as mentors, teachers, learners, team members and performers.
These are the 90+ members of MYCincinnati (Music for Youth in Cincinnati), a free youth orchestra program for youth who live and go to school in Price Hill. While students learn violin, viola, cello or double bass as part of an orchestra, they also learn so much more about life skills.
Such a wonderful concept! I spoke with Eddy Kwon, program director who co-founded MYCincinnati as part of the nonprofit Price Hill Will with Laura Jekel in 2011. He told me the goal is not necessarily to create professional musicians, but well rounded, compassionate, empathetic humans interested in the greater good.
What makes this music program unique – in addition to the fact that this is absolutely a neighborhood empowerment driven initiative – is that MYCincinnati is group focused and community centered. Instead of incorporating private lessons and at home practice, theirs is all about learning, practicing and performing together, and supporting each other in the process.
“We want our participants to have fun but we also hold them to the highest stands. We really push each of them to the health of the whole group, rather than on pursuing individual desires and impulses,” Eddy said.
“We’ve found that that keeps them engaged. It is difficult for people new to playing musical instruments to sound good, and it can be pretty easy to become discouraged if they practice by themselves. With MYCincinnati, they make friends and when they are all working together and 
enjoying it, the experience can be pretty addicting.”
If you don’t believe Eddy’s words, these are some thoughts from some of the youth in the orchestra:
“I’m going to continue to play music, because I’m inspired by it.”
– Abner Diaz Rodriguez, 15
“I love MYCincinnati. It’s like my second family.”
– Kalla Ervin, 16
“My family thinks it’s spectacular, because you get to make new friends and learn music.”
– Gabriel Santiago, 11
MYCincinnati includes a pre-orchestra for children from Kindergarten to second grade where they learn singing, songwriting, bucket drumming and other foundational skills. This meets for one hour each day from 3 to 4 pm. And its string orchestra program is for youth ages second grade to high school juniors, meeting two hours daily. Following practice, free tutoring and mentoring is offered.
The orchestra performs often in the Price Hill area and in larger Cincinnati venues (many of their performances are free to attend). Please visit their website to see their schedule.
Some additional questions for Eddy:
Lisa: What impact have you seen on your participants?
Eddy: Imagine sitting through a two hour rehearsal and being completely focused. Doing that every day develops many skills like memory, goal setting, impulse control, values. In a multi cultural learning environment, there are many challenges but our goals and expectations are so clear that no matter their background or where they live, they know that everyone is trying their best to learn and practice for the next concert. One of things I notice most is that kids feel a sense of family and sense of belonging, have more confidence, and are able to communicate better.
Lisa: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Eddy: To be able to spend time with all of the students every day. I love teaching and working with a large group. The business side of this can be tedious but it is all worth it when I get to work with the kids, and be a part of joyful and loving community. Seven of our 11 original students are still with us which says a lot about our impact.
Before I began this, I didn’t really like kids and think I may have been a little bit afraid of them. They have a way of calling you out or noticing things about your personality and are not afraid to tell you about it. I avoided kids when younger but the more I got to work with them, the more I see them as deep complex human beings.
