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• About Sassy
• Accessibility Consultancy

Challenging stereotypes through education and humour: empowering you to be more disability confident

I’m Sassy Wyatt, 32 and been totally blind for just over 10 years now. I live near London with my Handsome and hilarious Husband Grant and our gorgeous Guide Dog Ida! 🐾

You may recognise me as the blind bride on Channel 4’s Posh Frock Shop aired June 2018, where I try on wedding dresses as a blind girl, designed and styled by the award-winning Ian Stewart.

You can still catch all the episodes of Posh Frock Shop on All4.

I’m an accessibility consultant and content creator who adores travel and can usually be found planning my next adventure!

I’m passionate about changing the landscape of accessible tourism imploring destinations, brands and tourism boards to consider the needs and requirements of disabled travellers. Living with both arthritis and blindness, I give a very unique perspective of my local and International explorations.

On land, air and sea Ida has been on almost every trip and loves nothing more than exploring a new city or country with me. Soft adventure travel makes my heart sing but more often than not you’ll find me taking a walking tour, chatting with locals or eating my way through the culture, as this is how I appreciate and interpret my surroundings.

Did you know that arthritis can cause a person to go blind?

Neither did I until it    happened to me. At the age of seven I jumped off a swing    in midair – because I thought I could fly – little did I know that breaking my arm would be the catalyst of the hereditary disease arthritis. 

After eight years of being a wheelchair user, I was put on medication that quite literally change my life. Unfortunately for me however the arthritis started attacking my eyes and by the time I was 15; I was registered blind. 

Blindness is a spectrum and although my medical team did everything they could for me, I lost my remaining vision in September 2013.

I now live my life as a screen reader user: using accessible technology to work my iPhone, MacBook and navigate a world that wasn’t built for me. 

Alongside me is my guide dog Ida: who’s rambunctious tail and larger-than-life character has been putting a smile on everyone’s face since our partnership in 2017. My determination and her robust nature allows me to travel the globe and ultimately advocate for A more    accessible and inclusive world.

Accessibility mean something different for every disabled person but inclusion means that you are willing to try.       

The Mission of This Blog:

My mission is to shed light on the challenges I face as a blind person, providing a glimpse into the unique struggles and triumphs of navigating the world without sight. By sharing my experiences, I hope to foster understanding, and a deeper awareness of the daily barriers encountered by blind and disabled people.

Through my blog, I strive to be a valuable resource for both the blind community and those seeking to understand the world of accessibility. I provide practical tips, advice, and recommendations on a range of topics, from accessible technology to travel as a blind person, enhancing the lives of my readers and empowering them with the knowledge to create a more inclusive world.

As a blind traveller, I bring a unique perspective, offering first-hand accounts of the experiences but also the challenges of exploring the world without sight. I share my travel stories, accessibility reviews, and invaluable insights into navigating airports, public transportation, and unfamiliar destinations as a visually impaired individual. My aim is to inspire other disabled people to embrace the thrill of travel, while encouraging the tourism industry to prioritize accessibility.

Advocacy lies at the heart of my mission. I firmly believe in the power of collective action to drive change. Through my blog, I raise my voice and advocate for the rights and inclusion of disabled people in society, and hope that one day it will become the norm. I engage in conversations about accessibility standards, policies, and the need for universal design, while showcasing the contributions and talents of disabled individuals in various fields.

I aspire to empower disabled people to lead independent and fulfilling lives, breaking down barriers and inspiring others to embrace the transformative power of accessibility.

Lucy Edwards is a broadcaster, journalist, content creator, speaker  & disability activist and is an absolute force to be reckoned with. After losing her full eyesight at only 17 to a rare genetic disease named Incontinentia Pigmenti, Lucy had no one to look up to that was going through the same thing and made it her mission to share her experiences with the world. Through her infectious personality and her open commentary on life, Lucy has amassed an incredible combined social media following of over 2.8 million. Her global audience has viewed Lucys content over one billion times and counting and has placed her as one of the leading voices in the diversity, equity and inclusion space worldwide.

Launching her successful career with the BBC in 2017 at just 20, Lucy produced content for Ouch! Disability Talk; BBC Radio 4's In Touch; and BBC News Online. By 2019, she broke new ground as the first blind presenter to host several shows on BBC Radio 1. Lucy's career has since expanded to include presenting documentaries for the BBC Travel Show, along with hosting panels, keynote speeches, and workshops for international brands, charities, media conglomerates, and corporate events. Her work earned her a Royal Television Society award for her Travel Show documentary on Kenyan safari. Notably, in June 2022, she shared her story of resilience at the Brilliant Minds conference in Stockholm sharing the stage with Malala, Alicia Keys  and Naomi Campbell. In March 2024, she hosted Apple's first-ever accessibility panel at SXSW, interviewing Sarah Herrlinger, the global accessibility lead, and won the RTS Breakthrough Presenter award for her documentary Japan - The Way I See It.

In October 2021, Lucy became an ambassador and commercial model for the global haircare giant Pantene, becoming the face with iconic red hair for their 2022 and 2023 Silky and Glowing and, Miracles Colour Gloss campaigns. These product lines are the first to print packaging to include the trailblazing technology Navilens, a QR style code which can be scanned with a smartphone making packaging accessible for the blind and visually impaired consumer - a testament to Lucy's leadership in advocating for universal design. Her collaboration with Procter & Gamble as their disability partner in 2024 further highlights her commitment to developing inclusive practices.

Lucy's book, "Blind Not Broken," released in March 2024 with Octopus Publishing, is groundbreaking. It not only features Braille on its cover but also integrates NaviLens technology, ensuring accessibility for all readers. This initiative is driven by Lucy's passion for making literature accessible, a desire rooted in her childhood experiences.

Lucy's daily efforts are dedicated to those who, like her younger self, lacked role models. She strives for a world where diversity is celebrated, and disability is recognised as a normal aspect of life. Underpinning her work is the belief in the social model of disability: it is society that needs to adapt, not the individuals with disabilities. Lucy's life motto, "Blind Not Broken," encapsulates her philosophy and her unwavering commitment to change.

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Love Is Blind ’s Chelsea Blackwell Shares 'Amazing Progress' in Her Weight Loss Journey: 'I Love My Body'

“I feel better. My skin feels better, I look better and I'm able to deliver my best possible self to everyone else around me," the reality star said

Vanessa Etienne is an Emerging Content Writer-Reporter for PEOPLE.

Adam Rose/Netflix 

Love Is Blind season 6 star Chelsea Blackwell is opening up about her recent weight loss journey.

On April 2, the 31-year-old posted a TikTok video explaining that she’s gotten a lot of DMs about her health so she decided to offer some tips to how she’s made “amazing progress” recently. 

"I love my body," she began the video. "I've never been a small girl my entire life, and I'm okay with that. Why I decided to change what I was doing was because I wasn't feeling healthy. I wasn't feeling strong. It was affecting my mental health and it was affecting my energy levels."

Noting that she’s not a nutritionist, Blackwell said she started intermittent fasting, juicing, drinking a lot more water, getting better sleep and staying active.

"When I eat, I stick to as many fruits and vegetables as possible," she explained. "I have a lot of protein. Protein is what I try to have all my meals based on… That's my diet normally. When I eat better, I feel better. I feel more focused. I feel clearer. I can think better."

Blackwell added that she’s “not a huge gym girl” but she tries to get her body moving every day, saying that she’s also used influencer Whitney Simmons ’ fitness app.

"The main key component to something I think resulted in my weight loss is walking," she explained. "I will walk 45 minutes a day. It's really my time to meditate and listen to podcasts. That's my ‘me time' and it makes me happy."

The reality star said she hasn’t lost “that much” weight, but she’s simply fueling her body with better things and it’s made her look and feel better.

“I’m not hard on myself, by any means. But I feel better," she said in the clip. "My skin feels better, I look better and I'm able to deliver my best possible self to everyone else around me."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Greg Gayne/Netflix

This isn’t the first time Blackwell has opened up about her overall health. 

In February, she revealed that she started therapy after filming Love Is Blind and the practice has transformed her life.

"I've never seeked [sic] a therapist before but man oh man, I feel everyone could benefit from having an unbiased opinion," she wrote on her Instagram Stories.

"I had a ton of inner issues I needed to debunk and my life, my mindset, my heart has completely changed," she continued. "I thought I loved myself before but I have never felt THIS kind of love."

To someone who said they noticed a new "glow" about her now that she wasn't on the show, Blackwell wrote: "The most special compliment. The woman I am today has come very far from the woman on the show and I'm very proud of my growth."

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The Blind Girl

• John Everett Millais

* As an Amazon Associate, and partner with Google Adsense and Ezoic, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The blind girl is a painting by john Everett Millais (1956). It portrays two beggar girls sitting by the roadside after a storm.

Millais shows the two girls dressed in dull worn out clothes which contrast with the bright background of open fields with cattle and birds and a town, in a distance.

The elder of the two girls is blind. She appears to be responsible for the younger girl, who could be her sister. She is holding her hands while partially sitting on her lap and leaning on her chest. They might be on their way to the town to earn a few pennies by entertaining the people in the town using the accordion on the older girl’s lap.

Showing the different experiences of the two girls, the painting has been portrayed as an allegory of the senses. Apart from sight, the blind girl has all her senses enhanced. She can feel the touch of the younger girl in her left hand. She examines the feel of the grass in her right hand.

Her head is tilted, which gives her the opportunity to fully appreciate the warmth of the sun on her face, take in the smell of the country around her and enjoy the sounds of the birds and mooing cows. The blind girl is enjoying the environment around her. She is sitting so still that a tortoiseshell butterfly rests on her shawl, probably mistaking her for a flower.

Her companion, on the other hand, is snuggling so closely within the shawl of the blind girl and holding her hand. Perhaps scared of the storm that just passed and being comforted by the blind girl. Or just shielding her eyes from the sun and looking at the amazing beauty of the double rainbow. Some critics have suggested that the rainbow is a reminder of God’s covenant with Noah after the floods in the Bible.

It is interesting to note that Millais had originally painted the colours of the two rainbows in the same order. He later altered the painting and had the inner rainbow inverted for scientifical accuracy.

The background view is the town of Winchelsea. It is a known fact that Millais visited this town in 1952 and finished the middle ground of the painting in Perth. Scotland in the summer of 1955. History of the painting has it that the amber-colored skirt worn by the blind girl was the last thing to be painted.

The blind girl received the annual Liverpool Academy award in 1857 and is now viewed as Millais’ best works of art.

Article Author

Tom Gurney in an art history expert. He received a BSc (Hons) degree from Salford University, UK, and has also studied famous artists and art movements for over 20 years. Tom has also published a number of books related to art history and continues to contribute to a number of different art websites. You can read more on Tom Gurney here.

Screen Rant

Selling the oc season 3 premiere date announced as new trailer reveals tension between tyler & alex.

Selling The OC season 3's trailer and premiere date have been shared, & the Netflix original reality TV series is bringing major drama to the O Group.

• Selling The OC season 3 premieres May 3, with a new trailer hinting at drama between Alex and Tyler.
• Fans are eager to watch the new episodes after Tyler and Alex's hookup in the season 2 finale.
• Tension is high in the new season, as Alex questions Tyler about their relationship in the official trailer.

Selling The OC season 3’s premiere date has finally been announced, and with an all-new trailer teasing the Netflix series’ drama , viewers can’t wait to watch. After a successful run of Selling The OC season 2 , viewers were left with some major questions surrounding the lives of the OC Oppenheim Group agents. Primarily, many were curious about the relationship between Alex Hall and Tyler Stanaland, which had grown from a potential mutual attraction to a full-blown hookup in the season finale. Tyler, who was recently divorced from actress Brittany Snow at the time, seemed to be toying with Alex’s emotions.

“When we’re trying to force it, neither one of us are on the same page”

In the brand-new trailer for Netflix ’s Selling The OC season 3, which drops new episodes on May 3 , the cast is shown to have some major tension about several different issues, including Tyler and Alex’s potential romance.

Alex makes it clear in the trailer that things seemed to have turned sour between herself and Tyler, asking him, “You swooned me, and then you ****ing disappeared. What do you want?” While Alex is questioning their relationship, Tyler seems to understand where he stands. “When we’re trying to force it, neither one of us are on the same page,” Tyler explains in the trailer.

20 Best Reality TV Shows Right Now

Tyler stanaland wants to settle down & start a family.

While Alex seems confused by what’s happening between her and Tyler , he appears to be clear on what their relationship is at the moment. Despite having expressed attraction and potential feelings for Alex, he shares in the trailer that he’s hopeful to settle down soon. “I'll be 34 in a couple weeks. I want what you have,” he shares with Austin Victoria, “kids and a wife.” Though there are moments where it appears their relationship is heating up, A lex and Tyler may not be able to figure things out within their romance before he leaves the OC O Group entirely.

Elsewhere in the trailer, the rest of the OC O Group are facing all sorts of issues of their ow n. Aside from Tyler and Alex’s drama, agent Alexandra Harper isn’t doing well with the O Group, as she’s shown struggling through a basic broker’s open. Meanwhile, agent Sean Palmieri is shown embroiled in quite a bit of drama, getting called out for never having sold a property since being with the Oppenheim Group. As his skills are called into question, the rest of the cast, including Selling The OC ’s Polly Brindle , Gio Helou, and Kayla Cardona, are struggling as well.

Viewers have been waiting for an update surrounding Selling The OC season 3 for months, hopeful they’d be able to see the resolutions they’ve been looking for. Whether it’s pushing the drama between Alex and Tyler to another level or exploring the dynamics at play in the O Group at large, Selling The OC season 3 promises big drama and bigger change for the OC agents. With Brett and Jason Oppenheim at the helm, it’s no wonder Selling The OC season 3 will be a huge shift for the cast, with the drama potentially changing their group entirely.

Selling The OC season 3 will drop new episodes on May 3.

Sources: Netflix /YouTube, JustJared /Instagram

Selling The OC

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The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

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Monica Garcia and Her Mother Are Still At Odds

After a tense season of 'RHOCLC' that showcased the contention between the mother-daughter duo, Monica Garcia and her mother have yet to reconcile.

The Big Picture

• Darnell publicly called Garcia a neglectful mother on Twitter.
• Garcia fired back at Darnell on Instagram, defending her parenting choices.
• Garcia expressed gratitude for her support system, excluding her mother from it.

Monica Garcia has fought with her mother, Linda Darnell , since the start of her brief time on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City . Their relationship went back and forth with Darnell taking Garcia's car at one point and making it impossible for her to take care of her kids properly. Now that Garcia is no longer on the reality show , things between them seem to still not be on the best of terms. This time with Darnell publicly calling Garcia neglectful of her children and Garcia firing back at her mother.

Darnell quote-tweeted a video of Garcia calling out Dr. Misha Mutiza (TheBravoDerm), writing "But you're not a doctor working 12-hour shifts. You're a neglectful mother. You're leaving your children to travel all over the US, gone 4 days at a time, and just neglecting them for fun. You receive a hefty support. Stay home with your children instead of leaving them without proper supervision to fend for themselves." Garcia did not take kindly to her mother saying that she does not leave her children with "proper supervision" and took to Instagram to post in her story about what Darnell said.

Garcia's post insinuated that Darnell didn't approve of Garcia's gay friend watching the girls, writing "And don't get me started on that miserable a$$ woman telling the world that my girls' gay uncle isn't 'proper supervision,' you don't want me to open that conversation, LD. TRUST." She also pointed out that Darnell would leave her in other states for long periods of time. “I know you’re not talking about me leaving my girls in their own home for four days when you sent me to a different state to live with friends for over a year!” she wrote.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Monica garcia doesn't appreciate her mother's antics.

Garcia went on to post a series of videos talking about her mother's comments . “I’m working and trying, I’m really trying,” Garcia said in one of the videos. “And I’m being mom-shamed by my f*cking mom.” She added, “ Should out to all the moms working their ass off . Shout out to all the dads working their as off.” She went on to thank the tribe of people she has around her who help raising her four kids possible.

Monica Garcia Needs to Lead the Next ‘Ultimate Girl’s Trip

She did, however, note that her mother is not part of that tribe. “I can’t do it alone. I’m here alone, and I have four children. I have incredible people around me, one of which isn’t YOU, mother,” she said.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is available to stream on Peacock.

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Girl, 8, Is Sole Survivor of Bus Plunge: ‘No One Can Explain This Miracle’

Forty-five church pilgrims from Botswana, along with the driver, were killed when the bus plunged off an overpass into a rocky ravine in South Africa. The only survivor was a little girl.

By John Eligon and Yvonne Mooka

Reporting from Molepolole, Botswana

Lauryn Siako is the rare 8-year-old who springs out of bed to get herself ready for church, her family said. She loves the singing, the dancing, the worshiping.

So when leaders of her church announced that they were resuming the enormous annual Easter pilgrimage to church headquarters in South Africa this year, after a four-year hiatus for Covid-19, Lauryn pleaded with her mother to let her go for the first time.

Lauryn and her grandmother boarded a bus in their home village of Molepolole, Botswana, on Wednesday night with 43 fellow members of the St. Engenas Zion Christian Church, excited for the experience of a lifetime.

But by the following morning, Lauryn was the only one of the 45 passengers still alive.

The driver lost control of the bus on a sharp turn, and it careened off a high overpass on Mmamatlakala Mountain in northeastern South Africa, plunging 165 feet into a rocky ravine and bursting into flames. The driver and all of his passengers perished, except, inexplicably, the stringy girl who had just received her passport a week before the trip and had guarded it closely. She escaped with minor lacerations, South African health officials said.

“How did she come out of that bus?” Lauryn’s tearful mother, Gaolebale Siako, said on Friday, sitting in the modest home where Lauryn had lived with her grandmother in Molepolole, repeating a question she has been asking herself over and over.

“It’s hard to explain,” she added. “I’m hurt that I lost my mom and other people, but I’m also comforted knowing that my child is alive.”

As investigators continued searching for remains and answers as to what happened on Friday, church members questioned how the bus ended up on a treacherous, winding mountain road that they had never taken before in many journeys to the church headquarters in Moria, South Africa.

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Kabelo Joseph Selome, a local ward councilor and a cousin of Lauryn’s mother, said in an interview in Botswana that the bus had been following two cars carrying church elders. But when the cars took a turn, the bus failed to follow — suggesting that the bus driver was lost, said Mr. Selome, who had spoken with the elders.

The police were investigating the crash as a case of culpable homicide, according to a statement, though they did not provide further details.

Emergency responders found Lauryn outside the bus with minor lacerations to her arms, legs, head and back, said Thilivhali Muavha, a spokesman for the chief health official in Limpopo Province, where the crash occurred. She was in stable condition on Friday, Mr. Muavha said.

Mr. Muavha said the authorities had not yet determined how the girl was able to survive such a devastating crash.

“All we can say is that we are happy that she was found alive,” he said.

The family has been speculating about how Lauryn survived, said Ms. Siako, 38. They wonder whether Lauryn’s grandmother, Onkemetse Siako, 61, threw her out of the window before the crash.

“No one can explain this miracle,” said Mr. Selome, the cousin.

The family learned at a briefing with police officials from Botswana on Friday, Mr. Selome said, that Lauryn had provided a lot of information to the South African authorities. She told them where the bus was coming from and where it was going, and even gave them her mother’s phone number.

The family now wonders whether God saved the young girl so that she could assist the authorities.

Lauryn was her grandmother’s favorite because she was so obedient, relatives said. The two lived together while Lauryn’s mother was away working, and they were inseparable. She got her cooking skills and independent mind from her grandmother, they said. She would wash and iron her own clothes and cook for the family — she baked bread the morning of the trip.

Lauryn was ranked second in her class, relatives said. She wanted to perform in a beauty pageant at school, but she was not picked because she walked too slowly and with her shoulders slumped, said her mother, who works as a safety and health official at a construction site.

Her mother told her to prepare not to sleep much at the Easter gathering. The praying, singing, dancing and prophesying happens on a field at night, and the energy is so high that the congregants rarely go to bed.

Ms. Siako said there was always a lot of excitement in simply traveling to the Easter gathering, which attracts millions of worshipers, and in seeing all the buses gathered at Moria.

The Zion Christian Church split into two branches in the middle of the 20th century after a dispute between the founder’s sons. Members of the St. Engenas branch wear a badge with a dove, while the other, larger branch, simply called the Zion Christian Church, wear a star. Their beliefs are virtually the same, said Joel Cabrita, a history professor at Stanford University in California, who has written a book about the church. They belong to a broader Zionist Christian movement in Africa that counts around 15 million members, the largest denomination in southern Africa.

While the St. Engenas branch decided to restart its pilgrimage this year, the other branch still has not.

The South African police confirmed on Friday that the passengers on the bus, along with the driver, were citizens of Botswana making the journey from Molepolole, a village that is considered the gateway to the vast Kalahari Desert.

As of Friday afternoon, 34 bodies had been recovered, the police said. Only nine of them were identifiable, with the others burned beyond recognition.

The tragedy cast a cloud over Botswana, a heavily Christian nation of about 2.5 million that was preparing to celebrate the Easter weekend.

Ms. Siako and other relatives said they worried about how this tragedy would affect Lauryn’s mental state. It is unclear when family members might be able to travel to South Africa to visit her in the hospital, or when she will be able to return home.

“I cry a lot,” Ms. Siako said. “I’m just worried, how is she right now?”

She said she pictured her daughter alone at the bottom of the ravine after the crash, and wondered whether she was scared and crying. “I’m asking myself,” she said, “did she even see what really happened?”

Ultimately, though, the miracle of Lauryn’s survival might be all this devastated community has to help it heal right now.

“This girl, just her being alive, is comforting the whole family,” Mr. Selome said. “This girl is giving us strength.”

John Eligon is the Johannesburg bureau chief for The Times, covering a wide range of events and trends that influence and shape the lives of ordinary people across southern Africa. More about John Eligon

Girls' mental health suffered the most during pandemic, data shows

Mental health ER visits for young people rose during the pandemic.

Four years since the start of the coronavirus pandemic , new data shows how severely the pandemic impacted young people's mental health , particularly girls.

During the pandemic, there was an increase in severe emergency room psychiatric visits for children and teens, including for conditions like bipolar disorder, substance abuse disorders, and schizophrenia, according to research published in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine .

In addition, mental health-related emergency room visits increased "beyond expected rates" for girls near the end of the pandemic, from 2021 to 2022, according to the research.

"We observed a unique vulnerability for girls during the pandemic, which indicates that girls' mental health requires more attention," the study's lead author, Jennifer Hoffmann, MD, MS, emergency medicine physician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, said in a statement .

The newly published data, which looked at emergency room visits across nine U.S. hospitals, builds on existing data showing an ongoing mental health crisis among young people.

In the last months of 2021, the U.S. surgeon general described the pandemic's impact on youth mental health as "devastating," and organizations representing child psychiatrists, pediatricians and children's hospitals declared a national emergency for youth mental health.

A study published in 2022 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 1 in 3 high school teens dealt with poor mental health during the pandemic, and 1 in 5 reported considering suicide .

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The same study found that nearly 3 in 4 teens reported at least one adverse childhood experience -- such as bullying, loss of a parent, or violence -- during the pandemic.

Prior research has established a link between adverse childhood experiences and an increased risk of chronic health conditions, changes in behavior, depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors.

MORE: Dear parents: Here are 5 things we teens want you to know about our mental health

In addition, the pandemic also brought on social isolation for many teens, which can also impact their mental health, according to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News chief medical correspondent and a board-certified OBGYN and obesity medicine specialist.

"This is a vulnerable group. Their premise for development is actually social connectedness, so that explains why the pandemic had such a negative impact on them," said Ashton, who was not involved in the research. "And anatomically, the prefrontal cortex, those connections are immature and subject to significant consequences based on environment, so again, there's actual anatomy and physiology to explain why this is happening."

Ashton said it's important for parents and healthcare providers to remember that mental illness may present differently in kids than it does in adults.

Symptoms of mental health struggles in kids may look like social isolation, changes in sleep patterns, abusing alcohol or drugs, hurting other people or engaging in self-harm, exercising or dieting obsessively, and feeling sad and hopeless, according to the National Institute of Mental Health .

MORE: Suicide attempt survivor shares what he wants other teens to know about mental health

Ashton noted that a child's mental health should be prioritized as much as their physical health. And just like a child would go to a doctor for a physical health condition, there are resources available for professional help with mental health as well.

According to the CDC , schools are important resources for help with mental health, as well as medical doctors, including psychiatrists, and mental health counselors and psychologists.

"You have to understand that you don't have to navigate this by yourself," Ashton said. "If you have concerns, if you have questions, ask for help. Mental health professionals, your child's pediatrician, this is their wheelhouse and they can help."

If you are experiencing suicidal, substance use or other mental health crises, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org.

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My Review of The 2024 Travel Goods Association Trade Show In Las Vegas

Earlier this month I had the privilege of attending the 2024 Travel Goods Association Trade Show held in Las Vegas.

This event exceeded all of expectations, showcasing an impressive range of innovative products and providing a platform for creators to share insights and get involved with the Travel Goods industry and connect with industry leaders.

In this review, I’ll share my experiences and highlight the key aspects of the Travel Goods show and why it was such a great, unique experience!

When I received the invitation to speak as a panelist at the 2024  Travel Goods Association  Trade Show in Las Vegas, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.

I was completely blown away by the sheer scale and vibrancy of the event.

As a seasoned traveler I felt right at home around all of the innovative products, industry heavyweights, and of course my fellow creators.

Lets go over the key aspects that made it such a memorable and enriching experience!

Overall, the best part of the trade show was the incredible diversity of brands and products on display. From sustainable alternatives to traditional luggage to niche Amazon shops offering unique travel accessories, there was something for every type of traveler.

It was truly inspiring to see the level of innovation driving the travel goods industry forward.

Involvement of Creators in the 2024 Show

I was particularly impressed by the inclusion of creators like myself in this year’s show.

Creators play a vital role in shaping the changing landscape of the travel industry, and it was wonderful to see some of the best in the industry sharing their thoughts and insights.

Being able to connect with other travel creators was an invaluable opportunity, and I’m grateful for the chance to exchange ideas and experiences with like-minded individuals.

This proved to me that the Travel Goods Association is truly paying attention to market trends, and knows what is going on in the ever-evolving industry. And right now, that is the impact of travel creators.

Female Founded Brands

Among the many brands represented at the trade show, I was so excited to come across several female-founded companies.

These trailblazing entrepreneurs are making significant contributions to the travel goods industry, and their presence added an extra layer of diversity and innovation to the event.

Some notable mentions include  Save The Girls , a brand that gives 10% percent of profits to breast cancer research –  Yogo , completely sustainable portable yoga mats and  Ms Jet Setter , each offering unique and high-quality products tailored to the needs of modern travelers.

I love  Ms Jet Setter’s travel Jewlery Bag  – no more tangled necklaces after you travel!

Female founded travel goods brands are great because girls know what girls need.

Content Creators at the 2024 Travel Goods Show

A new initiative introduced at this year’s trade show was the involvement of content creators. This is why I was invited!

The summit celebrated the influential voices shaping the travel goods landscape, from seasoned travel bloggers to social media newbies and everyone in between.

Exhibitors who otherwise might not have worked with influencers had the opportunity to connect with content creators on a personal level to learn about how they can help amplify their brand.

The Travel Goods Association did a great job of helping to usher in the new era of collaboration, marketing and creativity.

They are aware of the truth, which is that influencers continue to inspire travelers worldwide.

As influencers and content creators continue to play an increasingly important role in shaping the travel industry, it was great to see them given a platform to share their insights.

Being able to connect with other travel creators, exchange ideas, and collaborate on future projects was an invaluable experience left me feeling both inspired and motivated.

The Solo Women in Travel Panel

One of the highlights of my time at the trade show was participating in the Solo Women in Travel panel alongside some truly remarkable individuals.

I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Jennifer Broome, a talented travel writer, journalist, and meteorologist whose passion for travel shines through in everything she does.

Another panelist, Jackie Nourse, become a fast friend and brought her wealth of experience as a traveler, podcaster, and blogger to the discussion. Joanna Kalafatis, a travel writer, blogger, and actress, brought a unique perspective to the panel. She spoke about her experiences traveling to over 45 countries and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Another panelist I had the opportunity to work with was Rachel Harris, otherwise known as sunrayy on Instagram. Rachel is a seasoned adventurer and content creator who I was so excited to meet!

I also had the opportunity to attend several other thought-provoking sessions and panels throughout the trade show.

Hearing from industry leaders like Samantha Brown reaffirmed the important role that creators play in driving innovation and shaping consumer preferences.

To Wrap It Up

The 2024  Travel Goods Association Trade Show  was a simply put, a success. It exceeded my expectations and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity.

Thank you to the TGA for providing a platform for innovation, collaboration, and inspiration. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have participated in this event and look forward to seeing how it continues to shape the future of travel!